City seeks developer for police, fire station site

The City of Port Washington will seek redevelopment proposals for the land now occupied by the police and fire stations, the Common Council agreed Tuesday.

Bob Harris, the city’s director of planning and development, said he’s expecting a number of proposals, saying, “I’m getting a lot of initial interest. I’m looking forward to seeing what we get.”

The request for proposals calls for single-family housing that’s two to three stories to be created on the site, with the development following traditional architecture.

Harris noted that the 1.56-acre site a 104 W. Washington St. and 365 N. Wisconsin St. “is kind of a unique location. There aren’t a lot of places with these kinds of amenities two to three blocks away.”

Those amenities include a marina and a bustling downtown with historic storefronts just a few blocks away.

Ald. Mike Gaspar questioned whether the city should also consider proposals that incorporate retail or commercial uses on the first floor since the site is part of the downtown.

“I personally wouldn’t be opposed if there was limited commercial space with this too,” he said. “But overall I think residential is the right approach.”

Harris said developers can submit proposals that incorporate whatever concepts they desire, noting that the request for proposals doesn’t prohibit commercial uses even though it seeks residential concepts as outlined in the downtown master plan.

“My thought is we really want to concentrate retail, commercial in the existing corridors of downtown rather than dilute it,” Harris said.

Commercial development is better suited to the block south of the police and fire stations, where the former Poole Funeral home and Edward Jones offices are located, he said.

Mayor Ted Neitzke said it’s important that the city seek development proposals for the land so when the police and fire departments move to the new public safety building next September, work can proceed quickly.

“I do not want our city to the in a position that we have a vacant municipal building for one day more than possible,” Neitzke said, noting that there are costs such as insurance, heating and maintenance associated with these structures.

Neitzke has also argued that any proceeds from the sale of the building could go to offset the $31.8 million cost of constructing the new public safety building.

The request for proposals notes that the city will sell the existing police and fire station property “as is,” with the developer responsible to raze the buildings and  remediate the site as needed.

The property is not listed as a contaminated site on the state’s remediation and redevelopment database, officials noted.

No purchase price is listed in the request for proposals, which says that the cost of the property is “negotiable.”

The request for proposals will go out on July 11, with proposals due to the city on Aug. 29. A committee of city staff members will recommend a development proposal to the General Government and Finance Committee on Oct. 7, with aldermen selecting a proposal on Oct. 21.