By Shereen Siewert

Community Partners Campus is seeking a $1.5 million loan from the city to acquire and develop a Grand Avenue property to house multiple nonprofit agencies serving homeless and low-income residents, according to city documents.

Members of Wausau’s Community Development Authority will review the request this week. The CPC proposal seeks the loan at 1.5 percent interest, money that will be used to buy the existing structure at 364 Grand Ave., Wausau, and add on an approximately 8,000-square-foot food bank and warehouse. The remodeled facility would house between eight and 15 nonprofit partners, all of which would rent space to become a “one-stop shop” to match residents with needed services.

Catholic Charities’ warming shelter and day room would become tenants of CPC, as would North Central Community Action’s housing assistance program, according to a memo from CPC President Brian Gumness and Executive Director Cari Logemann. The First Presbyterian Free Clinic and Blessings in a Backpack will also relocate to CPC, while the Crisis Assessment Response Team, a partnership between police and crisis professionals, is interested in leasing space at the facility, according to a memo from North Central Health Care Chief Executive Officer Michael Loy.

The Neighbors’ Place is also expected to soon finalize its intent to become part of the campus and has long expressed a desire to expand the organization’s food bank, pantry and other outreach programs as community needs have increased.

As of early February, the group raised $730,000 toward the estimated $5.5 million project as fundraising continues, Gumness and Logemann said.

“To better serve and enhance the service that they provide to their customers or clients, sharing a space under one roof will further collaboration efforts between all of these non-profits,” said Community Partners Campus President Brian Gumness, in a February interview.

The Community Development Authority Board meets at noon on Tuesday at 550 E. Thomas St., Wausau. See the full agenda and packet here.