The remaining portion of the Wausau Center Mall that once stood as the main entrance on Third Street and Washington Street was demolished today. Watch video of the front entrance coming down here.
“There will be brief road closures this week as crews bring down the final walls along Washington Street,” said Chuck Ghidorzi of Wausau Opportunity Zone. “Then people will have a decent view of the redevelopment space and can really begin to visualize its potential.”
Demolition of the Wausau Center Mall started on May 21 and proceeded with minimal disruptions to traffic flow and downtown activity. HOM Furniture and two parking structures remain in operation and the JC Penney building will stand for at least another year.
Several mall artifacts have been salvaged from the Wausau Center and will be incorporated into the redevelopment or repurposed in other capacities throughout the community. The popular Boy and the Boot sculpture, which was donated to the City of Wausau in 1925 by a lumberman’s family, is with the Marathon County Parks Department until the next location is determined. The sculpture has been at the mall since it opened on August 3, 1983.
“Habitat For Humanity, Community Partners Campus, St. Vincent de Paul and Northern Valley Industries are repurposing some fixtures and other items,” said Kirk Kamke, former Wausau Center manager. “The Greater Wausau Chamber will reuse many of the Christmas decorations in their future location at the historical train depot on Washington Street.”
Wausau River District also has Christmas displays to be reused in the downtown area and the Marathon County Historical Society salvaged some historical images and artifacts.
Once the demolition is complete and the site is deemed secure, the next phase of redevelopment will begin. See recent demolition photos below and watch more demolition videos here.
To stay informed on Downtown Wausau’s revitalization projects, follow us on social media and sign up to receive emails at downtownrefresh.com. For more information about today’s update, email info@downtownrefresh.com.
