OSHKOSH – The prospective buyer of one of the City Center lots has been interested in the building for quite some time.
Ripon-based company Accurate Controls has seemingly had its eyes set on City Center for at least eight months, with owner, president and CEO TJ Rogers having toured the building from as early as October.
Sources with knowledge of the situation revealed Rogers physically explored the site alongside a full team of architects, engineers and planners several months before the city finally agreed to acquire the 17-acre riverfront property for $12.5 million.
That tour appeared to have occurred in the same month Common Council first went into closed session to discuss buying City Center.
Calls, emails and messages to Rogers — not to be mistaken for billionaire entrepreneur T.J. Rodgers — were not immediately returned.
Is Rogers investing further in Oshkosh?
Further investigations revealed that Rogers has owned a house in Oshkosh since 2023, with multiple sources informing the Northwestern of possible plans to also buy the nearby BMO Harris Bank building at 50 Pearl Ave.
That acquisition would assist with the expansion of Opera House Square as part of the city’s grand downtown redevelopment plans.
According to sources, the acquisitions would follow a similar path set by Rogers’ late father Tom, who is widely credited for the revival of downtown Ripon.
Called an “angel on Earth” by a Ripon business owner, Tom Rogers is said to have bought, rehabbed and sold around 30 distressed downtown Ripon properties to preserve the city’s rich architectural history.
Does the city have a similar plan for Oshkosh’s downtown?
The city officially drafted a Downtown Redevelopment Plan of its own in 2024 centered on the potential acquisition of City Center for mixed-use development including green space, commercial uses and outdoor dining.
That plan also points to maintaining the existing 4imprint building at 101 Commerce St. — the lot Accurate Controls is now expected to purchase from the city.
Common Council then went into a long series of closed sessions beginning from last October before finally involving the public through a community survey in March and last month’s public open house meeting.
The city eventually agreed to a $12.5 million purchase agreement, drawing the public’s ire after officials repeatedly said there is no concrete plan in place for the $17 million property.
Multiple sources with intimate knowledge revealed the city hopes to secure a letter of intent from Accurate Controls within a matter of weeks in an agreement anticipated to be upwards of $4 million for what is thought to be 30% of the total City Center property.
Those sources also suggested that Accurate Controls may want the city to spend further money to either rehab or raze the parking ramp at City Center.
What is Accurate Controls?
Founded in 1982 by Tom Rogers, Accurate Controls integrates electronic security systems, specializing in the corrections market like courthouses, prisons, police departments and treatment centers.
As of May, the company had more than 40 employees and designed security systems for more than 200 correctional facilities including state prison Milwaukee Secure Detention Center and the Waukesha County Justice Center.
Despite being based in Ripon, Accurate Controls is reportedly looking to have new offices, labs and light manufacturing facilities at the 4imprint building in a possible expansion that could lead to hundreds of new jobs.
What happens next?
According to the purchase agreement, the city is now in a period of due diligence to evaluate the properties for things like a structural analysis and Phase II environmental testing.
The effective closing date is listed as Sept. 30, but the agreement gives the city leeway to extend to Dec. 30.
The city has agreed to pay down $225,000 but will be reimbursed that “earnest money” if it opts out.
Why did the city acquire City Center?
City staff contends that the property is central to a larger Downtown Redevelopment Plan as prime riverfront property with the potential for mixed-use developments.
The city’s information page regarding City Center lists its reasons as:
What is the city’s timeline?
Oshkosh Community Development Director Sara Rutkowski previously said the entire development likely wouldn’t be actualized for another six to 10 years.
Assuring the tax levy will not be used, the city said it doesn’t have any proposed funding models but revealed it will likely take on some debt while looking at Tax Increment Financing and state and federal grants.
Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Accurate Controls owner toured City Center from as early as October
Reporting by Justin Marville, Oshkosh Northwestern / Oshkosh Northwestern
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Justin Marville, Oshkosh Northwestern | USA TODAY Network
