Wisconsin Builder | Heads in the Clouds

Historical perspective

Outagamie County honors its past with current projects

By Jeanne Wieland

Plans for Kaukauna's new Hydro Park honor the community's long history with hydroelectric power.

Rendering courtesy of OMNNI Associates iNC.

Several communities in Outagamie County are planning novel projects to highlight their rich histories.
Construction started late this spring on Kaukauna's Hydro Park, a downtown park that offers a nod to the city's long history with hydroelectric power. In the 1880s, five hydroelectric generating plants were built in Kaukauna, giving the city its nickname — the Electric City.

Hydro Park will take an old rail yard and convert it into a plaza area with catacombs and arches, said Bob Jakel, Kaukauna's director of planning and community development. The project was designed by OMNNI Associates Inc., Appleton, and will be built by Oudenhoven Construction Inc., Kaukauna.

Todd Wendt, Oudenhoven's project manager for Hydro Park, said the first phase involves building a pedestal base for a large impeller. That portion of the project should be completed in July.

"We're building a concrete-stamped foundation for the old generator impeller," Wendt said. "It's going to be the focal point of the park."

In addition, Hydro Park will feature a bike path and gathering areas to bring people together.

"It will be a peaceful place to enjoy downtown, the river and the canal area," Wendt said.

Mike Hendrick, planning director for Outagamie County, said the village of Little Chute is developing plans for a large windmill that will capitalize on the village's history.

"It's a Dutch community, and they want to do something to highlight that," he said.

Little Chute Village Administrator Thomas Lebak said a private committee is working on the fund raising, and he estimated that the 10-story windmill would cost about $1.5 million. Another $1 million would be set aside for a maintenance trust. Brick sales and individual donations have already brought in $500,000 for the
project.

In addition to the large windmill, plans call for a visitors' center and a Little Chute Historical Society Museum on the property.

Lebak said the windmill will be completely functional. The base will be built in Little Chute, but the structure will be made in Holland and shipped to the village in pieces to be reassembled.

Other large projects under way or ready for proposals are expected to help with redevelopment in other areas of the county.

In the town of Kaukauna, Calpine Corp. is building the Fox Energy Center, a 235-megawatt, electric-generating facility that will operate under contract with the Wisconsin Public Service Corp. The facility should be operational this year, Hendrick said.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Population, percent change, April 1, 2000-July 1, 2003: 3.9
2003 population estimate: 167,411
Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000: 14.6
Percent of people under 5 years old in 2000: 6.9
Percent of people under 18 years old in 2000: 27.7
Percent of people 65 years old and older in 2000: 10.9
Females, 2000: 50.1 percent
Whites, 2000: 93.9 percent
Blacks, 2000: 0.5 percent
American Indians and Alaska Natives, 2000: 1.5 percent
Asians, 2000: 2.2 percent
People of Hispanic or Latino origin, 2000: 2.0 percent
High school graduates, percent of people age 25+, 2000: 88.1
Bachelor's degree or higher, percent of people age 25+, 2000: 22.5
Housing units, 2002: 65,692
Homeownership rate, 2000: 72.4 percent
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000: $106,000
Households, 2000: 60,530
People per household, 2000: 2.6
Median household income, 1999: $49,613
Per capita income, 1999: $21,943
People below poverty, percent, 1999: 4.7

BUSINESS FACTS

Private nonfarm establishments with paid employees, 2001: 4,704
Private nonfarm employment, 2001: 96,910
Manufacturers' shipments, 1997 ($1,000): 5,315,387
Retail sales, 1997 ($1,000): 1,936,334
Retail sales per capita, 1997: $12,549
Minority-owned firms, percent of total, 1997: 1.9
Women-owned firms, percent of total, 1997: 21.8
Housing units authorized by building permits, 2002: 1,589
Federal funds and grants, 2002 ($1,000): 566,543

GEOGRAPHY FACTS

Land area, 2000 (square miles): 640
People per square mile, 2000: 251.4

The former Greyhound Park dog track in Kaukauna also is set to enjoy some new life. Jakel said city officials are meeting with various developers to see what ideas they might have for the 100 acres. One of the proposals floated would feature a $30 million to $50 million water park, hotel and convention center at the site.

Hendrick said improvements at Outagamie County Regional Airport undertaken recently include a rebuilt terminal, runway expansion and work on the perimeter of the property.

In other county developments, Appleton continues to see growth in housing starts on the north side of the city, Hendrick said, and in its business park on Highway 41.

A new AmericInn Lodge and Suites is planned for Appleton as well. The three-story motel will feature 62 units with a swimming pool, whirlpool, waterslide, sauna and in-room spas.

Kaukauna's Bob Jakel credits Habitat for Humanity for helping to revive interest in some of that city's older neighborhoods.

"Habitat has been wonderful in locating housing in older parts of the city," he said. "It's brought about incentive for developers to do the same, and now we have new housing in older parts of town. That's a win-win for the city."

In the county overall, Hendrick said, business development seems to be gaining momentum, mainly to catch up with the hot housing market. People are finding the county a great place in which to own a home, he said, so now there's growth in the area's retail market to service all the new and existing residents.