Waupaca considers loss of two retail stores
By Angie Landsverk
Waupaca’s Fulton Street corridor is being discussed by city staff in the wake of one store closing earlier this year and another set to close.
Andrew Dane addressed the topic in his monthly report to the mayor and Plan Commission.
He is the city’s interim director of community and economic development.
“The closing of Kmart and Shopko reflects a broader national trend toward less demand for retail space, consistent with findings from a recent Retail Market Study commissioned by the city of Waupaca,” Dane wrote. “Staff is looking at options to address this growing issue, and will bring forward options to consider at the October Plan Commission meeting.”
With Kmart closing and Shopko already closed, it makes sense to look at the area, Mayor Brian Smith told the Plan Commission earlier this month.
Shopko closed last spring, and Kmart is closing before the year ends.
“If we expect them to end up the same use they were before, we’re kidding ourselves,” Smith said. “We don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Dane said it may be appropriate to look at the whole district and revisit land uses in it.
“I think we can be proactive,” he said.
Strategies for empty retail stores
Dane told the commission he can come back in October with strategies other communities used when in the same situation.
He plans to talk about the adaptive reuse of big box stores.
The Plan Commission needs to think about how it wants to address the issue, Dane said.
He said with national chains on Fulton Street like Domino’s Pizza and Dunkin’ Donuts planned there as well, it is a vibrant corridor.
“There’s still a lot of activity,” Dane said.
He said the city should be careful as it plans for the corridor’s future.
There is interest in warehouse and distribution in communities today.
However, Dane said that idea needs to be looked at overall for the community and whether such a use would make sense in that area.
Home Away Ministries requested a special use permit to receive, store and redistribute surplus food in the former Churny cheese plant on West Fulton Street.
The property’s zoning does not allow the city to issue a special use permit for it.
City staff continues to talk to Home Away Ministries.
“I don’t know if it would help Home Away and its project, but it’s worth looking at, studying the area,” Dane said.
Dane was going to research some of their other centers in Wisconsin and how they are zoned, the mayor said.