Request for Proposals - Land Acquisition and Development in Rusk County

Rusk County, Wisconsin, is soliciting proposals for the purchase or long-term lease of approximately 12.74 acres located at 900 and 906 College Avenue in Ladysmith, situated west of State Highway 27 between College Avenue and the Flambeau River. The county seeks development proposals that maximize the property's value and use potential while preserving its natural, recreational, and historical character, with the site formerly housing a nursing home and hospital facility that was demolished in late 2023/early 2024. Respondents must submit comprehensive proposals including preliminary site and building plans, a development team with relevant experience, project timeline, financial strategy with funding sources, and documentation of similar completed projects. Acceptable development concepts include retail, hotel/tourism uses, housing/residential development, recreation, green space, and designs incorporating historically relevant elements. The RFP was published on April 15, 2024, with a deadline for questions on June 21, 2024, and proposals due by 5:00 PM on July 12, 2024, with internal reviews scheduled for July 2024, potential interviews in August 2024, and final selection anticipated in August or September 2024, with projected construction in 2025.

The county welcomes proposals from various development entities, with no specific set-aside designations mentioned in the documentation. An April 2024 appraisal valued the six vacant parcels at $830,000 total, with individual parcel valuations ranging from $70,000 to $305,000, and respondents are required to include a potential acquisition price in their proposal. The property is located within Tax Incremental Districts #9 and #13, which offer potential development incentives including infrastructure improvements, public facility enhancements, and potential developer subsidies based on feasibility analysis. Proposals must include agreements on indemnification, acceptance of the property "as-is," and acknowledgment of cost-sharing for due diligence and permitting at the purchaser's expense. The surrounding area features commercial development with nearby anchor tenants like Marshfield Clinic Health Systems and Walmart, and the site benefits from municipal water, sewer, natural gas, electricity, and telephone utilities. The City of Ladysmith's comprehensive plan supports mixed-use and commercial development within this district, and the property is not located within a 100-year flood hazard area.