More Redevelopment Planned for Larsen Green Project!

Kiar Olson — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 19:19:26 +0000

The redevelopment effort at Green Bay’s Larsen Green took another leap forward yesterday as the city of Green Bay announced plans to enter into an agreement with DDL Holdings to continue its efforts within the Larsen Green PUD site. DDL Holdings, a partnership between Smet Construction Services Corp. and Titletown Brewery has already redeveloped the first major building in the Larsen Green complex and plans are to build on this successful effort.
The site, a vacant 16 acres adjacent to the existing reclaimed building in the complex, will include redeveloping existing vacant buildings and constructing new buildings to round out the property’s reuse. The plan builds on the first part of the project and continues the reclamation theme throughout the Larsen Green project. Titletown’s Chief Operating Officer, Jim Kratowicz said: “We have great momentum that we are carrying from the first project and bringing it to the available land next door”.
The first part of the project is now up and running with an expanded brewery that contains a “tap room” where customers can sample beers brewed on-site. A roof top beer garden opens later this summer along with a “Public Cannery” that will feature a full sized delicatessen, local cheeses, a variety of meats from local farms, and a variety of other local food products. The building is 100% leased with the last phase, offices, scheduled to be constructed later this summer. The development of the brewery building was the first project to utilize the extended historical tax credits enacted by the state of Wisconsin.
Paul Belschner, Smet’s President and Chief Financial Officer who put the plan together said, “We’re delighted to be selected by the city of Green Bay to move forward with this part of the project. It shows we have a great track record and they have faith in our ability to get the job done!” The use of the adjacent land is expected to include areas for additional retail and food space, residential apartments, offices and a walkable connection to Leicht Park.
For more information:
Greg Polacheck
Director Market Development
Smet Construction Services, Corp.
920-532-3828
gpolacheck@smet.com

Titletown Opens Expanded Brewery & Tap Room!

Kiar Olson — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 17:25:07 +0000

Two and a half years of planning and construction finally came together on Saturday afternoon when hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the opening of the Titletown Brewery expansion. The $6 million Larsen Green Historical Renovation Project saw phase one open with the expansion of Titletown Brewery and construction of a “tap room” where customers can gather to sample the brewery’s finest offerings.
New equipment for brewing up to 30,000 barrels will provide the needed capacity for Titletown to sell its beer throughout the state. And the renovated facility provides the necessary room to add a bottling operation. The facility has been transformed from a cannery to a brewery, adaptive re-use in one of the highest forms.
Brent Weycker, President of Titletown Brewery Co., was excited the day was finally here. “It gives us a chance to get our beer throughout the state and it helps as a tourist destination for local residents to show off a place of historical significance!”
Jim Kratowicz, Titletown’s Chief Operating Officer, echoed these comments and he noted how the renovation restored original window openings resulting in an attractive exterior and bringing sunlight into the building for the first time since 1925. “This is a game-changer for this neighborhood. To take a building of this nature and turn it into a destination place is very special!”
The Larsen Cannery renovation project isn’t completed yet. Phase two calls for construction of a Public Market, a farm to table food concept featuring local food sourcing of meats, cheeses, & vegetables directly from local farms to local tables. In addition, apartments will occupy the remaining space.
Smet is a partner in the project and helped put together the use of state historical tax credits as part of the financing package. The project is the first in the state to utilize the new historic tax credits implemented last December by Governor Scott Walker and the Wisconsin legislature. The credits are used as an additional funding source because of a transferability provision that in effect brings additional equity to the project, and provides a needed source to bridge the financing gap that often occurs as a result of re-using outdated but historical buildings.
For more information:
Greg Polacheck , Director of Market Research
gpolacheck@smet.com

Historical Tax Credits – Smet Construction

More Redevelopment Planned for Larsen Green Project!

Titletown Opens Expanded Brewery & Tap Room!