By Shereen Siewert
WAUSAU — While a plan to expand the Woodson YMCA and build a downtown clinic is attracting widespread praise and support, the project’s need to close portions of two downtown streets is causing concern for at least one adjacent business.
On Tuesday, community leaders and philanthropists unveiled plans for the $40 million health and wellness campus to be developed in downtown Wausau. The YMCA expansion plan includes extensive modernization of the current facility, constructing a senior activities center and developing a new Aspirus Clinic, which will be connected to the YMCA.
Project organizers have purchased properties to the north and west of the Woodson YMCA, and demolition and site clearing is underway.
To make way for a shared parking lot for YMCA and Aspirus clinic visitors, project planners seek to shut down McIndoe Street between First and Third streets, Franklin Street between Second and Third streets and Second Street between Franklin and Fulton streets.
Eldon Pagel, chairman of the Cloverbelt Credit Union Board of Directors, said the organization has some concerns about the proposed street closure and the impact it would have on their more than 17,000 members, employees, and future growth. Cloverbelt recently completed a roughly $8 million project to construct a new headquarters building at 110 McIndoe Street and donated the land occupying their previous location as a sign of their support for the YMCA/Aspirus project.
Pagel said his organization is very supportive of future development in the city, especially the YMCA and Aspirus plan. But when Cloverbelt’s new building plan took shape, the organization was unaware that McIndoe Street would be slated for closure.
McIndoe Street’s position as a main thoroughfare was one of the main reasons Cloverbelt chose their new location and closing McIndoe will not allow the credit union the same visibility going forward, Pagel said.
Members of the city’s capital improvement and street maintenance committee on Thursday discussed the potential closure and voted to move the project forward. That vote clears the way for public hearings in September, when residents and business owners can speak out with any concerns.
The YMCA expansion plan includes extensive modernization of the current facility, constructing a senior activities center and developing a new Aspirus Clinic, which will be connected to the YMCA.
Project organizers have purchased properties to the north and west of the Woodson YMCA, and demolition and site clearing is underway.
