Menasha · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Menasha public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
2 Tayco Street restoration instead of demolition
Rather than tear down the storm-damaged oldest commercial building downtown, the city is putting $150,000 toward a private restoration, with the new owner rehabbing it into apartments and commercial space. The city projects about $16,000 a year in new property taxes once complete.
Lawson Canal redevelopment concept
After more than 20 years of discussion, the council approved a concept plan to fill in and redevelop the canal area, potentially with townhouses, a hotel and event venue. It's a blueprint, not a final build-out, but it sets the city's direction for a rare large development site in a landlocked city.
Senior Care Conversion at 1284 Midway Road
The former UW-Fox Cities student apartments can become a supervised senior care facility, addressing a growing need for senior housing.
Downtown Building Incentive Grant Program
Menasha is creating a matching grant program — up to $50,000 at a 1:1 match — to help property and business owners fix up aging downtown buildings in the historic districts. Work could include facades, roofs, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, structural repairs, and ADA upgrades. The idea is to get vacant and underused downtown buildings back into productive use.
Housing market trends
A new market study shows apartments are scarce and incomes are rising faster than housing costs — data the city will use to guide future development decisions.
Q1 Community Development report and redevelopment sites
Staff walked through the quarter's work: the Comprehensive Plan update, Water Street corridor improvements, and key redevelopment sites like the former Whiting Paper Mill and UW-Fox Valley campus.