Ambulance service interested in taking over unused space
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
With the approval of a site map and rezoning request at the City of Burlington Plan Commission meeting Tuesday night, at least one portion of the former water department property looks to be leaving the city’s hands.
By unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Plan Commission approved a certified survey map and changing the zoning from M-1, light manufacturing district for the property at 508 Sheldon Street – what used to be City of Burlington Water Department.
Paratech Ambulance will now move into Lot 2 – the former garage and workspace area.
With the water department now housed at the Combined Department of Public Works building, the Sheldon Street building has been vacant for about two years.
City staff planned to have the property sold by 2012, but plans did not materialize. Paratech’s Larry Knuth – vice president of operations – said after Tuesday’s meeting that the company would operate one ambulance and about seven staff out of the building.
“We have been servicing Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington and we certainly want to improve response time for them,” said Knuth. “This allows us to do that.”
Knuth also said that other facilities would benefit from the company establishing a base in Burlington.
Paratech offers paramedic services for most of southeast Wisconsin, including Kenosha, Walworth and Racine counties.
The other two lots – Lot 1 and Lot 3 – aren’t for sale. Lot 1 is an active well house for the city, and Lot 3 is under lease to the Burlington Lions Club.
Mayor Bob Miller said the Sheldon Street parcel was the last of the properties left vacant when the various departments moved to the new building on South Pine Street.
“This will complete that surplus city property,” Miller said.
The plans have been approved for O’Reilly Auto Parts to build on the old Department of Public Works property on Milwaukee Avenue and the property had been sold, but Miller said the city is still waiting to hear on when construction will begin.
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