Question 1

Will downtown shops and restaurants be open during demolition?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Yes! Business listings and hours can be found here.

Question 2

Where did my favorite Wausau Mall stores go?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Wausau Mall Stores: The Buckle, Maurices and Spencer’s now call the Rib Mountain Drive retail corridor their home. Reflexology Massage is now located on 3rd street and Fashion Mix is located at their new location on Thomas Street.

Question 3

What are the demolition work hours?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Demolition will take place Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Question 4

How noisy will it be during demolition?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Noise will consist of typical sounds of heavy equipment used during demolition and construction.

Question 5

Will there be a lot of dust during construction?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Throughout demolition, the dust will be controlled through watering the construction site as best as we can.

Question 6

Will the downtown streets around the Wausau Mall be open?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Washington Avenue and Third Street will be open during demolition. However, occasionally streets may be temporarily closed for movement of large equipment or work done to the front of the Wausau Mall. This will be done for safety reasons. Street closure signage will be posted to warn and redirect traffic.

Question 7

Will the current Wausau Mall parking ramps be open? Is it safe to park in the ramps during demolition?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Yes! Directions and all Downtown Wausau parking information can be found here.

Question 8

How much is parking in the Sears and JC Penney parking ramps?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Parking in the Wausau Mall ramps is free for the first 2 hours. After parking your vehicle, you'll need to register your license plate using the lot's Pay Station or Passport Parking phone app.

Question 9

What hours will the parking ramps be open?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Depends on the ramp, click here to find hours of downtown parking ramps and lots by location.

Question 10

What are all of the parking options downtown?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Street Parking:  Enjoy 2 hours of free parking on any downtown street. No registration required.  No re-parking in the same block for the day.

Lot Parking:  Park and register your license plate using the lot's Pay Station or Passport Parking phone app.  The first 2 hours are free per day.

Ramp Parking:  Park and register your license plate using the ramp's Pay Station or Passport Parking phone app.  The first 2 hours are free per day.

Question 11

Will the parking ramps be easy to get to?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Yes, parking ramps are easily accessible from the city streets and are clearly marked with signage.

Question 12

Will there be Wednesday Night Concerts on the Square and Dining in the Streets?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Yes, Concerts on the Square events are Wednesday evenings from 6-8 pm, June 16 - August 18, and Dining on the Street is Wednesday and Saturday 5-9pm, June 9th - September 15th.

Question 13

Why is the JC Penney building not coming down?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

The JC Penney building will remain standing for now because it sits atop an important and valued parking structure. The building serves as a protective barrier against the elements, too. Once future development for the current JC Penney site is identified, the building will be removed to make way for a new development.

Question 14

How many acres does the Wausau Mall currently sit on? How many total square feet will come down during demolition?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

The Wausau Center sits on 7 acres making up nearly 8 city blocks in downtown Wausau. A total of 425,000 square feet will come down during demolition.

Question 15

What happened to the Boy with the Boot statue?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

The City/County Parks Department secured the statue, keeping it safe until they determine a new place to relocate the Boy with the Boot.

Question 16

When will the entire downtown revitalization project be finished?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

The project will unfold in phases. The first phase will address the demolition of the Sears site. The total downtown revitalization project will be completed over several years.

Question 17

What are the plans for the final usage of the spaces?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

The plans for the site include mixed use of market-rate apartments, restaurants, retail and specialty boutique businesses. Opportunities for office space will be available, too. Along with the redevelopment of new streets and buildings, public green spaces and a public marketplace are planned.

Question 18

Who is the developer of the project?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Wausau Opportunity Zone, Inc. is the owner of the site, working towards getting the site pad ready to attract developers with expertise, experience and interest in this type of development. Click here to learn more about Wausau Opportunity Zone, Inc.

Question 19

What is the timeline for the phase one demolition project?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Demolition is scheduled to begin mid-May at the Sears building then working gradually towards the west and stopping at the JC Penney building by middle August. HOM Furniture will remain intact and be open for business during the demolition. The two parking ramps will remain open as well.

Question 20

Is the expansion of recreational opportunities at Rib Mountain State Park a new concept?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

No. Mountain biking enthusiasts have been requesting mountain bike trails at Rib Mountain State Park since 2006. Granite Peak Ski Area has been discussing potential expansion for alpine skiing with the DNR since 2014.

Question 21

What are the primary reasons that Granite Peak Ski Area is considering an expansion?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Granite Peak has a need to expand and modernize ski and year-round resort infrastructure to maintain viability in the mid-west ski market in terms of both guest expectations and adaptations to climate change. Nationwide there has been a decades long closure of ski areas while ski populations continue to be stable. A complete ski area now has adequate ski terrain and lifts for all levels of skiers, adequate base facilities to meet customer demands, sufficient parking, and a modern ski school. Currently, Granite Peak Ski Area does not have the terrain available to provide facilities and services at the level that customers desire.

Question 22

Will climate change adversely affect Granite Peak’s ability to operate a viable ski area in its present status?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Yes. As noted in Mountain Recreation Needs Assessment — part of the SE Group’s Climate Change Assessment — there will be an expected reduction in the viable length of ski seasons in the Midwest. Granite Peak’s operating season may shrink from five months to three. Since the Greater Wausau area wishes to grow current annual visitation levels, a growth in ski terrain capacity and facilities will be needed to serve more visitors in a shorter timeframe.

Question 23

Will there be a loss of any existing recreation at Rib Mountain State Park due to an expansion of recreation?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

No. The existing “top of the mountain features,” such as the amphitheater, day use areas, tower, Friends shelter and parking lots will be untouched. Hiking trails off the top will also continue to exist and be open to use. The quarry area will be untouched. The only alterations described in the SE assessment are the addition of multiple-use areas on small portions of existing trails and the grade adjustment to hiking trails in certain areas to improve their sustainability or alignment with other recreational features. Hunting will also continue at the park, as will skiing at Granite Peak, which is working with the DNR to facilitate safety and seasonality.

Question 24

Who will pay for the new recreational features at Rib Mountain State Park?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Granite Peak Ski Area would pay for leased land for new ski terrain, base facilities, lifts and proposed summer activities like zip lines, mountain coaster and challenge courses. Sponsors and donations would generally pay for mountain bike trails. The Wisconsin DNR is not expected to have any costs associated with recreational expansion.

Question 25

How long will it take to complete recreational improvements?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

If Option Four is chosen as the preferred course, the majority of proposed improvements will be completed in four to six years, with the remainder being built out within a 10-year timeframe.

Question 26

Why the emphasis on non-winter activities at the park and Granite Peak Ski Area?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Over the last 90 years, non-winter use of the ski lands at Rib Mountain State Park has amounted to only occasional events and some hiking. However, with its high vertical terrain, the landscape at the ski area can provide for exceptional experiences not found elsewhere in the state. These could include flow and gravity mountain bike trails, ski lift and forest tours, zip lines, a mountain coaster and additional events centered on outstanding scenery and open space. The SE Group recreational assessment points out a variety of experiences that could be created to greatly expand non-winter visitation to the area.

Question 27

Can the Greater Wausau area truly become the “Outdoor Recreation Mecca of the Midwest”?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

The goal is attainable due to Wausau’s location and the existing base of premier recreational activities already in place in the area. If Option Four were approved, the area can become an IMBA Mountain Bike Ride Center, drawing thousands of enthusiasts from around the country. The expansion of Granite Peak will amplify its status as one of the premier alpine ski areas in the central U.S. The addition of summer activities utilizing the vertical landscape at Rib Mountain State Park will potentially separate the area from all other Midwest recreational destinations.

Question 28

Have potential impacts to the environment been studied in relation to the SE Group proposed recreational alternatives?

Amperage · Accepted Answer

Yes. All four alternatives have been reviewed for environmental impacts. While each alternative has a larger footprint than the former, the design layouts suggested by the SE Group are carefully inserted on the landscape to allow for minimal impact. Work will continue with the Wisconsin DNR on preserving Areas of Highest Ecological Concern.

Question 29

Will creating more ski runs and mountain bike trails negatively impact the quality of the forests at Rib Mountain State Park.

Amperage · Accepted Answer

No. While there are several isolated stands of second-growth northern mesic hardwood communities atop Rib Mountain State Park, much of the landscape, including the north face, is covered with trees with lower lifespans. Many of these species struggle to survive due to vulnerability to insects and diseases, with normal regeneration of many tree species limited by thin soils, steep slopes and over-browsing by deer. Opening spaces for ski runs and trails may increase forest sustainability by expanding edge habitat and allowing for deeper solar penetration into the forests.

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