Grant could aid effort to create park in Waubeka

Ozaukee County officials this week will look at obtaining state funds to assess whether the Waubeka Mill and Button Factory on the Milwaukee River qualify as a brownfield site.

Supervisors on the county Natural Resources Committee will consider submitting a request to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., for a $150,000 brownfield site assessment grant. 

The Fredonia Town Board last month authorized Town Chairman Chris Janik to execute an intergovernmental agreement between the town and Ozaukee County so they can work together on demolition of the buildings and give the parcels to the county.

The Town Board in June approved the plan to exercise its power of eminent domain to take both properties from Charles Sheridan and his son.

The town’s plan is to give the properties to the county, which would convert them into a park.

On Tuesday, County Planning and Parks Director Andrew Struck said the county is still negotiating with the town, the Sheridans and the state Department of Natural Resources on the transfer via eminent domain.

“Both the Waubeka Mill and Button Factory buildings are dilapidated and are non-conforming structures,” that are located in a flood hazard zone, don’t meet setback requirements and haven’t been in use for more than 12 months, Struck said in a memo to the committee.

They “would not be buildable under any circumstances,” he said.

The grant would help pay for investigating environmental contamination, demolition of the buildings, removal of abandoned containers, asbestos abatement activities and removal of underground storage tanks, including petroleum product storage tanks, according to Struck’s memo.

“An underground storage tank on the Waubeka Mill parcel was previously identified and remediated, however, residual groundwater and soil contamination is still present on the property and additional investigation (sampling and analysis) is required if soil is removed or disturbed,” according to the memo. 

Matching funds totaling $30,000 are required, bringing the total cost to $180,000.

Those funds could come from the county’s capital project fund, Struck suggested.

Project costs are based on demolition estimates provided in a recent appraisal, Struck said.

County Administrator Jason Dzwinel has said the county wants to have the structures taken down to allow public access to the Milwaukee River.

Sheridan bought the Button Factory in a 1990 auction from Ozaukee County. He bought the mill in 2019 for $1,000, later turning it over to his son.

Sheridan has been trying to turn the buildings into a number of businesses or residences for the past several years without success.

The mill has asbestos, a cracked foundation and a roof that is in need of repairs.

Plans for the Button Factory, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, have fallen through since it doesn’t meet setback requirements.