Growing with the times

Over the course of the last month, readers have probably observed the sudden uptick in work being done on a longtime vacant lot at the southeast corner of the Village of Denmark. For weeks now, crews have been seen moving dirt, removing trees and crushing large rocks to apparently make way for some kind of construction. The activity is part of the expansion of Olympic Village, which is in the process of growing their mobile home community to accommodate more residents. Last week, we spoke to Caleb Morey with the park's ownership firm to learn more.

For decades, Olympic Village has served the Denmark community from their location on South Wall Street with a solution for affordable homes. In its early days in the 1960s, the park consisted of a dozen or so mobile homes along South Wall Street before expanding eastward in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the park expanded further, stretching further east to the dead end seen today located directly south of Our Savior's. Until recently, the park was owned and operated by Dave Gremore who sold the property and business to Ventnor Avenue Housing in 2019. The site is now managed by Schultz Communities based out of Stevens Point.

According to Ventnor’s Caleb Morey, the plans for the current growth of the park go back to the original intentions of the last expansion project in the 1990s which remained unfinished.  He explains the new project was brought about by the need for more affordable housing stating "Denmark has a lot of people moving to enjoy the laid back setting and still be close to Green Bay. With the cost of housing increasing fast, we moved to add options for home buyers in the area."

In order to get the project off the ground, the park's management had to first acquire the necessary land adjacent to their property and get approval from the Village of Denmark for rezoning. In March of last year, the Village Board and Plan Commission approved their request to rezone their new parcels to a Mobile Home Park designation and also helped realign misshaped parcels. Morey says "we cannot say enough wonderful things about the staff working with the village! They are excellent, know what they are doing and have forward thinking project management staff in place."

Morey explained that the expansion project entails the addition of 50 new lots, which would double the size of the park. He says "historically, there has been a high demand for housing in the village" and that they offer "affordable, easy to maintain homes that can fit a lot of budgets". The added homes will all be brand new and will have three or two bedroom options with two bathrooms. Several homes will also have garages. Morey states the homes are built to be "very energy efficient with low maintenance." In addition to the new homes, a park with a playground and some picnic benches for residents to enjoy.

Morey says the project is expected to be nearing completion in 2025, depending on weather delays. For now, crews can be seen working on the parcel each day, moving earth and clearing debris. If you, or anyone you know are interested in learning more about the new homes and when they will be available, please contact Schultz Communities at 715-496-0546.