The City of Evansville is beginning an important planning effort to reimagine the former Nelson Painting and Washing property at 170 E. Church Street. With support from a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the City will create a Concept Redevelopment Plan to explore land use scenarios and identify an overall vision for the site.
Located just south of E. Main Street near the entryway of the downtown commercial district, the site presents a significant opportunity to strengthen Evansville’s identity, encourage reinvestment, and improve connections between Church Street, Main Street, and surrounding neighborhoods. This site was previously identified within the Allen Creek & North Union Street Redevelopment Master Plan as an opportunity to support long‑range plans for mixed-use development and improved access to Allen Creek.

A Redevelopment concept plan helps communities evaluate underutilized and environmentally-challenged properties and develop an overall vision for the site.
For Evansville, the plan will:
Assess site conditions, environmental factors, and redevelopment constraints
Identify feasible land uses through a market analysis
Create alternative site concepts and one refined preferred concept
Engage the community through workshops, pop‑up events, and online surveys
Outline short‑ and long‑term implementation strategies, including potential funding opportunities
This plan does not make regulatory decisions or determine future construction. Instead, it provides a community‑driven vision and actionable steps to help the City position the site for reinvestment.
Community participation will shape every step of the project. Throughout 2026, residents and stakeholders will be invited to share their input through:
A Stakeholder Visioning Workshop (Thursday, April 16th, 4:30-6:30pm at the VFW Building)
An online Visual Preference Survey
A Preferred Concept Review pop‑up event or public workshop
Check in soon for upcoming public engagement opportunities!

The planning process will occur throughout 2026, with major milestones including:
Project Kickoff & Reuse Assessment: February 2026
Stakeholder Visioning Workshop & Online Survey: April 2026
Alternative Concept Development: Spring–Summer
Public Review of Preferred Concept: June 2026
Draft Plan Completion: July 2026
Final Plan Submission: August 2026