Neighbors raise concerns about five

Apr 07, 2024

ASHWAUBENON - Two partners want to build and open a 100-room, five story Cambria Hotel on South Oneida Street in time for the 2025 NFL draft in Green Bay.

Acts 1:8 Ministry and JCap Real Estate Development plan to build the hotel and two, standalone commercial buildings on 2.3 acres in the 2100 block of South Oneida Street, just north of Element Way. The site's existing buildings — Acts 1:8 Ministry's offices and Asheville Square commercial strip center — would be demolished to clear space for the new, phased development.

Representatives of Acts 1:8, JCap and Consolidated Construction Co. Inc., the project's designer and general contractor, on Wednesday hosted an informational meeting to unveil plans and discuss the project with neighbors. About 40 residents, business owners and property owners used the event to ask questions and share several concerns about the more detailed project plans, parts of which must be approved by the village before the project can proceed.

Acts 1:8 Ministry owns all four properties, according to Brown County property records, and would retain ownership of the land. Jeff Van Beaver, executive director of Acts 1:8, said redeveloping the site will generate additional revenue to expand the ministry's efforts in the United States and more than 110 countries.

It would co-develop the hotel and commercial spaces with JCap, an Eau Claire-based real estate development and property management company. The firm operates several apartment properties in Eau Claire and Madison, but also has developed rental properties in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Indiana.

The Cambria Hotel would feature 100 rooms, a fitness center, restaurant, swimming pool and rooftop deck with views of Lambeau Field. The first floor would hold amenities and service areas. Floors two through four would be hotel rooms. Floor five would include hotel rooms and the rooftop bar.

The hotel would be accessible via entrances on South Oneida Street and Element Way.

The building's 70-foot height would be nearly double the village's 36-foot height restriction on development along South Oneida Street, so the project first needs approval from the village to exceed the height restrictions. Plans submitted to the village indicate the building would be oriented perpendicular to Oneida Street.

Cambria is a brand, or "flag," owned by Choice Hotels International Inc. Cambria hotels are known for modern design, tech-friendly rooms, spa-inspired bathrooms, fitness centers, and on-site food and drink options that focus on local flavors and craft beers. Cambria has more than 60 properties, three of which are located in the Appleton, Madison and Milwaukee areas.

The hotel would be the first phase of the project.

The two, standalone commercial buildings, each with about 9,000 square feet of space, represent the second phase. Once tenants are lined up for the commercial buildings, then construction would begin.

The hotel project would add to the current hospitality building boom underway in the area.

The 89-room Hampton Inn on Morris Avenue opened earlier this year, bringing the region's total to 4,580 hotel rooms, according to Discover Green Bay. The luxury Legacy Hotel will add another 100 rooms to that tally when it opens this fall.

A multi-building plan to redevelop the De Pere Shopko site includes tentative plans for a hotel, too.

The Green Bay Packers expect about 240,000 people will descend on the Green Bay area for the 2025 NFL draft, which likely will be held in late April, but the dates have not been announced. And while it is not clear how many hotel rooms and short-term rental properties will be needed, regional tourism officials expect demand to stretch from Green Bay down to the Fox Valley, Milwaukee and Madison areas.

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The project partners face a tight timeline in order to open in time for Green Bay to host the 2025 NFL draft.

Site work would begin with demolition of Asheville Square by November or December. The site plans would have to be reviewed and approved by the village before any work could begin. They estimated 12 to 14 months of construction would follow.

Their timeline would enable the Cambria Hotel to have a soft opening just weeks before the Green Bay Packers host the draft in spring 2025.

More on the 2025 NFL draft:Five reasons Green Bay hosting the 2025 NFL draft is 'a really big deal' for Wisconsin

During the hourlong meeting, residents who live across Oneida Street from the site and nearby property owners alike worried that 70 feet would be too tall and would set a precedent for more, taller buildings in the rapidly developing area between Lambeau Field and Bay Park Square.

One resident worried patrons at the rooftop bar would be able to see into their backyard. Others said the hotel would add more traffic to an already-busy corridor. Others worried the bar and restaurant would generate more noise.

Several asked whether the project partners couldn't lower it to four floors, widen the building's footprint on the site, and only build one retail building. The developers said the hotel design and both commercial buildings were necessary to make the development feasible.

Van Beaver said an exodus of businesses has already started from Asheville Square.

A couple of business owners based in Asheville Square attended the meeting, upset that they might only have a month or two to relocate. Tenants who lease space must be given at least 28 days notice.

The project team said a more solid timeline for demolition should emerge in about 3 to 4 weeks.

Van Beaver said the Christian ministry will continue to operate from its current offices at 2145 S. Oneida St. until tenants are identified for the second commercial building.

Once that happens, he said the organization's current home would be demolished. The group hopes it will be able to stay on the site, but said the ministry will continue regardless.

"We could be a part of (the site), but for sure we'll continue as a ministry," Van Beaver said. "If we're not, we'll find another place."

Village committees and the village board are expected to review parts of the project plan this fall. Meeting information can be found at www.ashwaubenon.gov.

The village's Site Plan Review Committee and Planning Commission on Sept. 5 will separately review the Planned Unit Development application for the Cambria Hotel to exceed the 36-foot building height restriction on development along South Oneida Street. The Village Board would then hold a public hearing for any comments on the request before taking action on it.

If the Village Board approves the request, the developers would then need to submit more detailed site plans that would then go through a similar review process later this fall.

The timeline for village committees to consider the plans could change.

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.