A proposal to develop an apartment or office complex at the boarded-up hospital building in Oconto was greeted with enthusiasm last week by city leaders.
Representatives of Smet Construction Services, of Green Bay, met with the city’s Industrial Development Commission on Thursday to unveil their plans for the facility, which closed about 10 years ago.
According to a proposal submitted by Smet’s Memorial Gardens Redevelopment of Wisconsin, the original hospital building will be renovated into offices or apartments. The building additions would be demolished and the land incorporated into the project. Located at the corner of First Street and Collins Avenue, the two-story building is approximately 12,000 square feet.
“I love that building and it needs to be utilized,” Mayor Victoria Bostedt said.
“We are supportive of that as well,” said Kevin Hamann, administrative coordinator for Oconto County.
The property is owned by Oconto River Condominiums, of Milwaukee, and is tax delinquent since 2008.
“This is going to go,” Bostedt said. “This is very wonderful — very wonderful — for everyone.”
“We’re a regional company, and we would stand to do a quality project at that location,” said Greg Polacheck, director of market development of Smet Construction Services.
According to a proposed timetable, the developer would close on sale of the site by Dec. 31, 2013, begin construction within 30 days and complete the project by Oct. 1, 2014. A price for the property has not been negotiated.
The building is located in Tax Incremental District 4, and although the TID fund contains no capital, City Administrator Sara Perizzo said money may be made available from another TID for blight removal and environmental remediation.
The Industrial Development Commission voted to work toward a development agreement with Smet for the project.
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