GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A downtown building in a historic district has been given a “demolition by neglect” declaration.
After a vote from the city’s Landmarks Commission, 402 Dousman Street is the second property Green Bay has ever given this designation.
The property, which is one door off the busy intersection of Dousman and Broadway, is believed to have sat empty for at least 15 years. Plastic has covered the window openings for at least the past two years.
“Demolition by neglect” can only be used on a property in a historic district and provides the city the ability to make repairs necessary for the building’s safety at the property owner’s expense.
The commission first discussed the issue in June, but provided the property owner two months to try to make progress on a list of issues the city says needs to be fixed.
City officials say they have not seen necessary progress and the property owner is being issued reinspection fees three times a week as a result.
Michael Schwantes, the registered agent for the LLC that owns 402 Dousman Street, says a contractor has been hired to install windows.
“It’s not unstable,” said Schwantes. “I’ve had engineers, architects tell me that.”
Schwantes says three contractors have “serious interest” in purchasing the building. He says the pizza restaurant moving into the former Chefusion building next door has also expressed interest.
The approximately 120-year-old building is listed for sale at $350,000. That is down from $425,000 in June.
The city approved window replacements in February 2024. That approval lapsed, was reapproved in April 2025, extended and lapsed again at the end of June. The city also provided a $52,500 facade grant for the work, which has expired too.
The city only issued one citation related to the property, despite the building sitting empty for about 15 years and eight documented complaints about it.
Schwantes, whose group has owned the building for 17 years, has said the building has been used for storage.
According to a city memo, the city plans to prepare a letter for the property owner detailing a forthcoming repair order as a result of the neglect designation. The city plans to work on a plan with the owner to “save the structure.”
