April 24, 2023 at 12:16 p.m.
Minocqua ad hoc committee tours Wisconsin Dells J1 housing facility
Westfahl: 'Almost like a dorm-style deal'
By Brian Jopek-bjopek@lakelandtimes.com
The purpose was to look into what had been done there to address housing needs for that area's seasonal J1 visa students who are employed by various businesses.
"We went there half a day and they gave us a full tour," ad hoc committee member Krystal Westfahl said. "It was a fantastic meeting. We were able to see what their J1/visa housing complex looks like. It's very much like a hostel but with really great amenities."
As she spoke, Westfahl provided handouts from construction contractor Holtz Builders, which built the J1 housing facility in Wisconsin Dells.
"It's almost like a dorm-style deal," she said of the structure. "What I thought was most impressive was actually afterwards when we did the full presentation and saw sort of the breadth of different opportunities that they actually have in building these types of buildings."
Westfahl said whatever might be built in a place like Minocqua for its seasonal J1/visa workers "doesn't have to be just a J1/visa campus."
"There are opportunities they can build mixed-type housing opportunities, all on the same parcel of land," she said of Holtz Builders.
Westfahl said she and Lakeland Times publisher Gregg Walker, who also made the trip, thought that was "exactly what we need."
"We need little bit of everything and we need all those ... bells and whistles but the name of the game is we wish to provide essentially 10 acres, maybe a little less, and do some tax abatement to have them (Holtz) come here," Westfahl said. "And they're interested."
Bob Jaskolski, chief executive officer for Trig's, said Holtz would manage a facility built in Minocqua.
"It is a for-profit center," he said of the Wisconsin Dells J1 housing structure. "They've got this thing really down to a science."
He said Trig's, which relies heavily on J1 workers in the summer months and provides housing for them, would have to make some adjustments "based on what we had seen."
"Krystal pointed out," Jaskolski said. "These guys (Holtz) do this around the country. They have it figured out. They really do and what I took away from that is they have this so dialed in and figured out, that anybody interested in doing this, they can contact these guys. They know the space these folks need, what needs to go in a room, secure it, all the pieces that go for it."
He said while it's for profit, Holtz would be willing to take less on a return "because it's the right thing to do for the community."
"They need the town's help to make the product work," he added.
"What sort of tax abatement are they looking for?" ad hoc committee member and Minocqua town supervisor Brian Fricke asked.
"That's all ... whatever we can offer them," Westfahl said.
Brian Jopek may be reached via email at bjopek@lakelandtimes.com.
Comments:
You must login to comment.