City staff update RDA on JBS East Side development: roads, parks and urban‑farm work underway; residential developers lining up

City staff updated the Finance Committee on April 8 on the JBS development project on Green Bay’s east side, reporting that site infrastructure work is under way, park construction contracts are awarded, and developer negotiations for residential phases are advancing.

The site — a donated parcel behind the Kroc Center near Gunns Road — is currently under infrastructure construction (roads, buried utilities and stormwater ponds). Staff said pavement work will begin soon and two construction contracts have been awarded: one for general infrastructure and one for the destination park and Grand Boulevard activity zone. The destination park will include a central boulevard gathering space, a splash pad, playground equipment and other amenities; staff showed conceptual images and described planned ornamental lighting and seating.

Housing and developers

City redevelopment staff said they released an RFP in early 2024 and selected Gorman and Company and another developer (Veil 49) for different portions of the site. Veil 49 later withdrew after concluding it could not obtain sufficient equity and lending; Gorman has expressed interest in taking on additional parcels. Matthew Buchanan (city staff) said Gorman is close to returning to the Redevelopment Authority with a proposed development agreement and that the center portion of the site is expected to include about 95 multifamily units of workforce housing targeted at about 80%–120% AMI tiers (staff phrasing), representing roughly $10–11 million in assessed value for that portion. City staff said they plan an additional RFP for detached single‑family developers for about 15–20 lots on the site’s exterior.

Staff estimated the total residential mix could include roughly 15 detached single‑family homes, about 10–20 townhouses and the…