Old firehouse could become home to Waukesha Housing Authority

Published on: 10/14/2009

Waukesha — A former firehouse that later served as storage space for Waukesha's parks and forestry operations would become headquarters for the Waukesha Housing Authority under a proposal set to go to the Common Council on Tuesday.

The housing authority offered to pay $175,000 for the 5,828-square-foot one-story block structure at 600 Arcadian Ave. It would invest about $425,000 to $450,000 to gut and refurbish the building, according to information presented to the Finance Committee this week.

The property had been appraised at $400,000, but several interested buyers found needed repairs too costly to proceed, according to Steve Crandell, the city's director of community development.

Dave Cappon, executive director of the Housing Authority, said the building would allow his agency to consolidate their administrative offices, maintenance facility and Section 8 Voucher federal rent subsidy program staff by late spring of next year. Currently the housing authority's office space is spread out in four two-bedroom apartments on the ground floor of Saratoga Heights senior high-rise housing near Frame Park. Long-range plans have for more than a decade called for converting the two-bedroom apartments into one-bedroom units that are fully wheelchair accessible for the physically disabled.