MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — A former car dealership in downtown Manitowoc could soon play a major role in preserving the city's maritime history after a state grant pushed the project closer to reality.
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The Wisconsin Maritime Museum is seeking a nearly $1 million state grant to transform the vacant property into the Wisconsin Maritime Heritage Center. The grant still needs approval from the State Building Commission, which is set to vote on the funding on Wednesday.
"This is a facility that will preserve heritage like none other on the Great Lakes," Wisconsin Maritime Museum Executive Director Kevin Cullen said.
The museum purchased the property in 2007, saying it was the largest and the closest available space. The project is nearly two decades in the making.
Officials say the project will help store and preserve the museum's growing collection of more than 20,000 objects.
"This is an opportunity to have a space that the public can learn behind the scenes," Cullen said.
Wisconsin Maritime Museum Director of Development Tim Dittloff said the space will do more than just store the collection.
"This gives us a place not just to store it but allows the public to interact with it," Dittloff said.
The $3 to $4 million project will be completed in three phases using a mix of state funding and local support.
"Giving that corner of Manitowoc a refresh and a great place for people to gather," Dittloff said.
The exterior will feature a heritage garden and a memorial for the USS Rasher, a submarine built in Manitowoc during World War II.
When asked how special it is to incorporate Manitowoc history into the project, Cullen reflected on the city's deep connection to its maritime past.
"Incorporating Manitowoc's maritime heritage into the maritime heritage site is, it's embedded in the DNA of this community, so it's really remarkable when that history is really underneath your feet," Cullen said.
If everything goes to plan, museum officials say the project will be complete by the end of 2027.
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