The Main Street reconstruction project in Mayville is expected to run $2.2 million with an additional $1 million for utility work. Photo courtesy of Ruekert/Mielke

IN WITH THE NEW

Dodge County awaits historical
upgrades and new developments

Dodge County exudes small-town charm and nowhere is that truer than in the city of Mayville.

The community's Main Street was designated a historical district in 1994, but in spring 2006, it will undergo a significant facelift. A one-mile section of Main Street, or Highway 67/28, from Bridge Street to Highway V is slated for road improvements during the 2006 construction season. The project involves replacing deteriorating pavement and upgrading utilities.

Ryan Hoel, a project engineer for Ruekert/Mielke, Waukesha, said the work will be done in phases. During the first phase, Main Street will be closed from Bridge to Buchanan streets, as well as half of the boulevard section from Buchanan Street to Iron Lane. Once that section is completed, the opposite half of the boulevard will be closed. During phase three, Main Street will be closed from Iron Lane to Highway V. The entire project should reach completion by October 2006.

"Working in phases will help maintain access to Mayville's downtown business district and minimize inconvenience for local businesses and residents," Hoel said.

The reconstruction of Main Street in Mayville involves replacing deteriorating pavement and upgrading utilities. Main Street was designated a historical district in 1994. Photo courtesy of Ruekert/Mielke

Hoel estimated that the project would run about $2.2 million and figured an additional $1 million to relay the sanitary sewer and water main.

Roadwork is a common theme in Dodge County. Construction on Highway 151 near the city of Waupun is back on track after construction setbacks last season. The new Waupun interchange and Highway 151 expansion project was delayed in 2003 when crews discovered the soil was unsuitable for laying concrete.

Mark Klipstein, project manager for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said to remedy the situation, crews replaced the unstable soil. As a result, the project completion date was pushed back to September 2004.

In the city of Juneau, a mixed-use development is planned for the former Dodgeland High/Elementary School campus west of Juneau City Park. The City Council approved a conditional-use permit and general development plans for the Dodgeland Center LLC in January. Property owner Greg Aprahamian, who envisions a combination of light industrial, residential and commercial development for the space, said he hopes to start construction this summer.

Aprahamian, who owns multiple rental properties in metropolitan Milwaukee, acquired the former school through a 1031 tax exchange to help defer capital gains taxes on the sale of one of his properties. He plans to sell additional rental properties to help finance the redevelopment of the 113,000-square-foot building.

"It's in relatively good shape," said Aprahamian of the 70-year-old building. "There's nothing structurally wrong with it."

Although plans are still preliminary, Aprahamian is considering converting the existing gymnasiums into recreational facilities to accommodate receptions and athletic functions.

North of Juneau, in Horicon, Waukesha-based builder Bielinski Homes has agreed to continue developing the existing Cityview subdivision, located on the city's far west side.

Bielinski agreed to purchase the eight-year-old subdivision last fall after the city approved issuing special-assessment development bonds to help cover infrastructure costs.

According to Jack Broughton, director of environmental policy for Bielinski, the builder will transform the 40-acre subdivision into a mixed-use community with a combination of single-family homes, condominiums and commercial development.

Carl Fausett, president of the Horicon Community Development Corp., said the city will close on the construction project in mid-June. Although he anticipated construction to begin shortly thereafter, Broughton said the builder was still in the conceptual planning stages.

"We'll finish the roads this year, but actual construction won't start until at least 2005," he said.

The site is designated as a conservation development, and Bielinski will preserve 40 percent to 60 percent as open space and improve water quality in the area to protect the community's surrounding natural resources.