The Oshkosh Redevelopment Authority voted down a request from Millennium LLC to extend an option to purchase an RDA lot west of South Main Street between West Seventh and West Eighth avenues, and will follow up with the developer, the authority said.

Developer Jared English of Millennium LLC presented an updated plan for the Meridian project and described ongoing financing work prior to the vote. English said the development has been reconfigured from the originally proposed 93 units to 101 units and that project costs are now “probably gonna end up somewhere between 30 and 32,000,000,” according to his presentation.

The Meridian presentation described a mixed‑use project with commercial space fronting Main Street, apartments above a parking podium and a cluster of townhomes. English said the project team is pursuing multiple financing paths, including discussions with Baker Tilly and NewPoint Capital, exploring HUD loan options described during the meeting as “HUD 224(d) options,” applying to the Federal Home Loan Bank, and considering tax‑exempt bond financing and HOME funds.

English said the team did not pursue competitive low‑income housing tax credits earlier because the site fell outside a qualified census tract and scoring was low; he said they are monitoring potential changes to credit allocations and may later seek non‑competitive tax credits. He also described ongoing contractor work and market assumptions for unit sizes and rent targets. English gave unit counts and indicative monthly rent levels in his presentation (studios, one‑bedrooms, two‑bedrooms and townhomes) and said the design aims to serve a broad spectrum of affordability in the Oshkosh market.

RDA members moved and seconded a motion to approve the extension on the option to purchase. During a roll call the motion failed. The meeting record includes recorded “no” votes for Bella Crowley, Lasky, Konick and Belter; the authority announced the motion did not carry and told the developer that staff would follow up the next day to discuss next steps.

Why it matters: The RDA lot in question is intended to support infill development along Main Street; approval would have allowed Millennium additional time to finalize financing and lease arrangements. Without the extension, English and his financing partners will need to coordinate further with staff to keep the project on the proposed schedule, he told the authority.

Details from the presentation and project timeline

• Cost and financing: English presented a preliminary budget range of approximately $30 million to $32 million and said the team was negotiating with equity investors and lenders. He identified Baker Tilly and NewPoint Capital (Chicago) as financial advisors/partners working on equity matchmaking and cited HUD loan options, the Federal Home Loan Bank and tax‑exempt bonding as possible sources. The transcript reference to HOME funds was described in general terms as potential local funding support; specific award amounts and commitments were not specified.

• Units and design: English said the plan had changed from an earlier 93‑unit scheme to 101 units without reducing the amount of commercial space. He described studios, one‑ and two‑bedroom apartments and 17 townhomes, and noted that unit square footage and exact layouts are still being finalized with contractors and designers.

• Schedule: English outlined target milestones in the presentation: finalize design in May–June (year implied in the presentation), secure equity and permanent financing by June, begin commercial tenant negotiations in August, commence construction in September and anticipate an approximately 18‑month construction period that could conclude around early 2027. He cautioned that timelines remain subject to change.

• Affordability aims: English said the project is intended to cover a range of affordability from workforce housing to lower‑middle income levels and that compliance requirements (if tax credits are used) would shape long‑term ownership and occupancy rules. He described the possibility of long‑term ownership options for residents after compliance periods, but provided no final plan.

What the RDA recorded

The authority made and seconded a motion to approve the extension for Millennium LLC. The motion failed on roll call; the meeting transcript records recorded “no” votes for Bella Crowley, Lasky, Konick and Belter and states staff will follow up with the developer. The motion’s failure means the RDA did not grant the requested extension at that meeting.

Next steps

Staff told the developer the RDA would follow up the next day to discuss issues raised during the meeting and potential steps to strengthen the proposal. The developer indicated continued interest in advancing the project and in further discussions with city staff and financing partners.