NEW ERA OF REDEVELOPMENT? The Eau Claire City Council will hear a proposal from the Eau Claire Redevelopment Authority – called the Riverbend Redevelopment District – at its Tuesday, June 9 meeting. The 23-page plan outlines a 10-year timeline which includes the demolition and redevelopment of the shuttered Shopko Plaza and former HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital campus (now privately owned), pictured.

Eau Claire City Council will consider the recently dubbed Riverbend Redevelopment District plan, proposed by the Eau Claire Redevelopment Authority, at its next Legislative meeting on Tuesday, June 9.

Notably, the identified redevelopment area – "(encompassing) a cluster of properties along Clairemont Avenue, Short Street, Hendrickson Drive, West MacArthure Avenue, Stein Boulevard and the Chippewa River"– would would include the shuttered Shokpo Plaza and former HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital campus along Clairemont Avenue. Both sites, under the proposed plan, would be considered for demolition and redevelopment.

The plan (which begins on p. 142 of the June 9 council agenda packet) includes a proposed three-phase timeline, in which blighted properties could be redeveloped and new housing could be of benefit.

In phase one, or in years one to five, identified sites would be demolished and prepared for new builds; in this time period, infrastructure updates, community feedback and more would occur.

In years five to ten, “the emphasis will shift toward construction and activation,” to include new housing development, facilitation of mixed-use and commercial projects and more.

At the 10-year mark and beyond, the focus will be on “full build-out and long-term sustainability,” including the completion of the redevelopment district in its residential, commercial and recreational spaces – as well as completion of riverfront access.

The Riverbend Redevelopment District is identified in the light green-colored map overlay, pictured above, found in the June 9 city council packet.

The Riverbend Redevelopment District plan includes a potential future use map, identified by various color overlays representing opportunities for medium-high density and low-density housing, mixed-use opportunities and more.

On page 14 of the 23-page proposal, estimated costs and a financial framework are shared. The Riverbend Redevelopment District plan suggests public-private investment and a project-by-project financial evaluation. Some funding sources could include Tax Increment Financing (TIF), state and federal grant funds and incentives, private investment among other things.

“The overarching goal of the Riverbend Redevelopment District is to transform underutilized and obsolete properties into a vibrant, mixed-use corridor that supports economic growth, expands housing options, and reconnects the community to the Chippewa River,” the plan reads.

Eau Claire City Council will consider the redevelopment plan during its Tuesday, June 9 meeting beginning at 4pm within City Hall (203 S Farwell St., Eau Claire).

This is a developing story. View the city council packets for Eau Claire City Council's June 8-9 meetings online at  www.eauclairewi.gov/government/city-council.