‘Boutique hotel’ planned in former downtown pharmacy building

The Prescott City Council had a few people speak against a couple items proposed in recent weeks at its meeting Monday night.

The first speaker attacked the city plan approved at its last meeting to offer for sale the historic building that houses the Welcome and Heritage Center and the Prescott Area Chamber of Commerce to one of those organizations for $1.

The rationale in the vote of council members was that taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for costly maintenance improvements and repairs needed at the building.

“Why would the city want to give it away for $1?” Todd Langenfeld asked. “The idea of taking an asset like that and giving it away for $1… I’ll give you $2.”

Langenfeld said the building is a city holding, and it would be irresponsible to just give it away.

“It’s asinine, just asinine,” he said. “You got a $600,000 grant to try to do the river downtown, and not you want to get rid of one of the nicest oldest building in the state of Wisconsin for a dollar,” he said. “It doesn’t pass muster. I just don’t get it.”

Mayor David Hovel directed Langenfeld to city administrator Jayne Brand for a list of necessary projects at the Welcome and Heritage Center building. He indicated the matter could be reconsidered.

“From there we’ll have to think about it and see if we want to put it back on the agenda,” Hovel said.

Langenfeld said the building dates back to the mid-1800s.

“That building was built when Abe Lincoln was a senator,” he said.

See PRESCOTT, Page 3 From there, the city heard two people opposed to a subdivision plan for a development south of Joy Lutheran Church.

That proposal drew petitions from neighbors when it was discussed earlier this year. The planned unit development would have had 55 homes on smaller lot sizes than are allowed in typical residential zoning.

The site is located between Monroe Street and Borner Street with Filkins Street snaking through from Borner to St. Croix Street. The new plan calls for 19 twin homes to be developed with 15 feet between homes in much of the area. On the opposite side of the street there would be 23 single family homes. There would be a total of 61 homes there now.

At a plan commission meeting last week, it was asked for a sidewalk to be added along Filkins Street, and that was done and initial plans didn’t show Filkins Street going all the way to St. Croix Street.

Developer mark Sylla would build all the twin homes, and single family home lots would be sold to other builders.

Jim Baker, 544 Linn St., questioned at plan commission the size of the lots and felt that the development is too dense for the overall site.

He echoed those sentiments to the city council.

“What I have a conflict with is the density,” he said.

He said the two-family homes could be developed, not just so many or so close together.

“I don’t’ think we have anything like this in this town,” he said, noting that at 15 feet from building to building, “they’re crammed together.”

Joe Block, 158 Monroe St., agreed, noting that he feared a development like this when the plan commission and city council allowed the zoning to be changed from residential to planned unit development.

“My fear from the get-go was why did they want to change the zoning?” he asked. “My fear all along was this, so they can pack a bunch of stuff in it. The developer is going to make way more money if they pack a bunch of stuff in it.”

He said those fears come to fruition in this plan.

“Sure as heck they had suddenly changed the plan and are packing in very tight duplexes,” he said.

He said the homes in the proposal “are packed in like rats.” He urged the city to work with the developers to “make it a nice place for the people that live here and the people that live around it.”

The development was on the council agenda just for review of the plan, and Hovel was pleased that there is now a throughroad in the development and that a sidewalk has been added. Council member Galen Seipel noted that he believes that some lots in the development should be made larger to blend in better with other nearby developments.

At plan commission, it was pointed out that the twin homes would be built on slabs and would be 1,562 square feet and sell in the low $270,000-range. Hovel pointed out at that meeting that the city is limited on where it can grow and that residential development is necessary.

The matter heads back to plan commission for a more thorough analysis of site plan and would still need final ratification by the council before development occurs.

The council also looked at plans to turn the former Most Pharmacy, 201 Broad St. N. to a five-room boutique hotel. The plan would call for the interior of the building to be demolished and rebuilt. The project will need state approved plans. Parking was one concern, but Langer said she is seeking to buy a parcel of land behind the building.

Hovel pointed out at the council meeting that there is street parking on Orange Street and that with only five units, it shouldn’t cause much of a parking problem.

Developer Megan Langer said they’d like to have the building completed in three-four months.

“The plan commission told them it was a good idea and to move forward with it,” Hovel reported to the council.

Council members agreed.