Strand Associates approved to design plaza

By: 
Lee Pulaski
City Editor

The Shawano Common Council signed off Feb. 10 on spending $199,000 for Madison-based Strand Associates to oversee the downtown plaza project.

The plaza project, in the works with the city for several years, is expected to be constructed this year with the help of $1 million in Community Development Block Grant money and more than $500,000 in matching funds. It is expected to serve as a connection between the downtown businesses and the neighboring Franklin Park, which is becoming a popular place for events and activities like the Shawano Farmers Market and the summer concert series Thursdayz at Franklin.

Acting Mayor Rhonda Strebel told the council that the Shawano Redevelopment Authority met twice on the proposals received and felt Strand would be the best fit for a project intended to beautify the downtown and provide a bigger venue for activities. The proposal from Strand also received the blessing of the city’s finance committee.

Strebel noted that the proposals were first vetted by a staff committee, and Strand’s proposal, along with one from MSA Professional Services in Baraboo, emerged as the best fits for what the city wanted to do.

“There were five proposals, and they did a very thorough job going through them,” Strebel said.

Strand’s proposal is expected to cost the city $199,400, which does not include the actual building costs. MSA submitted a bid for $164,700.

Strand has previously worked with the city, being responsible for the development of Franklin Park itself. City officials had previously commented that the plaza will be one of the biggest public facility improvement projects in the next decade.

Strand, in its proposal, estimated it would be committing almost 1,400 hours to the project, with the lion’s share coming in designing the plaza.

City Administrator Eddie Sheppard has disclosed that he has a personal friendship with Brandon Herbert, a civil engineer with Strand, but did not give a preference between Strand’s proposal and MSA’s.


lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com