WAUPUN — The City is looking at next steps for the downtown property currently housing the Waupun Senior Center and Recreation Department.
A draft was brought to the City Council Tuesday evening exploring options for the sale of the Senior Center property, which is located at 301 E Main St. The matter was previously discussed at the Economic Development Committee meeting, who wrote up the draft for what the City is looking for in its future use.
The property is currently appraised for $142,000 but the City intends to choose the best developer for the job according to the City’s long-term plans.
“The goal isn’t to bring in the highest dollar but to bring in a developer who will honor the work that is being done in the downtown district, which is going to be the biggest factor,” said Finance Director Casey Langenfeld.
Downtown properties are doing well in the real estate market right now, with many local businesses buying up property and renovating them into state-of-the-art shopfronts.
There are already a handful of developers that the City plans to reach out to for a bid on the property, but the listing and sale process will not begin until after construction on the new Senior Center is completed. No names were mentioned on which developers were in consideration.
“The City will consider all development proposals that contemplate a future use of the property compatible with the surrounding commercial business district, with preference given to owner-occupied retail or retail tenant space with an identified and described use,” the draft says.
After a brief discussion, the City Council passed a motion to move forward on the draft proposal. The submitted materials were a total of nine pages. Images of the property were also in the packet, including photos of the current state of the unused upstairs apartment and basement areas.
