LETTER: High-rise rental units wrong for Port and don’t deserve TIF

To Ozaukee Press:

I am writing to voice my strong opposition to the proposed four-story, 50-unit apartment building on the parking lot between Pier and Washington streets in downtown Port Washington. This project, put forward by Haley Dobre, would fundamentally change the character of our historic downtown—and worse yet, it asks taxpayers to help fund it.

According to the proposal, the project will rely on funding from the downtown tax incremental financing (TIF) district. Yet it fails to specify how much public assistance will be requested or what costs it will cover. The developer states that “without TIF assistance, the project is not possible.” If a project cannot stand on its own financial merits, it may not be the right project for our community.

TIF is intended to support site improvements that wouldn’t happen otherwise, in order to expand the property tax base. But the idea that this oversized development—topping out at 55 feet high—will somehow “implement the city’s comprehensive plan” by altering the very heart of our downtown is misguided. This is not smart growth; it’s overdevelopment, subsidized by public dollars.

The downtown area is beloved for its historic charm, pedestrian scale and connection to the lakefront. A large, modern apartment building crammed into this 

space disrupts all of that. It threatens to overcrowd an already limited parking area,   and raises serious questions about traffic, infrastructure stress and the long-term impact on surrounding small businesses.

The proposal claims that the influx of potential tenants will justify this project, but this reasoning is highly unreliable. The assumption that a large, urban-style building will automatically draw in as-yet-unrealized residents, who will revitalize the area and boost the local economy, ignores the reality of the market and the unique needs of our community. This is a one-size-fits-all solution that simply doesn’t fit the scale or character of downtown Port Washington.

It’s essential that any redevelopment project enhances, not overwhelms, the fabric of our community. This proposed project—out of scale, subsidized by taxpayers, and relying on uncertain demand—falls short of what Port Washington deserves.

Let’s be clear: TIF should be used sparingly and responsibly. Handing over financial support for a private development that doesn’t fit the area—while providing no clear public benefit—should not qualify.

I urge city leaders and the Plan Commission to reject this proposal and prioritize projects that enhance, not diminish, what makes Port Washington special.

L. B. Bannon

Port Washington