Efforts to address Sheboygan County’s housing crunch are officially ramping up.
Plymouth-based Van Horn Development announced this week that it has broken ground on its 99-acre, mixed-use development project, located northeast of the I-43 and Highway 42 interchange in the Town of Sheboygan.
That news comes on the heels on of a recent announcement by the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation that it is working with the city of Sheboygan Falls on a nearly 25-acre workforce housing development. The Sheboygan Falls project is part of the SCEDC’s Forward Fund effort, which has seen manufacturers like Johnsonville, Kohler Co., Masters Gallery Foods, Inc., and Sargento Foods Inc. donate $8 million toward developing single-family homes for workers in the county.
Town of Sheboygan
First pitched to the Town of Sheboygan last fall, Van Horn Development’s North Town project will include over 600 residential units, including mixed-use apartment buildings, town homes, and single-family units in pocket neighborhoods, as well as retail space, a hotel, office space, and a center for activity, featuring a play area and natural creative space, according to a press release.
Described as the “first development of its kind” in the county, the architectural design concept for North Town is aimed at “bringing the outdoors inside,” by using of natural materials and daylight to accentuate the development, the press release states.
The development will include a town square with retail, dining, and professional services, and Van Horn is already accepting tenants for the initial 24,000 square-feet of that designated commercial space.
“This project started as a friendly conversation between Town of Sheboygan’s Chairperson, Dan Hein and me at the Sheboygan Lakers Ice Arena,” said Chris Merklein, director of Van Horn Development. “It is amazing how far we’ve come since that day, almost two years ago.”
Sheboygan Falls
Still undergoing municipal review, the proposed 24.88-acre development in Sheboygan Falls is expected to provide up to 49 single-family homes during its first phase, as well as additional lots for multi-unit single-family dwellings during its second phase. In addition, a portion of the land may be allocated to address other barriers, such as a daycare facility or housing for talent moving into the county, a press release states. It would be located at the southwest corner of highways 32 and 23.
If approved, this project will begin seeking local builders and partners in the fall, with most of the development advancing in early 2023. The SCEDC is hoping to lead the development of 600 housing units over the next five years throughout Sheboygan County as part of its Forward Fund effort.
“The SCEDC is committed to helping both our communities and companies grow,” said Brian Doudna, executive director of the SCEDC, in the press release.
