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Riverfront development moves forward

New London to work with S.C. Swiderski

By Robert Cloud


The New London Economic Development Committee recommended the city begin a relationship with S.C. Swiderski in the development of its riverfront property.

Economic Development and city council held a joint meeting Jan. 26, to discuss proposals from two developers – S.C. Swiderski and Randy Retzlaff.

Retzlaff is a New London developer whose prior local projects include the Sears store, which was built in 1997 and has since closed, and the Koltwood Apartments, which has seven eight-unit buildings constructed in 2002.

Based in Mosinee, Swiderski has developed apartment complexes throughout Wisconsin, including Waupaca, Stevens Point, Plover, Merrill, Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield and Rice Lake.

Swiderski manages, as well as builds the apartment complexes.

Ald. Fred Zaug mad a motion to work with Retzlaff.

“I would prefer that we keep it local,” Zaug sid.

Attorney and committee member Hans Thompson questioned placing a private, residential development on property that currently belongs to the community.

If the parcel must be placed in private hands, Thompson said he would prefer it go to an entity “that would benefit the entire community,” such as the YMCA.

He also questioned the urgency of making a decision to select a developer.

“There’s nothing that’s forcing us to do anything with this site today,” Thompson said.

He later added, “We should keep this a competitive process for these two developers and, frankly, any other developers that may come along.”

Thompson then said that if the committee was going to choose one of the developers at its Jan. 26 meeting, then he recommended going forward with Swiderski.

He noted Swiderski is a larger company with a track record and a team of professionals.

Thompson pointed to prior issues when the project stalled after the owner of a small firm became ill.

“Everything can hinge on one person or a small number of people and, frankly, we’ve been burned on that already,” Thompson said.

Long-term commitment

Mayor Mark Herter said he was concerned about who would manage the apartments after Retzlaff retired.
“Swiderski’s going to be there 50 years from now,” Herter said.

City Administrator Chad Hoerth said the committee at this meeting was voting to move forward with a developer.

The city and the developer would need to define that agreement in the future.

He said the committee was not committing to an agreement yet and would retain ownership rights to the riverfront property until an agreement was signed.

Ald. John Faucher said he appreciated the follow-through commitment the Swiderski team had shown over the past three months.

Faucher noted that while he would also prefer a public use of the site, he recognized the importance of adding to the city’s tax base.

When it came time to vote on Zaug’s motion to go with Retzlaff, nobody seconded his motion.

Then 10 committee members voted to recommend Swiderski.

Thompson abstained. Zaug and Tom O’Connell voted against it.

Immediately after the committee meeting adjourned, the city council held a special meeting.

The council voted 5-2 to work toward a developer’s agreement with Swiderski.

O’Connell and Zaug voted no.

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