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Editor Ken Harwood
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Production Notes
Every week I pull together several news articles and press releases on economic development and government issues affecting real estate and development in Dane County and Wisconsin for the staff at Park Towne Development. The links should take you to the original article and should remain active for a few months (depending on the source). To include a development related press release forward a PDF, MS Word document or active link to me by 1PM Thursday for inclusion in that Friday's release. We do not include offers of property for sale or other solely promotional material. Occasionally I include Editorial or Opinion pieces from other publications. Unless I am the actual author, these articles do not reflect my personal opinion or that of Park Towne Development. My goal is to make my colleagues aware of opinions being expressed in the media. If you would like a copy every Friday drop me a note and I will add you the list. If you would like others to receive this data you may email me their address and I will add them to our list. If you are really interested I have “back issues” from June 1st 2005, but hey that’s old news. Please let me know what you think. Ken |
News&Notes Development News for Dane County and WisconsinProvided by: Development News for 6/22/07 to 6/29/07 To continue receiving News&Notes,
please add our 'From' address (kenh@parktowne.com) to your address book. This will help ensure against overzealous spam filters. Thanks! FRI., JUN 29, 2007 - Two new buildings at the Greenway Center office park in Middleton are part of 550,000 to 750,000 square feet of office space that developer Terrence Wall could add to the area over the next decade. With about 2.3 million square feet
of office space, T. Wall Properties may be the Wisconsin's largest commercial developer. T. Wall Properties, which bought eight office buildings at Greenway Center 14 months ago for over $100 million, announced this week that the Clifton Gunderson accounting firm has leased 33,000 square feet in a $12.5 million, six-story, 130,000-square-foot… Madison gets onboard Dane County commuter rail plan Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk are friends again. The two officials have been so far apart on the commuter-rail-versus-streetcars issue it was rumored that they'd stopped speaking altogether. Cieslewicz's spokesman,
George Twigg, denies it, saying the two sat down "face to face" in a room to hammer out a rail proposal. The result: A proposed regional transit authority with the ability to levy a half-cent sales tax. Funds raised from the tax would be split up countywide for bus service, road maintenance, paratransit and bike paths. But the largest single share -- 33% -- would go to commuter rail… Editors Note: Wow I did not know Dave and Kathleen had broken up, I guess the Paris Hilton story had gotten in the way, I am glad they are back together thought. I can’t wait for George Twigg’s tell all book… UW-Madison to receive $125M for bioenergy research center 06/26/07 - Madison, Wis. - The United States Department of Energy will invest up to $375 million over five years in three new Bioenergy Research Centers, including $125 million for a center led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to promote the
development of cellulosic ethanol. The Madison bioenergy research facility, which will be called the DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, will operate in collaboration with Michigan State University and be directed by Timothy Donohue, professor of bacteriology at UW-Madison… Verona looking at hotel proposal Verona might not have to wait much longer to get another hotel. Holiday Inn Express has a purchase agreement in place with the owner of the former Rhody’s Town and Country contingent on approval of a three-story hotel with 114 rooms. Oconomowoc-based
Arc Design will present the plans at Monday’s Plan Commission meeting, which includes a public hearing on the matter. The Common Council is scheduled to review the conditional use permit application the following week, and if there are no problems, it could be accommodating guests by next spring. “They’re hoping to break ground by August,” said Arc Design architect David Kenzdierski…. Sunday, June 24, 2007 - Developers Sought Modern Urbanism In Fitchburg Park Side Townhomes Project. As its name implies, Park Side Townhomes condominiums are located on a slice of land next to sprawling McKee Farms Park in Fitchburg. But from its location
near a number of businesses (a restaurant is across the street and a grocery store is nearby) to its sleek architecture, the developer also wanted to give the property a Downtown feel. "Gabe and I were both after modern urbanism," said developer Larry Albrecht of Albrecht Construction of Fitchburg… Home Sales Still Skidding - Slowest Pace In Four Years Monday, June 25, 2007 - Reflecting further housing troubles, sales of existing homes fell in May to the lowest level in four years while the median home price dropped for a record 10th consecutive month. The National Association of Realtors reported today
that sales of existing single-family homes and condominiums dropped by 0.3 percent to 5.99 million units in May, the slowest sales pace since June 2003. The median price of a home sold last month dropped to $223,700, down 2.1 percent from a year ago. It marked the 10th straight price decline compared with a year ago, the longest stretch of weakness on record… Ho-hum birthday for City-County Building FRI., JUN 29, 2007 - The City-County Building must feel like the middle child of Madison's civic structures. The seat of Madison and Dane County government stands overshadowed by the ornate state Capitol, the prominent big brother turning 90 this year,
and the striking Monona Terrace, the darling baby with festivities planned for its 10th anniversary. Today the City-County Building is 50 years old, the age at which buildings can be considered historic, but there will be no fanfare. No champagne and balloons… Editors Note: Couldn’t we move the City-County and the DOA offices to East Washington and turn the leftover buildings into a 500 – 1,000 room hotel complex…hmmmmmmm… MAJESTIC
THEATRE SOLD; NEW OWNERS HAVE SIGHTS ON 'DIFFERENT OPERATION' Wed Jun 27 2007 - The Majestic Theatre was sold today, with the new owners confident they can transform the King Street site into a nationally known live music venue. A small investment group from outside Wisconsin paid $1.35 million for the historic
vaudeville theater at 115 King St., a price that includes the building and equipment left from its previous life as a dance club featuring hip-hop DJs… TUE., JUN 26, 2007 - Miron Construction Co., the state's largest commercial builder, is continuing to make its mark on the Madison area. Since 2000, the company has worked on more than 50 area projects ranging from the $577,355 UW-Madison biotechnology
server room to the $44 million UW-Madison Mechanical Engineering Building. Miron, based in Neenah, recently opened an office on Greenway Boulevard in Middleton, after moving from Madison's East Side… City will ask for Allied proposals WED., JUN 27, 2007 - More than a year after purchasing nine buildings in the Allied Drive neighborhood, the city of Madison is nearly ready to pitch an aggressive, taxpayer-subsidized redevelopment plan. Residents, elected officials and city staff have
been hammering out the framework, but the final decisions will be a balancing act for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. Neighborhood representatives want new housing to remain affordable for low-income residents… TUE., JUN 26, 2007 - Miron Construction Co., the state's largest commercial builder, is continuing to make its mark on the Madison area. Since 2000, the company has worked on more than 50 area projects ranging from the $577,355 UW-Madison biotechnology
server room to the $44 million UW-Madison Mechanical Engineering Building. Miron, based in Neenah, recently opened an office on Greenway Boulevard in Middleton, after moving from Madison's East Side. Miron's other projects have included the $25 million UW-Madison Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, the $11 million Arboretum Elementary School in Waunakee and the $30.4 million Dane County Courthouse… Editors Note: At least one Neenah transplant has figured out how to make money in Madison… Construction to begin on Water Crest condominiums TUE., JUN 26, 2007 - Construction begins with a Thursday ground-breaking ceremony at the 42-unit Water Crest condominiums on Lake Monona. The development, at 101 Ferchland Place, is near Monona Drive and Cottage Grove Road in Monona. The $17 million
project includes one- to three-bedroom condominiums priced at $189,000 to $775,000, said developer Kevin Metcalfe of Metcalfe Co. All but four units have a view of Lake Monona and the Madison skyline… Soil problems delay Costco - New Summer 2008 opening announced 6/26/2007 - MIDDLETON -- Poorer than expected soil conditions have delayed construction of the area's first Costco Wholesale Corp. warehouse store. Costco plans to build a 150,000 square-foot warehouse in the Discovery Springs development across from the
U.S. 14 entrance to the Greenway Station Shopping Center. But issues surrounding soft clay soil at the 17.5-acre site drove up construction cost estimates and delayed the groundbreaking, which had been expected this spring with a fall 2007 opening… Attracting Tourists To Madison Sunday, June 24, 2007 - Deb Archer grew up just north of Chicago, is a graduate of Michigan State University but is all about Wisconsin tourism. Archer's primary job is promoting the Madison area to lure conventions to Monona Terrace and the Alliant
Energy Center. With those conventions come tourists looking for places to stay, eat, shop and relax. Archer is also the chairwoman of the Governor's Council on Tourism, a $13 billion industry in the state, of which $1.2 billion is spent in Dane County, second only to Milwaukee County's $1.6 billion… Sunday, June 24, 2007 - Family-owned Great Big Pictures Becoming A Big Deal. The next time you walk into an Ann Taylor store, take a look at the posters of models wearing the company's tailored suits and casual apparel. When you duck into a Disney store,
watch for human-sized cardboard cutouts of familiar mice and other cartoon creatures. Chances are, those images were made in Madison, on the plus-size printers of a longtime, family-owned business that could be on its way to becoming a great big company: Great Big Pictures. Great Big Pictures enlarges images - art and photos - up to giant proportions… Friday, June 22, 2007 - About 3,200 jobs were added in the Madison metropolitan area since April, according to a report by the state Department of Workforce Development. With an unemployment rate at 3.5 percent of the work force, Dane County continued to
have the state's lowest rate last month, although it was 0.3 percentage points higher than a year ago… News&Notes
is now archived at http://parktowne.com/news.asp and www.WisconsinDevelopment.com Around The State and Points Elsewhere 3 plans offered for State Fair Park 3 plans offered for State Fair Park. Board to consider development ideas for 31 surplus acres. A dinner theater, a Wisconsin sports museum and a Junior Achievement facility are three development proposals being considered for surplus land at State Fair Park... Unusual hotel deal praised. County official calls Waukesha developer incentive reasonable. Waukesha - A county official who initially expressed reservations over a $2 million public financing package to assist development of a planned downtown hotel and restaurant has turned to... Land swap spurs proposal for two hotels Land swap spurs proposal for two hotels. Planners say development would enhance city's gateway. The Oak Creek Planning Commission has backed part of a proposal that would allow the development of two hotels near what local officials consider to be the entryway to the city... Residential plan for land on Walnut Street moves ahead Residential plan for land on Walnut Street moves ahead. Developer Helmut Toldt urged city officials this week to move forward with his firm to build a $55 million residential housing development on a former landfill site near the public works yard... Panel accepting park proposals Panel accepting park proposals. Commercial area, restaurant suggested for Riverfront Park. The Mequon-Thiensville Town Center Committee is open to changes in Riverfront Park... Grocery store, restaurant suggested for corridor Grocery store, restaurant suggested for corridor. Whether the village of Brown Deer will choose to implement any of the suggestions, a study of the West Brown Deer Road corridor, on the north side of the street from North 51st to North 60th streets, offers food for thought... Plan fails to guide building boom Plan fails to guide building boom. Residents' opinions needed as new land-use plan forms. It has been 30 years since the city updated its comprehensive land-use plan... Project plan costs go up. In an attempt to limit the number of surprises that could come with Shorewood's streetscaping plan, village officials have fine-tuned cost estimates of specific elements of the project... 200-unit luxury complex on track 200-unit luxury complex on track. Sale boosts Brookfield development. Developer Wimmer Brothers will acquire and construct Georgetown Square, a planned 200-unit luxury apartment project north of the Fountain Square shopping center on Blue Mound Road... Tax plan would pay off business parks debt Tax plan would pay off business parks debt. Development would pay for failed business parks. Property taxes from a new downtown office building will be diverted to help pay off city financing on a pair of ill-fated attempts to create light industrial business parks within Milwaukee's
central city... Jazz cafe strikes note for neighborhood unity Jazz cafe strikes note for neighborhood unity. At City.Net Café, vintage posters and framed pictures of such jazz greats as John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughn and Miles Davis line the walls of this cozy little coffee shop, adding a unique flavor to Enderis Park, a vibrant
and ethnically... Delafield plans remain, firm says Delafield plans remain, firm says. But city has heard little, as rival Pabst Farms advances. Despite a cold shoulder from the city, a head start by a nearby competitor and the loss of a development partner, Lang Investments officials say they are moving ahead with plans for a large
shopping... Bike trail plans roll on. Council approves path that will follow river through city. The Common Council's recent approval of the Rubicon River Trail Plan will allow the city to move ahead on a project that officials say will link every aspect of the city... Manufacturing: Milwaukee needs to hit the sweet spot Manufacturing: Milwaukee needs to hit the sweet spot. Ned Hill has a PowerPoint slide showing a U.S. map covered with labels of the various Silicon Valley wannabes... Riverwest: Dan Taylor and Owen Smith Riverwest: Dan Taylor and Owen Smith. It can take a significant amount of vision to see the potential in an older home. When time and lack of maintenance have taken their toll on a building, most people would simply walk away. Dan Taylor and Owen Smith, however, somehow saw beyond
the rotting... Printing company moving location Printing company moving location. New spot will help anchor King Drive development. A company launched in the founder's apartment six years ago will help anchor a $2.1 million housing and retail development for Milwaukee's central city... Bender Park plan fizzles. County Board disapproves of land-swap deal with developers. The Milwaukee County Board on Thursday shot down a plan pushed by the City of Oak Creek and once blessed by County Executive Scott Walker that would have led to commercial development of a large... Dells Resort Will Complete First Condo Friday, June 22, 2007 - A year after it was announced, activity is stepping up at the $160 million Grand Cambrian Resort in Wisconsin Dells. The development's first stand-alone condominium will be finished in two weeks and plans are proceeding on four
other stand-alone condominiums, said Craig Wilkinson, general manager and operations director. He said a permit from the state Department of Natural Resources is needed to begin construction in late summer of the five-story hotel-style condominiums…
Development News for 6/15/07 to 6/22/07 6/20/2007 - The local residential real estate market flashed mixed signals in May. While sales were off sharply again from a year ago, the average and median prices rose together for the first time since December, according to statistics from the Realtors
Association of South Central Wisconsin. The 729 reported sales in Dane County in May were 15.8 percent below a year ago and at least 7.7 percent every May going back to 2003, when the RASCW combined home and condominium sales figures. Year-to-date through May, the 2,547 sales here are 11.2 percent fewer than a year ago and at least 4.0 percent below every year going back to 2003… East Wash corridor plan again delayed 6/19/2007 - A proposal backed by the mayor to push for greater density and taller buildings east of the Square remains stalled. The city Plan Commission Monday night voted for the second time to delay action on the East Washington Capitol Gateway Corridor
Plan to allow additional meetings with neighborhood groups and other stakeholders. It hopes to take up the issue again at its Aug. 6 meeting. The proposal, which would allow buildings up to 15 stories on some blocks of East Washington, is facing opposition from the Tenney-Lapham and Marquette neighborhood associations. It also conflicts with building height recommendations of the East Rail Corridor park plan. "I really
place a lot of credibility in these neighborhood plans," said commission member Judy Bowser… Editors Note: So let me get this straight, developers are being asked to increase density, reduce traffic, create cost effective homes, bring quality retailers, create new living wage jobs, generate enough tax increment to build new mass transit,
wonderful parks, and redevelop blighted areas in small neighborhood friendly buildings on major development corridors. Sounds reasonable. Above And Beyond In Architectural Design Thursday, June 21, 2007 - Plunkett Raysich Architects Is Making Its Mark By Designing Some Notable Area Buildings. Diverse Madison-area projects designed by Plunkett Raysich Architects range from Blackhawk Church along Mineral Point Road on Madison's Far
West Side to UW-Madison's Microbial Sciences Building on Linden Avenue. The company also designed Terrence Wall's City Center West office building on Junction Road, the Boys & Girls Club in the Allied Drive neighborhood and Madison Fire Station No. 11 at 4011 Morgan Way. With an eclectic mix of projects, Plunkett Raysich Architects, along with Eppstein Uhen Architects, which was hired by Joseph Freed & Associates to
design the Hilldale Shopping Center expansion… $4 Million Marriott Renovation Saturday, June 16, 2007 - A $4 million renovation has begun at the Marriott Madison West in Middleton. The renovation, expected to be completed in August, will transform the lobby according to Marriott's Great Room concept, incorporating a lounge
environment and mixed use space. The existing lounge will be redecorated and repositioned. Painter Johnny Smith of Wonder-Faux Finishes of Bolivar, Mo., will refinish the dome. Elevator interiors and floor landings will be upgraded and the front desk will get a stone top… Large Property Transactions Thursday, June 21, 2007 FRI., JUN 22, 2007 - A draft bill in the state Legislature would put an end to one of Madison's newest oddities -- a brew pub that can't serve its own beer. The bipartisan proposal by Senate President Fred Risser, D-Madison, and Rep. Scott Newcomer,
R-Delafield, would modify an antiquated state law that prohibits brew pubs above a modest size from selling their beer at more than two restaurant locations. The 1933 post-Prohibition law has meant that a business in Risser's district, the Great Dane Pub and Brewing Co., hasn't been able to sell its own craft beers at its third and newest location… FRI., JUN 22, 2007 - MCFARLAND -- The Park Ponderosa, which has seen everything from ballroom to salsa dancing grace its floors and disco to country music fill its hall, has closed after 37 years but will reopen as a Mexican dinner theater under new
owners. Cornelio "Coky" Aguilera, who's lived in Madison about 10 years and studied theater at UW-Madison, is the driving force behind the theater entertainment portion of what will open this weekend as "Con Safos." It's an idea he and co-owner Omar Rodriguez have been working toward for more than two years. "We want to provide original, authentic Mexican cuisine… Editors Note: Burritos and the Bard… I like it… Rescuing an urban waterway doesn't happen overnight. The city of Madison has been working to rehabilitate Wingra Creek, the long neglected stream that cuts through the heart of Madison's south side. Over the past century, the creek has been a drainage
ditch, a dumping ground and industrial wasteland, skirting past everything from traffic-clogged Fish Hatchery Road to the Schmidt's auto yard off Gilson Street. Last fall, the city spent nearly $500,000 on to stabilize the banks to reduce erosion, build canoe landings and add landscaping to the creek, which flows Lake Wingra to Lake Monona… 6/22/2007 - VERONA -- It's easy to linger at the new Indigo Coffee and Tea: A Fair Trade Coffeehouse and Gallery, 300 S. Main St. Friends yap, and keyboards tap. Kids play as their parents enjoy a leisurely lunch. Others shop while waiting for their meal.
For sale is merchandise from 27 local artists, plus handicrafts from Third World nations, including carved marble from Pakistan, hand-painted ceramics from Vietnam and baskets in brilliant colors from several locations. The business combo is a first for Verona, and it hints at the priorities that owners Erika and Wes Hotchkiss hold dear. They have three children -- ages 10, 6 and 3 -- and know how hard it is to… Regional transit unit considered As county and city officials haggle over how to operate a proposed commuter train, the Dane County Board began a discussion Thursday about whether a regional transportation authority will be necessary to expand public transit. The debate came up less than
a month after the Federal Transit Administration indicated that federal funding for a proposed commuter train between Middleton and Sun Prairie will depend on identifying a local operator and funding source… Governor Calls for Additional Investment in Bio Industry 06/20/2007 - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle on Tuesday highlighted a proposal in his state budget that would provide $30 million to grow the Bio Industry. He discussed the proposal at the Sanimax biodiesel plant in DeForest. According to the Wisconsin Bio
Industry Alliance, the Governor's proposal would provide grants and loans for companies that are developing new bio-based technologies, in addition to incentives for gas stations across the state to install bio fuel pumps… Local scientist calls global warming theory hooey 6/18/2007 - Reid Bryson, known as the father of scientific climatology, considers global warming a bunch of hooey. The UW-Madison professor emeritus, who stands against the scientific consensus on this issue, is referred to as a global warming skeptic.
But he is not skeptical that global warming exists, he is just doubtful that humans are the cause of it. There is no question the earth has been warming. It is coming out of the "Little Ice Age," he said in an interview this week. "However, there is no credible evidence that it is due to mankind and carbon dioxide. We've been coming out of a Little Ice Age for 300 years. We have not been making very much
carbon dioxide for 300 years. It's been warming up for a long time," Bryson said… THU., JUN 21, 2007 - The Bruce Co., of Middleton, long a prominent fixture in the landscaping business, is branching out into recycling. Since last summer, the company has been grinding used asphalt roofing shingles -- known as tear-offs -- and selling
the fine powder to asphalt plants. And later this year, the company is going to begin recycling waste from construction projects, said James Altwies, the firm's environmental initiatives coordinator. While such recycling efforts can have an environmental impact, they also mean jobs... Madison to get federal 'solar city' grant 6/21/2007 - Madison is one of 13 U.S. cities that will be sharing $2.5 million in new federal money to advance solar power projects. Madison's goal is to double solar use in the city within two years by creating a one-stop shop for those interested in
doing it, mayoral spokesman George Twigg said Wednesday. That would make Madison the model solar city for the Midwest, according to Joe DeMorett of the city Engineering Department. He wrote the grant application asking the U.S. Department of Energy for $200,000… News Brief Home Sales – Ocean Spray – Godfrey Kahn Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - Existing home and condominium sales in south-central Wisconsin were down again in May from a year ago. In the six-county region, 1,455 sales were reported, down about 13 percent from May 2006. Dane County had 728 sales, down
15.9 percent from last year. The inventory of unsold homes rose slightly last month to 5,441 in Dane County and 11,698 in the region…Ocean Spray will break ground Friday in Wisconsin Rapids on a $50 million plant to process sweetened dried cranberries… The law firm of Godfrey & Kahn has been listed in Midwest Real Estate News magazine as one of the Top Real Estate Law Firms in the Midwest… TomoTherapy tale 'an exciting one' 6/21/2007 - Local companies that haven't even formed yet could be among the biggest beneficiaries of the startling financial success of two local high-tech companies in the past two months, experts say. TomoTherapy, which makes targeted radiation systems
for cancer treatment, last month enjoyed a $223 million initial public offering of stock, while gene chip maker NimbleGen Systems this week passed on the IPO it had filed for in favor of a $272.5 million acquisition by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche Holding AG. In addition to setting the companies up for future growth… Oregon approves new subdivision Oregon has approved the annexation of 21 acres west of the village for a development that was exempted from the one-year residential annexation moratorium recently enacted, the Oregon Observer reported. Nick Ladopoulos plans 80 dwellings and an
independent living facility for senior citizens in the property off County CC, the Observer reported. The moratorium also exempted a 5-acre parcel on the village's south side… Around The State and Points Elsewhere Printing company moving location Printing company moving location. New spot will help anchor King Drive development. A company launched in the founder's apartment six years ago will help anchor a $2.1 million housing and retail development for Milwaukee's central city... Bender Park plan fizzles. County Board disapproves of land-swap deal with developers. The Milwaukee County Board on Thursday shot down a plan pushed by the City of Oak Creek and once blessed by County Executive Scott Walker that would have led to commercial development of a large... Mayor lays down ultimatum for changes at top of PIC Mayor lays down ultimatum for changes at top of PIC. If Barrett's pick not named CEO, city will utilize new work-force agency. Mayor Tom Barrett has told the Private Industry Council of Milwaukee County that unless it replaces Gerard Randall as its president and chief executive
officer, he will form his... Business in Brief. LOCAL12-county region gets grant to boost job trainingA second Wisconsin region is receiving a $5 million federal grant to advance the area's work force, the governor's office announced Thursday. The money is heading to the 12-county area covered by... Developer plans Riverwest homes Developer plans Riverwest homes. 23 single-family houses proposed. A local development firm is reviving plans to build new homes, including smaller houses aimed at "empty nesters," on a former factory site in Milwaukee's Riverwest area... Board tables zoning changes. Mayor expresses fear Town Center proposal might be killed. Uneasy about the results of a traffic impact study, the Mequon Common Council last week tabled the zoning changes necessary for the proposed Town Center... oper reports Town Center is meeting, exceeding expectations Developer reports Town Center is meeting, exceeding expectations. The Bayshore Town Center is living up to the expectations of its developer and, in some cases, exceeding them... Bank will bid on condos. 2 buildings to be sold at Ozaukee foreclosure auction. Port Washington - The housing slump has hit an unfinished phase of a Port Washington condominium development, and Grafton State Bank is trying to break even on its investment in the project, bank... Town Center upgrades planned. Officials to improve west side of building. Although the Bayshore Town Center has been open less than a year, its largest building is already getting an upgrade... Retail center not yet operating at full capacity Retail center not yet operating at full capacity. Pick 'n Save doing well; Blockbuster will downsize its spot. Grant Park Plaza is at 80 percent occupancy and holding, according to mall owners, who are actively seeking new tenants for the remaining spaces of the renovated shopping
center... Affordable housing is urged. Activists say suburban governments should establish trust funds. Fresh off a hard-fought victory in Milwaukee, housing activists called on suburban leaders Wednesday to seek new government funding to promote affordable housing throughout the region... Small town to turn on charm, promote growth simultaneously Small town to turn on charm, promote growth simultaneously. Village's first-ever comprehensive plan strives for dual goal. In the future, Elm Grove plans to retain its small town character while attracting redevelopment to the downtown district. This is according to a draft of the
village's first comprehensive... Rebuilding the American dream. Older houses being razed to make way for new, bigger ones. John and Debbie Bernhardt have spent the past six years touring the Parade of Homes... Doctor to build on north side. Street level would be retail; sale of 3 vacant lots requires city OK. A Milwaukee doctor plans to move his medical practice to a new building that will be developed in the central city... $500,000 investment backs central city redevelopment $500,000 investment backs central city redevelopment. Banks fund agency that offers low-cost loans. Johnson Bank and Northern Trust Bank are investing $250,000 each in Legacy Redevelopment Corp., an organization that provides capital and credit to economically distressed parts of
Milwaukee... Development cash may pay for streetcars Development cash may pay for streetcars. Alderman calls for shift in funding from downtown districts to transit. Milwaukee Ald. Mike D'Amato is calling for money from downtown development districts to be used to pay the local share of costs for Mayor Tom Barrett's proposed streetcar
loop... Condo boom's winners, losers. Housing developments are popping up all over Milwaukee. It's the new condo, high-rise and renovation invasion... If Wal-Mart decides to build, locals request they 'do it right' If Wal-Mart decides to build, locals request they 'do it right'. Residents in the Town of Port Washington worry about plans to build a Supercenter near their homes and the effects it would have on noise, traffic and local business. A proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter, which is planned
for the east end of Saukville, has... Governor. Announces $5 million grant to enhance economic, workforce
development in south central, southwestern Wisconsin. New North, Inc. American Prosthetics Components receives $250,000 in
state tax credits. Oshkosh Northwestern. Oshkosh agency receives $1 million
federal grant for teaching American history. PRNewswire.
Madison energy firm BEST Energies receives $275,000 grant. US Labor
Department. Secretary announces $65 million for workforce innovation in regional economic development (includes 12 counties in south central and southwest Wisconsin). Development News 6/08/07 to 6/15/07 Naked truth exposes city failure FRI., JUN 15, 2007 - Embarrassingly -- depending on your, um, position -- once again Madison, the city of lakes and bikes and exhibitionists of every stripe, has failed to schedule an event for World Naked Bike Ride week, which ends Saturday. Spokespeople
for various bicycling interests in the area said Thursday nothing has been scheduled. Though the World Naked Bike Ride organization puts Madison on a list of "possible" sites, it does not include any information for 2007… Editors Note: Yep this is a real article… Madison Developers Worried About Loosing Potential Market In a related story, Madison area developers have expressed regret that the city had not scheduled an event for World Naked Bike Ride week. “These enthusiasts from around the world could become a significant market share, and we can not afford to loose
potential home and office buyers”, cites Jay Blevins of www.PropertyDrive.com… Editors Note: OK not a real article but I can see Jay saying this... Plan in place for Hilldale condos THU., JUN 14, 2007 - The first shovelful of dirt hasn't been turned yet, but grand-opening events are scheduled this week for two condominium towers near Hilldale Shopping Center. The Heights and Centric MetroLofts, developed by Joseph Freed and
Associates, will add 202 units to a currently sluggish condominium market. Before construction can begin, final plans must be filed with the city and office buildings that formerly housed Humana Health Care will be torn down. The former Hilldale Theatre and Peking Palace Chinese Restaurant also face the wrecking ball… Leed-ing By Example - Local Architects Walk The Walk In Environment Friendly Design Sunday, June 10, 2007 - Hilldale Row condominiums and terminal renovation at the Dane County Regional Airport are among the major projects in 46 states completed by Tri-North Builders of Fitchburg. When it was time to build the company's corporate
headquarters, president and chief executive Tom Thayer wanted it to showcase the 26-year-old construction company's strengths with energy-efficient and environmentally sound features. "We didn't want to just talk the talk," he said. "It allows us in a real-world sense to show that here's the premium to go with this product, but here's the payback."… Parade of Homes houses in Madison are larger than ever - Square-footage alert! Thursday 06/14/2007 - The Georgian-style home at Southbridge, with other styles mixed in. The Parade of Homes is supposed to be about opulence, but this year I found that harder to take than usual. Green built practices are catching on, but slowly. And
the immense size of these homes, built on land that was previously cornfield or pasture, is not green at all. The biggest, theoretically most impressive homes are at… Feds want details on rail line FRI., JUN 15, 2007 - Federal funding to get a Dane County commuter train rolling could be derailed unless officials can agree on how to operate -- and pay for -- the system. Local rail planners recently learned from the Federal Transit Administration that
any federal money for train service being proposed between Middleton and Sun Prairie will depend on providing more details on how the system will be operated… Wisconsin's mortgage loan delinquencies down Fewer non-prime borrowers and less severe manufacturing job losses than other Midwestern states are holding down Wisconsin's rate of mortgage loan delinquencies. About 3.3 percent of 581,205 mortgage loans on one- to four-unit Wisconsin properties were
delinquent at the end of the first quarter of 2007, according to a national delinquency survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association… Electronic Theatre Controls plans to expand Middleton headquarters FRI., JUN 15, 2007 - Electronic Theatre Controls, a manufacturer of entertainment and architectural lighting equipment at 3031 Pleasant View Road, plans to expand its Middleton headquarters. The expansion would include an additional 80,000 square feet of
manufacturing space and a larger parking lot. "It's going to give us more shipping access and more manufacturing space," Patricia Bornhofen, a company spokeswoman said. "We just need to get more space to build more of our products because the demand has grown."… Sunday, June 10, 2007 - Founded in 1981, Tri-North Builders now has 68 employees at its Fitchburg headquarters, a dozen in Milwaukee, four in Dallas and about 450 working on projects across the country, according to marketing manager Robert Thayer.
President and chief executive Tom Thayer said many features of the corporate headquarters building at 2625 Research Park Drive were installed to test them for possible use in client construction projects. Features include: A chemical-free cooling tower that uses kinetic energy… Transforming Taliesin - Old Guard Gives More Power To Young Members Friday, June 8, 2007 - Three of the youngest members of the Taliesin Fellowship resident community, all second-year master's students at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, next week will begin building three structures they designed just
outside the historic boundary of the renowned architect's Spring Green estate. Last week, 17 of the oldest members of the fellowship, the ones who have been part of the community since the 1950s or before, gave up the last of their veto powers over the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. These are not cause-and-effect events, but they both mark the massive change that is taking place as the heirs to Wright's legacy… Farm and Fleet fine by council 6/12/07 - The Plan Commission had done its homework, making the Farm and Fleet plan an easy call for the Common Council on Monday night. Even Ald. Brad Stiner (Dist. 3), perhaps the council’s biggest remaining detractor against large-scale retail
operations, voted in favor of the 28-acre east side project’s general development plan barely 10 minutes after skeptically grilling those more familiar with it.The only dissenter in the 6-1 vote in favor was Ald. Jack Linder (D-1), a former Plan Commission citizen representative who felt the aesthetics of the plan for the former Hometown Village property did not “raise the bar” set by the T. Wall project on the other
side of Verona… Sen. Kohl. Directs $7 million to Truax Field in Madison. Around The State and Points Elsewhere Chrysler to invest $450 million in Kenosha plant THU., JUN 14, 2007 - KENOSHA -- Chrysler will invest $450 million in its Kenosha Engine Plant so it can manufacture the company's next generation of V-6 engines, which the struggling automaker says is key to its recovery. Wednesday's announcement at the plant by Chrysler executives
and state and local officials ends fears that Chrysler would pull out of Kenosha, where it employs 850 people. The overhaul is part of the automaker's restructuring plan, which includes a $3 billion investment in powertrains… Renaissance man - Third- generation developer is leading the way in the Third Ward June 13, 2007 - It's a building only a mother could love - if buildings had mothers. Vacant since the Clinton administration, the former produce warehouse in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward saw its salad days fade away decades ago. It's dark and dank, with an odor described politely
as "musty." New owner Robert Joseph is crazy about the place. "It's a total gem of a building," he said. That sunny view means something coming from Joseph, who operates Joseph Property Development LLC… New urbanism Progress and preservation butt heads on Downer Avenue June 13, 2007 - After months of discussion, debate and conflict, a local developer is preparing to take the first steps to breathe new life into an iconic neighborhood. New Land Enterprises’ proposal to build an 11-story complex of condominiums, retail space and hotel rooms along a
two-block stretch of Downer Avenue near Webster Place and Stowell Avenue was approved by the Milwaukee Common Council’s Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee in February. During the early planning stages,… Sperry Van Ness $6.77 Apartment Deal MIDDLETON, WI, – Sperry Van Ness, one of the nation’s largest commercial real estate investment brokerage firms, has announced that Dan Roseliep, CPM of the Middleton, WI office has completed the sale of four apartment communities totaling $6,773,000. The properties are located
in the Wisconsin cities of Menasha, Janesville and Neenah and the Illinois city of Rockton. Dan Roseliep represented the buyer and seller on all four transactions… First Weber to open downtown office Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - As downtown Milwaukee condominium sales continue at a healthy pace, Brookfield-based First Weber Group is planning to open a downtown office. Currently, the only First Weber office in the City of Milwaukee is at 82nd Street and Capitol Drive. The downtown
condo market is booming. About 2,000 condominiums were built in downtown Milwaukee between 2001 and 2006. The market absorbed about 360 new condo units per year between 2004 and 2006, and 2007 is expected to meet or exceed that pace, according to a recent study by Chicago-based S.B. Friedman & Co. The downtown Milwaukee condo resale market also has grown from about 150 transactions in 2002 to about 500 sales in 2006,
according to the study… Wal-Mart seeks site close to Fair Park - 70th St. Supercenter would need city OK June 13, 2007 - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is proposing a Supercenter for a site about two blocks east of State Fair Park, marking the latest in a series of combined supermarket-discount stores that are surfacing throughout the Milwaukee area. Wal-Mart wants to open the Supercenter west of
S. 70th St. and south of W. Main St. The store would be east of the former We Energies training center at 620 S. 76th St. The Supercenter would serve people living on Milwaukee's west side, West Allis and other nearby communities, Wal-Mart spokeswoman Lisa Nelson said Wednesday… Urban Outfitters expected to draw more retail chains – June 14, 2007 - When Lisa Trautner was considering locations for her new boutique, she heard rumors that Urban Outfitters was looking to open a store in the Kenilworth Building, on Milwaukee's east side… Water wake-up for region - Water supply, policy dictate future development June 15, 2007 - Free, clean water. Brett Miller thought that would convince Waukesha city officials to back an upscale subdivision his firm proposed near the Vernon Marsh. After all, the farmland where Fiduciary Real Estate Development wants to build includes a site city officials
covet as the source for new wells to improve Waukesha's substandard water supply. Fiduciary Real Estate offered the well site in exchange for the city annexing the property and rezoning it... Posners donate sculpture near Milwaukee Public Market June 14, 2007 - The Gene and Ruth Posner Foundation in Milwaukee unveiled a new sculpture outside of the Milwaukee Public Market Wednesday in memory of Jeffry Posner, the Posners' son, whose vision contributed to the development and revitalization of the Historic Third Ward… After deficit in 2006, county's economic development division sees '07 shortfall June 14, 2007 - A $1.75 million deficit for 2007 in Milwaukee County's economic development division surfaced Thursday, coming on the heels of a recently disclosed $2.5 million shortfall for 2006 in the same unit. And early projections show the county heading for an overall $3.4
million deficit by the end of this year, the County Board's Finance and Audit Committee was told… Orange you glad they're repainting that grocery store? Posted: June 14, 2007 - Outcry from onlookers leads to new color for Brookfield market. Is orange a little too Tennessee for Brookfield? Fans of how The Fresh Market, which will soon open in Brookfield, looks now better look fast. After
negative public reaction, officials have agreed to ditch the orange in favor of a more muted gold color. Some residents were seeing red about the orange trim on an upscale grocery store, The Fresh Market, that is under construction on Blue Mound Road north of Boston Store. The city approved the paint color. But when the construction tarps were removed from the building and the colors revealed, it was too bright for
Brookfield. Mayor Jeff Speaker… High readings threaten bid to lift U.S. sanctions June 14, 2007 - Eastern Wisconsin's air quality has been getting better in recent years, but rising ozone levels this spring could jeopardize an important bid by state officials on Thursday to have sanctions against the region removed. Gov. Jim Doyle announced that the Department of
Natural Resources is asking federal authorities to redesignate eight counties, including all of metropolitan Milwaukee, as no longer violating federal standards for ozone pollution. The change would mean fewer regulations for factories and utilities.. Governor. Announces $1.6 million to help grow JL French in Sheboygan. PRNewswire.
Chrysler Group announces $450 million investment in Kenosha engine plant. Governor. Announces $16.8 million for Chrysler plant upgrade. Kenosha News. City funds for Chrysler plant to come from TIF district.
Development News for 6/01/07 to 6/08/07 Council Oks New Districts - Conservation Zones Endorsed Wednesday, June 6, 2007 - A spirited argument in favor of property rights failed to sway a majority of Madison City Council members from approving an ordinance creating Neighborhood Conservation Districts. Ald. Judy Compton led the unsuccessful effort at
Tuesday night's meeting to block the legislation, which is intended to allow neighborhoods to preserve their character by creating special zoning districts… Is third time a charm for neighborhood conservation districts in Madison? 06/04/2007 - Tuesday night, the Madison Common Council will once again vote on creating neighborhood conservation districts. The ordinance, which lets neighborhoods stop development deemed out of character, has been defeated twice already and supporters
had to fight to get it reconsidered. Ald. Brenda Konkel hopes the outcome this time will be different… A shorter Parade: Some builders sit out this year's show, size and style still there 6/07/2007 - It's a smaller parade, but the floats are as fancy as ever. This year's Parade of Homes features just 21 homes, the first time under 30 in more than a decade and the fewest since 1982, but they're as big and stylish as ever. Those seemingly
contradictory facts reflect the local residential real estate market, longtime Parade builders say. With the long boom in the residential real estate market finally ending here last year, several of last year's "spec" Parade homes -- built without a buyer under contract -- remain unsold, prompting several builders to skip the Parade this year. "We're actually… Dane County Equal Opportunity Commission MINORITY BUSINESS SERIES - Come join us for our "Doing business online and how to avoid predatory loans and identity theft" series Thursday, June 14, 2007. We have the event brochure available for download… Housing starts show some improvement Dane County housing starts improved in May compared to a year ago but remain well below past levels. Figures released by the Madison Area Builders Association today showed there were 152 housing starts in Dane County last month compared to 134 in 2006.
There were 284 housing starts here in May 2005, the record year since the association began tracking in 1999. Mortgage rates hit 10-month high… Business Park Fills Up - Sunday, June 3, 2007 - The office space is there and it continues to grow. Two hotels are up and another will break ground this summer. A hospital could be the next big addition to the American Center business park, but now the focus for developers of the 447-acre Far East Side tract of land is on retail and service businesses. The 15-year-old park, one of the largest business parks in the state, is just over 50 percent full and on goal for its completion in 2017… Engineered Construction Receives ABC Safety Award From an employee’s first day of work at Engineered Construction until retirement, one thing remains consistent—EC’s
commitment to safety. Recently, Engineered Construction was one of only 11 recipients in the state’s construction industry to receive the Safety Award of Honor given out annually by Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin. The award honors contractors that have an Experience Modification Rate (EMR) that is at… Mifflin St. Co-op sells building FRI., JUN 8, 2007 - The Mifflin Street Co-op is on its way out of debt. The cooperative Thursday sold the building at 32 N. Bassett St. that had housed the cooperative's grocery store since it opened in 1969. The store closed in December after almost 10
years without a profitable quarter and with thousands of dollars owed to the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid payroll taxes… 6/07/2007 - The Mifflin Street Community Cooperative board of directors met this afternoon to finalize the sale of its former store at 32 N. Bassett St. to ABC for Health, a non-profit public interest law firm. Scott Herrick, the lawyer for the co-op's
board of directors, said the organization had been accepting proposals from the… Farm and Fleet ready for council 6/5/07 - Farm and Fleet came out of Round 2 looking fresh and healthy for next Monday’s Common Council meeting. A month after it took a beating at the May Plan Commission and seven months after its concept plan first came to Verona, the newer, more
stylish computer renderings of the anchor building at the former Hometown Village property showed enough progress to earn the project a unanimous recommendation Monday night from the commission, which entertained a full house for most of the night despite holding another four-plus-hour meeting. The commission wasn’t agreeable the entire evening, though… Stewardship Too Good Of A Deal To Pass Up Thursday, June 7, 2007 - On Friday, the legislature's Joint Finance Committee will take up Gov. Jim Doyle's proposal to reauthorize the Knowles/Nelson Stewardship Program from 2011 to 2020. Stewardship, the state's fund for buying land for conservation
purposes, will end in 2010 if it is not renewed. The governor included the program in the proposed 2007-09 state budget. In the past, Stewardship had support from both sides of the political aisle, as it provides $60 million per year for land purchases. But the governor's new proposal would not only renew the program, but increase funding to $105 million anually due to increasing land prices. Stewardship is funded through
sales of general obligation bonds… Fuddruckers Closing On State Street Wednesday, June 6, 2007 - Fuddruckers, which opened last spring at 651 State St., closed Friday, according to an official with KD Restaurant Development, the Janesville company that owned the restaurant. Fuddruckers, a build-your-own-burger restaurant
known for its fully stocked condiment bar, is based in Austin, Texas, and has more than 250 locations, including restaurants in Brookfield and Janesville. The Madison location was called a "Fudds in the City… Wednesday, June 6, 2007 - A Sluggish Real Estate Market And Oversupply Of Lots Has Prompted Oregon To Put A Moratorium On Residential Annexations. Oregon's decision two weeks ago to freeze residential annexations is the most drastic governmental response
Jeff Miller has heard of to Dane County's softening real-estate market. But the president of the Dane County Cities and Villages Association isn't surprised. Oregon's decision is the clearest recognition that the runaway development the county has recently experienced may not be sustainable, said Miller, who is also DeForest Village Board president… Madison architect Bob Sieger is pressing on with plans for "Fieldhouse Station," a mixed-use residential/retail project at the corner of Monroe and Regent streets. Whether it will happen, however, remains up in the air. Sieger has spent the past
two years trying to come up with a plan that will pass muster with city planning officials and the neighborhood. Initially, he proposed… Middleton Project Raises Tif Issue Tuesday, June 5, 2007 - The Tribeca Village Proposal Is Generally Supported, But Concerns Have Risen Over Costs. Developer Terrance Wall says he is not making a request for city financing for his proposed $280 million, 25-acre urban neighborhood
development, but city leaders still need to decide if and when they will make room for another tax incremental finance district. Wall's Tribeca Village, a proposed urban neighborhood of housing, retail and office space between Highway 12 and Parmenter Street, would be a developer-financed TIF district, meaning Wall would front the money to make the development happen… Fitchburg drafts 50-year growth boundaries 5/31/07 After several years of discussion, the Plan Commission decided on a 50-year growth boundary when it met May 15. The Commission divided into two groups, made their choices and then reconciled the differences. A consensus was reached quickly. The
final map included 2,795 acres, of which 168 acres are woods and 266 acres involved parcels of less than five acres. Ald. Jay Allen, who also serves on the Plan Commission, said the acreage represents an annual growth of 68 acres, less than the maximum of 75 acres previously established. Most of the new acreage borders the rail corridor along the city’s eastern side. Land on the west was added to expand the city’s
Commerce Park… A Regional Transportation Plan Important To Growth, Economy Friday, June 1, 2007 - As members of the business community, we have become almost numb to discussions of transportation, but the issue is vital to how we develop and shape our region. A well-planned, well-maintained system is as critical to our economic
growth and vitality as it is to our quality of life. A comprehensive regional transportation network that is strong and efficient and includes a variety of modes of travel -- air, car, bus, bike and rail -- is a cornerstone of future success for our region… A Closer Look: Sequoya Commons Phase One Friday, June 1, 2007 - Construction began in April on the sometimes controversial Sequoya Commons development at Midvale and Tokay boulevards on Madison's West Side. The mixed-use retail, residential and library center will replace the aging and now
half-vacant 40,000-square-foot Midvale Plaza, built in 1957. The $18 million first phase of the project will include the Madison Public Library's 20,000-square-foot Sequoya Branch, 7,000 square feet of retail space and 45 condominium units. About 100 more residential units and 10,000 square feet of additional retail space are planned in the project's $25 million second phase… Around The
State and Points Elsewhere Wisconsin's growth is slower than nation's Wisconsin's growth is slower than nation's. State's reliance on manufacturing is key. The economy grew more slowly in Wisconsin than the nation last year, a reflection of the state's industrial mix, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis... Manhattan-like Central Park Would Be Milwaukee Gem Thursday, June 7, 2007 - I have long thought that one of the coolest things that happened when I worked in the office of former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist was the removal in 1997 of a dam on the Milwaukee River, just north of the downtown. Now there are even more ambitious plans
along the banks of more than five miles of the Milwaukee River from the dam's former location on Milwaukee's east side all the way north to Silver Spring Drive: the creation of Milwaukee's Central Park… New Plan Targets Milwaukee Future Saturday, June 2, 2007 - The Milwaukee region's future depends on fostering engineering talent, its universities, and the ability to research and develop new products and ideas, according to a seven-county economic development group. The group, known as the Milwaukee 7, issued its
plan this week, saying changes are needed to compete in a global economy. The slow-growth region continues to lose jobs as production moves to China and design work goes to India. The region has lost 77 manufacturing plants and 41,000 manufacturing jobs since 1999… MMSD to buy 167-acre parcel - Acquisition for flood control will be district's biggest ever June 7, 2007 - Germantown - The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District will spend $1.45 million in summer on its largest-ever land acquisition for flood control - 167 acres of wooded wetlands and fields at the headwaters of the Menomonee River in the village… McGee backing of consultant in development deal examined June 7, 2007 - A politically connected consultant sought a $15,000 contract from a Milwaukee developer at the same time Ald. Michael McGee was holding up the developer's $3 million Brewers Hill redevelopment project, according to documents released Thursday by Mayor Tom Barrett's
office. McGee recommended the developer hire the… Hotel deal surprises official - Waukesha would make direct payments to developers June 8, 2007 - Waukesha - A top county official expressed surprise Thursday at an unusual public financing deal struck between the city and developers of a boutique hotel and upscale restaurant. The deal would pay the business operators if
new stores are attracted to downtown because of the success of their upscale project. Contained in a $2 million public financing package is $500,000 in a so-called self-funded TIF, also known as a municipal finance obligation… Consultant favors Park East condos Consultant favors Park East condos. Area's best suited for them, he says. Developers with projects proposed for Milwaukee's Park East area might need to consider adding condominiums in place of hotels, offices and retail space... Homes envisioned at Solvay Coke site Homes envisioned at Solvay Coke site. Illinois investor buys property. The former Milwaukee Solvay Coke Co. plant property, long prized for its waterfront location, has been sold to an Illinois investor who hopes to create a residential development eventually... City not ready to rezone busy parcel City not ready to rezone busy parcel. Some feel proposal for 27th Street doesn't meet standard. The Oak Creek Common Council on June 5 tabled the rezoning of three properties along 27th Street that would have removed the highway business zoning designation from a site that is zoned
manufacturing... It's textbook simple: Growth adds demands It's textbook simple: Growth adds demands. School's just about out, so can the report card be far behind? Not when it comes to the ABCs - or even the D's and F's - of developments in Waukesha County. * * * Flash card. When a community invites mega-development with open arms, it
should come as... Study discourages city funds. Park East developments could hurt other projects, it says. Don't expect those big empty lots in Milwaukee's Park East area to be filled in with buildings for several years. And don't think that city financial assistance should be piled on to speed up... A shiny new 'Stallis?. Six Points and Belmont bring new perspectives to 'dirty' city. On more than one occasion, Debbie Toldt, leasing manager with Toldt Development, has received voice mails that went something like this: "Holy crap! How can you charge so much in dirty 'Stallis?"... Commission approves park plans Commission approves park plans. Proposed fire pit concerns some commissioners. The city's Parks and Recreation Commission this week approved a revised plan for future development at Mary Knoll Park on Brookfield's southeast side... New bank branch will anchor Riverwest project New bank branch will anchor Riverwest project. A new branch of North Milwaukee State Bank will anchor a $1.5 million, 10,000-square-foot building to be constructed at E. Keefe Ave. and N. Holton St... Builders revamp Oconomowoc site plans Builders revamp Oconomowoc site plans. Feud over size of downtown project stalled construction. Developers of Rockwell Village, a condo, townhouse and retail project proposed for a high-profile site downtown, want to jump-start their project after a feud with developers of an
adjacent site... Cloud appears over apartment project Cloud appears over apartment project. A $7.2 million apartment development planned for Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood might run into a roadblock, says Ald. Tony Zielinski, whose district includes the project site... Growth could strain city staff Growth could strain city staff. Keeping pace with development in Oconomowoc will exceed their capacity, workers say. With almost 50 development projects in the works, including a huge new shopping mall at Pabst Farms, staff of the city at the hub of fast-growing western Waukesha
County... New Berlin sued over plans for hotel New Berlin sued over plans for hotel. Suit says center too tall, approval process flawed. The owner of an apartment complex near the proposed site of an upscale hotel, water park and conference center has filed suit against the city, alleging that the hotel is too tall and the Plan
Commission's... Shopping center plans outlined Shopping center plans outlined. Development envisioned at ex-Fleming site. Developers on Monday confirmed for neighbors at a community meeting that they intend to build a retail shopping center at Sunset and Sentry drives... East side condo tower moves forward East side condo tower moves forward. City Plan Commission gives 21-story Knapp St. project preliminary OK. A 21-story, 104-unit condominium tower on Milwaukee's east side received preliminary approval Monday from the city Plan Commission... Senior housing co-ops more common Senior housing co-ops more common. • Tiny but growing: More than 90 multi-unit projects nationwide, mostly in Minnesota, where the first was launched in 1975... We must play strong suit when betting on economy We must play strong suit when betting on economy. It's best to look at the regional strategy unveiled by the Milwaukee 7 economic development group last week as a first chapter in a final plan. The rollout of the initial "framework" was predictable and sensible: Go with
your strength, advance manufacturing... Economic development plan wins over skeptics Economic development plan wins over skeptics. Seven-county effort draws strong support. A plan to unify seven counties in promoting economic growth throughout southeastern Wisconsin is drawing strong support from civic leaders, including some who were initially skeptical of the
effort...
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