Green Bay's new park along the Fox River takes shape. Dog park, more coming in 2025

GREEN BAY — Green Bay's newest riverfront park is a hidden gem right now, but won't be for long.

South Broadway motorists and passersby might see the longtime industrial buildings, the CN rail line and overgrown brush, but they conceal the new park and its unobstructed views of the Fox River as it shimmers in the fall sunlight. Walk beneath the Mason Street bridge, though, and a white concrete path beckons pedestrians north into The Shipyard, Green Bay's new promenade and riverfront park.

Contractors should complete the first phase of recreation amenities this month, and the city of Green Bay hopes to mark with a small celebration on the long-vacant, undeveloped site, said Matt Buchanan, the city's deputy director of community and economic development.

Completion of the first phase of improvements represents a major step forward after eight years of trying to redevelop the Shipyard Redevelopment Area, but as Buchanan hinted, there's a lot more public and private development coming to the area soon. A Green Bay Parks official sees a more expansive version of the CityDeck taking shape in the space, one that benefits from a little more space beyond the river's edge.

"The setting is what makes it most special, but phase two and three amenities will really set it apart from other public spaces in northeastern Wisconsin," Buchanan said.

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A 'second-generation CityDeck' on Green Bay's west side

The Shipyard Redevelopment Area is a roughly 16-acre site east of Broadway and north of the Mason Street bridge that's long been owned by Green Bay's Redevelopment Authority. About half the site will become public park and recreation spaces while the rest of the site is privately developed.

It's taken nearly a decade for the city to get this far, but the first phase of work reminds James Andersen, assistant director of the Green Bay Parks Department, of another wildly popular downtown park.

"It's like a second generation CityDeck on steroids. (CityDeck) was a big impetus for reinvestment in downtown," Andersen said. "We have something to look forward to for years to come. There are great views, it's a unique space and we're activating the water."

Buchanan said future improvements will only build on those assets.

"This is only the beginning," said Buchanan.

Phase one: Start at the Fox River

Buchanan said the three phases of planned improvements in The Shipyard start in and along the Fox River, and will slowly work their way west toward South Broadway.

The first phase included shoreline restoration/preservation work, construction of the multimodal path and addition of an accessible fishing pier that juts out over the Fox River. The pathway wraps around the inlet at the center of the Shipyard property and connects walkways to the floating dock and accessible kayak launch installed in the inlet. The floating dock has space for several boats to dock.

Yellow trash and blue recycling cans dot the pathway as do blue and yellow metal tables, chairs and swings. There are bike racks and modern lighting along the length of the path.

Buchanan also noted phase one included sustainability enhancements in the water and on the shore. Crews installed a small floating island in the inlet that will attract fish and birds. Pervious pavers in parts of the multimodal path allow stormwater to seep through the bricks and into a drainage system on the site that filters out sediment and phosphorus before it's discharged into the Fox River.

"It will improve the quality of the Fox River and help with habitat," Buchanan said.

What's next? Dog park, great lawn, splash pad and more

While construction crews will complete phase one in the weeks ahead, Buchanan said the city's Redevelopment Authority is poised to hire Ayers Associates to prepare engineering and construction plans for phase two in order to start work by August 2025.

The city, with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin's help, secured a $5 million Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant from the National Park Service to help pay for phase two plans with the rest of the $10 million estimated cost covered by tax incremental financing (TIF) or additional grants.

Buchanan said the second phase plans include a great lawn for events, an 8,200-square-foot dog park, an urban beach with sand volleyball courts, a new playground that incorporates universal design, a fitness area, a facilities building with bathrooms and a unique splash pad on the southern part of the site. He said the city is drawing inspiration from urban, public spaces like Toronto's Sugar Beach Park and Maggie Daley Park in Chicago in order to create something truly unique in the region.

"The splash pad and playground won't be out of a catalog," Buchanan said.

How do I get to The Shipyard? Where can I park?

The first phase included construction of a temporary parking lot on the site along the southern edge of the property. That lot will open once the park construction is complete in the weeks ahead.

On-street parking is available on Broadway, Arndt and Pearl streets, as well.

The second phase of construction will add three pedestrian railroad crossings to improve pedestrian access to the site from South Broadway. Phase two also will create additional parking beneath the Mason Street bridge overpass.

More than 400 apartments in development to complement Green Bay's Shipyard recreation investments

While the city will improve the southern half of the Shipyard Area, private development on the northern half of the site will help generate new property tax dollars to pay off the city's public investments.

Iowa-based Merge Urban Development plans to start construction before the year ends on the first phase of a three-building, 225-unit apartment development on the site north of the inlet. The first phase will add 109 apartments in two buildings, some first-floor retail space, and 45 tenant parking spaces. The second phase of development will add a third apartment building and additional parking.

Green Bay also is working with Milwaukee-based General Capital on a development plan to redevelop the former Badger Sheet Metal site west of South Broadway into a mixed-use development with at least 200 housing units and a new Green Bay Metro Fire Department headquarters and central city station house.

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com . Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier .

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay's new park along the Fox River takes shape. Dog park, more coming in 2025