The city of Sheboygan has taken the first steps to expand its business park, which officials believe is necessary to stay competitive in the local manufacturing market.
Last week, the Common Council approved purchasing 88 acres of land from two sellers immediately south of the Sheboygan Business Center in the town of Wilson.
The city will be purchasing 15 acres from land from Jim Zemezonak and Kevin Dretzka and 73.3 acres of land from Wilson Land Holdings, LLC. The cost is $27,500 per acre for a total price of $2.4 million, said Darrell Hofland, Sheboygan city administrator.
Those parcels will eventually be developed as part of the business park extension, although the land is not immediately adjacent to the existing business park, which is bordered by Interstate 43 on the west, South Business Drive on the east, South Taylor Drive on the north and Sunset Road on the south.
“There are three additional parcels that the city would like to either acquire or partner with existing property owners on,” Hofland said.
The city also owns another 55 acres between South Business Drive and I-43, whigh will also become part of the business park.
By the end of the year, design plans for the extended park and a tax incremental financing district will be created, Hofland said.
In 2018, the parcels will be purchased and the city hopes to begin the first phase of construction on the expansion.
In February, the city engaged Waukesha engineering firm Ruekert & Mielke Inc. to begin planning for the expansion of the Sheboygan Business Center, which is approximately 90 percent full.
The business center expansion includes approximately 400 additional acres that can be developed in phases over time, according to a study by Ruekert & Mielke. The plan outlines zones for office and manufacturing and sites up to 20 acres.
Implementation and phasing will occur as the city acquires property and based on demand, according to the study by Ruekert & Mielke.
