HOWARD — Construction crews lifted the final beams on Friday for the roof of the Arnold and Gloria Schmidt Pavilion and Village Center in Howard.
The project, located in Howard Commons, started in July 2022 and is expected to be complete in August 2023.
Concerts, a biergarten and roller skating are a few of the activities the space will have. There will also be a splash pad and ice skating and events like farmer's markets, food festivals and live music acts will be hosted year round.
"I think there is a lot of excitement knowing that this time next year, this place will be a really happening place for people over Christmas break, and even by Labor Day next year, we should be a fully operational place," Paul Evert, Village of Howard Administrator, said.
Evert added that this is "as close as we'll ever have to a downtown," and he said he hopes people "come and gather."
"Come down," Evert said. "Hopefully you'll run into your neighbors that you didn't expect to see down here and just have a fun time."
Construction crews have faced some challenges with the challenging winter weather, but they're still on track.
"Everything is going as scheduled, and we're meeting our deadlines because we just want to make our community happy," Marc Oberstar, Green Bay Regional Safety Manager, said.
He said he appreciates the neighborhood's patience with the construction and knows the result will be worth it.
"It's going to be amazing for residents in this Howard Commons area, but also for everyone in our community," Oberstar said.
Evert said currently, they're about halfway finished with the project.
