MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — Manitowoc announces next step in redevelopment of historical site.
- Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels announced the city was taking the next steps in the Mirro site redevelopment.
- The site will become a 59-unit workforce housing project, with income-based costs.
- The units could be ready by the fall of 2026, but the summer of 2027 is much more likely.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
A large project in the heart of downtown Manitowoc with a deep history in our city. The project is at the site of a once-great Manitowoc company that left town in 2003. Now the city says it's ready for the next steps.
The Mirro Company once called Manitowoc home, putting down roots in the early 1900s. But the business left Manitowoc more than 20 years ago, during what many say was a tough time for the community.
"We went through our challenges,” says Community Development Director Adam Tegen. “We had some down times."
The site has been laid vacant since 2003, but now, Tegen says new life for the area is nearing the one-yard line. A 59-unit workforce housing project is on the way, but first, clean up.
"Legacy contamination,” Tegen explains. “When you have a manufacturer that was there for over 100 years things happen, contamination happens, times were different."
Last spring we told you about a $2 million federal grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. On Tuesday, Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels announced the plans for that money, fully clearing the south side of the property this spring.
"The site will look much better,” says Tegen. “It will be level, it will be cleaned up. Hopefully will have some grass on it, versus the rubble and fencing you see currently."
The apartments will be workforce housing. I spoke with one Manitowoc woman who did not want to go on camera. She mentioned that she feared the prices would be too high, particularly for the elderly and disabled.
NBC 26 asked the community development department. They say the units will be based on income.
For example; In a two-bedroom unit, a family in the 30th percentile of income in Manitowoc would pay $500, while a family in the 80th percentile would pay $1100.
"It's so much nicer to see redevelopment and I think that is a story of the community,” Tegen said.
The project could take years to complete. Tegan says fall is the best-case scenario for the start time for the project. This means the units could be available by the fall of 2026, but he says the summer of 2027 is more likely.
