Park View Breaks Ground For Project In Antigo
Antigo Housing Authority commissioners and Park View Manor staff gathered this week for a ceremonial ground-breaking to mark the start of construction on a $3.4 million renovation that will completely revamp the building.
“It has been a marathon event taking us over three years to complete,” Housing Authority Director Mary Pavek said. “Our resident family at Park View, our future residents, and the community as a whole will benefit for years to come from this effort.”
The project dates to May, 2011 when the Housing Authority partnered with Commonwealth Companies of Fond du Lac for the redevelopment of its housing stock in the city of Antigo.
In 2012, the partnership moved forward with an application for low income housing tax credits from the state of Wisconsin for the Housing Authority’s flagship property, Park View Manor.
“ It took two years and two attempts at the competitive tax credit process before Park View Apartments was awarded an annual 10 year tax credit allocation of $412,785 in 2013,” Pavek said. “PNC Real Estate provided a Letter of Intent for acquisition of the credits which rounded out the new ownership structure.”
The construction budget was further supplemented by a $700,000 grant from the Chicago Federal Home Loan Bank, and a $372,000 home loan through the Wisconsin Department of Administration. The Antigo Housing Authority contributed an additional $189,000.
The massive renovation project commenced on Monday and will take approximately 10 months to complete. It will include replacement of all major plumbing and electrical systems, a new roof, and a revamp of common areas and apartments.
“It will be a complete renovation of the building,” Pavek said.
There will also be an addition with six larger, fully-accessible apartments.
“The economic impact on the community has already been felt as contractors are moving into the area, renting homes for the duration of the construction project,” Pavek said. “Local contractors and general local workforce will also be utilized during construction.”
While some strain on residents in unavoidable, Pavek stressed that her staff is working to ensure no one is displaced during the projects. The Housing Authority has been leaving apartments vacant as they become available and will temporarily relocate residents from one section of the building to others as the renovations continue through eight phases.
Shown at the ceremonial ground-breaking are, from left, (front row) Mary Pavek, executive director, Antigo Housing Authority commissioners John Warner, Ben Zelazoski, and Bev Golbach, Ron Weber, Steve Rolling, (back row) Melissa Burkhart, Kay Marvin, Julie Seis, Brenda Norem and Ray Rasmussen.