MARSHFIELD – During its Sept. 9 meeting, the Marshfield City Council voted down a request for qualifications (RFQ) draft for the current Weinbrenner facility, in order to further revise its language.
“Back in October of 2024, we did meet with the CDA (community development authority) jointly in this room and approved a request for qualifications, an RFQ, if you will, to be sent out to interested parties for redeveloping the current Weinbrenner facility, which they will be vacating in early 2026,” Marshfield City Administrator Steve Barg recalled.
“We did end up, from the RFQ, selecting companies to interview. Interviews were conducted. We ultimately chose to go with Jeffers from the Milwaukee area; kind of started down that road with them in early 2025 and after some discussions — including several council discussions, open and closed — about the project.
“Council, on Aug. 12, came out of closed session and voted not to pursue working with Jeffers anymore, but rather to do another RFP, and that's what it's referred to in the minutes, as a request for proposals. I would suspect that the correct term that we wanted is request for qualifications.
“That's a ton of work for companies to do when they really don't know if they even have a foot in the door with a community to work with, and you're not likely to see those.
“So, we're looking for a company who has the wherewithal and the understanding of our project to want to move forward and be our firm, to work with to get this done.”
Barg went over the revised changes from the first RFQ that would help clarify what the council was looking for, “Namely, first and foremost, the Jeffers proposal focused on either being entirely affordable housing or largely affordable housing, with perhaps up to 20% market rate units; but, basically, an affordable housing project. Council has made clear that they want to see market rate and above, and they'd like to see mixed-use components, like light retail, commercial, those kinds of things,” he explained.
“One of the things, council made it very clear they want to see this tie to the West Second Street redevelopment plan in a meaningful way. In other words, it's the first piece of what we're hoping to accomplish going west of the intersection of Chestnut and Second — that area.”
Council members requested further changes to the draft wording, and the vote failed 1-9, with Brian Giles the lone “aye” vote.
Barg will work with the city’s consultant to make the requested changes in wording and bring the RFQ back to the council for review/approval.
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