HomeMy WebLinkAboutHooper - ARPA Funding ApplicationCity of Oshkosh ARPA Funding Applicaon
for Hooper Community Center
1. Project Outline
Hooper Community Center is a longstanding 501 (c)(3) community-based organizaon located
at 36 Broad Street which has served as a home to the administrave offices of dozens of
Oshkosh nonprofit human service organizaons since 1956. As a mul-tenant commercial
landlord, Hooper Community Center absorbs all energy and water ulity, maintenance, snow
removal, cleaning, and security costs to keep rent prices low for its tenants so they can focus on
delivering basic human needs to Oshkosh area residents.
The nearly 140-year-old building is outdated and in need of improvements. Following a number
of vacancies in its offices from tenants during and in the a3ermath of the Covid-19 pandemic,
the board of directors for Hooper Community Center developed a property enhancement
campaign that will be completed in 2024. The program targets nearly $240,000 in various
projects to modernize the facility by painng the i nterior walls, replacing interior lighng with
more energy-efficient fixtures, replacing flooring throughout all three levels and the basement,
and replacing window treatments.
On the exterior of the building, enhancement projects include repaving the parking lot, adding
improved security lighng in the parking lot, and u pgrading the exterior security cameras and
some security fencing. This last component has become more crical over the past 18 months
as the Hooper facility has been vicm to an increas ing amount of vandalism, break-ins, the3,
and overnight encampments from the homeless popula on who are unable to access the
nearby warming shelter.
2. Agency Partners
As of February 2024, Hooper Community Center is at full tenancy, housing offices and storage
for eight (8) non-profit agencies:
Celebraon of Lights – Friends of Oshkosh Parks
Community Care Inc.
Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin
Foster the Family
Hooper Community Center
Love the Mess
Oshkosh Family Inc.
Teacher’s Closet
3. Audit and Fiscal Controls / Governance
The organizaon’s board of directors establishes an d approves the annual budget. The
organizaon conducts an annual audit of its bookkee ping with our accounng partner.
Among our day-to-day operaons, all lease revenues are collected by and all expenses paid by
Execuve Director Pete Weidner, who is the only pai d staff for the organizaon.
The following is our current list of Hooper Community Center Board of Directors:
Sean Fitzgerald, president
Nate Olson, vice president
Noah Hinrichs
Beth Oswald
Mitch Rathsack
Dennis Ruedinger
John VeHe
4. Connency Plan
If this request is not fully funded, it will place a greater challenge on our project’s capital
campaign to raise the remaining funds. If we don’t achieve success raising the total amount for
the capital campaign, certain improvement projects will likely be deferred into future years,
which will lead to increased cost when those improvements are ulmately executed.
5. Project Budget
Hooper staff has already secured between two to four esmates from professional contractors
for each of the proposed projects to guide the development of our overall campaign budget.
Approximate project costs are outlined in the following budget overview:
Paint interior walls $50,000
Electric & lighng $25,000
Window treatments $4,000
Flooring replace $65,000
Outdoor lighng $10,000
Parking lot repave $76,000
Sec. fence/cameras $3,000
Roof/HVAC repairs $7,000
Totals $240,000
Sources of funds:
City ARPA funds request $60,000
Capital Campaign $60,000
Hooper investment $120,000
Total $240,000
Hooper Community Center does have a reserve fund at Oshkosh Area Community Foundaon
to be used for capital maintenance and emergency circumstances. The board of directors has
previously authorized up to $120,000 from reserves toward this effort.