Shell Lake Downtown Redevelopment
2021 Engineering Excellence Best of State
Entering Firm: Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.
Client: City of Shell Lake
The City of Shell Lake had the opportunity to revamp its entire downtown when a major medical center wanted to expand its operations in the city. In addition, Washburn County wanted to consolidate its operations in the city. The challenge was finding space for the new facilities and to upgrade transportation and utilities in the area to meet these new needs.
A Downtown Facelift
Short Elliott Hendrickson led the way for every party. This collaboration allowed the design team to take on complex engineering challenges. To provide space for the medical center expansion, the city gave up two blocks of prime downtown real estate and provided the necessary infrastructure improvements. The medical center utilized a block and upgraded to a 9,000 sq. ft. clinic which included an ambulance garage and helicopter pad. The county consolidated its health and human services facilities on the other block.
Engineering the New Downtown
The design team engineered a new downtown taking on nearly every aspect of the project from site work to road reconstruction. Coordination was essential to make sure every part of this project fit into the overall schedule.
Awards judge Errin Welty said “Short Elliott Hendrickson benefitted not only the clients but also the citizens of Shell Lake and the region by expanding jobs and access to medical services within the community. The re-imagined multi-block area offers an improved user experience for employees and visitors to downtown Shell Lake.”
The New Cityscape
This is a visible sign of progress for Shell Lake and for everyone who uses the services located in the community. The result was a dramatic change in the cityscape for the city’s 1,300 residents.
