Community Engagement Session - 1300 Cleveland Avenue - 5/28/26

The City of Wausau held a community engagement session on May 28, 2026, focused on the redevelopment and cleanup of the 1300 Cleveland Avenue site. City planners and economic development staff presented survey results indicating neighborhood preferences for non-industrial land uses, including active outdoor recreation, natural areas, community centers, and indoor commercial entertainment. They discussed feasibility considerations, potential funding sources such as grants and community development block grants, and the need for private sector involvement in development. The meeting also addressed environmental remediation challenges, with residents expressing concerns about contamination, cleanup costs estimated in the millions, and the impact on the neighborhood. The city emphasized coordinating cleanup with development to reduce costs and planned to issue a follow-up survey to gather further community input before presenting recommendations to the economic development committee. No formal procurement decisions or contract awards were made during this session, but the discussion outlined potential future RFPs for private development partners and grant opportunities related to site remediation and redevelopment.