For the past 8 years, the plot of land that used to be home to the Mirro Aluminum Company in Manitowoc has sat vacant and fenced off, but soon, progress will be made.
Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels confirmed on WOMT’s Jim and Rick Show last week that after years of struggles, crews will be on the site to conduct cleanup operations starting on September 8th.
“When I say clean up, it is a demo of everything that’s there,” he explained. “So those concrete blocks and all the underground tunnels that still remain, and also ripping it all out, taking down the fencing that they’re making it to degrade, and then cleaning up some contaminants that are still on the site.”
That cleanup is expected to cost $2 million, but Mayor Nickels and the Common Council did not want that bill to fall on the taxpayers.
So for years, they had been applying for grants to get it done.
It all came to fruition when, as Mayor Nickles explained, “Finally, thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law that was passed a few years ago, we were awarded about $2 million to get that done.”
Trucks will be seen moving contaminated dirt away from the site located along the north side of the 1500 block of Washington Avenue as they get the land ready for the construction of workforce housing.
While the city is taking care of the cleanup, the construction itself is being done by a private developer that focuses on these types of housing units.
“They’re geared toward workforce housing,” Mayor Nickles noted. “So there are certain criteria for individuals who apply to live there. They have to have a job, for example. And there’s criteria based off the federal and state guidelines.”
Mayor Nickels also noted that the previous housing projects in the city have been a big success.
The River North Apartments are full, and 22 of the 33 homes being constructed along Reed Avenue by Mike Howe Builders have been sold, as we reported over the weekend.
Howe also confirmed that anywhere from 45 to 75 more homes will be built in that area as well, and even more housing is being planned for the former Younkers Mall site.
Mayor Nickels is more than happy with the progress being made towards fixing the housing issue.
Justin Mirro 4 :10 “…around the area.”
You can hear the entire conversation by going to SeehaferPodcasts.com.
