Lawrence University, 2 health care providers aim to join Fox Commons in downtown Appleton

APPLETON - Lawrence University, Mosaic Family Health and Prevea Health will be three anchor tenants in Fox Commons, the $33.6 million redevelopment of City Center Plaza in downtown Appleton.

The news comes two days before the Common Council is scheduled to vote on providing nearly $4.4 million in public funds to support the redevelopment.

The money would be funded through Tax Incremental Financing District 11 and would be paid over time — estimated at 15 years — as sufficient property taxes on the new development are collected.

"The new Fox Commons will draw a significant influx of visitors and residents and help bolster the downtown economy," co-developers Dark Horse Development and The Boldt Co. said in a news release.

Lawrence University will offer housing for upper-level students

Lawrence University will expand its student housing options by adding 190 beds in Fox Commons, which was the Avenue Mall before it became City Center Plaza.

"The Fox Commons development will allow Lawrence to create a living-learning community unlike anything we have done in the past," Lawrence President Laurie Carter said. "For seniors and perhaps some juniors who desire to live off campus, it allows the blending of apartment-style living with the opportunity for collaboration and mentorship with the partner organizations."

Shared spaces within Fox Commons will enable students who are pursuing business, entrepreneurship and pre-health majors to study and work alongside organizations in their fields of study.

"We're excited to see how interactions in a community such as this will bolster student engagement and foster greater academic success while offering new housing options for our upper-level students," Carter said.

More: Appleton police use force 70 times in 2022, with most incidents occurring downtown

More: Appleton library project gains momentum with release of new architectural images

Federal funds help with relocation of Mosaic Family Health

The Post-Crescent previously reported that Mosaic Family Health will relocate its practice at 229 S. Morrison St. to Fox Commons to enhance services and expand its urgent care capabilities. The Morrison property is sought by U.S. Venture for its new corporate headquarters.

Mosaic received more than $7.7 million through the American Rescue Plan Act to help fund the relocation and expansion of its clinic.

"Mosaic's new home within this revitalized space in the center of our city has been long in the making," Mosaic Executive Director Lee Vogel said. "The goodwill and expertise of the partners — Dark Horse and Boldt — along with the generosity of a federal ARPA grant from the state of Wisconsin, make it possible for Mosaic to create a state-of-the-art facility to enhance and expand its services, integrate with other agencies and collaboratively improve the health of our community."

Vogel said Mosaic's owners, Ascension and ThedaCare, look forward to Mosaic’s new home and the benefit it will have on training resident family physicians at the Fox Valley Family Medicine Residency, the clinic's educational partner.

Prevea's new location will be its third in the Fox Cities

Prevea Health will offer physical therapy, health and wellness services and behavioral care including counseling and psychiatric consultations at Fox Commons. The new location will be Prevea’s third in the Fox Cities, in addition to health centers in Grand Chute and Appleton.

"We take great pride in caring for our communities and look forward to offering the Fox Valley greater access to our high-quality medical care, focusing on mind and body, with our new and upcoming location in downtown Appleton," Prevea President and CEO Ashok Rai said.

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Click to see The Post-Crescent's special offers at postcrescent.com/subscribe and download our app on the App Store or Google Play.

Fox Commons will serve as downtown gateway

Fox Commons, 10 E. College Ave., will total 180,000 square feet and is designed to serve as an urban hub of activity and a gateway between the downtown and the neighborhood north of College Avenue.

The redevelopment is estimated to cost $33.6 million, but the city assessor estimates the assessed value of the completed project will be $17.3 million.

The difference between the construction costs and the assessed value is due primarily to a 35,000-square-foot condominium that will be owned by Mosaic, a nonprofit, tax-exempt entity.

If the $4.4 million in public assistance is approved by the council, Dark Horse and Boldt would buy the property in July and begin redevelopment shortly thereafter.

Alex Brewer, vice president of real estate at Boldt, said a majority of the work would be finished by summer 2024.

Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton: Fox Commons tenants include Prevea Health, Lawrence University