No it's not going to be a 700 footer, LOL, but for this little town of 38,426 people, metro 125,000;
Steely Dan Metro is 85,000 :), this is big news. Wausau is my home but this has come at a complete
surprise to everyone here. Ground breaking begins this Oct. 29th and the building should be
completed in the fall of next year!

Fast facts:
The building will be 100% office space
Total of 11 floors; 10 floors for office space and penthouse for storage
Height will be 241 feet, from ground to top of spire
(It would be interesting to know if this building will be the tallest office building in Wisconsin
outside of Milwaukee, I should check that out because I think the chances are very good that
it will be.) For the 17th largest city in the state of Wisconsin, that's pretty sad.
Cost: $15 million, $2 million from city for parking and infrustructure
Architects: Mudrovich Architects, Wausau
Contractors: 3 local companies not named are finalists
Possibility of second "twin" tower to be built just north of the building within 5 years!

I just found out about this yesterday. The only renderings I have now is what they had in the paper
but I'll try to get real renderings for anyone who will be interested in knowing more about this.
Otherwise I scanned the front page of yesterdays paper just so that you can have an idea of the building.
I like it!

http://www.boomspeed.com/paule17/006.jpg

Good for Wausau. A friend of mine actually moved there last year so I have to drive there one day and see her.

If you do, drive up Milwaukee way and spend the day, you wont be sorry. And on the way back, go the Madison route, again, you wont be sorry. Wausau is around 200 miles or so north of both and or a 2 to 3 hour drive from both cities.

Being from the Louisville area I know you must like natural scenery. The Wausau area is very comparable to Kentucky in natural beauty.

Your friend must either be in the insurance business or a medical professional. The largest employers in the city are from insurance companies and the hospitols. A new big medical complex just opened and anyone in the insurance business should know the name of Wausau Insurance.

I hope your friend likes it up here. There is nothing real spectacular or exciting here and that's why I'm such a fan of cities like Milwaukee and the Twin Cities but Wausau is home to me.

I like how Dick Dudley says it so I'll just paste a part of the artical where he's asked why he is doing this for the city.


Other Wisconsin cities consider Wausau a model of how to develop a downtown, and Dudley wanted to make this investment in part to spur further development in his favorite city.

"When I was asked to become president of Adirondack Hydro, which was in New York, I refused to move to New York. Every Monday I got on the airplane, and every Friday I came back. Wausau's got what I want," he said. "If it's the cold winters or hot summers, whatever it is, I just love Wausau. And I would hope that some of you younger people would get that same attitude."

"We've made investments and people are starting to catch on to this, and everyone is going to start coming to town," Morrissey said. "This really is a stunning development, and I don't think people really have a sense for it yet. You do with the photographs, and the rendering is really beautiful. (But) wait until it's built. I think it will have an impact to this community that we aren't even able to gauge yet."

Great news for Wausau. It's a really nice town, and for only 38,000 people its Downtown is nice, dense and compact. It really should be a model for smaller cities its size.

Will this one be the tallest office building in the state outside of Milwaukee? I think there are a few 12 story buildings in Middleton, just west of Madison. Then of course there's the famous Wright-designed Johnson Wax HQ in Racine. I think that one is about 12 or 13 stories.

great news. I always thought Wausau had a great little downtown..considering its size. Its location makes the city special though...being a outdoor paradise.

Will this one be the tallest office building in the state outside of Milwaukee? I think there are a few 12 story buildings in Middleton, just west of Madison. Then of course there's the famous Wright-designed Johnson Wax HQ in Racine. I think that one is about 12 or 13 stories.
I've checked all over the net in order to get an answer on this but I can't find any resource data. I can tell this is really going to bug me now because number of floors is different from height. This new building is going to have a pyrimid shaped spire on top so that adds to the height. 241ft for a 12 to 13 story building without a spire is pretty tall don't you think? Oh, and cities around the state already use Wausau's downtown as a model. I believe outside of Milwaukee and Madison, Wausau's downtown ranks #1 in investment for development. And that's in dollars and sense...

Redd: I've always loved the downtown and I'm hopeing to get a hold of some good renderings to show because those pics in the paper were fabulous. They really give you a good feel for what the downtown will look like with the new building and the hills with the back drop.

Wausau looks like a nice small town with a downtown, better than many suburbs twice Wausau's size.

It is quite sad for Wisconsin, that 241 feet is the tallest building outside the biggest city.

Wausau looks like a nice small town with a downtown, better than many suburbs twice Wausau's size.

It is quite sad for Wisconsin, that 241 feet is the tallest building outside the biggest city.

Madison has that height restriction....probally the main reason. It has alot of cool lower rise buildings though. The rest of the state is lacking in tall buildings. Green Bay is getting a couple, Racine has the Wax Building, Kenosha....?

I love Granite Peak ( Rib Mtn) I ski there a few times a year....though its cold as a bitc*.....from Chicago it takes about 3.45 - 4 hours.....go to Gullivers any other suggestions?

I love Granite Peak ( Rib Mtn) I ski there a few times a year....though its cold as a bitc*.....from Chicago it takes about 3.45 - 4 hours.....go to Gullivers any other suggestions?
Yah know I grew up here but never went down hill skiing. And yes, the thing that really sucks about living here is the cold in the months of Jan. and Feb. We're on the same Latitude as the Twin Cities and our weather is very comparable.

As for eats besides Gullivers you might want to try Michael's Supper club which is just down the street from Gullivers. If you like Asian there are 11 different Asain restaurants mainly because of their high population here. Thai is my favorite and Sawadee Thai on Merrill Ave is very good otherwise there's Lao Thai Garden also. I heard Zhou's Mongolian Barbecue is real good too but that's in the Mall downtown and I've never checked it out myself.

There's even more news to report! This mornings paper reported that a 6 story office building is in the works for Compass Properties.


By Rick LaFrombois
Wausau Daily Herald
rlafromb@wdhprint.com
Wausau will hire a consultant to study downtown traffic patterns and parking in anticipation of an infusion of additional motorists traveling to and from a planned $15 million, 11-story riverfront office complex.

Up to 500 people are expected to work at The Dudley Bros. Building, which could be completed by this time next year.

City leaders met Thursday to discuss issues raised by construction of the 241-foot tall office tower at the intersection of First and Scott streets.

Parking and traffic flow on the downtown's maze of one-way streets has long been a concern of the city, Mayor Jim Tipple said. And the Dudley building could act as a catalyst for change.

The city plans to hire a consultant soon with hopes of having results of the study in hand within a few months.

"A lot of people will say that too many one-way streets will be a problem for a city," Tipple said.

A city can be its own worst enemy if it makes it difficult for visitors to find their way downtown, he said.

Alderman Jim Rosenberg agrees, but he says traffic-flow changes should be undertaken with great care.

"Those patterns that people move in, they're important," he said.

He's an advocate of asking first-time visitors what they think of downtown traffic patterns.

"I think you'd probably get some interesting reactions from some of those people," he said. "We're so used to it here that we can't see the forest for the trees."
Part of the plan to redirect downtown traffic could include opening up the remaining block of the former Pedestrian Mall to traffic. The city reconstructed two of three Pedestrian Mall blocks this summer and opened them to traffic last month.

The city had planned to reconstruct next year the remaining block of the Pedestrian Mall on Washington Street between Second and Third streets but keep it closed to vehicles. Those plans likely will be put on hold to give the city time to look at traffic flow.

Plans to replace decorative planters on Third Street from Jefferson Street to the north also could be delayed until the city determines the future of traffic flow and parking.

The city's Capital Improvements & Street Maintenance Committee likely will make those determinations at its meeting on Thursday.

Parking for customers, employees and downtown residents needs study, especially as the momentum of downtown development quickens.

If the first office complex goes over well downtown, Dudley said he will build a second within three to five years.

Other developments, including a six-story building by Compass Properties at the corner of Jefferson and Third streets, are in the works.

Wow, I knew Wausau was moving but in just 2 days Wausau has become it's own little boom town in the north woods!

Here's the pic that went along with the article.
http://www.boomspeed.com/paule17/bp77640.jpg

there is concern over how much traffic the building will cause?wow that is hilarious

anyways good news wausau...but i have a question why is it that most catalogs such as eastbay,nfl shop,nba store have wausau as there address?

It's really nice to see these type of projects either being proposed or in the works in cities outside of Milwaukee and Madison and the interest associated with them. I always like the Wausau area and it would be one of the places I would be fine with living in if (when) I move back to Wisconsin.

There is a proposal for a 17-story office building in Green Bay that is kicking around that is part of the Vetter-Denk downtown comp plan. An announcement was supposed to come a little more than a month ago - but nothing yet. Not sure what the height will come out at. It is pretty surprising to see a 11 story building hitting the 241 foot mark. That is pretty amazing.

Just as a comparison, Van Rise Hall in Madison is 241 Feet and 19 stories.

there is concern over how much traffic the building will cause?wow that is hilarious

anyways good news wausau...but i have a question why is it that most catalogs such as eastbay,nfl shop,nba store have wausau as there address?
Because EastBay is headquartered in Wausau and all orders including from NFL shop and NBA store are filled and go out from here.

I thought some of you would see this traffic study as being humorous. :)

There is a proposal for a 17-story office building in Green Bay that is kicking around that is part of the Vetter-Denk downtown comp plan. An announcement was supposed to come a little more than a month ago - but nothing yet. Not sure what the height will come out at. That's great to hear. I hope the news come out soon! hopefully the news from Wausau will push those people in Green bay to get moving. I should probably check out your Green Bay development thread, I haven't for a while.


It is pretty surprising to see a 11 story building hitting the 241 foot mark. That is pretty amazing.
I know the renderings I showed aren't very good but because of the spire the building will have a greater height then other 11 story buildings. I'll try to get better renderings but who knows how long that might take?

It'll have the same effect as the 100 East in Milwaukee. That building is listed as 547ft but it sure doesn't look that tall. It's because the height is measured from the ground to the top of the spire.

That's awesome for Wausau. The first 10+ floor building outside the Madison, Milwaukee, Appleton areas, I believe.

My company has an office there, so I do get up there on rare occasion.

FYI, the Capitol is 284 ft. and Van Hise Hall is 241 ft. ("wow" considering more than 50 buildings in the Madison metro over 10 floors), so this won't quite be the tallest outside the Milwaukee area, but definately the tallest office building.

Redd: I've always loved the downtown and I'm hopeing to get a hold of some good renderings to show because those pics in the paper were fabulous. They really give you a good feel for what the downtown will look like with the new building and the hills with the back drop.


I would really dig a Wausau area thread. I plan to do some biking and hiking up there next year.

If you do, drive up Milwaukee way and spend the day, you wont be sorry. And on the way back, go the Madison route, again, you wont be sorry. Wausau is around 200 miles or so north of both and or a 2 to 3 hour drive from both cities.

Being from the Louisville area I know you must like natural scenery. The Wausau area is very comparable to Kentucky in natural beauty.

Your friend must either be in the insurance business or a medical professional. The largest employers in the city are from insurance companies and the hospitols. A new big medical complex just opened and anyone in the insurance business should know the name of Wausau Insurance.

I hope your friend likes it up here. There is nothing real spectacular or exciting here and that's why I'm such a fan of cities like Milwaukee and the Twin Cities but Wausau is home to me.

I like how Dick Dudley says it so I'll just paste a part of the artical where he's asked why he is doing this for the city.

Yeah, I've been to Milwaukee once, great city, I really like Wisconsin. She likes it up there, says it is a bit quiet, but that she can go skiing, hiking, go to Minneapolis, et cetera, so she is happy up there.

Go Warsar!

Could we be witnessing the Manhattanization of Wassau ?

"So, where are you from ?"

"Wassau."

"Gesseundeit!"

"So, where are you from ?"

"Wassau."

"Gesseundeit!"
Lol, Good one but Wausau is pronounced Waa-saw.

That reminds me, years back when I was in the Army a friend of mine was from Paducah Kentucky and we kidded him by saying Paducah is the sound you here when your turd hits the toilet water. He pretty much laughed with us so no real harm was done...

I would really dig a Wausau area thread. I plan to do some biking and hiking up there next year.
You asked me this several months ago. I don't know, I can never find the time anymore.
I'll see what I can do.


By the way, thanks everyone for viewing the thread. I didn't think it would get this type of response!

Could we be witnessing the Manhattanization of Wassau ?
New York is where I want to stay
I get alergic smelling hay
I just adore a penthouse view
Darling I love you but give me Park Avenue!

Sorry...I had to do it

Just awesome news. I remember even 10 years ago that Wausau wanted some sort of convention center downtown. Hopefully the groundbreaking will begin soon, and the Compass Properties will have condos on the top floors, I think. Another Wausau event that happened a couple of years ago was the 'One Corporate Cove' building 8 floors way on the west side of town built by Ghidorzi. Since I am originally from the area, I love hearing these news stories. I lived in Brokaw!!! and my parents still live there so I visit a few times a year. I am living in Orange County, California now. I moved out here in 1984!

And yes, my avatar is One Corporate Cove, taken Dec 31, 2003!!!

^^Uh...not quite. That term really bugs me.

Just awesome news. I remember even 10 years ago that Wausau wanted some sort of convention center downtown. Hopefully the groundbreaking will begin soon, and the Compass Properties will have condos on the top floors, I think. Another Wausau event that happened a couple of years ago was the 'One Corporate Cove' building 8 floors way on the west side of town built by Ghidorzi. Since I am originally from the area, I love hearing these news stories. I lived in Brokaw!!! and my parents still live there so I visit a few times a year. I am living in Orange County, California now. I moved out here in 1984!

And yes, my avatar is One Corporate Cove, taken Dec 31, 2003!!!
Hi choyak!

Wow, I didn't expect to meet anyone here that is also from Wausau...or used to be, what a small world. You must still have a love for the area since you wanted to make 1cc your avatar, LOL. The man who built the One Corporate Cove building originally wanted to build it downtown but the problem was that he wanted it on the 400 block, that's our new town square if you don't know. Well the city said no so the jerk acted like a big baby and basically said, "If I can't build my building on the 400 block I wont build it in the city limits at all." And that is why the building is now sitting just to the west of town. LOL, Just yards from the city limits...

The convention center proposal has been dead for a long time now. The proposal for the Compass properties building I haven't been able to find anything about yet, and then again I haven't been looking either.

The ground breaking for this new high rise downtown was supposed to be on the 29th which was yesterday. I never made it downtown so I missed it but if you'd like I will bring you updates to let you know of the progress.

Living in Appleton, i get the chance to drive through Wausau and i cant but say how impressed I am with this news out of Wausau. By itself, a 15 million dollar project would be impressive, but considering all the other projects either underway or just completed and you cant help but be envious of the Wausau area. It makes you wonder what cuases some cities downtowns to stagnate while others flourish. I taxrates arent the only reason, I suspect Wausau has some very skilled investor or business leaders who have stepped up and put their faith in Wausau. I believe it will pay off and i hope it spreads to my neck of the woods too.

^^ With Green Bay taking off, Wausau building this, Oshkosh building the Five River Resort ( http://www.fiveriversresort.com/ ), and even Neenah showing plenty of action, Appleton better start getting its act together. They are being surrounded from all possible sides with good progress. Unfortunately, I just read that in Appleton they voted not to update the downtown vision plan or whatever that is called this year. The old plan is over 15 years old.

Wow I remember when I was little and growing up, I had an uncle that lived in Appleton, and my cousins we would always argue about Wausau vs. Appleton, even though Appleton's population was larger, it was like 'haha Appleton has 12 stories downtown and Wausau has only 9 (Landmark Bldg.)'. It was a lot of fun in the early 80's arguing about which city had more McDonald's or whatever. I can't say much about Appleton since I was there about 6 years ago for the funeral of another uncle who lived there (I had 2 uncles there). And whenever Dudley's building is finished, that will be my new avatar. I just heard that Miron Construction out of Neenah will build it (they built the new Wausau East). It is sad that the schools that I attended are no longer schools (Horace Mann was destroyed - THAT was a beautiful building, albeit not maintained properly). I possibly will return home for Christmas, but defilately will return next summer because my parents have a cottage in Hazelhurst and it is just so awesome to be there. I was there in August of '05 also. About the '400 block' I thought that it was weird for the city to demolish the buildings there and build nothing (tax base erosion???) I hope that something would be built on 400 block, even if an outdoor concert hall like hollywood bowl or something like that. As for One Corporate Cove, I was unaware of the 400 block snafu. So if 1CC is not in Wausau then I guess that Home Depot is not either. OMG, I just saw on google earth that Home Depot is HALF in Wausau, and 1CC or Hampton Inn (I think) is not either. I also talked to my parents today and I guess that Miron will move their Wausau office to the new Dudley building.

Just edited, I looked at the Five Rivers Resort and that looks ultimately cool!!!

Awesome. :D

From WAOW TV

Dudley Brothers Building Feb 1, 2006

The newest downtown project is now officially underway. Work begins this week on the Dudley Brothers Building. A local investor, Richard Dudley, originally pledged money to build the tower early last October. The $15 million office building is expected to be completed by the end of this October. Both Dudley and Wausau Mayor Jim Tipple say if the building is well received by the community, plans will move forward for a twin tower to be built right next to it.

----

They can build an enitre building like this in 9 months?!?!?! This Dudley fellow sure doesn't waste any time! At this rate the twin will be 50 feet taller and finished by next March! I hope they aren't cutting corners to get this done so fast, but assuming they aren't this is great for Wausau and central WI.

hopefully wausau will start to attract more people into its metro. Is the twin tower officially suppose to be taller?

No, as far as I know the twin tower would be just that, a twin. My point was that this whole project seems to get more incredible by the minute.

Also, if anyone comes across a decent rendering for this building, I'd love to see it. For as fast as they've moved ahead with this project, they sure don't publicize it much.

They were able to move so fast with this project because it was privately funded. I assume this will be well recieved by the community due to the fact that smaller cities like Wausau tend to have a very limited amount of good downtown office space when compared to the metro's overall office space. This should be great news for the possibility of a second tower. Can't wait to visit Wausau when this baby starts to go up!

Posted February 3, 2006 In the Wausau Daily Herald

Dudley tower plans expanded

Law firm's commitment leads builder to increase size by 20 percent

Construction site
http://www.boomspeed.com/paule17/2.jpg

Ruder Ware will occupy the top two floors of The Dudley Bros. Building when the 11-story, riverfront office tower opens next year.

The law firm has joined Miron Construction Co. as the first two major tenants to sign lease agreements with First Wausau Tower LLC, the holding company formed by entrepreneur Dick Dudley to oversee the project. Construction began last week, and the building is expected to be complete by March 2007.

The downtown development has generated enough interest from prospective tenants that Dudley now says it's likely that he will build a second office tower adjacent to the first. The high level of interest also has led Dudley to increase the size of the first building by 20 percent.

Rather than add two more stories to the tower, though, designers came up with a plan to increase its footprint. That means it will be built closer to First and Scott streets than originally planned, said Paul Schlindwein, president of Dudley Investments and a Ruder Ware attorney.

The building will now cost an estimated $20 million to complete, because of the increase in size and some upgrades in building design and materials. Dudley's LLC would pay $510,000 in property taxes annually based on the building's worth and current tax rates, Wausau Finance Director Maryanne Groat said. About $175,000 a year will go to the city.

Ruder Ware, a business law firm, had been looking to relocate from the First American Center for more than two years, President Lon Roberts said.

First American Center, built 1976
http://www.boomspeed.com/paule17/1stAmerican.jpg

"We've been in this building a long time, and we were looking for state-of-the-art technical capabilities and, quite frankly, more efficiencies in office design," he said.

The law firm had considered a move to the Highway 51 corridor, and potential locations included sites outside the city limits.

Ruder Ware has been located downtown since its inception in 1920. Its desire for a new location was a driving force in Dudley's decision to build the office tower, Schlindwein said.

Dudley is a believer in the city's downtown revitalization efforts and wanted to help fuel the downtown's growth.

Ruder Ware employees enjoy working downtown because of the amenities it has to offer, Roberts said. The law firm's clientele also is accustomed to the downtown location.

The visibility the Dudley tower will offer helped seal the deal. Ruder Ware signed a 15-year lease last week that includes an additional 5,000-square-feet of office space that is to be located on one of the lower floors.

"If you want to be a first-class city, downtown better be first-class, too," Mayor Jim Tipple said. "It's exciting."

This is still the only rendering I can find of the Dudley Brothers Building over the internet

http://www.boomspeed.com/paule17/3.jpg

my parents moved to wausau a few years ago. i have to say that I was impressed with the downtown area. I believe, correct me if I am wrong, that Wausau is the only City in the state (including milwaukee) with three department stores downtown.

my parents moved to wausau a few years ago. i have to say that I was impressed with the downtown area. I believe, correct me if I am wrong, that Wausau is the only City in the state (including milwaukee) with three department stores downtown.
I don't know about that but the downtown mall is doing ok and still has Sears, J.C. Penny's, and Yonkers as the big 3 you are talking about.

It is sad to hear that the K-mart will be completely gone, for the interchange. I was in Wausau January 3 to 10, and I saw the new Menards almost finished but K-mart, nothing, then the article in the daily herald that K-mart will be gone. I wonder what will go into the huge retail development planned for Weston???

I am impressed with the fact that the Dudley Tower appears to be mostly leased already. I am saddened that it was made wider instead of taller though. I guess too tall would look weird when the Dudley Tower will be twice as high as anything else though.

I wonder also, the First American Center is listed on Emporis as 8 stories, you can cleary see only seven in the picture unless the windowless top is the mechanical floor. HAHA I also snapped a pic of the Verizon building and yupp it looks like 5 stories to me!!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/choyak/DSCN1106.jpg

This must be the mechanical floor on the top with a huge grille

Wow my pic and the rendering looks similar with the lampposts there!!!

Huzzah for Brokaw, it is expanding on the west side of the river, and adding appartment buildings... (i live about 1/4 of a mile from brokaw)

Anyway, has anyone seen the plans for the Wausau Center Mall, apparently they want to start remodeling by may. The project would include remodeling the entire inside, as well as the outside to give it a more modern appeal... I am trying to remember the details from the committee meeting last week. It was to bad I didn't have a better seat, I couldn't actually see the renderings very well.

Here are some photos taken today of the site. The third photo was taken from inside the elevator, sorry about the reflection in the glass.
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5064/602/1600/image1.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5064/602/1600/image3.jpg

WOOO!! Way to go Dudley Tower!!!!!! It is looking good, BTW, My parents live in Brokaw, on Park Ave. Most of the houses are destroyed already. I also saw Brokaw expand on the west side, where the apartment buildings are. Also there is something like a methanol plant there. I wonder if that is what it is used for??? That is good news to hear that the Wausau Center will be remodeled. I remember when it was first built there was Prange's there! Now Younkers, to be honest, I have never been in there.

Yeah, the only real reason to go to the mall is for the bourban chicken.

Anyway, I was reading thru the minutes from the Wausau CIP meeting this month, and I noticed some discussion about the destruction of the plaza mall on the corner of third and jefferson. The plaza Mall has had plans for distruction for more than a year now, but the developer who was going to build on the site wanted to finish doing some more analyzing of the site to maximize construction costs/income; the rumors going around last year was that they were thinking something between 4 and 6 floors. The first floor was supposed to be retail, and the top was going to be lofted appartments. Anyway, it appears that the developer is finaly ready to get off his arse, and start building. he has asked for the eastbound lane on jefferson street to be closed, as well as permission to use a surface parking lot a few blocks away for staging, so hopefully soon we will be seeing what he has been working on.

CISM Committee
February 9, 2006 - Page 5
Plaza Mall Redevelopment Project
Gehin explained an official announcement has not yet been made about the Plaza Mall
redevelopment project but City staff has met with the developer for preliminary planning. A request
has been received to close the parking and eastbound lanes on Jefferson Street between 2nd and 3rd
Street. Similar to when the hotel was under construction, eastbound traffic only would be allowed
in the westbound lane. The developer has also requested to use the easternmost lane of 2nd Street
between Jefferson and Scott Street and the old transit center location by Lot 9 as construction
staging areas for equipment, materials and construction trailers. A final request was to grant building
and balcony encroachments at 3rd and Jefferson Street.
Baumgardt stated he would not approve using a portion of Lot 9 as a staging area. He asked how
much the developer is willing to pay to use that area. Parking is needed downtown and this will take
away parking. Gehin stated there was no dollar amount mentioned, and very few cars currently use
Lot 9. Baumgardt noted the developer wants more parking downtown but is asking to use an existing
parking lot for his staging area. Radtke stated she agreed with Baumgardt. The parking lot is used
for Grand Theater events, the Elk’s Club, and people coming downtown to shop.
Baumgardt moved to approve the developer’s requests for the building and balcony encroachments
and to close portions of Jefferson Street and 2nd Street, but denied the request to use a portion of
Parking Lot 9. Radtke seconded. Motion carried 3-0.

Hi honest86, thanks for all the information. I'm just really getting frustrated with finding any information on the Dudley Tower on the internet. I've checked the Mudrovivh Architects website and they have nothing, I've checked Miron Constructions website and they have nothing.

That new parking ramp is in a perfect spot for taking construction update pics as the Dudley Tower is being built. Looking forward to seeing more from you in the future and if you don't I suppose I can add a few every once in a while.

By the way, what part of town do you live in? I'm on the SW side by the Rose Garden off of Cleveland Ave.

I'm going to Wausau today on business. I'll see if I can find some time to take a couple of pictures of something interesting that folks might be interested in. :)

I'm going to Wausau today. I'll see if I can find some time to take a couple of pictures of something interesting that folk might be interested in. :)
Hmmm, I think some folk might like to see some of our historic district. It's downtown on 4th, 5th, and 6th streets and from McClellan to Franklin streets.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5064/602/1600/Image%206.jpg
Here is a new rendering from todays newspaper of what the building is suppose to look like.

Thanks honest86! This building for Wausau is going to be massive. With the short one paragraph article they had with the pic they now are saying the building is going to be 250' from ground to spire. And instead of claiming that this will be the tallest building in central Wisconsin they might as well have printed that it will be the tallest building outside of the City of Milwaukee in the state. And to think, a second twin is probably going up along side of it...

I can't wait till this building starts taking shape!

The pyramid thingy is kinda weird looking, but the basic form is great. Wassau looks like a nice little city. :)

Wausau will be the "downtown" on the wisconsin river...

Wow I am impressed with 'my original hometown' (almost, I lived in Brokaw!!!). The downtown development is amazing. I would move back there if the frikkin' property taxes were not astronomical!!!!! Here in Cali, it is high enough, when you consider that in Colorado it is half of here!!!!. I am still hoping for the Compass Properties development with the condos. If that happens, I will buy one!!! (good place to retire!!)

Please Honest86, keep us updated on the progress of the Dudley tower. When that is finished, the Dudley tower will replace the 1CC for my avatar!!!\

As for the 'tallest building' thing, isn't the new Weston-4 considered a building? When I saw it in January it looked like the steel skeleton of a 20 story building!!

Hmmm, I think some folk might like to see some of our historic district. It's downtown on 4th, 5th, and 6th streets and from McClellan to Franklin streets.

Work took control, and I had no time for fun stuff. Oh well, maybe next time.

I am attaching a link to the WSAU news clip (http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/2356461.html) about the groundbreaking of the building which occured last week. It shows a rendering of the building in color(I think) anyway, check it out...

I am just wondering if anything has heard anything about the River Valley State Bank on 17th ave. I am looking for anything with basic statistics about the building(exa: floor space, height...)

As for the 'tallest building' thing, isn't the new Weston-4 considered a building? When I saw it in January it looked like the steel skeleton of a 20 story building!!

Where's the "Weston-4"?

Where's the "Weston-4"?

I searched for it...

Wisconsin Public Service Corporation Meets with
Early Recycling Success at Weston 4
Just six months into construction of the new Weston 4 power plant being built by the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation near Wausau, WI, crews have already recycled over 2348 tons of material! That’s enough material to fill 234 average tandem axle garbage trucks!!! By recycling scrap metal, untreated wood, concrete, asphalt, and cardboard, over 84% of the waste material generated at Weston 4 has been recycled and kept out of Wisconsin’s landfills. “Crews working at the Weston 4 site are doing an excellent job of recycling,” says Ralph McCall, WasteCap Wisconsin Project Manager. “Their accomplishments to date are something to be quite proud of.”
http://www.wisconsinpublicservice.com/wpsimages/weston4artist.jpg

I can't wait to see what that will look like when it's done. It almost looks like they took a normal, say 140 foot 11-story building, then blew it up to be 250 feet, but kept it 11 floors. Will each floor be like 20 ft tall with a 50 foot pyramid? I mean, it isn't bad looking, I still just can't get over the height for the number of floors it has.

I can't wait to see what that will look like when it's done. It almost looks like they took a normal, say 140 foot 11-story building, then blew it up to be 250 feet, but kept it 11 floors. Will each floor be like 20 ft tall with a 50 foot pyramid? I mean, it isn't bad looking, I still just can't get over the height for the number of floors it has.I agree, all I can think of is that all the renderings are so far not done to scale and that the pyramid on top is going to be alot steeper and the spire is going to be alot taller. That one maintenance floor on top looks to be well over 20' and a 2 story structure in itself..

Also in one of the news articles it said that the basement is included in the 11 floor plan which means we're essentially talking about a 10 story building; 9 floors of office space, 1 floor maintenance, 1 below ground (basement) floor.

HAHA the spire on top looks really huge also, more like a chimney!!!

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5064/602/1600/image7.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5064/602/1600/image8.jpg
Here are some pictures from today.

Wow, progress seems to be going at a fast and steady pace.

honest86, that last pic shows my place of work almost dead center in the pic. I work at the old American Can/James River mill, now Graphic Packing Inter.

Beautiful pictures!

I love how its on the wisconsin river..this will have such a great symbol on the city.

Wow, there seems to be a lot of space between the building and the street, unless the footprint is going to be much larger than it appears here. They have started work here extremely fast however, considering the groundbreaking was just last week.

I think they are leaving room for landscaping... if you look the the office building they built across the street, it is also set back a few feet so that a few plants can be planted... I think they want it to kinda blend in with the grassy area which will exist by the river. I really like the river walkway that is slowly being developed around downtown wausau, and the grassy area by the river.

Thanks honest86! This building for Wausau is going to be massive. With the short one paragraph article they had with the pic they now are saying the building is going to be 250' from ground to spire. And instead of claiming that this will be the tallest building in central Wisconsin they might as well have printed that it will be the tallest building outside of the City of Milwaukee in the state. And to think, a second twin is probably going up along side of it...

I can't wait till this building starts taking shape!
Paule, the article would've been factually wrong if they had claimed it will be the tallest building outside of Milwaukee at 250 feet. The State Capitol Building in Madison is 284 feet tall. But the Dudley Tower is impressive regardless.

how tall is the astor place in green bay height wise? well maybe he meant tallest office building outside of milwaukee? yea, but your right...can't forget the capitol.

from the Wausau Daily Herald ~ a portion of the article ~ http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060301/WDH0101/603010578/1581
Riverfront living

The city is talking with Madison developer Craig Frank about his plans to build upscale apartments or condominiums on the east side of the river south of Bridge Street, Morrissey said. Frank has indicated he would like to complete a development agreement with the city this year.

Construction on entrepreneur Dick Dudley's 11-story office tower has heated up in recent days, and Mayor Jim Tipple said last week that he expects the building to fuel more development along the river.

The North Downtown Master Plan recommends construction of high-density residential developments and the creation of a community focal point, such as a public gathering space.

"It's not a downtown Chicago situation, but there's a lot of people who want to live downtown," Tipple said.

A residential development would fit the city's unofficial motto of "work downtown, live downtown, shop downtown and eat downtown," Tipple said.

Years of neglect

Riverfront developments also are likely to drive redevelopment of the remainder of the north downtown, which has seen few recent improvements.

Most of the houses were built prior to 1939, and about 58 percent are rental properties. The city has purchased a handful of blighted homes along Third Street with money donated by the Judd S. Alexander Foundation. It has demolished the homes, including one on Tuesday, to make way for improvements along the downtown corridor.

Landlords and homeowners can apply to the city for low-interest rehabilitation loans, but substantial improvements to housing in the neighborhood are expected to take years, if not decades.

Many north downtown businesses could use some sprucing up, too, including City Bike Works on Third Street and the Wausau Oriental Food Store on Fulton.

Owners of both businesses recognize the need for improvements, and they welcome the city's attempts to rejuvenate the area.

"All these years ... nothing has been done on my end of town," said Dave Walters, who owns City Bike Works with his brother, Rick. "Even Christmas decorations don't come to my end of town. I don't even get a street light.

"So hey, I'm all in favor of whatever they bring."

Jeff Yang, owner of the Oriental Food Store, 514 Fulton St., opened the grocery in 1989. His business does OK, but limited available parking would make it a bad investment to refurbish the century-old building.

He has considered purchasing a lot to build a new store in the north downtown area, but the cost -- an estimated $500,000 -- is formidable for a neighborhood grocery owner.

The city does offer low-interest commercial loans to business owners to rehab their buildings.

"That's another way for the city to help the town look better," Yang said.

how tall is the astor place in green bay height wise? well maybe he meant tallest office building outside of milwaukee? yea, but your right...can't forget the capitol.
The capitol dome to me is more of a structure then a real building. What I meant was more along the lines of tallest office or residential building. It's like how this new Weston 4 structure has been suggested as being the tallest building in CW but Weston 4 is a coal burning power plant no matter how impressive the size of it is. I don't equate power plants in the same light as office buildings.

Maybe it's going to have a really, really tall lobby?

Astor Place won't be as tall that the Dudley building. I was at an event where John Vetter was, and he made a comment about Astor Place being the tallest north of Milwaukee, but when I told him the Dudley building would be 241 ft, he said that Astor Place won't be that tall.

Whoa in the Daily Herald there is a link to a 'pseudo webcam' of the construction
http://mironconst.oxblue.com/cam1/!!!!

I hope they plan to readjust the camera in a few months since it is only about 50 feet high, and the building will be up to 250 feet tall...

Anyway, does anyone know the heights of the other tall buildings in wausau(landmark-including penhouse, and the residential building on grand ave)

I really hope they start working faster, it seems that they have to build about a foot a day right now to get done in less than a year.

I really hope they start working faster, it seems that they have to build about a foot a day right now to get done in less than a year.
For any building the foundation is the most important part of the structure and in most cases takes the longest to construct. Once they start adding floors on top it wont take all that long.

As for the height of the other buildings in town, I don't know.

There is a building in Wausau already that looks pretty similar to the Dudley building. I don't know what it's name is, but you can see it if you're driving on highway 51/29. It looks like it is around 10-12 stories, and I can't imagine that it is anywhere near 250 feet.

Yeah, the building along the 51/29 corridor is only about 8 floors tall.

The building is called 1CC or 1 corporate cove (please see my avatar) and it is 8 stories I still remember watching the steel go up when I visited in like 2003 or so OMG I was digging and I located a pic when it was under construction (sorry for the blurreynesses)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/choyak/Picture238.jpg

OOPS please disregard the LIE DATE from the camera!!!

Here is an article from Wausau Daily Herald (http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060324/WDH0101/603240508/1581) about a new 6 floor building being built in downtown wausau.
Plaza Mall project passes test

Plan panel gives OK to six-story, $9 million development

By Rick LaFrombois
Wausau Daily Herald
rlafromb@wdhprint.com

One of the most visible corners of downtown Wausau is about to get an extreme makeover.

The vacant Plaza Mall soon could be razed to make way for a six-story, $9 million multi-purpose development at the corner of Jefferson and Third streets.

The development would provide ground-floor retail space, expansion of City Grill's banquet space and the Jefferson Street Inn and be topped off by two floors of upscale condominiums.

The project is backed by a trio of local investors. The city has agreed in principal to provide $490,000 for the project, mostly for infrastructure improvements.

Wausau's Plan Commission approved on Thursday the general development plan and rezoning of the property to a Unified Development District. The City Council will vote on Tuesday whether to approve the plan, the rezoning and the developer agreement.

If approved by the city and the Jefferson Street Inn Condominium Association, work will begin in April and is expected to be complete by spring or early summer of 2007, said Mark Craig, general manager of Compass Properties, the company overseeing the development.

The project, dubbed The Palladian, is the vision of businessmen John Dudley, John Noel and Bob Weirauch. Dudley is the son of entrepreneur Dick Dudley, who is building an 11-story, $20 million office tower on the downtown riverfront; Noel is the founder and chief executive officer of the Stevens Point-based Noel Group, which owns Compass Properties; Weirauch is the former president and CEO of Wausau Financial Systems and part owner of SafeAssured, a local company that produces child identification kits.

The three will back the project financially and have formed a limited liability company, City Center Investors, as its holding company.

Rooftop garden parties are no longer part of the vision, as originally hoped, because the cost to construct a facility on the roof is prohibitive, Craig said. Nonetheless, the development is envisioned as a signature anchor of the downtown.

Towering over nearby developments, The Palladian would expand the Jefferson Street Inn to 100 rooms, up from 62, and increase seating capacity of City Grill's banquet spaces to 500 people, up from 200.

Inn Development Management, which manages the hotel for investors, has worked with Compass to help plan the expansion, Craig said, and the additional hotel rooms would be available for sale to investors.

Six to eight condominiums with balconies would be developed, depending on how large of units potential owners desire. Units would cost from $350,000 to $480,000.

Compass Properties has a list of 15 people interested in owning a downtown condominium, but none have been asked to put down money to reserve a unit.

Up to 6,000 square feet of retail space will be available on the ground level, Craig said. There's interest from prospective tenants, but none has committed to leasing the space.

The ground-level entrance will be poised at a 45-degree angle toward the city square's 400 block.

About 14 below-ground parking stalls will be constructed beneath the development for condominium owners, Craig said. The owners will access the below-ground parking from Jefferson Street.

As part of the development agreement, the city has offered to pay $50,000 for relocation of the brick electric station at the corner of Jefferson and Third streets. The station would be relocated to the parking facility below the development.

The Samuels Group, a Wausau-based general contracting firm, would oversee construction. Mudrovich Architects of Wausau is the architect for the project.

I find this very exciting since i have been waiting several years for them to destroy the ugly plaza mall and to build something else in its place. It is also interesting to note that it is Dick Dudley's son, who along with two other investers are running this project.

Can we sticky this thread already (and possibly rename), or what? It's like a Wausau news thread.

Can we sticky this thread already (and possibly rename), or what? It's like a Wausau news thread.
I would agree but what's the point in having a stickied development thread when you can't show any renderings of, or decent ones anyway, the projects you are talking about! Once a fucking gin there is a major project in downtown Wausau and there are no fucking renderings anywhere to be fucking found!

Sorry for my language but damm it all! :rant:

Dick Dudley's Son and Friends does it Again.
Hey honest86, If we don't watch out, the Dudley's are going to end up owning this town!

But God bless the movers and shakers!

Here's to the Dudley's :cheers:

hey, there might not be a rendering but that consruction web cam is pretty cool. I can't wait to see this building the next time I am in Wausau.

Once it's done, will I be able to see it on the skyline as I drive by on interstate 39 or possibly even from Hwy 29?

WIll there be any 'public' spaces in this building, like a restaurant or anything, that I can see? I'd love to see those 40' ceilings from inside!

hey, there might not be a rendering but that consruction web cam is pretty cool. I can't wait to see this building the next time I am in Wausau.

Once it's done, will I be able to see it on the skyline as I drive by on interstate 39 or possibly even from Hwy 29?

WIll there be any 'public' spaces in this building, like a restaurant or anything, that I can see? I'd love to see those 40' ceilings from inside!
Yeah that web cam is cool. I don't think you will be able to see it coming from the south on 39 but coming from the north you can already see all of downtown from 51 or highway K.

I'm not sure but I believe the building is planned to have some retail on the ground floor. When I find out for sure I will let you know, or maybe honest86 knows?

I think the entire building might be office space, but I am not sure. It is hard to find information about this project since it is privately funded.

on a side note...

I looked at the Murdrovich Architects website for some renderings of the Plaza Mall redevelopment, but they only have a old rendering from about a year ago.

I think the entire building might be office space, but I am not sure. It is hard to find information about this project since it is privately funded.
Tell me about it.... :uh:



on a side note...

I looked at the Murdrovich Architects website for some renderings of the Plaza Mall redevelopment, but they only have a old rendering from about a year ago.
Thanks honest. Yes I saw that rendering months ago looking for renderings of the Dudley Tower and really liked it but it only has 2 floors. So I'm wondering if they're going to stay with the same type of design but add 4 floors to it or if they have scraped the whole thing for something new? I would imagine that once the proposal is approved they will at least show it in the Herald.

Yeah, I am guessing that after the next city council meeting there will be an article in the daily herald.

Well we were right! The day after the next city council meeting and after they approved the plan a rendering with article is in the paper.

A planned six-story, $9 million multi-purpose development downtown got the go-ahead Tuesday from Wausau's City Council.
For full article, please click onto link.
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20060329&Category=WDH0101&ArtNo=603290547&Ref=AR&located=FLASH

http://www.boomspeed.com/paule17/bilde0.jpg
This is a bit different then the 2 floor rendering, of course, but it does stay along the lines of the same type of design as I pretty much suspected it would. I still like it even though I'm not a guy who likes retro architecture, mainly because I think it will blend in very nicely with the other buildings around it, especially with those on the old pedestrian mall. What do you think?

It will look nice. I especially like the small tower on the corner, I think it would be nice to stay in a hotel room which overlooked the 400 block.

I am glad that they decied to go with the six floors instead of the two floors.
This design is a lot more bland:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5064/602/320/Image1.jpg

Wow that small tower with the spire looks just SO COOL!!! This would be Wausau's first six story building!!!?? There will be 11 (Dudley), 10 (Riverview Towers Grand Ave.???), 9 (Landmark Apartments), 8 (1CC), 7 (First American Center) now 6!!!!!! Unless the old hospital on the east side is 6, I can't remember!!! I sort of remember the operating rooms were on 6th floor, unless I lamed out!!! (I think Gilbert St. ended there!!!) Sorry I lied Emporis has First American as 8 stories.

Wow that small tower with the spire looks just SO COOL!!! This would be Wausau's first six story building!!!?? There will be 11 (Dudley), 10 (Riverview Towers Grand Ave.???), 9 (Landmark Apartments), 8 (1CC), 7 (First American Center) now 6!!!!!! Unless the old hospital on the east side is 6, I can't remember!!! I sort of remember the operating rooms were on 6th floor, unless I lamed out!!! (I think Gilbert St. ended there!!!) Sorry I lied Emporis has First American as 8 stories.
The more I look at that rendering of The Palladian and picture how it is going to look anchoring that part of the city square the more and more I'm loving this design. Wausau is going to have such a cool little downtown!

Incidently, the Herald online version of most articles they have in print are condensed. Here is part of what you missed:
The downtown development approved by the City Council on Tuesday was named after a style of architecture derived from the Itallian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580). Palladio tried to re-create the style and proportions of the buildings of ancient Rome.

Also, when talking about the inn: There's room for expansion, though, Shellie said. Hotel patrons are consistently turned away on weekends and on peak weekday nights, which include Mondays and Tuesdays.

And there's a need for more banquet space to accommodate larger weddings and conference's, Skellie said.

The link also didn't mention that the current numbers of rooms for the inn will go up from 62 rooms to 100 and seating capacity for the banquet hall will go up from 200 to 500. Plus 6,000 sqr. ft. of retail space will be on the ground level.

Oh and, Emporis is wrong, the Frist American Center is only 7 floors, not 8.

I just found a new rendering of the Dudley Tower on the Miron Construction website, they are calling it The First Wausau Tower. I figured they get one up sooner or later. It's a bit Sim Cityish but I think it's the most realistic so far.

http://www.boomspeed.com/paule17/firstwausautower-rend.jpg
My what a handsome building, don't cha think?

Now, from the ground all the way up to the top of that flag pole looking spire is supposed to be 250', I will presume, that's what's been reported so far anyway, 250' from ground to top of spire. Personally, I hate it when buildings include flag poles or spires like this one and include them with the height of the building. Odviously the building is going to be shorter than 250'. I think if you measure it from the ground to the top of the pyrimid it will probably be around 200', give or take 10'. Still a sizeable amount for a 10 story building but I think alot more realistic than 250. Well at least it's settled in my mind anyway. :)

That makes more sense. The 9 above ground floors could average 15 feet (for 135 total), plus another 65 or 75 for the service floor and pyramid, plus the spire would get to 250. The building should fit in well with the downtown.

The First American Center is 8 floors if you count the level that has the drive-thru for the bank in it. Otherwise if you look at the building from the east there is only 7 floors.

Whoa...That 'First Wausau Tower' is exceptional!!! That will be splendid to see this tower when it is finished. Along with the 'Palladian' The downtown is getting better and better!!! Hopefully there will be a riverwalk developed from like Bridge St. south (Is that 'Zastrow the beer man' building still there???) I remember though from like 1984 that thing!!!!!

So First American has 7 stories. I swore by that for years and years since it was built in like 1974 or whenever! I know there are alot of 5 story buildings in Wausau like 'The Women's Center' 'Plaza Hotel' 'Westwood Conference', etc. I think Wausau Ins. is 4 floors. Everything will be covered from 11 stories to 1 story!!!! WOW I NEED to return there again!!! I will visit in July however!!!!

The Herald would be so much better if they just PDFed all of the pages (like the first page is) and then the web site could be simpler, and you could actually read the newspaper instead of the on-line limitations!

Palladian plans delayed

By Rick LaFrombois
Wausau Daily Herald
rlafromb@wdhprint.com

Plans to begin construction of The Palladian, a six-story, $9 million multi-purpose downtown development at the corner of Jefferson and Third streets have been delayed until May.
for the rest of the article click HERE. (http://wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060416/WDH0101/604160521/1581)

:cry:

some renderings of the Paladin that I found in todays paper...
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5064/602/1600/Untitled-1.jpg

http://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/is/ccc/pdf/cism_m_04132006.pdf
Request Proposals for Design Services–Expansion of Jefferson Street Parking Ramp
Gehin explained the City has a commitment to provide 500 parking spaces within 300 feet of the
Dudley building. It was initially thought that 108 on-site spaces would be available, however, due
to a fire lane and landscaping only 80-100 can be provided. There will be underground parking for
approximately 25 spaces. On the land just west of the library 38-45 spaces can be provided,
however, the actual use of those spaces will not be known until after the library study is done. Up
to 135 spaces will be provided in the McClellan Ramp, and the Jefferson Street ramp will provide
50 existing spaces. It was initially thought up to 195 spaces could be provided in the “Catholic
block” but now it is not known what portion of the lot would be available for parking.
Gehin explained when the Jefferson Street parking ramp was constructed about $2 million was
added to the cost to provide the potential for adding another parking level or condos on the top. If
condos were to be constructed, there would be a City cost of $4-5 million to provide elevators,
interspatial area, and utilities, however, it now appears the City will not be making such an
investment for condos. Gehin stated the City should take advantage of the $2 million investment it
made and construct an additional level of parking. Access ramps and other features would be needed
to convert the roof to a seventh parking level. It is estimated the additional level could be
constructed for approximately $500,000-$600,000, plus $150,000 if an elevator is needed. This does
not include any contingency. Adding a roof to the seventh level would be $1-1.5 million and adding
an eighth level of parking would cost $3-4 million. He stated it is too costly to add two levels.
Gehin stated staff is recommending proposals be requested to design the seventh level of parking,
with alternates for some type of roof, and an elevator if required by State code. Baumgardt moved
to request proposals from firms to design the seventh level of the Jefferson Street parking ramp.
Radtke seconded. Motion carried 3-0.

This is not only just a good thing but it is totally necessary.

i love wausau, its the heart of our state, and the most populous wisc. river city. very underrated for the most part within our state.

i love wausau, its the heart of our state, and the most populous wisc. river city. very underrated for the most part within our state.
Thanks for the kind comments.

Underrated within the state I very much agree with. Wausau is rarely ever mentioned among the Appletons and Janesville's of the state. Wausau has never had the population or the economic base to trump larger cities. But when all the larger cities in the state have pretty much abandoned their downtowns, Wausau has always seen it's downtown as it's saving grace.

The tide might be turning to our side however. 30 years ago Wausau had a metro of 60,000, today it's more like 85,000 and it's showing that it will continue to grow.

Still, the dollar is what rules and Wausau just is not a powerhouse within the state. It's downtown has become a model for those larger cities to learn from and hopefully they will learn.

Here's a little from the most populous Wisconsin River city in Wisconsin.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/71701782YPZZek_ph.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/484215822PgdYzH_ph.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/71946624_3bbf692622_b.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/58912033bdVZCm_ph.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/58911959WImRgC_ph.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/38407177_621956c51f_b.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/38410008_771b425283_b.jpg

Wow what did I see in the online Herald today about someone wants to build 76 condos on a property on the east side? This could be substantial, Astor Place in GB has 72 condos and is 17 stories tall!!!! I wonder what property this is?????

http://wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060420/WDH0101/60420019

DARN! I just dug online and it appears that this was annexed territory on Town Line Rd, and I guess that it will look like SPRAWL CENTRAL like the 76 condominiums will be on 5 million acres!!!!!

http://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/is/ccc/pdf/plan_a_04202006.pdf :eek2:

I like wausau....though it gets damn, damn cold......ski granite peak, and eat at gulliver's landing :)

Yeah, but it would have been nice if it would have gotten approved. Perhaps they will develop some agreement. The east side of wausau isn't as sprawled as the west side, and honestly the sprawl created by putting in the condo's wouldn't have been as bad as modern sprawl where most lots are several acres.
Here is more information about the story...
http://wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060421/WDH0101/604210511/1581/WDHnews

If you read the the city's Comprehensive Plan, one of the objectives for growth is to expand east to Camp Phillips Road, and to have the creation of an eastern bypass around the city on Camp Phillips Road to reduce traffic congestion on Grand Ave.

Yeah, but it would have been nice if it would have gotten approved. Perhaps they will develop some agreement. The east side of wausau isn't as sprawled as the west side, and honestly the sprawl created by putting in the condo's wouldn't have been as bad as modern sprawl where most lots are several acres.
Here is more information about the story...
http://wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060421/WDH0101/604210511/1581/WDHnews

If you read the the city's Comprehensive Plan, one of the objectives for growth is to expand east to Camp Phillips Road, and to have the creation of an eastern bypass around the city on Camp Phillips Road to reduce traffic congestion on Grand Ave.
Sorry but 78 condos proposed on Townline road on the edge of town is not a good thing at all, I protest! May I remind you that this is an urban forum. And while what you said about the cities plan for the southest side is good, they also have a plan for the downtown and bringing residential life back into it.

Build the 78 condos on the riverfront downtown! Who wants to live out on townline road anyways???

And frankly their reasoning behind building this there escapes me. They want to create an alternitive to the trafic trap called Grand Ave by first makeing the situation even worse than what it is now? That is what would transpire and that just don't make any sense.

Isn't Wausau often in those "Best Freakin' City to Live In" lists?

I thought that had to do with it's natural assets like Granite Peak, the Wisconsin River as well as proximity to the great awesome North Woods and because crime is almost non-existant? Those pictures were very nice, and not a single mugging or shooting was caught on film (except for maybe a deer or two). Plus yeah it's got a pretty nice downtown.

I can imagine those condos are located next to some pretty nice natural landscape features...possibly an area that should become a public park rather than a condominium backyard?

Build inward and upward rather than outward and downward.

Yeah the 78 condos should be on the riverfront south of Bridge St. Heck, just plop Astor Place there!!!!

Well a somewhat modified Astor Place, I want to see Astor Place built in Green Bay!!

Well I gotta confess, I drew up a plan for Wausau about 1o years ago it included a bypass at Camp Phillips Road and a northern one to connect from 51/39 to this north of Fleet Farm (I remember it is swampy there though???)
I am still pretty hyped about the First Wausau Tower!!!

Another postulation would be a bridge across the river at or near Wausau Ave!

so whats wausau's population now?

so whats wausau's population now?
The city pop? in the 2000 census it was at 38,426 but I believe the 2004 est. had just over 39,000.

Metro includes all of Marathon county which in 2000 was at 125,834. I saw that now they are including Lincoln County also which drives it up to 155,000. The city of Merrill has long been considered a bedroom community of Wausau and it has become more so in recent years. The city of Antigo in Langlade County is becoming that also.

The estimate for the 2004 Marathon Cty pop I saw at 128,000

According to the January 1st, 2005 estimate given by the Wisconsin Department of Administration, Wausau's population was 39,275.

I can imagine those condos are located next to some pretty nice natural landscape features...possibly an area that should become a public park rather than a condominium backyard?
Yeah, they would have been really close to Greenwood Hills Golf course, and actually the subdivision that is being put in across townline rd has a pretty substantial nature preserve/park as part of its selling point.
Secondly, it would have been a central location between the east metro, and downtown Wausau. The only strong flaw with the location is that it is a few miles from the highway, and that it isn't downtown.

Well I gotta confess, I drew up a plan for Wausau about 1o years ago it included a bypass at Camp Phillips Road and a northern one to connect from 51/39 to this north of Fleet Farm (I remember it is swampy there though???)Yeah, in the Wausau CP they mentioned the idea of putting in a northern crossing at Evergreen rd, and connecting it to Decator dr, but Wausau would need to grow on the north-west for that to happen.


Another postulation would be a bridge across the river at or near Wausau Ave!That really wouldn't do much, it would just be about 5 blocks north of the bridge street crossing.

Yeah, in the Wausau CP they mentioned the idea of putting in a northern crossing at Evergreen rd, and connecting it to Decator dr, but Wausau would need to grow on the north-west for that to happen.

That really wouldn't do much, it would just be about 5 blocks north of the bridge street crossing.


Yeah but to me the section of Wausau that did not grow AT ALL is the northeast side (Riverview school area). It's the same when I lived there 23 years ago!!!!!!

The north west side is growing somewhat with Rosemurgy and Saturn etc???

I now see what you mean about the bridge across the river, perhaps more north yet then, like Decatur drive to Evergreen road??????

I know the bridge at Brokaw that was built in 1973 (I think) but too far north. (Not for me that my parents live in Brokaw!!)

The north-west side still needs to extend farther north to match the north-east side.
Riverview is still growing, if you go up Marquardt you will see a lot of new houses on the hill, some of them worth upwards of $750,000, otherwise there is the Eagle Valley subdivision (aprox 35 lots) which is right off of Golf Club road and has had about a dozen new houses built in the past year; Forest Valley road was just put in, and has about a dozen lots with an amazing view of the Riverview valley.
But honestly, Riverview is growing slowly, but the houses being built are all pretty nice, and generate a lot property tax, mix that with the growing commercial area (and possibly another industrial park) on the west side of the river, and one has a short commute, a nice neighborhood, and an ideal location near Riverview school, Horace Mann Middle School, and Wausau East High School. A northern crossing would help the Riverview area as well as the NTC area by providing a fast way across the river, and a lot shorter drive to the highway, which would encourage growth for both sides.

OOPS Now I remember NTC!!! I went to NCTI!!!!

Wausau mall plans big facelift

By Nick Sargent
Wausau Daily Herald
nsargent@wdhprint.com

The Wausau Center mall will undergo a multimillion-dollar renovation to be completed by this year's holiday season, managers said this morning.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5064/602/1600/bilde.jpg
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060426/WDH0101/60426012

Anyway I like the project, I think that the remodeling, along with the construction already happening, and the construction which will be starting shortly, along with the rising gas prices will all have a positive impact on the development of a stronger downtown in wausau.

this is hilarious.

this is hilarious.
whats hilarious

Hello, I was making a list of what has happened in Wausau since 2000, if you have any additional items I missed please tell me.

Projects in Wausau since 2000
Jefferson Street Inn - $14 million
Jefferson Street Parking Ramp - $20 million
Riverside Place - $10 million
Corporate Cove - $14 million
River Valley State Bank - $8 million
NTC Health Sciences Building - $20 million

Current Projects
Dudley Bros. First Wausau Tower - $20 million
Jefferson Street Inn expansion - $6 million
Mall Remodelation Project - $3.5 million

This thread is awesome.

The First American Center is 8 stories plus a penthouse. Level 1 (which you don't see in the picture) is the former vault area and mostly M&I Bank operations. The floor extends under the plaza area - facing the 400 Block. It also includes the drive-up area. The Dudley building will be taller than the neighboring buildings yet smaller sq ft overall than the First American Center.

I have a few problems with the Dudley Building project. One, the City of Wausau promised 500 parking spaces to the building at the greatly reduced rate, while at the same time increasing the cost of parking to $35 a spot for people already holding passes.

Where are these 500 spaces coming from and at what expense? Offering special deals on parking to a building like this is robbing the rest of downtown - merchants and other office buildings - mostly notably the First American Center. All the ramps in downtown Wausau are full - no parking passes available at all. Building a new ramp before the Dudley Building is complete will be impossible at this point.

Paul Schlindwein is an attorney at Ruder Ware so it's no surprise that the firm is moving to the Dudley Building. Also, Miron is constructing the building and moving in as a tenant. No other tenants have been announced.

There is a lot of open office space in Wausau. Corporate Cove (which I hear is sinking), First American Center, US Bank, and other Ghidorzi projects have rather high vacancy rates. I don't see new tenants moving into the area - just tenants playing musical chairs.

If Dudley really wanted to do something for Wausau, he'd build something the City REALLY needs such as an attraction - museum, cultural center, a center for children and families or a convention center. Not more office space. Offices don't create a sense of place.

I think the old man just wants something with his name on it before he goes....a legacy.

True about the needed parking, but the city is currently looking at adding another level of parking at the Jefferson street ramp, and the increase in parking from the Dudley building wont happen immediately, as you stated, ruder ware is already downtown, and the employees already have spots(probably in the ramp across the street from Dudley building.) So, all the spots don’t have to be available right away.
Secondly, as far as I know, the city of Wausau just reorganized their parking permits, so that the spots with the higher demand cost more, and the spots with the lower demand cost less. I don't believe that the Dudley building tenants will be getting their permits at a reduced rate, but will instead have the option of buying up a certain number of permits within a certain radius.

The First American Center is 8 stories plus a penthouse. Level 1 (which you don't see in the picture) is the former vault area and mostly M&I Bank operations. The floor extends under the plaza area - facing the 400 Block. It also includes the drive-up area. The Dudley building will be taller than the neighboring buildings yet smaller sq ft overall than the First American Center.

I have a few problems with the Dudley Building project. One, the City of Wausau promised 500 parking spaces to the building at the greatly reduced rate, while at the same time increasing the cost of parking to $35 a spot for people already holding passes.

Where are these 500 spaces coming from and at what expense? Offering special deals on parking to a building like this is robbing the rest of downtown - merchants and other office buildings - mostly notably the First American Center. All the ramps in downtown Wausau are full - no parking passes available at all. Building a new ramp before the Dudley Building is complete will be impossible at this point.

Paul Schlindwein is an attorney at Ruder Ware so it's no surprise that the firm is moving to the Dudley Building. Also, Miron is constructing the building and moving in as a tenant. No other tenants have been announced.

There is a lot of open office space in Wausau. Corporate Cove (which I hear is sinking), First American Center, US Bank, and other Ghidorzi projects have rather high vacancy rates. I don't see new tenants moving into the area - just tenants playing musical chairs.

If Dudley really wanted to do something for Wausau, he'd build something the City REALLY needs such as an attraction - museum, cultural center, a center for children and families or a convention center. Not more office space. Offices don't create a sense of place.

I think the old man just wants something with his name on it before he goes....a legacy.
You got to look at the whole picture ginab. I agree with you about the parking problem that will result in the future untill someone comes up with a plan and unfortunately the answer is probably going to come by way of tax payer money. I think that is almost a given in this situation. It's unfortunate but true and but necessary.

I know that during the length of this thread no one has really touched on the negitives as eloquent as you have but the tone of your post suggests to me that you might be ignoring any possible benefits this project will bring to the city. That's fine, lets talk about the negitives.

It doesn't bother me much that the ones constructing the building are going to use it as a regional office. From the info that I understand, Miron Construction Co. is a top notch and respected company with a fine rep. They have signed a long term lease to occupy 2 1/2 floors. I forgot just how long it was for but it is a considerable amount of time. This is a big positive, I see no negitive in that.

Ruder Ware has signed a long term lease to occupy 2 floors. They say that they were already in the process of looking for another site outside the city of Wausau because the First American Center was becomeing obsolete for them. The reality of it is ginab, Ruder Ware was leaveing the city. The only reason why they are staying in the city now is because of the Dudley Tower, that's the only reason. It's simple; no Dudley Tower, no Ruder Ware.
I think Honest has addressed the parking prices rather well.

Another thing to think about is that this building is being financed with private money, Dick Dudley's money. The need for 100% occupancy is not required neither is a 50% occupancy required and in fact most projects like this, when financed through a bank loan, only requires 60% financing anyway, so either way, I think they will cover that just fine. By the way, when you say just Dudley and skip the "Mr." or not use his first name you are in effect not just showing disrespect but animosity also and a complete bias towards him personally and professionally...Who are you by the way? If you used my last name in the way you did his I would be offended. He is not an elected official where you might feel you have the right to throw his name around any which way you feel like.

It's interesting what you said about the Corporate Cove sinking because my wife told me this months ago but I have not heard anything about it and figured it was a meaningless rumor. I still don't know if it's true but to be honest with you, if it is sinking I say GOOD! The man who built the building demanded all kinds of things from the city to build his Corporate Cove downtown and when he didn't get what he wanted he built the building on the edge of town just to spite the city. The last laugh is on him though because the land outside the city that he built CC on has been annexed. :) LOL, he is now paying taxes to the city! :pepper: This story just busts me up! :hahaha:

As for a museum or cultural center don't make me laugh! Are you serious? Have you ever stepped foot out of this state? It's ideas like this that have put Wisconsin downtowns in ruins for the past 30 years. You're thinking like a dinosaur.

If this project wasn't privately funded and practically in full I would be raiseing the same questions you are and maybe even protesting against it, I happen to be one of the many who rejected and voted against the big convention center that was planned for downtown 10 years ago, but our taxes aren't being asked to fund this building. Yes $2,000,000 is being charged to us but the whole $20,000,000 bill isn't. If the project fails the one who will be really hurting is MR. Dudley, not us.

I think the old man just wants something with his name on it before he goes....a legacy.

Whoa, whoa, whoa... back the truck up there. There's a saying that extraordinary accusations require extraordinary proof. It is unwise to throw accusations aronud about someone's motives just because you disagree with their projects. The points of concern about the Dudley building may or may not be valid, I'm not in a position to know but must admit some of those same issues crossed my mind. But to throw someone under the bus like that when all they've done is be a good citizen and try to develop some land and add to the city...well that at best is considerably lacking in tact.

Whoa, whoa, whoa... back the truck up there. There's a saying that extraordinary accusations require extraordinary proof. It is unwise to throw accusations aronud about someone's motives just because you disagree with their projects. The points of concern about the Dudley building may or may not be valid, I'm not in a position to know but must admit some of those same issues crossed my mind. But to throw someone under the bus like that when all they've done is be a good citizen and try to develop some land and add to the city...well that at best is considerably lacking in tact.

Hey downtown, my setiments exactly...I smell a troll under the Scott St. bridge!

It will be nice to see something on the corner of 1st and Scott - it's been an eyesore for too long. Dick Dudley is a fine man. The project looks Class A all-the-way, no doubt about it. I've always thought it weird that Wausau mostly ignores the beautiful river. I bet the building will have a great view of the Wisconsin.

What would be so bad about the stuffy old firm of Ruder leaving the City?

I still think some sort of attraction downtown would bring more people off the interstate who will spend money at the shops and restaurants downtown.

Yes, "Paule" I have been out-of-state - as an adult I have lived in Chicago, New York City, a a few cities in between. I have been to every state in the union and had the opportunity for extensive travel in Europe and South America. I did not live in Wausau 10 years ago when the convention center was voted down.

I simply don't see where more office space is needed at this point. While I'm at it, I wish 3rd Street had cute, interesting shops from the mall all the way to the YMCA. Let's get the offices off 3rd Street. Investment firms and employment agencies, etc., don't entice shoppers.

The Dudley Building negotiated a special reduced rate for parking with the City. Has anyone checked the City code to see what it says about what is mandatory parking for a structure this size?

I'm enjoying this thread. Let's keep it up. We don't have to agree, right?

The only thing I agree on is a convention center. Where I live here in SoCal there is the Anaheim Convention Center that grosses quite a bit I don't remember the exact figure something north of 30 million. It would be cool to add a few more floors to the First American Center when needed though! It is probably impossible. As for Ruder Ware leaving the city, it's all about tax revenue.

It will be nice to see something on the corner of 1st and Scott - it's been an eyesore for too long. Dick Dudley is a fine man. The project looks Class A all-the-way, no doubt about it. I've always thought it weird that Wausau mostly ignores the beautiful river. I bet the building will have a great view of the Wisconsin.
Whoa, step back, are you the same person that posted just hours ago? Maybe you see both the negatives and the positives in a ??? passionate way, if that's the correct term?
Um, I agree with all the above. :)


What would be so bad about the stuffy old firm of Ruder leaving the City?
Well after you having lived in NYC , Chicago, and points all around I wouldn't expect you to understand this but Ruder Ware is big for Wausau. If they move out of downtown Wausau that's a big deal. As you have said yourself, there is alot of open office space in the downtown. if they leave the situation only gets worse.

Now, you may say that for them to move down the street in a sparkling new office complex doesn't change anything I would agree with you to a point. I only see this as a major plus and an advantage for the downtown to lure more business and employers downtown. Think about it. When First American is scambling for tennants they probably will have to eventually drop the price down from what they will be asking for in dollars per sq. ft.. Companies who are wanting to either move out of downtown or otherwise expanding in the suburbs will find the prices more then competible and no less desireable.


I still think some sort of attraction downtown would bring more people off the interstate who will spend money at the shops and restaurants downtown.
I don't have a problem with that. There's plenty of blight along the east side of the river downtown to clear out and develop something. The problem I have is that this parcell of land on the corner of 1st and Scott was used as a gravel parking lot for over 30 years! If the people wanted to build a museum on it they should've done so already. Don't wait to say something about it untill a guy with alot of money comes along with the interests of the well being of the city buys the property and proposes an 11 story office building on it. The way I see it, you people had your chance, your chance is over and done with. I'm sorry but I have gotten into this arguement already with some people. They say it should have been made into a park... I ask, how much frickin' park do they need downtown! We already have the 400 block downtown, Oak Island, Fern Island, Whitewater park, and the Park that sits under Scott St. bridge, good God! And it's usually these same people who never utilize these parks anyway. AHHHHH!!!


Yes, "Paule" I have been out-of-state - as an adult I have lived in Chicago, New York City, a a few cities in between. I have been to every state in the union and had the opportunity for extensive travel in Europe and South America. I did not live in Wausau 10 years ago when the convention center was voted down.
Do I got a story to tell you...mabe later though.

Sorry about the attitude I gave you earlier but you struck a nerve.


I simply don't see where more office space is needed at this point. While I'm at it, I wish 3rd Street had cute, interesting shops from the mall all the way to the YMCA. Let's get the offices off 3rd Street. Investment firms and employment agencies, etc., don't entice shoppers.
I disagree with you about the office space but everything else here I agree with.


The Dudley Building negotiated a special reduced rate for parking with the City. Has anyone checked the City code to see what it says about what is mandatory parking for a structure this size?
I don't know about that but I have a feeling that honest86 might be able to cover this.


I'm enjoying this thread. Let's keep it up. We don't have to agree, right?
No we don't have to agree. And as long as you don't talk stupid I wont yell at you anymore...LOL, I'm just kidding :) I'm sorry, I apologize.

Actually I'm a bit embarrassed about this thread. You realize that this is the only thread in all of SSC with over 100 posts on a city that doesn't even have a population of over 40,000?

The only thing I agree on is a convention center. Where I live here in SoCal there is the Anaheim Convention Center that grosses quite a bit I don't remember the exact figure something north of 30 million. It would be cool to add a few more floors to the First American Center when needed though! It is probably impossible. As for Ruder Ware leaving the city, it's all about tax revenue.
There yah go! Improvise and make due. Turn the First American Center into a convention center LOLOLOL!

HAHA That is why CG5 called it 'hilarious' so many posts for a small city. BUT I LIVED THERE ALSO!!! So it is all cool with the posts. I just view the web cam every day.

HAHA That is why CG5 called it 'hilarious' so many posts for a small city. BUT I LIVED THERE ALSO!!! So it is all cool with the posts. I just view the web cam every day.
Well he's right, it is hilarious. This is a website on skyscrapers, why is Wausau being talked about here? I only originally started posting on these skyscraper sites because I love Milwaukee. :) This has become a fun thread though.

Yes, I do have strong opinions!

You brought up a good point about rents. What are the major buildings going for these days? My husband looked at office space downtown a couple years ago and I didn't think it was too bad, but he decided to stay put. Wonder if the First Wausau Tower will change the rent schedules?

And what's going on with the retail level in the Jefferson Ramp? How much is available in there still?

Have you been in Van Dalfsen's? The owner did a beautiful job in highlighting the glorious detail of the structure.

And what's going on with the retail level in the Jefferson Ramp? How much is available in there still?
On the south side of the Jefferson Ramp, over half the space is taken up by the Chang Garden, and most of the rest is used by Gelato Cafe, so there is a very small area left for rent (If Chang Garden doesn't expand again) On the north side about 3/4 of the space is used by the bank, and financial offices.

Have you been in Van Dalfsen's? The owner did a beautiful job in highlighting the glorious detail of the structure.
Yes, the store looks amazing, for those of you who have not seen the building, go here (http://www.mudrovicharchitects.com/) click on portfolio, and then click on Retail/Restaurants, it is the top one on the list, and there are some before and after pictures, although the after picture doesn't do justice to the restoration project.

Well he's right, it is hilarious. This is a website on skyscrapers, why is Wausau being talked about here? I only originally started posting on these skyscraper sites because I love Milwaukee. :) This has become a fun thread though.

You're right, it is (fundamentally) a site about skyscrapers, but has become a great outlet for general development discussion. I'm glad we can have discussions about other things as well.

On another note about Wausau, I am dismayed that Fiskars is going to can the employees there to exploit slave labor. I always would buy Fiskars scissors because the quality was so good, now, no more I will not buy Fiskars again! I hope that someone would buy the plant and machinery and still make scissors there. Now the quality will be so poor that the orange handles will snap and fly off.

Well since there were a denial of replies. I would like to note something weird about Dudley Building. The core is weird, it looks like an I beam. Isn't that bizarre. I always thought that the core would be rectangular. Also, it appears there are prefabricated concrete plates that the core is made of. It appears that it is on the first floor already.

Yeah, I noticed the I-beam shaped core also and thought it was a little weird.

On a first side note, I found this quote in the Wausau Daily Herald about articles they are working on, so there should be a nice article in tomorrow’s paper about the First Wausau Tower:
That's a lot of concrete: Workers from County Materials Corp. will pour more than 5,000 cubic yards of concrete to create below-ground parking and footings and the backbone of the First Wausau Tower going up downtown.
and another article should also appear tomorrow about the east side condo's:
East-side condos: A development company is revising plans to build apartments, condominiums and single-family homes on Wausau's east side.

Anyway, on another side note, there was a small $2-3million dollar project in the works for the Stewart Ave. Corridor just east of highway 51.
http://cmsimg.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20060516&Category=WDH0101&ArtNo=605160584&Ref=AR&Profile=1581&MaxW=300
Article (http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060516/WDH0101/605160584/1581)

On yet another side note, if you look at the CISM minutes for Wausau there was a lengthy discussion about adding a seventh level to the Jefferson street parking ramp (here are the minutes (http://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/is/ccc/pdf/cism_m_05112006.pdf)) and one of the things I noticed in the minutes was that when they were talking about expansion of parking ramps, the only other ramp in Wausau which was designed to allow for future expansion is the Sears ramp. I thought that was an interesting side note.

If this post isn't enough to start a discussion, I don't know what will.

Anyway, One final topic: How do you think the city is going to handle the increased pedestrian traffic at the corner of First and Scott Street. With 400 more people who have to cross at least one of the steets(and they are both busy streets) does anyone think the intersections might be reconfigured, and how? Does anyone think a turn lane will be installed on First street? How will the second Wausau Tower(when it is built) Affect pedestrian traffic as well as street traffic? does anyone think that huge ugly warehouse type office building across from the YMCA on Third street will ever be demolished? I hope something happens to that building soon. Besides being an eyesore, it really breaks up the street grid.

Is corporate cove sinking or settling?

Well since there were a denial of replies. I would like to note something weird about Dudley Building. The core is weird, it looks like an I beam. Isn't that bizarre. I always thought that the core would be rectangular. Also, it appears there are prefabricated concrete plates that the core is made of. It appears that it is on the first floor already.
Buildings are built from the middle and out, the elevator shaft on the floor is always built first. As for the I beam look, I think they just haven't closed it off yet. And as I have said from the beginning, the foundation is the most important thing to a building. If you don't do it right the whole building is effected. Once they start adding floors, which also means first building the elevator shaft and then working outward, and start adding one on top of each other the whole building will start to take shape.

I don't think anything is weird about what they are doing so far.

I like that construction webcam, you can see not only the progress of the tower, but the greening of leaves and a time lapse of the city. :) It's cool.

You've got more leaves than us. :)

Wow this thread stayed for like 100 billion years and now I will TTT it!!!. I was in Wausau over the Memorial Day because my employer sent me to Manitowoc to do a job, so they gave me a kickback and allowed me to visit my parents and my sister. I drove past First Wausau Tower, and then I could see the HUGE CRANE from near MAINE SCHOOL!!! If that tower is as tall as the crane, the tower will overwhelm everything else and appear like a sore thumb. On another note, I have been having an extreme difficulty in determining what is being built by Ghidorzi behind Fleet Farm. I even drove near there and still am unaware as to what is being built there, it appears to be a concrete tilt-up and about the size of a supermarket!!!!!! The new Menards is HUGE!!!

Please inform!!!! BTW, when I returned to Cali, my friend commented that it was hot, and I stated that it is cold, I remember the 90 degrees humidity on Saturday and Sunday (I went to Manitowoc on Tuesday to be inundated with rain!!!)

HOLY KAZUNA WAZOO!!!!! I just searched and the crane is 250 feet, the tower will be 251 feet to spire!!!!!

Wow this thread stayed for like 100 billion years and now I will TTT it!!!. I was in Wausau over the Memorial Day because my employer sent me to Manitowoc to do a job, so they gave me a kickback and allowed me to visit my parents and my sister. I drove past First Wausau Tower, and then I could see the HUGE CRANE from near MAINE SCHOOL!!! If that tower is as tall as the crane, the tower will overwhelm everything else and appear like a sore thumb. On another note, I have been having an extreme difficulty in determining what is being built by Ghidorzi behind Fleet Farm. I even drove near there and still am unaware as to what is being built there, it appears to be a concrete tilt-up and about the size of a supermarket!!!!!! The new Menards is HUGE!!!

Please inform!!!! BTW, when I returned to Cali, my friend commented that it was hot, and I stated that it is cold, I remember the 90 degrees humidity on Saturday and Sunday (I went to Manitowoc on Tuesday to be inundated with rain!!!)

HOLY KAZUNA WAZOO!!!!! I just searched and the crane is 250 feet, the tower will be 251 feet to spire!!!!!
Hi choyak
I don't know what's being built behind Fleet Farm. I haven't been on that side of town in a while and I don't remember hearing anything in the news about it.

Yes it was hot over Memorial weekend, I think we set records for both days being that we were in the 90s. We're back to normal now in the 70s and it feels good!

I heard the crane was 240ft tall, oh well, the crane is a good bench mark to envision how tall the building will be and how it will make an effect on the skyline.

I didn't like your sore thumb comment although I know what you are talking about on how everything around it will look very small.

Sorry about the sore thumb thing. It will look better when there are twin towers there!!! Perhaps when other things are finished like the Palladian it will appear less like a sore thumb and more like a pinnacle.

Yeah, if they ever start working on the Palladian...

(something I posted in the Green Bay forum that also applies here:)tall buildings that stand alone:

First, a tall building amongst shorter buildings doesn't necessarily "stick out like a sore thumb" as some have suggested...I know it's almost cliche to bring this guy up, but he is a master visionary: Frank Lloyd Wright's ideas for skyscrapers were that they should be in open green space. He felt that skyscrapers grouped together were nothing less than evil--though inspiring, economical, and desireable, they could end up being menacing to people on the streets--engulfing them in dark sunless caverns. FLW felt that towers should be built in open spaces where it would not increase congestion but rather stand free. Buildings like the Johnson Laboratory in Racine and H.C. Price Company tower in Oklahoma were designed by FLW and stood out in open space. He called these towers "trees that escaped the crowded forest".

I'm really not sure why people think that a single tall building looks bad..

Yeah, if they ever start working on the Palladian...
If you get a chance to get a hold of last weeks City Pages, there is a big article on people moving downtown, empty nesters/young professionals etc., etc.. Right now there is a waiting list for people wanting to move downtown. I have to say that if these investors for the Palladian were smart they would add a couple more floors of condo space to the already 6 story project because the demand is definatly there!

Anyway the article brought up the Palladian and it was reported that demolition of the Plaza Mall could start as early as the first week in June so I would say that right now it's on a day to day basis.

There are alot of different companies and investors and what not that have to sign off on this in order for it to begin and that is what has been the hold up so far.

Here's a couple pics I took today. The quality of the pics aren't too good though, sorry, I just can't seem to take good pics with my camera. Since the crane is 10ft shorter than what the building is suppose to be, building 250ft. and the crane 240ft, these pics do give you an idea of the impact this building will have on the skyline.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Wau14.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Wau15.jpg

Those pics were so pathetic, I thought I have to go out and learn how to use my camera. So I went for a walk this morning and took some more
pics. Some of these are better but the lighting wasn't very good because the sky filled up with clouds over night, LOL, I just can't win!
I did learn that the pics will look better with the sharpness level at it's lowest.

Here's the view of dowmtown as you travel up 1st Ave along the bluff on the westside of the river.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau16.jpg

There's an island in the Wisconsin River that has an old rairoad track on it so I thought walking along this will offer some good views,
I wasn't disappointed!
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau17.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau19x.jpg

Right up close to the construction site.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau20.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau21.jpg

The best viewhead view is from the Jefferson St. ramp. So I went up to the top level and just started snapping pics!
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau26.jpg

Any day now that Plaza Mall at the far right of the pic will be torn down and the 6 story Palladian built!
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau22.jpg

The backside of the Landmark Apartments
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau25.jpg

The First American Center
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau23.jpg

Looking down Scott St.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau29.jpg

A Catholic Church downtown, I think it's St. Mary's but not sure.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau28.jpg

Nothing much downtown on the west side of the river but in case anybody is wondering...
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Wau27.jpg

Wausau's really moving ahead with some things, very nice.

Nice pics but one other thing you might want to do is re-size the digital images a little bit, these don't fit on my computer screen, I've got to scroll left/right/up/down and it seems to take away from the visual impact.

Anywho, I'm looking forward to the next time I have to visit Wausau so I can see first-hand what's going up.

Wow those pics are exceptional!!! One thing is that I wish that the huge pipes or whatever they are on rear of the Landmark Apartments would be painted or enclosed. It looks dismal. I know that the building is from the early 20's and other than the pipes it looks in good shape. It would be also cool to have some development across the river where Associated Bank and Prange Way is at. HAHA The other Second Wausau Tower should go there!!!!

Sorry I flubbed it, I mean Eastbay not Prange Way

No it's Macys. Or is it Sears? I don't know...they're all pretty much the same to me

I hope they adjust the webcam soon, after next week you wont be able to see the top of the building.

http://mironconst.oxblue.com/cam1/

Wow there should be another webcam on top of First American Center pointing west. You could then get some more. I think the top of FAC is like 113 feet or so still less than 1/2 of First Wausau Tower

Also I seem to remember it is Saint James Catholic Church???

is menards based in wausau or eau claire?.... just wondering because paul menard( i believe the person who started menards son) won the race at the milwaukee mile...which was nationally televised...its good publicity to north wisconsin. sweet!

menrards is based in eau claire

Wow, it's doubled in height since the last time I saw it. :)

It amazes me that the Dudley building has such a small footprint. Yes, it is going to be tall, but smaller sq ft wise than other building in the area. Looks like most of the space is being used for the vertical penetrations.

Wonder if they’ve approached the owner of First American Center about putting a webcam up there? I heard Ann-Margaret and Glen Campbell own it.

Yeah I think that the First American Center has more square feet because the first three stories are huge compared to the tower. The concrete core seems to be up to 6 stories now

Hahahaha hehehehe the webcam got tilted up today!!! It can get 2 more floors on it before tilt up again

Double post, refuses to delete completely!!!

I will take this opportunity to post something that I have thought about for some time now. It is a travesty of insurmountable proportions. I knew of it vaguely, but now I saw a picture of BEFORE and AFTER, I vomited in my living room and now I am severly depressed. I know Merrill has it's court house yet and so does Manitowoc, but this court house is beautiful and it is destroyed.

before
http://images.wisconsinhistory.org/whi_images_new/700004110125/0411001540-l.jpg

after
http://www.cd-smith.com/images/full/cor_marathon.jpg

[I will take this opportunity to post something that I have thought about for some time now. It is a travesty of insurmountable proportions. I knew of it vaguely, but now I saw a picture of BEFORE and AFTER, I vomited in my living room and now I am severly depressed. I know Merrill has it's court house yet and so does Manitowoc, but this court house is beautiful and it is destroyed.]

...and now they want to build a Huber work-release structure across Forest St. in place of the old Rosemurgy dealership. Yet another example of our tax dollars being utilized to ball-and-chain petty criminals.

Wait, I'm confused ...This awesome courthouse was in Wausau? When did they tear it down???? Is it already gone?

http://images.wisconsinhistory.org/whi_images_new/700004110125/0411001540-l.jpg

I am not sure when it was demolished, buy my parents talked about the beautiful courthouse that once was there. I am not even sure of the exact location. I have located the images from

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/results.asp?pageno=1&keyword1=Wausau&search_type=basic&sort_by=date

it has alot of historical images from many cities in wisconsin

This is still in Merrill.

http://www.explorewisconsin.com/merrillcommunitypage/courthouse.jpg

Damn the Merrill court house is beautiful. I remember seeing it as a kid, but now I dig the image from the web.

Here is what I have located by googling:

1892: The granite Marathon County Courthouse is erected in downtown Wausau. The building is demolished in 1954 to make way for a block of single story retail stores (i.e. the old JC Penny & Kreeske Store). The Wausau Elks Club was formed.

DAMN it was built in 1892!!! Who in their right mind would destroy that to build the stupid stores???
Here is the web site
http://www.dwave.net/~dhuehner/WausauHistory.html

I just puked too. This wanton destruction of really great buildings is just unbelievable......

On another note, the steel is beginning to rise at First Wausau Tower!!!!!!

and the more I see that courthouse I am receiving tendencies of violence!! I cannot fathom the lack of intelligence needed to demolish that. I know I don't want to be reminded of Singer Tower in NYC either!!!

Wow I have located a rendering of the base of First Wausau Tower. LOOKS SUPER!!!!

http://www.woodtrust.com/images/Offices/Wausau/Web-WausauRiver.gif
According to this the lobby looks at least 20 feet high if not more
The woodtrust web site has other renderings also!!!

This one 'rings my bell'!!!!!!!
http://www.woodtrust.com/images/Offices/Wausau/Web-WausauPlaza.gif

Absolutely lovely! Great find choyak!

That last pic I bet is the corner of 1st and Scott.

Wow the more I think about it, the more I am inclined to move back to Wausau and leave this California behind. Thanks to the real estate skyrocketing prices here, I could be retired and live in Wausau with nothing much to worry about!!!

Wausau is impressing me now. I will be there from about July 20 to July 28!!! Seeing my parents and all!!! I will snap alot of pictures there and post when I return to here! (My parents have not internet and my sister has dial down!!!)

And yeah that First and Scott rendering is breathtakingly beautiful!!! I just hope to watch demolition of 'Plaza Mall' when I am there!!!

Wow, I have been wondering for the past couple weeks what was happening with the excavations around the perimeter of the building, It is nice to see that they are going to have a terrace surrounding the building, The first picture shows the terrace overlooking the river, it should offer a nice view of the west side of Wausau. I like the line of trees between the building and the road; there should be enough room for the trees to actually grow to a decent size.

Here's a few pics I took yesterday. I was a real cloudy and just all around ugly day out but, oh well.

The present tallest building in Wausau, I think, The Landmark Apts.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/wwtt13.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/WT012.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/WausauTower009.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/WT008.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/WT007.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/WT024.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/WT013.jpg

Pictures taken today, 7-24-06
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/wwtt7.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/wwtt.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/wwtt4.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/wwtt5.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/wwtt011-1.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/wwtt012.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/OKC/wwtt002.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/WT003-1.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/WT006-1.jpg

Another update

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Gpc010.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Gpc024.jpg

Killer Coolidge!!!!! I am in Wausau at this time!!! I saw the tower and snapped alot of pix!! I also drove around quite a bit to see the outrageously excessive road construction!!!!! I will still need to see if the Plaza Mall ugly building is being crashed!!!!!!! I will have intermittent internet access since my parents have not anything. I see the old menards and kmart are not being crashed yet either!!! I will be here until saturday.

Hello choyak, hope you had a pleasant trip back home. Here's some of those pics I was telling you about.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc59.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc57.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc58.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc61.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc60.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc63.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc66.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc68.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc69.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/Gpc71.jpg

Whoa your pics are spectacular. I did not get that many and not that good. I got like 3 of the tower. I had too much to do while I was there. I hope that I can visit again perhaps at winter time. I am in cali again!!! Fun drive (yeah right) to denver like 1100 miles and it was 106 degrees in denver

I see that the bloody web cam was changed again you can only see the top 3 stories of the core and no steel!!! I will post mine in a few days after I recover from DRIVING and FLYING!!!!

Yeah, the camera must have gotten blown around during the storm on Friday... it seems to be fixed now.

Wait, I'm confused ...This awesome courthouse was in Wausau? When did they tear it down???? Is it already gone?

http://images.wisconsinhistory.org/whi_images_new/700004110125/0411001540-l.jpg

Yes, it has been gone for some time... after looking at some of the pictures from the Historical Society in Wausau, and whatnot, here is what I found:
The location where the Courthouse once existed is on the Northeast corner of Third Street and Jefferson, or for people from Wausau, it once stood where the 400 block is... otherwise known as the large grassy lot in the middle of wausau.

As you can see, I have only ONE decent image from my trip. All the other ones are either BOGUS or BLURREY!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/choyak/DSCN1404.jpg

Yes, it has been gone for some time... after looking at some of the pictures from the Historical Society in Wausau, and whatnot, here is what I found:
The location where the Courthouse once existed is on the Northeast corner of Third Street and Jefferson, or for people from Wausau, it once stood where the 400 block is... otherwise known as the large grassy lot in the middle of wausau.

Why did you have to remind me of this? I was almost able to forget!

Someday, history will refer to us as the "Wal-Mart Culture": People who destroy quality workmanship and replace it with cheap shit. It's almost like the Dark Ages all over again....throw away and burn all traces of what's been learned over the years. Hate to be melodramatic about this, but this was such an awesome building.

Has anyone heard that M&I Bank is moving from their other downtown location to the First Wausau Tower? If that's the case the building has to be close to full now. There was an interesting article in the WDH today about parking for the building. The city now plans on opening up the top of the Jefferson ramp.

Wow then that means the First American tower will be almost empty????

Yeah and the courthouse still has me sad even though it was destroyed before I was born!!! I should buy the 400 block and build the same exact building again!!! (j/k) Better build a time machine and return to the time and eat the bulldozers that attempt to destroy it!!!!

Construction is expected to wrap up before Dudley's office tower is complete in late winter or early spring.

It's amamzing, looking at where the Dudley building is today, that it will be finished in another 6 months or so!

Yeah, I mentioned about the city considering the parking ramp expansion back in May.

I guess they finally and officially pulled the plug on the condos at the top of the Jefferson Ramp to add parking. Yes, I know it has been discussed and speculated about for some time. Recently the paper also mentioned the city is facing a million dollar deficit. The added expense of open up the ramp will surely add to the deficit.

Has anyone heard anything new about the Palladian? The last I heard anything on this has been back in April and it was this:

Palladian plans delayed

By Rick LaFrombois
Wausau Daily Herald
rlafromb@wdhprint.com

Plans to begin construction of The Palladian, a six-story, $9 million multi-purpose downtown development at the corner of Jefferson and Third streets have been delayed until May.

I don't understand the further delay on this project. Is there someone trying to stop this from being built?

Ginab,
I do not believe that the addition to the ramp will add to the deficit in the traditional sense of thought where the $1 million cost of the addition gets added to the $900,000 deficit. What the city would do to pay for the parking ramp addition is to take out a loan for the full cost of the expansion, and then in subsequent years they would use the increase property taxes generated (i.e. Dudley Building) to pay off the loan. Thus the addition to the deficit would probably be about $50,000/year which would actually be offset by the new construction of the building, which would pay (this is a ballpark guess) $250,000/year to Wausau/Marathon County (I don't know how much of the money specifically goes to Wausau) Another variable in the ramp expansion is the fact that the area is in one of Wausau's TIF districts which means that there *might* be a bit of money left from property taxes in the district which could be spent to reduce the initial size of the loan.

Paule,
About a week or two ago there was a small article in the newspaper which mentioning that there was a JSI Investors meeting upcoming and that if all the concerns were worked then work might start construction soon, but I never found a follow-up story so I think there are still negotiations being done on the Palladian project.

Man I was depressed when I had a quick glance and viewed the ugly Plaza Mall thing still there when I was there in late July! I really want to see the Palladian start construction also. More property taxes for Wausau also!!!!

Paule,
About a week or two ago there was a small article in the newspaper which mentioning that there was a JSI Investors meeting upcoming and that if all the concerns were worked then work might start construction soon, but I never found a follow-up story so I think there are still negotiations being done on the Palladian project.
Thanks honest, I'm not a regular reader of the paper so I did miss that. Yeah, still in negotiations, but why? This was a project that looked like a go from the start. It serves the purpose of expanding an already successful hotel and does serve the demand for downtown living spaces with the condos planned. I really didn't think this project was going to be such a problem.


Choyak

Man I was depressed when I had a quick glance and viewed the ugly Plaza Mall thing still there when I was there in late July! I really want to see the Palladian start construction also. More property taxes for Wausau also!!!!
I'm staying positive, it's just taking so gall dang long!

nice pic by the way...

The problem is that there were a ton of investors for the JSI, and since part of the Palladian is an expansion on the JSI then all of the initial investors have to give their OK towards the expansion, so while the project is fully funded, it still needs to have the details worked out about who gets the profits. I am glad I am not in charge of handling the negotiation!

As far as the Plaza Mall expansion of the JSI goes, I heard that the reason it is taking so long is because not all of the rooms have been sold in original section of JSI.

I'm glad that I'm not one of these guys:

http://www.uwgb.edu/moored/wausau.jpg

Greetings Wausau forumers. I just have to say that I was in town today, we unintentionally stopped at the blues fest and had a really great time. I have to admit that I have driven by Wausau hundreds of times and have never stopped. But since I have been reading up (on this thread) on what has been going on I decided to make a stop. I was really impressed with the downtown area, I think it is like 3rd street, that area is super nice. The central core of buildings, like the parking ramp/hotel- look like some really new buildings. I got a great cozy feel and hope to spend a little more time next time I'm in the area.

Here are a few pics I snapped of the new tallest, for all of the non-locals of course!

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n213/gbsurveyor/DSC_1510.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n213/gbsurveyor/DSC_1512.jpg

Ah yes, Big Bull Falls Blues Fest! I'm going there tonight to see one of my favorite blues guitarists Walter Trout!!! He played the fest 4 years ago and he's great!

Was there a big crowd there Friday night? I haven't gone on a Friday night in years. Friday is pretty much all local talent but Saturday is mostly all national bands.

Thanks for the pics, that first one is pretty nice.

Another year of great music and almost more fun than a human should be allowed to have!

Yes I brought my camera. This years Big Bull Falls Blues Fest was great. Of course when you have your guitar hero Walter Trout headlineing the show it has to be great!

Blah, blah, blah...Here's the pics

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Stuff/BBFBF004.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Stuff/BBFBF006.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/BBFBF3.jpg
E C Scott, she was alright, lead guitarist was great!
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Stuff/BBFBF009.jpg
Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Stuff/BBFBF020.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Stuff/BBFBF023.jpg
Walter Trout everyone
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Stuff/BBFBF024.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Stuff/BBFBF032.jpg

I got good news for you choyak, the Palladian has been approved by the owners of the Jefferson St Inn and the demolition of the Plaza Mall will start October 2nd!!!

Here's the article from the paper.
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060920/WDH0101/609200539/1580/WDH01

Wow that is excellent about the Palladian!!! Umm!!! Last Weekend I was in Brokaw again, my company needed me to be in Sturgeon Bay on Monday and I flew to MPLS on Friday and drove there!!! I am just gettting more and more impressed with just about everything going on around Wausau!!! I didn't have much time, but I did drive around a little bit, and I was impressed to say the least, the freeway when completed will be superb. The First Wausau Tower I saw the facade going on and it is beautiful. I hope that I can wrangle another trip at Thanksgiving. I flew out of Greem Bay on Wed, stayed in Sturgeon Bay for 3 days. On cursory observation, I thought I saw a 'Datawave' sign on Plaza Mall, or did I hose it and Datawave is an adjacent building???

On Sat, It rained like a pig!!!

The avatars are hosed!!!

Wow that is excellent about the Palladian!!! Umm!!! Last Weekend I was in Brokaw again, my company needed me to be in Sturgeon Bay on Monday and I flew to MPLS on Friday and drove there!!! I am just gettting more and more impressed with just about everything going on around Wausau!!! I didn't have much time, but I did drive around a little bit, and I was impressed to say the least, the freeway when completed will be superb. The First Wausau Tower I saw the facade going on and it is beautiful. I hope that I can wrangle another trip at Thanksgiving. I flew out of Greem Bay on Wed, stayed in Sturgeon Bay for 3 days. On cursory observation, I thought I saw a 'Datawave' sign on Plaza Mall, or did I hose it and Datawave is an adjacent building???

On Sat, It rained like a pig!!!

The avatars are hosed!!!
It's the new server, once they work all the bugs out everything should be fine.

Yeah datawave used to be in the building when it was still open but I don't know where they've moved to.

Keep dropping in here because I will get some pics up of the demolition of the PlazeMall for yah. I know how much you hate the building. And like with the First Wausau Tower I will take progress pics for you on The palladian. I'm really excited about this building because it think it's going to look so great on the corner of the square

I took some pics of the Artrageous Weekend, you should check it out!
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=395357

Hey Choyak, I was going to show you this the other day but the server was too slow. I don't know where in California you live but there's a Wausau girl living in the Bay area you might want to get to know. She made it on the cover of Newsweek last week as one of the 10 most powerful women in the nation.

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060922/WDH0101/609220666/1580/WDH01

I don't know if you're single or not but she is and I'm thinking that she might be longing for some hometown conversation with someone.

She's the blond!
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Lambeau/bilde.jpg

OH Wow I remember about her already. I remember the google thing. Sorry but I live in SoCal, (OC) about 400 miles away!!!!

The server is still bugged.

Wow the progrsss on this thing is GOOD!!!!! I just changed my avatar!!! (It's the model on Woodtrust website!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/choyak/FirstWausauTower-20061005-172445.jpg
from the webcam!!

Also it's called 11 floors even though it appears as 10 floors only unless the north side is counted as another floor I thought it is the basement

Yes, it has been gone for some time... after looking at some of the pictures from the Historical Society in Wausau, and whatnot, here is what I found:
The location where the Courthouse once existed is on the Northeast corner of Third Street and Jefferson, or for people from Wausau, it once stood where the 400 block is... otherwise known as the large grassy lot in the middle of wausau.

Now I understand why the county seat of marathon county was missing a county square or that grassy area in the middle seemed so wrong.
Im doing locum tenens in merril, wi and staying in wausau for the next three months and find both towns very beautiful and interesting.

I guess they must have another courthouse, but something should be built there, or it should be made more like pioneer square in portland where its not so plain. Im sure the square is used in fairs and stuff, but thats not good enough for the rest of the year, something really cool should go up there, and there can still be room for parkland. its just too plain right now.

I enjoyed egberts and gerberts and its a nice place to walk around,
what does seem strange about wausau is that there arent any other secondary centers of mixed use areas besides the downtown for a town of its size, but i really think that wausau is really cool and hilly and picturesque.

someone here was talking about the mall being torn down
is that the one with the sears by downtown?

Sorry the 'mall' being destroyed is called 'Plaza Mall' it is an ugly skinny 1 story building at 3rd and Jefferson (I think) it is vacant and the Palladian is going to be built there Palladian is a mixed-use 6 story building with condos hotel rooms and I think an addition to Jefferson Street Inn. The Sears JC Penney Younkers mall was the beginning of the downtown redevelopment. It was built when I still lived there like 1982 or 1983 or something like that. I think it still successful even though I have not been to the mall in like 3 years!!!

You are correct that the 400 block is too plain. I have never been to Pioneer Square but I remember it has a fountain and bronze chess boards all sorts of cool stuff!

Wausau Rocks. A fine, fine city for it's size.

I would like to begin by saying thanks to Choyak for pointing out that there is a model of the dudley building on the woodtrust website.

Secondly I would like to point out the Wausau Development (http://www.wausaudevelopment.com/index.htm) website has a sketch of the new Wisconsin Eye Clinic Building which will be built about two blocks north of the Dudley Building.

I am quite impressed with Wausau's developments. I mean the city with only a little more then 38,000 sure carries a lot of weight and can compete with much bigger small-sized cities. From time to time I check up on the OxBlue website showing First Wausau Tower. Why do I not see this building once it is completed reaching 241 ft w/ the spire? It seems like once it is finished it will be much shorter. I look at the 17 story Astor Place condo that will soon go up in Green Bay and that condo will not even be close to 241 ft.

It is because the height includes the pyramid and the spire. The 11 floors are probably 180 feet. The adjacent building are probably 120 feet for the first american center

how high is the state capital? so this really is the tallest outside of milwaukee?

how high is the state capital? so this really is the tallest outside of milwaukee?
Not sure of the height of the Capital but it is claimed that it will be the highest outside Milwaukee and the State Capital, not just outside of Milwaukee.

I am quite impressed with Wausau's developments. I mean the city with only a little more then 38,000 sure carries a lot of weight and can compete with much bigger small-sized cities. From time to time I check up on the OxBlue website showing First Wausau Tower. Why do I not see this building once it is completed reaching 241 ft w/ the spire? It seems like once it is finished it will be much shorter. I look at the 17 story Astor Place condo that will soon go up in Green Bay and that condo will not even be close to 241 ft.
I think it will have the same effect that the 100 East Wisconsin Building has now. The 100 east W is listed at 549 ft. but it sure doesn't look it. This is because sometimes when the top of a building has a pyramid it creates an illusion of a building being shorter than what it really is.

The crane being used to construct the Dudley Tower has been report as being 250ft tall. At the present height of the building I would say that the top of the spire will reach close to that.

After saying all that, take a look at the model and the spire on top. I would venture to say that the flag pole looking spire creates even more of an illusion.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/First-Wausau-Tower-Model.jpg

i left wassau this weekend (but will still be there til end of dec atleast) but a funny thing happened to me when i was leaving i got lost on the county roads south and west of wassau and ended up on county z road going east, but didnt know what direction i was going in and thought i was coming into a different town, wow that is a really neat part of town and a great way to get into the city!
i think it turns into franklin, right? really nice old homes there and ofcourse 10th street on the hill is really awesome.

I think what happened to wassau is that the west side of the downtown area, on the west side of the river was almost completely decimated, which is sad, and i hope that all those parking lots and strip malls are made back into another city center properly,

and there is alot of room for more growth around downtown, i see where the palladium is going up and that will be awesome,
i also think that the cobblery building across the street from the old plaza while having a nice facade should go just because that is a huge waste of land and the side of the building is so so ugly that it outweighs anything of value with that building,

i guess that coffee shop something brewing is moving down the block....
and it is nice to see an upscale clothing store there van dalfsens,
havent had a chance to see how unaffordable it is,

it is a very sweet enchanting town.
what i find interesting is that the commercial districts of merrill is more spread out and more intact than wausau's, merrill is very nice for a town of its size. but ofcourse wausau is more civilized and more livable, and i dont think i would survive in such a small conservative town like merrill

OH PLEASE I hope that someone can take a picture of the crashed plaza mall. I want to see the demise of the king of ugly. Oh sorry, poor little building (J/K) I want to watch the Palladian being built!!!

and news on the 2nd twin tower Wausaun's(or is it wausauinites?)

OH PLEASE I hope that someone can take a picture of the crashed plaza mall. I want to see the demise of the king of ugly. Oh sorry, poor little building (J/K) I want to watch the Palladian being built!!!
LOL! Here's the pic they showed in the paper.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/bilde18.jpg




UWMilwaukeeJay
and news on the 2nd twin tower Wausaun's(or is it wausauinites?)
I'll go with Wausaun's or Wausians
There has been no news on the 2nd twin tower. When Mr Dudley first broke the news on this first tower he did say that he was also planning on building a twin just to the north of where this first one is being constructed. However he did say that it would most probably be about 3 to 5 years from now if a 2nd one was built and it all depends on the success of the first tower.

In subsequent news articles in the paper on this 2nd tower he has been quoted as saying that the interest in the first tower is very strong. The last time he mentioned anything about this, back in early Summer, he said he wanted to be very selective in who he leases space to in the tower and at the time he had said that the tower was only about 40 to 50% leased. I got the idea that if he wanted, the Building would be 100% leased already but he only wants high profile companies or firms in the first tower. This also tells me that he's trying to court other high profile companies and firms to move to the tower.

This is a very smart move on his part and could mean very good news for the city because if there has been people telling him in the past that they were thinking of leaving the city those are the people you want in your new building. If you fill up your building with companies that were not thinking of moving anyway then the chance is there that you will have no space available in the existing building for the ones who were thinking of moving out of the city and before you announce your plans of going through with your plans for building a second building those other companies might have already made commitments to other folks to leave the city and build elsewhere. So right now I believe he believe's time is on his side.

OH WOW that is awesome!!!! It is almost completely destroyed. I wonder what will happen to the 2 story building to the west? It appears to not coincide with the general plan of the Palladian!!! I cannot locate the render for the Palladian. I perused the rendering but I did not save it (bummer)!!!

http://www.waow.com/Images/demolition.jpg

This DOES NOT break my heart!!!!

sticky wausau.

Hey choyak, I thought you'd love to see these pics. It was such a perfect Autumn day out yesterday so I went out and snapped a bunch of pics. I'm running so short on time lately that I havn't done anything with them but these few. I hope you enjoy!



http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/S24.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/S25.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/S22.jpg

Update on the Dudley.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/S29.jpg

And an update on the skyline.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/S2.jpg

Editting to add more pics
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/S3z.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/S14.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/R2.jpg

Looks great! Nice Pics....

Funny thing about wausau is the train crossings, no train horn, and many times no crossing gate or bell at the crossing, I get spooked when I cross at the crossings, and today I finally saw a train coming at one of these crossings, and saw that it was coming slowly and just sped through the crossing, and my only clue that the train was coming was the flashing lights. which im sure is awesome for the residents who live with the train in their backyard! I have never seen this type of set up, I wonder how common this?


I also noticed for the first time the area on washington street just east of downtown that has a few nice neigborhood bars and a few vacant/underused commercial buildings on it, very nice area. I must say that if I were living in wausau permanently I would want to live on the hilly area on the east side of town, both sides are great though. And I really like 3rd street north of downtown. I also finally checked out the pine tree park by 17th and stewart, I was surprised to see that it eventually blends back into the neighborhood, because when a park has a fence like that around it, one would think that it was self contained and not so well connected to the rest of town, wassau is definitely a unique place. And I finally found prospect street as well tonight, wausau is a place that you cant get to know very quickly, Ive been here a month and feel like Im finally have the lay of the land.

I really think that Wausau has enormous potential, and its absolutely criminal how most people have simply mindlessly sprawled away from wausau into bleeech areas like weston which is simply a wasteland. Weston is a posterchild for sprawl and such a heinous name. I cringe whevener I hear it.]

btw I had guests in town this week and I took them to Kozy Korner cafe in Merrill, which was AWESOME. It was hilarious to have breakfast with the townies ( no offense but thats what they are, could never live in Merrill nice town though ). Service was curt and efficient and the local people were interesting. A thing I have noticed is that people like to wear the jacket of their favorite supper club/bar, they call dinner supper and lunch dinner, very strange, but cool.

And I totally dig the fried pickles at the Arena in Merrill.

Glad to be "stuck" in Wausau,:wink2: :D

one other side note,
the mall downtown is interesting from an anthropological standpoint and a wtf were they thinking point of view, i see that stevenspoint has the same crappy mall downtown? going on,

according to wikipedia that crappy mall takes up 8 CITY BLOCKS, i cry when i think what mustve been in those 8 blocks, that part of wassau was raped,
that mall should be next in demolition, its covered in SARAN WRAP for gods sake and doesnt have anything of value inside, unless you are looking shoes or underwear, or cap or some mass produced cheap stuff.

it has shudder a hollister, i thought i could escape ambercrombie and its spinoffs but NO DICE....

walden books is still extant, which is amazing in itself, i havent seen one in awhile,

small town malls are depressing, and yes i find depressing malls interesting especially dying ones, but in the end i think wassau would benefit from someone tnting this puppy,
its a major eyesore.....
and attracts shady people.

If you are interested in what existed where the mall currently exists in wausau, you can go to the Marathon County Public Library and look at the historical assessment that was performened before the mall was built. To be quite honest, there were very few buildings where the mall was built which were worth saving. The western 2 blocks of where the mall is, was a surface parking lot, on the other 6 blocks there were an assortment of buildings and vacant lots. For the most part the area wasn't very pretty, although there were a few interesting looking buildings.

one other side note,
the mall downtown is interesting from an anthropological standpoint and a wtf were they thinking point of view, i see that stevenspoint has the same crappy mall downtown? going on,

according to wikipedia that crappy mall takes up 8 CITY BLOCKS, i cry when i think what mustve been in those 8 blocks, that part of wassau was raped,
that mall should be next in demolition, its covered in SARAN WRAP for gods sake and doesnt have anything of value inside, unless you are looking shoes or underwear, or cap or some mass produced cheap stuff.
I understand what you're saying but you have to know the history of the mall and what made the city decide to build it.

honest86 is right, there really wasn't much lost when they tore down the buildings to build the mall. This was back in the 70s when other cities where building malls on the outskirts of town. Cities like Eau Claire and Appleton had already built malls out of their downtowns and the evidence showed, and even today, that the result was the death of the downtown. Eau Claire is a prefect example of what happend and it's downtown is still suffering the effects. Back in the late 70s when Wausau's downtown mall was oked, it was the result of people in this city not wanting the downtown to die. They saw what happend to Eau Claire and other cities and didn't want that to happen to Wausau also.

The area the Wausau mall sits now was a blighted area and it made perfect sense back then to sacrifice a part of dowmtown in order to keep the core of downtown intact and going strong. I think looking back at that decision, which was put to referendum, was the right decision even though I agree with you that it is an eye sore, at least in some places or vantage points. Like when you drive across the river heading into downtown and that ugly JC Penny building is stareing down at you.


walden books is still extant, which is amazing in itself, i havent seen one in awhile,
LOL, I'm going there today to pick up my wifes birthday present.


small town malls are depressing, and yes i find depressing malls interesting especially dying ones, but in the end i think wassau would benefit from someone tnting this puppy,
LOL, I think you're just used to huge big city malls. I don't think Wausau's mall is all that bad and I have even heard out of towners make compliments on it.

Looks great! Nice Pics....

Funny thing about wausau is the train crossings, no train horn, and many times no crossing gate or bell at the crossing, I get spooked when I cross at the crossings, and today I finally saw a train coming at one of these crossings, and saw that it was coming slowly and just sped through the crossing, and my only clue that the train was coming was the flashing lights. which im sure is awesome for the residents who live with the train in their backyard! I have never seen this type of set up, I wonder how common this?
Interesting...


I also noticed for the first time the area on washington street just east of downtown that has a few nice neigborhood bars and a few vacant/underused commercial buildings on it, very nice area. I must say that if I were living in wausau permanently I would want to live on the hilly area on the east side of town, both sides are great though. And I really like 3rd street north of downtown.
There are some beautiful homes up on that hill, I agree.

3rd St.? I think you're confused about what street you are talking about. Although The Glass Hat used to be a hang out of mine way, way, back when, it certainly isn't anymore. And even though Lopnow's is a cool bar I would have to say there is nothing interesting about N 3rd St .


I also finally checked out the pine tree park by 17th and stewart, I was surprised to see that it eventually blends back into the neighborhood, because when a park has a fence like that around it, one would think that it was self contained and not so well connected to the rest of town, wassau is definitely a unique place. And I finally found prospect street as well tonight, wausau is a place that you cant get to know very quickly, Ive been here a month and feel like Im finally have the lay of the land.
That's Marathon County Park and the reason for the fence is because that is where the County Fair is held. FYI, the Marathon County Fair is the second biggest fair in Wisconsin right after the State Fair in West Allis.

I'm glad you seem to be likeing it up here so well. Wausau is small enough to be able to enjoy small town living if that's what you want but big enough to at least keep you interested for a while. I have lived here most of my life, yet I tell my wife that if I had it my way we would be living in one of those new condo's in downtown Milwaukee :banana: !!! Actually preferably in the Brewers Hill neighborhood but on the river. She grew up on a farm and thinks Wausau is too big. :lol: So it looks like I'm "stuck" here...:ohno:


I really think that Wausau has enormous potential, and its absolutely criminal how most people have simply mindlessly sprawled away from wausau into bleeech areas like weston which is simply a wasteland. Weston is a posterchild for sprawl and such a heinous name. I cringe whevener I hear it.
I cringe too! I hate Weston. I'll just leave it like that because otherwise I could write a book.


btw I had guests in town this week and I took them to Kozy Korner cafe in Merrill, which was AWESOME. It was hilarious to have breakfast with the townies ( no offense but thats what they are, could never live in Merrill nice town though ). Service was curt and efficient and the local people were interesting. A thing I have noticed is that people like to wear the jacket of their favorite supper club/bar, they call dinner supper and lunch dinner, very strange, but cool.

And I totally dig the fried pickles at the Arena in Merrill.
Merrill is just too small town for me. Odviously Wausau is as small town as I ever want to get.


Glad to be "stuck" in Wausau,:wink2: :D
Glad to have yah, at least for a little while anyway...

Interesting...


There are some beautiful homes up on that hill, I agree.

3rd St.? I think you're confused about what street you are talking about. Although The Glass Hat used to be a hang out of mine way, way, back when, it certainly isn't anymore. And even though Lopnow's is a cool bar I would have to say there is nothing interesting about N 3rd St .


That's Marathon County Park and the reason for the fence is because that is where the County Fair is held. FYI, the Marathon County Fair is the second biggest fair in Wisconsin right after the State Fair in West Allis.

I'm glad you seem to be likeing it up here so well. Wausau is small enough to be able to enjoy small town living if that's what you want but big enough to at least keep you interested for a while. I have lived here most of my life, yet I tell my wife that if I had it my way we would be living in one of those new condo's in downtown Milwaukee :banana: !!! Actually preferably in the Brewers Hill neighborhood but on the river. She grew up on a farm and thinks Wausau is too big. :lol: So it looks like I'm "stuck" here...:ohno:

I cringe too! I hate Weston. I'll just leave it like that because otherwise I could write a book.
Merrill is just too small town for me. Odviously Wausau is as small town as I ever want to get.
Glad to have yah, at least for a little while anyway...

I have a duplex in riverwest, milwaukee that is where i was living the last two years, I love milwaukee, and wisconsin in general,
Im a native Illinoisian and will be moving back to Chicago Rogers Park.

Its funny how people can camp in the marathon county park there, in the middle of the city! I saw someone in their RV last night....
It also looks like the park is used as a lovers lane.

went to city grill last night for a drug dinner about chantix the new nicotine partial agonist for smoking cessation, that is a great restaurant
and the jefferson inn looks real snazzy.

I would love to go to the Marathon county fair some day, that would be interesting. Wausau is like the last bastion of civilization atleast for wisconsin, because further north all the towns are pretty small nothing much at even 10,000. not until you get to duluth.

someone around here said that merrill has the most bars per capita, it does have alot, probably so that the local people can drown their sorrow of living there :)

i end up transferring alot of patients to wausau (aspirus or st. clares) since good sam in merrill is a critical access hospital at 25 beds and doesnt offer much services.
chips is pretty decent food,
and you definitely have to go to kozy korner cafe someday if you havent it is hilarious.

do some train crossings not even have flashing lights?
Im spooked by those train crossings, very cool but potentially deadly, i wonder how many accidents there have been?


Thanks for your explanation for the mall,
no i dont feel so bad that its there....
:)

I have a duplex in riverwest, milwaukee that is where i was living the last two years, I love milwaukee, and wisconsin in general,
Im a native Illinoisian and will be moving back to Chicago Rogers Park.
Well when you move back to Chicago please remember that you're still always welcome to come back and pay a visit. :)

Is riverwest the neighborhood just north of brewershill? Otherwise the eastside, either just north of downtown, the Brady St. area, and north of that would be a great urban life experience but perhaps too urban for my tastes. When I've looked at all the photo threads here on brewershill I feel I would be happiest there.
This is what turns me on.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/08242269co.jpg
Or this...
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/153370871_4ac5e0d6c0_b.jpg


Its funny how people can camp in the marathon county park there, in the middle of the city! I saw someone in their RV last night....
It also looks like the park is used as a lovers lane.
There's usually campers there all through summer and during the county fair it is full.


went to city grill last night for a drug dinner about chantix the new nicotine partial agonist for smoking cessation, that is a great restaurant
and the jefferson inn looks real snazzy.
Yeah it was great that Wausau finally got an upscale hotel and banquet hall. Sadly I haven't been invited to anything there yet.


I would love to go to the Marathon county fair some day, that would be interesting. Wausau is like the last bastion of civilization atleast for wisconsin, because further north all the towns are pretty small nothing much at even 10,000. not until you get to duluth.
I agree.


someone around here said that merrill has the most bars per capita, it does have alot, probably so that the local people can drown their sorrow of living there :)
I believe it. I sometimes think Merrill is in a world all it's own. I haven't spent much time there in the town but I do camp just northwest of there on the Wisconsin river. Did you see my Merrill thread I made few months ago? I know you didn't post in it so here's the link.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=383759


i end up transferring alot of patients to wausau (aspirus or st. clares) since good sam in merrill is a critical access hospital at 25 beds and doesnt offer much services.
chips is pretty decent food,
and you definitely have to go to kozy korner cafe someday if you havent it is hilarious.
I'll have to make it up there to Kozy Korner some day but I can't believe you said that about Chips! I know so many people who think Chips is so great but I am not impressed at all. I think it must give people memories of how fast food places used to be, I just don't know. :ohno:


do some train crossings not even have flashing lights?
Im spooked by those train crossings, very cool but potentially deadly, i wonder how many accidents there have been?
I never really noticed that this was unique to Wausau or Merrill and as far as I know we don't have anymore train/car accidents then any other place. I don't even remember ever hearing of one happening in town.

I think the main reason for not too many train problems, is not too many out of towners, and the trains are pretty slow in town,
i hardly think that the crossings would be like that (sans crossing gate, no horn and just flashing lights or not even) if the trains were barreling through,

i am hoping to transfer hotels from the marriott courtyard to the jefferson street inn, that would be way cooler, the rates arent much different so i just have to wait to hear from my locum company, im crossing my fingers.

the pics didnt come up,

riverwest is north and east of brewers hill,
bounded by holton, capitol and the river,
more affordable than brewers hill and more interesting IMHO,
brewers hill has amazing housing stock though, but riverwests is very good,
i like riverwest better because there is more to do there as far as bars, restaurants coffee shops, coops and the like and nice people live there generally.

chips hamburgers arent that great, but the fish and chips is decent.

in the wausau herald today they mention the demand for condos in downtown is increasing (people on the waiting list for the palladium), which is excellent, there will definitely be more building after the two current buildings are finished. and they are increasing the number of rooms for the jefferson street inn.

great place for apple pies and pumpkins and apples is helenes on joe snow road just past q near merrill, its the road just past the arena. probably already mentioned it, but i think its worth mentioning twice,

the way i go to merrill is taking sherman to 28thstreet and taking that up to k
and k in, its the fastest way i think, less aggravating atleast.

ive also driven to see antigo,
i overdrive and overexplore sometimes, but antigo is very nice town and they still have their courthouse, which is very nice, all old ones are,
i would like to check out timms hill the highest point in wisconsin,
and possibly medford, i always like to check out as many county seats as i can.

im working for the marshfield clinic,
i had orientation in marshfield, wi, for a few days.
which is like a baby rochester, mn
huge medical center in small town, really weird, i dont think there is anything else like it in the USA, but i could be wrong.

I am now living in the jefferson street inn
which for long stays had comparable rates to the marriott courtyard,
and you get alot more amenties for the same dough,

wow what a great place.
ive been to hiawatha and the old train depot there and the art museum for the bird show, much easier to get to know the old wausau when you are living downtown,
and i found the old kolbe and kolbe building on 11th ave,
i think i finally understand wausau,
now that i had the time on the weekend to drive around during daylight,
and i love the dirt alleys on the west side,
are there alleys on the east side?

cant believe that amtrack doesnt go through town anymore,
but the depots are waiting and ready
for when gas prices go sky high and trains are back envogue,

got lots of pics that i will have to post once i figure out how to do it.
the 11 story building looks great, alot of progress in the month ive been here.
and beautiful library,

Indeed there are alleys on the east side, and their dirtier than the west side's

HAHA Where I live in Orange County CA I have an ALLEY!!! Not very many have alleys here. My detached garage is also at the alley!!! The alley sucks because out here, everyone builds block walls and blocks the view so the alley looks more like a humongous ditch!

here is the UGLY ALLEY behind my house!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/choyak/ALLEY.jpg

Here is the garage facing the ugly alley!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/choyak/garage.jpg

HAHAHA when I took this picture there is TP LAYING IN THE GARAGE!!!!

and yes that is a GREEN BAY PACKERS license plate frame!!

got lots of pics that i will have to post once i figure out how to do it.
the 11 story building looks great, alot of progress in the month ive been here.
and beautiful library,
Here's how to do it.

I use Photobucket. Go here, http://photobucket.com/
You need to register with the site. It is a free site so you wont need your bank card.

Once you register you can begin to upload pics. Once you upload a pic the site will give you 3 different addresses for it below the pic. There will be a URL, TAG, and a IMG address. When posting pics in a thread you will now have to use copy and paste. First you need to double click on the pictures IMG address. This will highlight the address. Once it's highlighted right click on it, a little window will pop up, chose copy. Once you copied the IMG address then go to your post and right click where you want the picture to be. The same little window will pop up but this time chose paste, this will make the IMG address apear in the post.

At the bottom of your post click onto Preview Post first. This will allow you to save the pic in your post and be able to go back to Photobucket for more pics. It will also let you know whether you did it right by showing the pic in the post. Once you go back and copy another pic always use your back page to get back to your post.

I'll be looking forward to seeing your pics!

This thread has been renamed "Wausau, WI Development News" and is now stickied.

LOL, thanks IAH :)

This is pretty cool. Now we can sit and wait for someone to complain that -insert big city for which nobody posts on the forum here- isn't stickied when litttle Wausau is. Way to go Wausau forumers!

As an aside, they need to tip the First Wausau Tower webcam up so we can see them work on the last floor and the spire. I'd find that more interesting to see than the exterior work that's left to do on the base.

its because we have so many wisconsinites on here! 4 cities now. to bad appleton or racine has no interest.

^^ Indeed, yea Wisconsin.

I started and Appleton thread a while ago, and it died not so much becuase of lack of interest (I think just about all of the Green Bay forumers had interest) but because there just wasn't enough happeining to sustain a thread. Appleton has done a great job will College Ave, but there are fewer major changes happening there than in GB or Wausau.

OMG so super uber cool. Wausau has a development thread. Just a few comments. I was told by my father that there is going to be a condo development at 28th ave, and then I searched online Daily Herald and noticed it there. It seems to be quite expensive, though when you can buy a halfway decent house for less than that!!! Also the Palladian would be cool to have a webcam. I would cream myself if some developer proposes condos on the Wisconsin River similar to Astor Place, that would require me to get there soon to sell my house out here and return home??!?!?!?!?! I am aware that a developer in Madison purchased lots on the east side!!!

Well I am bummed because both the schools that I attended are gone! Wausau East is now apartments??? Horace Mann is destroyed. That was a beautiful building that lacked maintenance IMO!!!!

First of... Here is a link to an article (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529446) which appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentential, and it talks about how Waukesha has been inspired by Wausau. :)

Secondly There has been discussion about renaming Stewart Ave from the river to highway 51(One of the major roads in Wausau) to University Ave. The main reason for the name change is because with the redesign of the highway 51/29 interchange on the city's west side, there are now actually 2 streets which run parallel for several blocks which are both named Stewart Ave.

Finally, as choyak mentioned there will be condo's developed overlooking the hospital, the link for the newspaper article is here (http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061113/WDH0101/611130541&SearchID=73263074512999)...

And finally for anyone who wants to come to Wausau for skiing, the hill should be opening on Thanksgiving Day.

its because we have so many wisconsinites on here! 4 cities now. to bad appleton or racine has no interest.

I tried setting up an Appleton thread a while ago, but there were a few probelms.

1. Appleton has no remotely urban projects going on or even in sight right now.
2. I think I'm the only one here who lives in Appleton or the Fox Cities.
3. Anything that happens in Appleton is usually referenced in the Green Bay Forums.

Back to topic, I am very happy for Wausau and think that it definately deserves its own thread with the numerous projects that are going on there. I can't wait to visit!

Hey-I am also glad to see Wausau get stickied!! I've said it before--I love Wausau!!

On a note related to an Appleton thread, and other Wisconsin cities for that matter:
Skyscrapercity forum is nice, but it's so focused on development and skyscrapers and big-ness, that many of the people who are attracted here by the very name seem to overlook the finer qualities of urban life, especially history and existing culture on a smaller scale, such as what we have in cities across Wisconsin.

Appleton has some really good things going for it already, they're just not of the big, shiny, tall, new development nature.

I recently discovered another site & forum called UrbanPlanet.org (http://www.urbanplanet.org/UP.Dynamic/index.php) that seems to embrace the other aspects of city life. It however has almost no Wisconsin representation on the forums.

I'd like to keep the Wisconsinites all united on one forum, but like I said, it's sort of too bad that we're mostly on a forum filled with other people so focused on exploding vertical skylines and little else.

And finally for anyone who wants to come to Wausau for skiing, the hill should be opening on Thanksgiving Day.

I usually get out there a few times a year, usually on a tuesday or thursday night (2 for 1 tickets). Anything new there this year?

I haven’t had a chance to make it to the ski hill for the past 2 winters, but I was up on the mountain over the summer several times, and I know they have added a few new runs, although I am not sure how long it is going to be before they open up all of their runs. I am sure that they will only have a few of the runs open on Thanksgiving day, and it probably wont be until the middle of December before all the runs are open. I know they have built a new ski lodge, but I don't know if that was built last year or this year...and I really liked the nice rustic feel that the old ski lodge offered.
If you are looking for other things to do in Wausau during the winter, there is always Sylvan Hills, they have an amazing tubing hill, and I think they have now added a second tow rope.

I usually get out there a few times a year, usually on a tuesday or thursday night (2 for 1 tickets). Anything new there this year?
I got this from their website. It's everything that they have added in the last 6 years. You'll have to see for yourself if anything on this list looks new to you.

74 runs (60 new)
6 tree-skiing glades
Terrain park, half-pipe, dozens of features
500 new snowguns

6 New Lifts
New Wonder Carpet lift
New high-speed, 6-place COMET Express chairlift
New beginner-only SANTA chairlift

New Sundance Patio and Magic Yurt Children's Center
New slopeside patio with over 2000 sq feet of seating area
New Magic Yurt Children's Center

New Sundance Chalet and Grill
Over 10,000 square feet
2 fireplaces and cathedral ceilings overlooking the slopes

New Granite Ski and Sports Shop
Salomon, Rossignol, Volkl and Atomic skis
Obermeyer and Mountain Hardware apparel
Accessories, gifts and custom sweatshirts

Restored Historic, Stone 10th Mountain Chalet
Four stone fireplaces
New Reindeer Coffee Bar serving Starbucks coffees
New Stone Hearth Eatery

New Peak Performance Demos and Tuning Center
Demo newest Volkl, Rossignol and Salomon skis
Stone grinder, edge sharpening and waxing

New Alpine Learning Center
Ski and snowboard lessons
Teddy Bear children’s program
New Children's Center
Starlift Wonder Carpet

New Mountain Rental Shop
2,000 new Rossignol and Salomon skis and snowboards

New Bear’s Den Tavern and Saloon
Two stone fireplaces
Microbrews, wine, drinks and appetizers
Guitarists and musicians

Here's the website for you. http://www.skigranitepeak.com/

Finally, as choyak mentioned there will be condo's developed overlooking the hospital, the link for the newspaper article is here (http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061113/WDH0101/611130541&SearchID=73263074512999)...


And here's the rendering for the Timberline Terrace
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Aerails/bilde19.jpg

Waukesha inspired by Wausau
Business leaders discuss downtown hotel
By DARRYL ENRIQUEZ
denriquez@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 9, 2006
Waukesha - Members of a downtown group intend to meet with a hotel developer about possibly building an inn to help bolster the central shopping district.

Advertisement

The initiative was revealed Thursday as directors of the Downtown Business Improvement District discussed their recent trip to a convention on redeveloping central city business districts.

The event was held in Wausau and centered on a newly built, 62-room hotel in the center of the city's historic downtown.

Dave Smart, a director of the business district, said he and other directors had a lengthy discussion in Wausau with the developer of the Jefferson Street Inn about how such a project would fit in Waukesha.

"We're going to be having a meeting with them in the near future," said Ald. Randy Radish, also a director.

Downtown property and business owners in Waukesha have already tried to attract new retail ventures and customers by improving the appearance of the district and undoing one-way streets. The nearly completed walkway along the Fox River is also touted as a selling point.

Those efforts have netted art studios, curio shops, eateries and antiques stores, with high turnover. A small condominium project and the promise of a much larger condo complex also were spurred by local redevelopment efforts.

Yet, downtown observers point out that large stores and non-residential commercial ventures have shied away from the business district, choosing instead to set up shop in high-traffic-volume areas along I-94.

Trouble with nuisance crimes, drug houses and lowered standards of maintenance led merchants, residents and property owners to rally to move downtown redevelopment forward. One of their steps was to travel to Wausau to explore what was done there, and to spend time together away from Waukesha.

The Jefferson Street Inn is in Wausau's River District and is connected to shops, restaurants and a parking ramp. The group returned impressed with Wausau's progress.

"How did Wausau become so cool?" Mary Ann Kessler-O'Neill, president of the business district board, asked directors.

Karen Richard, a member of the board, said that Wausau got behind the hotel venture and created a partnership with its developer to build the structure.

Also Thursday, two developers at work on other downtown projects brought the board up to speed about their efforts.

Pete Lawrence of Milwaukee has an option to purchase the blighted former Mexican food store at 351 W. Main St. known as Save 'n Save. Lawrence told the group that he intends to use the second floor's 5,000 square feet for either small apartments or condos, depending on the demands of the residential market. The first floor would be commercial, either one or two storefronts.

Board member Vicky Hekkers told Lawrence that downtown homeowners want condos instead of apartments.

"We're concerned about upkeep and maintenance issues of apartments with transients," she said.

Drew Vallozzi has an option on the Clark Block Building, also known as the Cuddles Building, at 314 W. Main St. He told the group that he intends to use both floors for commercial purposes but did not divulge specifics.

Lawrence and Vallozzi said they would have their redevelopment improvement plans to the city before the end of the year.

Since the Miron Construction site hasn't tilted it's camera yet I thought I'd take a few pics so you out of towners can see where the progress is at on the Dudley Building. These pics were taken half an hour ago.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Pry5.jpg

This photo was taken from the newly rebuilt George Stevens Bridge. Now that the Dudley is gaining height this view turns out to be real nice in my opinion. I'll try and correct the quality next time...
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Pry2.jpg

And for the heck of it I thought I'd take this photo.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Pry3.jpg

"How did Wausau become so cool?" If Wausau is in fact cool I would have to say that it's the result of it's citizens not wanting it's downtown to die like so many others have.

Thanks mohammed wong

This is pretty cool. Now we can sit and wait for someone to complain that -insert big city for which nobody posts on the forum here- isn't stickied when litttle Wausau is.
This isn't Skyscraperpage, the forumers here act a little more mature for that kind of crap.


Way to go Wausau forumers!
LOL, I'd like to take credit but stickying this thread wasn't my idea. I feel safe in saying that i_am_hydrogen saw it necessary to sticky this thread on his own.

I was recently surfing the internet looking for some renderings of a new project that "The Samuels Group" http://www.samuelsgroup.net is developing for the west side of Wausau. They are planning on putting a new 3-story development(possibly 4 if they decided to add the penthouse) on Financial Way(think 17th ave) overlooking the highway, and while I havn't found their renderings for that project I did find a few pictures showing them starting the demolition for the Palladian... here is the link... (http://www.samuelsgroup.net/ThePalladian.html)

Anyway, the Palladian is going nice they seem almost done with the excavating, all the retaining walls seem to be in place, and they are flattening out the bottom, I am not sure how much they are planning on completing before winter, but I could see them starting on the foundations soon if the weather doesn't get to bad.
I might posts some pictures soon.

I've always admired the scenic natural beauty of the Wausau area. Driving west on Hwy 29, from quite a distance you know you're getting close to Wausau when you see the peak of "Rib Mountain"--the closest thing to a real mountain anywhere in Wisconsin. It's one of the most notable geographic features of Wausau, and, of course, generates a lot of activity and tourism with its popular ski hill & recreational area.

...However...

What's up with that huge-ass communications tower at the very top of the peak? It just ruins the whole mountain-esque scenery of the whole setting and can be seen as a junky cheesy focal point for miles around. No doubt some Wausauans have opposed the construction of that thing, and would ike to see it come down off of the peak. What sort of opposition has there been to that thing?

People who allow that sort of thing to happen need to take a step back and ask whether or not it's really 'progress'. Yes of course it's the best place to put a communication tower because of it's height--, but for what, really? So that people can listen to AC/DC's Back in Black for the 5,715th time on classic radio? Or get that preciously clear picture through their TV set? (don't most people have cable or satellite TV anyway, nowadays?).

Well, I'm not trying to rain on Wausau's parade. This sort of junk exists in the landscape all across America (in the name of 'progress'), including everywhere I've ever lived.. I'm a little surprised that Wausauans, who I perceive to take pride in their natural environment, let this happen. I'm wondering what you guys think, and if there is any public pressure to take that damn thing down.

Once again, I do love Wausau!

What's up with that huge-ass communications tower at the very top of the peak?

For a while there were two !

Well if all you cell phone owners will throw away your stupid phones there would be no need for the tower.

Seriously though, I lived in the Wausau area since 1968 and there always was a big ass tower on the hill. The new one is a little taller than the old one but suffice it to say the large majority of Wausoians only know of the hill having a tower on it. In other words, it's not as though this was some kind of new thing.

Could somebody please assist the technologically disadvantaged and tell me how I post pictures- my email is itspat200@yahoo.com if you'd rather mail me

Could somebody please assist the technologically disadvantaged and tell me how I post pictures- my email is itspat200@yahoo.com if you'd rather mail me
Here's how to do it.

I use Photobucket. Go here, http://photobucket.com/
You need to register with the site. It is a free site so you wont need your bank card.

Once you register you can begin to upload pics. Once you upload a pic the site will give you 3 different addresses for it below the pic. There will be a URL, TAG, and a IMG address. When posting pics in a thread you will now have to use copy and paste. First you need to double click on the pictures IMG address. This will highlight the address. Once it's highlighted right click on it, a little window will pop up, chose copy. Once you copied the IMG address then go to your post and right click where you want the picture to be. The same little window will pop up but this time chose paste, this will make the IMG address apear in the post.

At the bottom of your post click onto Preview Post first. This will allow you to save the pic in your post and be able to go back to Photobucket for more pics. It will also let you know whether you did it right by showing the pic in the post. Once you go back and copy another pic always use your back page to get back to your post.

I'll be looking forward to seeing your pics and welcome to Skyscraspercity!

I went on an intoxicated photograpic rampage downtown the other day, and in such a stupor, it hit me that my concern about the First Wausau Tower being too tall was wrong. The building's occupiable space appears to taper around 200-210 feet with the pyramid rooftop, and the main 9 floors terminate around 150 ft, making it a perfect "new tallest" fit. When news of the tower first broke about a year ago, I immediately sketched the height of the building alongside the Landmark and the M & I building, and was frightened with how domineering it looked- more than twice as tall as both. But now, its clear that Dudley wasnt reaching beyond his means when he drew up the plans.
FWT has finally provided Wausau with the poster child it needs to advertize its decade-long downtown revitalization campaign. I remeber the first moves- tearing down the old Eastbay building (right?) on the 400 block and construction of the new library. Then came the Jefferson St. parking ramp, the WIPFLI building, the creation of the Arts block, the Jefferson St. Inn, the facelift of all the 3rd St. storefronts, the reconstruction of the Stewart Ave/1st St./River Drive intersection, the new city bus depot, now the FWT, the Wausau Center Mall upgrade, and the Palladian. And revitalization didnt stop downtown. The new Weston hospital, One Corporate Cove, the second Weston powerplant, the Lodge at Cedar Creek, Granite Peak's reinvigoration, the River Valley State Bank building, and construction of the new Hwy 51/39/29 interchanges; all have contributed to a completely new atmosphere of vitality.
To an outsider looking at a map, Wausau appears insignificant. While cities like Eau Claire, Appleton, and La Crosse are often printed in bold, 14-point font, Wausau is usually relegated to a lesser bracket denoting cities of under 50,000 people. "Population: 38,000" most maps proclaim, and the outsider casually passes us over for bigger and better things. (continued)

Well if all you cell phone owners will throw away your stupid phones there would be no need for the tower.

Seriously though, I lived in the Wausau area since 1968 and there always was a big ass tower on the hill. The new one is a little taller than the old one but suffice it to say the large majority of Wausoians only know of the hill having a tower on it. In other words, it's not as though this was some kind of new thing.

OK. Well, everyone has different values and perceives things differently I guess. Personally I don't like the tower, but I only look at it a handful of times per year so who am I to complain about it? I should just be grateful that I can hear Back in Black for the 5,716th time on the radio, I guess. Wait, no, turn the radio down, my cell phone is ringing! But how can I turn down the radio and answer my phone when I'm driving 80 mph on I-39 and I'm also eating a Hardee's Thickburger? Ah, no problem, my knees can handle the wheel...