The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, July 10, at the construction site, 1039 Ellis St. A rain date has been set for Tuesday, July 14. (Metro Wire photo)

Stevens Point to hold ceremonial groundbreaking for new City Hall

By Brandi Makuski

STEVENS POINT — Site preparation is already underway for Stevens Point’s new City Hall, but city officials will gather this week for a ceremonial groundbreaking to officially mark the beginning of a project decades in the making.

The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, July 10, at the construction site, 1039 Ellis St. A rain date has been set for Tuesday, July 14.

Mayor Mike Wiza said crews have already begun grading the site to keep the project on schedule for completion around July 1, 2027.

“They asked if we needed to be groundbreaking before they started breaking, and I’m like, ‘No,'” Wiza said. “This is only going to be ceremonial.”

The event will be intentionally simple, featuring brief remarks from city officials, the project’s architect and contractor before participants take turns with ceremonial shovels.

“We’re not having snacks. We’re not setting up a tent,” Wiza said with a laugh. “The bigger deal is going to be the ribbon cutting.”

Wiza said invitations were sent primarily to those directly involved in planning and constructing the project, along with city officials and several community leaders.

Among those invited are members of the Stevens Point Common Council, former Portage County Executive John Pavelski, former County Board Chairman Ray Reser — both were “intricately involved in getting the project to happen,” Wiza said — state Rep. Vinnie Miresse, Sen. Patrick Testin, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Chancellor Robert Brinkmann, Mid-State Technical College President Shelly Mondeik, Planning Commission members, Portage County Historical Society President John Harry, city department directors and representatives from Somerville and MIRON Construction.

The ceremony will include remarks from Wiza, Community Development Director Jarod Kivela, MIRON Construction President and Chief Operating Officer Tim Kippenhan and Somerville President and project architect Matt Schachtner before participants ceremonially turn the first shovels of dirt.

“This project has been decades in the making and will ultimately save the taxpayers of Portage County millions when compared to building a new courthouse,” Wiza said in a statement. “It will also make city operations more efficient from a logistical standpoint and a sustainable one. City residents will have a more functional City Hall with space to grow for the next 100 years.”

Parking for the ceremony will be available adjacent to the construction site or near Beth Israel Synagogue, 1425 Water St. The event is open to the public.