Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
R&R Recycling has turned downed an offer from the city to purchase the property and relocate the business to the Shawano industrial park, according to city officials.
The city had offered to purchase the property at 123 E. Elizabeth St. for $40,000 — a “relocation incentive” that would be funded through the city’s Tax Incremental Finance district, City Administrator Brian Knapp said.
In exchange, R&R Recycling would have been given a parcel of up to 3 acres in the industrial park at no cost, and would put up a facility that would constitute roughly $500,000 in improvements to the site.
Knapp said last month he was expecting the deal would go through, though R&R Recycling owner Rich Belongia said at the time he was not yet committed to it.
Knapp said the city was looking at a use for the property that would be “more appropriate for the downtown area.”
He said the city’s industrial and commercial development committee felt that it would be “good to remove that activity from that area.”
Knapp said Belongia was granted a conditional use permit for the recycling business two or three years ago when the property was in a general industrial zoning district.
The city has since updated its zoning code and the property is now in what is intended to be a “redevelopment district,” Knapp said.
Other uses that were being considered for the property included additional parking for Memorial Park or a dog park, building inspector Brian Bunke said.
Bunke said Belongia gave no reason for turning down the offer.
Belongia could not be reached for comment.
The business had been shut down since late July when the building was struck by a semi and suffered structural damage.
According to R&R Recycling’s Facebook page, repairs have been completed and the business was expected to re-open Tuesday.
Belongia, who unsuccessfully ran for Shawano mayor during the primary race earlier this year, had been at odds with the city for several years over fencing issues at the property.
However, those issues were resolved earlier this year, Bunke said, and the business is in compliance with city codes.