Funding approved: Green Bay City Council aids affordable homes, new retail, public park projects

Jeff Bollier, Green Bay Press-Gazette
Updated ·4 min read

GREEN BAY - The Green Bay City Council approved financial support for three different projects that will spur construction of affordable homes, new retail sites and public amenities along the Fox River.

The three development agreements approved on Tuesday will provide tax incremental financing (TIF) support to Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity, the owners of Green Bay Plaza on Military Avenue, and the city’s development of an urban beach and public amenities in the Shipyard area near the Mason Street bridge.

The support ranged from $122,000 for water lines to a $4.2 million increase in TIF borrowing for Shipyard area improvements.

Tax incremental financing districts enable communities like Green Bay to borrow money to finance new infrastructure improvements, to purchase blighted properties or to incentivize new, more valuable construction on a specific site or area. The new developments create new tax revenue that is used to pay off city borrowing.

Here’s a closer look at each plan and what the council approved.

Crews continue construction of the riverfront promenade, fishing pier and other improvements in the Shipyard Redevelopment Area on Oct. 9, 2023. The site is on the western shore of the Fox River just north of the Mason Street overpass.
Crews continue construction of the riverfront promenade, fishing pier and other improvements in the Shipyard Redevelopment Area on Oct. 9, 2023. The site is on the western shore of the Fox River just north of the Mason Street overpass.

Shipyard budget increased as city gets $5 million grant for park, urban beach plans

The council increased the Shipyard area public improvements budget to $24 million. The city’s share of project costs also increased to $16.3 million.

This is the second budget increase since 2018 when the city set the original Shipyard area project budget at $10 million, with $9.5 million in tax incremental borrowing approved.

The increases incorporate a $5 million federal grant to help fund the next phase of public improvements to the South Broadway redevelopment area. The grant does require the city to match the grant with $5 million of its own. City staff said they continue to seek non-federal grants to try to reduce the city’s share of the total project budget, but that the updated budget reduces the city’s share slightly from 71% of all funding to 69%.

The second phase of public improvements includes creation of a great lawn, dog park, urban beach, playground, fountain and other public amenities along the Fox River.

The first phase of public improvements in the Shipyard includes a riverfront trail, kayak launch and other improvements. The work should be completed this summer and staff expect construction of the second phase of public improvements to start by early 2025.

An overhead rendering of the eight single-family homes and six townhouses included in the Habitat Homestead subdivision. Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity plans start construction on the subdivision, located on Richmond Street, by early August 2023.
An overhead rendering of the eight single-family homes and six townhouses included in the Habitat Homestead subdivision. Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity plans start construction on the subdivision, located on Richmond Street, by early August 2023.

Road construction will pave the way for Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity affordable housing

The council also allocated $650,000 to Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity to construct a new street and infrastructure through its east-side Habitat Homestead housing development.

Habitat will build 13 new, owner-occupied homes or townhomes on a 2.6-acre site in a residential area bounded by Lime Kiln Road, East Mason Street, Main Street and Manitowoc Road. The $4 million project needs a new road to connect Ricky Drive and Richmond Street. Habitat requested city assistance with the project with bids putting the total cost at $840,000.

The new road should be built this spring and summer in order for Habitat to begin construction on the first of the 13 homes in August. The homes will be sold to income-qualified families who will pay a no-interest mortgage on the homes. Habitat already has 14 households eligible for Habitat homes with more going through the application process.

A conceptual rendering of how five new retail sites could be added to the Green Bay Plaza shopping center at the intersection of Military Avenue and West Mason Street. The new Club Car Wash off Military Avenue is marked in red at the bottom of the image.
A conceptual rendering of how five new retail sites could be added to the Green Bay Plaza shopping center at the intersection of Military Avenue and West Mason Street. The new Club Car Wash off Military Avenue is marked in red at the bottom of the image.

Green Bay Plaza could add five new businesses along Military Avenue

The council approved an agreement with Military Avenue Partners, which owns a segment of Green Bay Plaza, a shopping center located at Military Avenue and West Mason Street. The group requested assistance with the cost to install five new water lines to the site that would spur development of new businesses on part of the former Sears site, just south of Club Car Wash, which was built last year.

The water lines, which have to be installed beneath Military Avenue to reach the nearest water line, will enable the property’s owners to create sites for five new retail developments in the plaza.

City staff said one new business could be announced this year while there’s interest in the other four, potential sites from additional retailers.

The city agreed to provide 70% of the cost to install the new utility lines, up to a total of $122,500.

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay council backs affordable homes, new Military Avenue retail