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Green Bay RDA approves blight determination for 1400 Main Street, moves to pursue acquisition
Summary
The Green Bay Redevelopment Authority adopted a resolution declaring the triangular property at 1400 Main Street blighted and authorized steps toward acquisition and cleanup, a prerequisite for seeking a local government unit exemption from DNR remediation standards.
The Green Bay Redevelopment Authority on a vote approved a resolution declaring the property at 1400 Main Street — locally known as the "3-cornered" property — blighted and authorized staff to pursue acquisition and remediation steps.
The vote follows a public hearing in which city staff described the site as "just under an acre," primarily paved with a lower-level structure and a retaining wall, and noted the property has long been identified in prior blight studies. The property is owned by Newlands Group LLC, which staff said has given the city permission to pursue the process.
The determination is the first formal step in a process staff described as required to pursue possible acquisition and to prepare a remedial action plan in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Staff told the RDA the blight declaration is needed to explore invoking a local government unit (LGU) exemption from some DNR remediation standards so the city can assess cleanup costs and liability before any transaction.
At the public hearing, Jeff Marcus, executive director of the Old Main Street Business Improvement District, urged the RDA to move forward. "I am not an expert on the definition of blight but I will tell you ... they would all say it does," Marcus said, noting the site is an important entry point to the Old Main Street district and that nearby property owners would welcome city attention.
City staff outlined constraints that have long hampered redevelopment, including underground stormwater infrastructure and unrecorded rights that make the site difficult to develop. Staff also said the site has been included in prior blight designations and tax increment neighborhood (TIN) planning dating to 2006 and 2016.
Staff emphasized that declaring blight does not itself transfer ownership; it enables the city to proceed with environmental assessment, cost estimates and potential acquisition negotiations. "This blight process is just one step in that path, potentially being able to proceed with cleanup and redevelopment," a staff member said.
After brief remarks from the public and RDA members, a member moved to adopt the resolution approving the blight determination and potential acquisition; the motion was seconded and the RDA voted to carry the measure.
RDA staff said next steps include preparing documentation required by state law, coordinating assessments with the DNR, and, if appropriate, drafting a remediation plan and acquisition terms. No final redevelopment use was decided; staff listed possible future uses such as recreational parkland or mixed public uses but said reuse has not been determined.
The action will be forwarded to the Common Council as part of the statutory process. If the city proceeds with acquisition and remediation using the LGU exemption, staff said that may affect cleanup liability and project timelines but would provide the city more certainty on costs before any purchase.
Votes at a glance: the RDA adopted the resolution to declare the property at 1400 Main Street blighted and to pursue acquisition (motion moved and seconded; motion carried).
