WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The pandemic-delayed ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Riverlife Apartment complex was held on Tuesday with the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce.
Mitch Viegut, one of the founders of Wausau River Life LLC along with Dr. Fritz Riveron, and Bob Ohde says he hopes the project is just the start of a bigger redevelopment in the area. Viegut says the group wants the facility to be known as a premier property in Wausau. “We didn’t try to cut any corners to make this a lower-scale unit. We want it to be more of a premier place to get this Riverlife project kicked off.
“The views here are spectacular. If you look up and down the river, it’s just fantastic and a great location for accessing all of Wausau,” he added.
That includes all of downtown Wausau and the expanded YMCA along with the planned Aspirus clinic and the Riverlife park, which opened in 2019. The group of Viegut, Riveron, and Ohde are not done with their vision for the area either, as they will begin construction on a complex of condominiums this summer. They are also in the running for some other developable parcels of land nearby.
“Part of the plan includes a small 400 block-like concert venue in between the condos and this building. That will be perfect for Sunday morning Church services to small duets. So we’ll be able to provide some entertainment. Hopefully, the next buildings over will have coffee shops, hair salons, and other things that can complement people coming down here along with the increased residential flow.”
The area will also see a new dental clinic which is slated to be constructed in the next year, which gives the area a medical campus alongside the Eye Clinic of Wisconsin and Aspirus/YMCA facility.
Despite rents that cost between $975 and $2,800 monthly, the apartment complex has been at near capacity since opening for tenants last summer. Just before Viegut cut the ribbon the on-site managers announced that the building is officially at 100% capacity, and has even seen some units change hands already.
Some of the amenities included with rent are a workout facility, community room, private balconies and patios, and a community patio that features Traeger grills. Unites also feature high-speed internet and a washer and dryer.
Viegut adds that they delayed the ceremonial ribbon-cutting last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
