WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Wausau Plan Commission has approved two zoning changes for Gorman and Company’s proposed multi-family housing unit at the West Side Battery location on First Avenue.
The first clarifies the purpose of a community service office on the ground floor of the building, which will actually serve as a “satellite” office for Lutheran Social Services. Trenton Claybaugh with Gorman and Company told the planners that this is a common feature of some of their projects. “Generally speaking it is them [LSS] coordinating services with tenants in the building. We don’t anticipate that there will be [more than one person] coming in at any given time. I don’t think they will be meeting with several people at once,” he said.
Cit Planner Brad Lenz said this doesn’t change any of the plans for the building. Gorman and Company wanted to bring the item to their attention as a matter of transparency. “Technically it’s somewhat different than your typical building manager’s office, but it will function similarly. Technically, it is a different use than just the apartments above it. They wanted to clarify that and bring it forward to you as an amendment.”
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Planners also approved a change for the zoning of a small, triangle-shaped parcel of land across the street which will be converted into a surface parking lot. That will serve as overflow parking for the complex, and could also include two reserved spots for the LSS office during business hours.
Alder Sarah Watson did say she would like to see the city consider additional safety measures for pedestrians in the area, which are also in the works.
Both measures passed on unanimous voice votes and will be considered by the city council at future meetings.
Gorman and Company was awarded the site in the winter of 2021, though the project suffered a setback last year when the developer failed to win some tax credits from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. They are in the process of re-applying for that funding in the new year.
Plans originally called for construction to start later this year with the building ready for occupancy by mid-2024. An updated timeline for the project hasn’t been given.
