Shattuck Park Pavilion and Riverwalk

Walk in the Park

Miron restores Shattuck's shine

By Jim Cryns

Shattuck Park has a long history.

Designed in 1915, the 2.6-acre waterfront plot along the Fox River in Neenah acted as a landmark for tourists, a meeting place for friends and a comfortable spot for gatherings. Shattuck is as much a part of Neenah as the thousands of residents who have used the park or simply passed by.

But, over the years, weather, disinterest and old age began to take its toll on the site.

So, eight years ago, a group of Neenah residents held a community planning retreat and decided it was time to revitalize the area. That decision opened the door for Miron Construction Co. Inc., Gries Architectural Group and Hitchcock Design, all of which represented the project team charged with restoring Shattuck Park’s prominence in the community.

The project included the construction of a 2,900-square-foot pavilion, a 1.5-mile riverwalk and a 165-foot walk-out pier. Gries designed the pavilion, while Hitchcock designed the riverwalk portion of the job.

The project team first planned to refurbish the original pavilion shell but later opted for a fresh start.

“The building was in disrepair, and the shelter had been predominantly used as a boat shelter,” said Steve Gries, owner of Gries Architectural Group. “We got pretty close to what was originally there. We kept the shape of the columns, which were part of the original shelter, and we retained the low-pitched roof structure.”

For the riverwalk, Hitchcock tried to offer users a view of the Fox River as well as a taste of Neenah’s history.

“A riverwalk tends to refocus a community on the waterfront,” said Lance Thies, an associate with Hitchcock. “The waterfront is one of our most important assets, and we try to develop them in downtown areas. Most of our cities were founded and developed on the water, and our hope is to reconnect people with those experiences.”


	Project Name: Shattuck Park Pavilion and Riverwalk Location: Neenah Submitting Company: Miron Construction Co. Inc., Neenah General Contractor: Miron Construction Co. Inc. Architects: Gries Architectural Group Inc., Neenah, pavilion architect; Hitchcock Design Group, Naperville, Ill., riverwalk architect Owner: City of Neenah Parks and Recreation Department Project Cost: $3.3 million Project Size: 2,900-square-foot pavilion, 1.5-mile riverwalk, 165-foot pier Start Date: September 2004 Completion Date: June 2005

But before Shattuck Park could reconnect with its community, Miron had to turn the architects’ designs into reality. That transformation didn’t come without challenges.

“We had a few tricky issues,” said Ben Samolinski, Miron’s project manager. “At one time, there was a sawmill on the site, which made the soil and foundation a little suspect. We had to remove a lot of contamination. Our job was to make it look like the pictures.”

The finished project might not be exactly like the pictures, but the changes were for the better. The pavilion, for instance, was built for the long haul with maintenance-free materials, and it features a glass-block skylight to allow for more natural light.

“They’ve been planning this for years, and nobody really knew how this was going to turn out,” Samolinski said. “Now the city has a focal point for concerts and other activities.”

And, according to Steve Lenz, Miron’s superintendent on the project, the Shattuck Park job could be the start of something bigger.

“I know it’s been well received,” he said. “It’s become a refurbished landmark for the city of Neenah. We were extremely happy to work on this project, and I think it will act as a catalyst for other projects in town.”