Sawdust District

The development of the Sawdust District and near south side represents the potential we have as a community to grow. Once the backbone of Oshkosh's brewing and lumber industries, this part of town is looking at a dynamic future. From the Mill on Main project to the riverwalk expansion to the new ThedaCare/Froedert

hospital, I’m excited to see the future of this part of our city take shape. It’s my hope that Mill on Main (first photo) brings a variety of housing options to help address our city’s housing shortage. Public spaces, restaurants, and retail options within the development will drive more foot traffic into the neighborhood while also assisting with tying the Oshkosh Arena in more closely with the rest of town. Additionally, the expanded riverwalk will give the public easier access to any future development on Pioneer Island (whether that be a public space or other form of development) as well as expanded public transport. I’m a runner myself, and I greatly appreciate the riverwalk as a place to exercise without the concern of traffic. 

In terms of background, in 2018 the city formed the Sawdust District Advisory Group and adopted a master plan for the area in 2020. The borders are pictured in the parking map (second photo). The advisory group laid out the goal for the Sawdust District in the master plan.

The dynamic neighborhood is active year-round, providing a variety of experiences for residents and visitors alike. People choose to live in the District due to the great quality of life supported by a diversity of housing options and convenient proximity to amenities, including shopping, lake and riverfront open spaces, trail connections, and a unique industrial heritage. 

Since then, we’ve begun to see some inklings of progress with projects such as the riverwalk extension, Mill on Main, and Miles Kimball building. We also have a thriving Herd team at the Oshkosh Arena. While far from complete, I'd like to look into the future of what else can be done to help the Sawdust District and near south side prosper. One thing I would advocate for is a feasibility study for a Sawdust Business Improvement District (BID for short). This is a collective nonprofit organization that helps maintain the public spaces and promotes the identity of the area and events within it. Oshkosh currently has one BID in the downtown area, and I think a separate BID for the Sawdust District would be beneficial as BIDs help drive a sense of place in a given location - something the Sawdust District Advisory Group points out in the master plan. The BID itself would be independently run and would only receive certain administrative support from city hall. 

A feasibility study could be considered upon the completion of Mill on Main. This would be a team effort together with our partners at the Oshkosh Chamber and Oshkosh Area Economic Development Corporation to talk to neighborhood stakeholders, residents, and businesses to gauge interest in creating a new BID and whether or not it would actually work. My hope is that a BID here would help further define a unique neighborhood that is distinctly Oshkosh.

As always, let me know what you think! Join the conversation by emailing me at jacobforoshkosh@gmail.com or contact me on social media. Photos are from the Sawdust District Master Plan.