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Council approves staff to proceed on Finger Road development agreement as Drop Forge outlines move from State Street
Summary
The Green Bay Common Council voted to approve staff to proceed with a development agreement for 3855 Finger Road after representatives for Green Bay Drop Forge described plans to relocate operations from State Street and jointly discuss a city option to acquire the State Street property.
The Green Bay Common Council on March 4 approved a motion directing staff to proceed as discussed in closed session on a development agreement (No. 25-1) with Hogan Real Estate LLC for work at 3855 Finger Road.
The vote followed public remarks from Bill Hoben of Green Bay Drop Forge, who described the company’s plan to move forging, machining and assembly work from its long-time State Street facility to the Finger Road site. "We've been on State Street since 1914," Hoben said, and the move would let the company install modern forging and press-line equipment and expand into new markets while continuing phased operations at both sites.
Council members described the package in the meeting packet — a red-line version updated after the finance committee review — as a compromise shaped by recent closed-session negotiations. Alder Johnson, who led the finance committee discussion, said the amended terms include stronger protections and a city option to acquire the State Street property and lease back portions of it, specifically the machine shop, to Drop Forge. "This is a legacy business here in our community that's existed for over a hundred years," Johnson said, urging support for terms meant both to keep the employer local and to give the city long-term site control.
Other council members supported the plan as a way to preserve local jobs and to enable city planning for long-term waterfront development of the State Street site. Deputy Director Buchanan and other staff were credited for negotiating the red-line agreement included in the council packet.
The motion to approve staff proceeding on the development agreement was made by Alder Johnson and seconded by Alder Galvin. The council voted in favor by voice; the clerk announced the motion had passed.
Council discussion noted the acquisition option would let the city consider future uses for the waterfront parcel once Drop Forge transitions operations, including industrial or other redevelopment that fits the city's waterfront strategy. Council members said the arrangement allows Drop Forge to invest in equipment now while the city retains flexibility to plan for the State Street property’s future.
The council did not provide a dollar figure for any purchase option in the public portion of the meeting; details were described as contained in the red-line agreement and subject to further staff work and any required approvals.
The council's approval sends the development agreement back to staff for implementation steps described in the packet and the closed-session direction.
