Waupaca considers sites at old church, foundry land

By Robert Cloud

Plans are in the works for two new multifamily apartment complexes in Waupaca.

The City Plan Commission approved two site plans for apartments when it met Wednesday, March. 1.

Foundry apartments

Waupaca Foundry has proposed two apartment buildings at the intersection of Royalton Street and Tower Road.

The buildings would be located near the center of the parcel that the foundry owns.

The two buildings would have a total of 96 units, all of which would be identical studio apartments.

Strongwood Builders is the project’s general contractor and Terry Martin is the architect.

Access to the apartments would be directly across from the apartments on the west side of Tower Road.

Ald. Henry Veleker said the site is within walking distance of a restaurant and gas station/convenience store.

Veleker also noted that when Strand Associates reviewed the site plan, they recommended that a condition for approval include an additional entrance to the parcel from the foundry for emergency vehicles in case of fire.

Mike Bloom, with Strongwood Builders, told the commission that the apartments are exclusively for temporary workers at the foundry.

“There are a lot of temporary workers that are housed at the hotels which are not in walking distance to the foundry,” Bloom said.

City Administrator Aaron Jensen asked Bloom about providing more green space at the site for the tenants.

Bloom said Strongwood is trying to determine how many of the temporary workers have vehicles.

If only 25% of the tenants have cars, then there may be fewer parking spaces needed, allowing more room for green space.

Bloom estimated that the entire project would require about 18 months to complete.

Five members of the commission voted in favor of the site plan. Ald. Eric Olsen abstained because he is a project manager at the foundry.

Division Street

Schuelke Properties LLC plans to build an apartment building on Division Street at the former site of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church.

“This church has been sitting vacant for some time,” said Jarod Rachu, the city’s community and economic development director.

St. Mary Magdalene’s moved to its current location on Shadow Road about 20 years ago.

The complex will have 30 apartments that range from about 750 to 1,000 to square feet, according to Tim Schuelke, owner of Schuelke Properties. The two-story building will have a back and white facade with stone and brick.

Most are one-bedroom apartments, but the end units on both levels will have two bedrooms.

The apartments will be leased at market rates.

Plans are to locate the apartment building closer to Badger Street than the church is now. It will span almost the entire distance from Division to State streets, with parking located behind the building.

Prior to the old church being removed from the site, a company that specializes in recycling old church materials, such as pews and stained glass windows, will remove and donate the materials to other churches.

The goal is to have the project completed by the end of 2023, Schuelke said.