The Menomonie Virtual Spec Building is Fast, Convenient & Affordable

The Menomonie Virtual Spec Building is Western Wisconsin’s answer to businesses looking for fast development times, interstate and rail access, and close proximity to the Twin Cities, Chicago and other major metropolitan areas. “By offering the Virtual Spec Building, we have done all the heavy lifting. We can have a new building ready to occupy in as little as 6 months,” said Daniel Ostermann, SVP of BMO Harris Bank and past-president of Momentum West. 

Located within a rapidly growing industrial park, the site is adjacent to  Anderson Windows, Brown Strauss steel company, Bills Distributing and the Ellsworth Creamery. Created at the suggestion of site selectors, the virtual spec building is an attractive opportunity for businesses looking to grow in West Central Wisconsin and the greater Midwest. 

Menomonie Virtual Spec Building: Location Advantages

In addition to being able to build and occupy the space within six months, businesses have the advantage of close proximity to major markets with the affordability offered by West Central Wisconsin. This strategic location along I-94 offers access to Chicago and is between Eau Claire (the regional hub for hundreds of miles) and the Twin Cities. Once in Eau Claire businesses can access I-29 to get to Green Bay. Other location advantages include:

• CSX rail access connecting to the main Union Pacific line that goes into the Twin Cities
• Site is certified by the state
• All the public and private infrastructure is in place, including fiber.
• The architectural work is complete, including the HVAC systems and electrical.
• The site is strategically located to serve a number of Midwest markets.
  • 32 miles to Eau Claire, WI
  • 71 miles to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
  • 200 miles to Madison, WI
  • 210 miles to Green Bay, WI
  • 268 miles to Milwaukee, WI
  • 302 miles to Sioux Falls, SD
  • 305 miles to Des Moines, IA
  • 305 miles to Fargo, ND
  • 340 miles to Chicago, IL

Financial Advantages of Locating in Menomonie Industrial Park

The site falls within a Tax Increment District allowing the City of Menomonie the flexibility on how project sites are conveyed to new or expanding businesses. Though the current asking price is $45,000 an acre, the city can write down the cost of the land to as little as one dollar, with the final price being based on the number of jobs created or retained, the type of project, construction materials, finished market value of the building and the overall impact on the community. Additional TIF incentives could be offered to offset costs associated with work outside of the building shell and is based on the same factors. “If an industrial user came to town and was creating sustainable wages, they would have a lot of options and incentives available to them,” said Seth Hudson, Economic Developer for the City of Menomonie and Director Economic & Strategic Development for Cedar Corporation.

Building Details

The virtual spec building is 31,040 square feet with room for an additional 27,397 square foot expansion on 4.5 acres. The pre-engineered structure has an attractive glass and concrete facade, 3 loading docks, 2 overhead doors at grade, main floor and mezzanine-level office space, conference rooms, break rooms and access to the production area. The building also has a full fire suppression system and HVAC within the design. On site, there is room for 31 parking spaces and easy access for large trucks. Currently, the estimated cost to construct is $2,205,000. 

Explore Menomonie & the Menomonie Virtual Spec Building

Seth Hudson and Daniel Ostermann are confident that now is the right time to invest in Menomonie. “This part of Menomonie has a lot of development happening because it’s a state certified site on I-94. We have a 180 acre site with all the utilities and retention pond in place with known companies like Anderson Windows and Brown Strauss expanding here,” said Hudson.  Ostermann added, “Our community has so many beautiful attributes and a proven history of welcome investments into our industrial parks without the barriers to entry that other communities often have. We remain ‘Traditional yet Progressive’.” 

To view a rendering of Menomonie’s virtual spec building watch this video developed[SH1]  by the Greater Menomonie Development Corporation. “Our first generation of the Virtual Spec Building was completed three years ago. Since then the site in which the Virtual Spec Building was located has sold - a sign of the growth taking place in the Menomonie Industrial Park. As a result, we moved the virtual spec building to an adjacent site and have used improved technology to create a new video to promote it. We are very proud of the second generation Virtual Spec Building,” said Ostermann.

Click here for more details and to explore the incentives that may be available to your company.