BRILLION, Wis. (WFRV) – Big changes are coming to Brillion’s east side as Brillion Works LLC launches two major projects designed to transform the long-vacant Brillion Iron Works site into a hub for housing, recreation and business.
The first development is a 42-unit apartment complex, the opening phase of a three-phase housing project. Construction is set to begin soon, with the first residents expected to move in by fall 2026.
Alongside the new housing, Brillion Works is also restoring Spring Creek, a waterway that had been buried underground for decades. Known as “daylighting,” the project will bring the creek back to its natural flow and add a public walking trail along its banks. Work on the creek is slated for completion in spring 2026.
Aaron Abler with Ariens Company Communications said the Brillion Works District sits on 144 acres that were left vacant when the old Brillion Iron Works foundry left in 2017. He said the goal is to turn what was once an unusable property into a place where people can come, work, play, and live.
Funding for the projects totals $3 million, with $2.7 million secured through grants and private investment. Brillion Works emphasized that no local taxpayer dollars are being used.
Abler said the real benefit to the community is that the entire effort is supported through grants and private funding rather than local taxes.
He added that the housing and environmental improvements are just the beginning. Brillion Works wants to attract businesses to the area and create a vibrant mixed-use district where families and companies can grow together.
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Abler said they are inviting businesses to take hold in Brillion and encouraging anyone looking to live in the city to consider one of the new apartments when they open.
City officials say the projects mark a new chapter for the site that once defined Brillion’s industrial identity and now promises to be a cornerstone of its future.
