OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — The Sawdust District along South Main Street in Oshkosh is undergoing significant redevelopment, and some businesses are already feeling the impact.
The Mill on Main is the first step in a larger project that includes a road and sidewalk extension that will take portions of private property along South Main Street.
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Sean Jirschele, owner of Jirschele Insurance, has already been forced to relocate.
"Obviously we were displaced, so we moved down the road to this new office here," Jirschele said, "We were at our office down the road for the last, roughly, 17 years, and our office is now being knocked down and turned into apartment buildings."
Grant Schultz, owner of Oshkosh Heating and Air, said the city has yet to contact him about what displacement could mean for his business — which operates out of a historically significant building.
"It was built in 1923 and it was the first Napa building in the country - Napa Auto Parts. The city has not approached us at all as far as what our displacement could possibly be," Schultz said.
A 2025 State DOT letter reveals the city's next move is to buy out properties to clear the way for the project. When asked whether he would accept a buyout offer, Schultz said the answer depends on the terms.
"Well, obviously it depends how much it's going to be. If it's going to be 5 feet into our building, that means we'll have to relocate to another building," Schultz said.
Not all business owners are opposed to the project's broader goals. Kyle Kalmerton, owner of Kalmerton Welding Supplies, said he understands the city's vision even as his business holds its ground.
"We're also for the city growing and expanding and doing cool things to attract more people to the area, and we don't want to hinder that," Kalmerton said.
City officials were unavailable for comment. On May 19, the city's Plan Commission is set to review an apartment addition on South Main Street — the latest step in the Sawdust District redevelopment.
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