Marshfield Common Council Selects J. Jeffers and Co. as Lead Developer of Former Weinbrenner Shoe Company Factory

Thursday, February 13th, 2025 -- 9:01 AM

(Erik Pfantz, Marshfield News-Herald) J. Jeffers and Co. will serve as the lead developer on redevelopment of the former Weinbrenner Shoe Company factory in Marshfield’s downtown.

According to Erik Pfantz with the Marshfield News-Herald, the Common Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a Community Development Authority recommendation of the Milwaukee-based developer for the project after considering proposals over the last several weeks.

“I think the city should feel really good about having really four qualified, bona fide developers that had submitted RFQs for the project,” Ashley Winch, Community Development Authority member, said as she presented the recommendation.

Jeffers’ proposal stood out for several reasons including its family-centered residential character, its care for the history of the community and the property, the company’s experience in adaptive reuse of historical properties, the developer’s already helpful Director of Community Impact, and the vision for the project in relation to the Second Street Corridor redevelopment project.

“They treated the building as a piece of an overall campus, which I think is really important as the city continues to explore and develop that Second Street corridor,” Winch said. “I think if the city wants the building to be that anchor and that downtown gem, this is definitely the partner to do it.”

Jeffers’ proposal envisions the former factory building as residential-only with about 80 units ranging between one and three bedrooms that are “energy-efficient, sustainable and affordable apartments.”

The building would also have an active lobby for residents, mail and package rooms, and on-site laundry and property management. Past adaptive reuse of historical property projects the company has completed in Wisconsin are outlined in the proposal including projects in Milwaukee, Racine and Jackson.

The availability of tax credits for affordable housing and historic preservation were noted by council members as crucial for the number of developers’ interest in the project. Under the terms of the current proposal, the project would be split into 85% affordable units and 15% at market-rate prices.

“It will be great for some families but it will be great for a retired couple that wants to sell their house to a young couple in town,” Brian Varsho, District 4 alderperson and council president, said in support of the proposal.

“It kinda gets the ball rolling on our affordable housing. There’s a lot of houses within this community that you have an elderly couple that might want to sell it but hasn’t sold it yet. Move into an apartment like this, you don’t have to mow your lawn, you don’t have to snow blow, you don’t have to do stuff like that,” Varsho added.

The developer will begin working on the project immediately by creating plans and specifications, seeking further historical preservation approvals, and identifying financial partners. If all goes according to plan, construction would begin by September 2026 and the building would be open for occupancy in January 2028.

Weinbrenner and the city agreed in August to a development agreement to ultimately move the over 130-year-old company to Mill Creek Business Park after leasing the downtown property from the city since 1935.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.