City of Wausau’s Negotiations for Former Wausau Iron Works Site Fall Apart

Monday, March 18th, 2024 -- 8:00 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) Wausau’s Capital Improvements and Street Maintenance committee has learned that negotiations to purchase the former Wausau Iron Works site on West Street have fallen apart, meaning the location will not be the future home of the city’s Department of Public Works maintenance facility, according to Mike Leischner with WSAU.

“It’s disappointing. We offered [the current owner] probably seven, eight times what he paid for it,” said Committee Chair Lou Larson. “Way more than what it is worth,” added Alder Lisa Rasmussen. “It is just disappointing. I think we negotiated in earnest and we were fair with that. It just didn’t go our way.”

The committee had committed to the site last year, going so far as to enlist consultants to design a $25.2 million complex that incorporated the brick portion of the current structure, which would have been gutted and renovated for office space.

Storage and parking facilities and repair bays were also included in the plans. Larson noted that the city’s list of backup locations was underwhelming, but one site did intrigue the group. That’s a six-acre plot along 28th Avenue across from Menards.

Public Works Director Eric Lindman notes that it does provide enough room to possibly move some of the department’s operations despite its odd shape “I don’t know how things would fit on there, but it is about six acres which is about [what we need,” said Lindman.

The appeal for the West Street site had always been its central location and ease of access to all three bridges connecting the city’s east and west sides. Lindman said the Menards location would be closer to the business park, but could be better than looking for a location outside city limits.

Building new at the current DPW facility remains out of the question. Even if the city were to tear down the current facility and nearby homes purchased from willing sellers, there still wouldn’t be enough room to build what they need.

Additionally, there’s an underground stream they would have to work around. No vote was taken, though the committee did instruct Lindman to gather more information about the 28th Avenue site for a future meeting.

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