The New Glarus Village Board approved Resolution 2026-24 on Wednesday, declaring the village-owned parking lot next to the Swiss Historical Village surplus property and authorizing the village administrator to begin the process of soliciting bids for redevelopment.

The property consists of Lots 5 and 6 of Block 1 of Zwickey’s Addition along Seventh Street and has primarily served as parking for the adjacent Swiss Historical Village Museum. The resolution does not approve a developer or a specific building plan; it begins the process of finding a proposal for the site.

Village Administrator Kelsey Jenson said the idea did not originate with the village. The Swiss Historical Society approached village officials about putting the lightly used lot to another use and adding housing, and the Historic Preservation Commission later recommended moving forward with redevelopment.

Kelly Ruschmann, a member of the Swiss Historical Society Board who attended Wednesday’s meeting, confirmed the organization’s support for the project and its desire to see multi-family housing developed on the property. That puts both the Historical Society and Village Board behind housing as the intended use of the site.