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Resident urges preservation of historic Weinbrenner Building, proposes museum complex
Summary
Richard Kranz sought support for preserving the Weinbrenner Building and proposed adapting it as a multi-use museum with possible restaurant or coffee/gift space; he said funding will be the main challenge but that he has county-level support.
Richard Kranz, 312 South Cherry Avenue, urged the Marshfield Plan Commission to preserve the historic Weinbrenner Building and consider adaptive reuse as a museum complex.
"Please keep this building. It is important part of the Marshfield history," Kranz said, and outlined a vision that could include a natural history museum, art museum, veterans' museum and a children's museum, with a restaurant or sports bar on the top floor and a coffee or gift shop on the ground floor.
Kranz acknowledged the project would face significant funding hurdles and noted broad local tax pressures, saying, "the 52.9% increase in the school district tax is really economically hurt a lot of people in this city." He said he has discussed the idea with county officials and believes he has county-level support, and he plans to raise the proposal with the common council.
The comment came during the plan commission's citizen comment period; commissioners did not take action on the suggestion at the meeting. Kranz also asked the commission to draw on members' institutional knowledge and experience to explore grant opportunities available for historic properties.
