Mount Pleasant home moved, Foxconn footprint now fully cleared
MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. - The last home left within Foxconn's Mount Pleasant footprint wasn't demolished – but moved Wednesday, Dec. 28. It came after five years of fighting, negotiating and litigating; it ended with the village paying the homeowners $950,000.
Kim and Jim Mahoney's home was the only remnant of what used to be a subdivision. The others were demolished over the years. Now, part of a nearly $1 million taxpayer-funded sale, it has been moved five miles up the road.
Built in 2016, the Mahoney's dream home was on the move Wednesday. The house fit just under the stop lights.
"I said ‘sure’ right away. Everyone else in my company said, ‘You’re crazy.’ Usually crazy is what we do, and we’re always up for the challenge," said Chris Bower of Bower Design & Construction. "It was really cool to see the neighbors like all excited; as I pulled in, everyone’s running up the road to see, "Holy cow, there’s this big house coming down.'
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The construction crews picked up everything and the kitchen sink.
"Their beds and stuff are in there. Their clothes are still in there. The majority of it, all that stuffs still in there. It’s like a big camper, really," Bower said.
Mel Virrueta with Badger Contracting of Southern Wisconsin led the move and has been moving buildings for 30 years.
"It’s kind of like a parade, we move just as slow, as a parade-type thing. So, yeah, it’s kind of fun. I love it," said Virrueta. "Overall, it’s a great thing for everybody. You save a house like this from going to a landfill – it’s an enormous way to recycle."
The Mahoney's home could be placed on its new foundation as soon as Friday. However, the family may have to wait some 90 days to move in.
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As homes around theirs were demolished, the Mahoneys stayed on their parcel for more than four years. Since then, housing prices have spiked. In August, the village of Mount Pleasant offered them close to $1 million for the land and to move their home. The contract says all parcels were paid "140% of the fair market value as of the date of acquisition, and $50,000 per acre for any extra land, plus statutory relocation benefits."
"What we know five years later is that Foxconn didn’t need all of that land. And with over 80 houses demolished, and over 100 people displaced for this project, it’s a little bit disappointing," said Kelly Gallaher with A Better Mt. Pleasant.
"I’m very happy for the Mahoneys that they were able to get a settlement that was satisfactory to them after all these years," added Gallaher, "but I want to be clear: this cost the village significantly more because they waited four years to settle this purchase, because of the housing boom."
Per the contract, neither the Mahoneys nor the village can talk about the deal – but that doesn't stop the construction crews from talking.
"It was a relief, I’ll be honest, this morning to see them pull it off the foundation," Bower said. "I’m glad it’s here. It’s a good New Year's present."
When the ground was broken at Foxconn, then-President Donald Trump called it the "eighth wonder of the world." The company reports having more than 1,000 workers in Mount Pleasant – far less than the 13,000 originally floated. A spokesperson said they are making computer servers there.
Statement from Foxconn:
"Foxconn is the world's largest consumer electronics contract manufacturer and solutions provider and has invested more than $1 billion to-date in growing its footprint in the State of Wisconsin. With hundreds of employees verified by state economic officials, the company now has over 1,000 employees working in Wisconsin.
"The Park remains a key strategic asset, allowing the company to respond to market demand for Foxconn related activities that involve joint venture partnerships."