ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — Six years after the Village of Allouez purchased it, a vacant lot is set to become a centerpiece along Webster Avenue.
The $18 million development will revitalize the area while preserving its historic charm, says Village President Jim Rafter.
A three-story, mixed-use building will bring first-floor retail and restaurant space to the village, in addition to 103 new apartment units.
Rafter said the project will draw neighbors and visitors alike.
"It's the beginning of the beginning," stated Rafter, who hopes to see the area become a commercial center.
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"We don't want Allouez to be a place where people drive through to either get to De Pere or Green Bay," he explained. "We want people to come to Allouez because they want to be in Allouez, and this will provide the starting for that."
Most residential options in Allouez are single family homes, and most neighbors own their property.
Rafter said some neighbors wanted options to downsize, and the village needed to grow its tax base.
"People who live in Allouez want to stay in Allouez," Rafter explained. "We wanted to make sure that we could do something to expand, and in a community like Allouez, if we're going to expand, we have to redevelop."
A brick exterior to the new building will preserve Allouez's historic feel.
"We wanted a building that was Allouez," noted Rafter. He said the project embodies the village's 'historically progressive' tagline.
The plans aren't yet finalized for the first-floor retail space, but neighbors could begin living in apartments as soon as the summer of 2028.
