Civil and Municipal - Mar 2023

25 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 WAUSAU, WISCONSIN Wausau’s Mayor, Katie Rosenberg, and Economic Development Manager, Randy Fifrick, describe their home as a community that offers a unique combination of city and country living in one of Wisconsin’s best locations. Mayor Rosenberg begins, “Wausau is a place of phenomenal natural beauty that occupies a fantastic central location. We sit at a crossroads of two major highways, which allows for convenient travel throughout the area. This alone attracts visitors, commuters, and residents alike.” “What makes them stay, though, is the amazing setting and natural resources embedded into and around our city. For example, we have a world class kayak course that runs right through our downtown district. Rib Mountain State Park is nice and close, which is a wonderful asset for those who enjoy skiing, snowboarding, biking, and hiking. No matter where you are in the city, it really only takes you 10 minutes to get to some sort of outdoor activity or adventure,” she continues. Wausau’s economic development team is currently undergoing a transition, from its traditional focus on job creation, commercial businesses, and industrial infrastructure, to a new emphasis on residential growth. Major projects currently underway at Wausau include 200+ residential apartments along the Wisconsin river, two planned affordable housing ventures, and a mixed-use development in the city’s downtown region. Fifrick shares, “We were very fortunate to have a group of foundations come together and form a partnership with us in support of redeveloping our downtown mall, which was struggling to remain