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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 week of 4/20/07 to 4/27/07 High Rise Hotel - 12-story 'boutique'-style In Works For Hilldale Wednesday, April 25, 2007 - The Chicago-based owners of the Hilldale Shopping Center have turned their attention to developing a $17 million, 12-story "boutique" hotel to be sited at the back of the shopping center facing Sawyer Terrace. Representatives of Joseph Freed & Associates are before the city Urban Design Commission today with plans for a 145-room hotel aimed mainly at business travelers. Rooms would include hardwood floors and flat screen TVs. The hotel - with the same number of stories as the nearby Weston Place condominium tower - would be owned by Freed and managed by a third party… Economic development conference next week The Association of Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission's Regional Economic Development Conference will be next Wednesday from 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Concourse Hotel. The conference will offer national and Wisconsin perspectives on regional economic development, and provide a review of best practices, opportunities, and needed improvements to effectively promote economic development… 2007 Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Directory of High-Tech Companies Madison, Wis., April 2007 — Dane County's high-tech companies added approximately $500 million in revenue to the local economy in 2006 with employment levels increasing more than 5.5% over the previous year. Since 2002, the area's total number of companies in the high-tech sector increased from 450 to 510. These findings, part of a recent survey conducted by Madison Gas and Electric (MGE), are found in the 2007 Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Directory of High-Tech Companies. The directory lists more than 500 firms… Sullivan Construction Co. emphasizes value for client THU., APR 26, 2007 - Ken Sullivan started a Madison company 70 years ago that remodeled retail stores on the Capitol Square. By the time Sullivan died two years ago at age 97, the construction company he founded had designed and built about a thousand Wisconsin projects, including office buildings, auto dealerships, warehouses, schools and churches… Sequoya Commons building begins Construction begins today 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… Marling Lumber to move from East Madison site WED., APR 25, 2007 - One of Madison's oldest businesses is moving, and it may help create more redevelopment opportunities along the East Washington Avenue corridor. Marling Lumber Co. will move from the 1800 block of East Washington Avenue near the Yahara River and has put the 3.8-acre property up for sale. Officials with the 103-year-old company, which has been at the location since 1920, say the move to T. Wall Properties' The Center for Industry & Commerce along Highway 51 will provide room for growth. The sale will also likely mean new life for the East Washington Avenue site and help create a gateway to the central city… Rail proposal rounds bend, heads to feds After talking about and studying commuter rail in Dane County for more than 30 years, officials say a proposal that will go to the federal government soon is the furthest the community has gone in making rail service a reality. Consulting firm HNTB Corp. rolled out its cost and ridership analysis Wednesday night on three alternative routes for commuter rail for Transport 2020, the local group trying to get commuter rail service going here… Breaking old ground: Sequoya Commons provides development lessons Neighbors wanted two-story (three at most) buildings with owner-occupied condominiums. They wanted a larger library and retail including a grocery store and pharmacy. Developers wanted four stories with condos and rental units above a expanded library and retail stores… Arboretum Project Draws Lawsuits Wednesday, April 25, 2007 - The Arboretum Neighborhood Association and the state filed lawsuits Monday challenging a decision by Dane County's zoning appeals panel to allow a development near the UW Arboretum. It is the latest in a see-saw battle between the neighborhood association, concerned about environmental protection, and the developer, advocating for property rights. At stake is a property at Arboretum Drive and Arboretum Lane on which developer Darren Kittleson wants to build two houses and expand a third… Madison's public housing crisis - Declining revenues are forcing new approaches Madison’s Community Development Authority is headed for trouble. The agency’s public housing, all of which is at least 30 years old, needs extensive maintenance — new roofs, boilers and other repairs. But the agency’s income from rents has been declining, and the federal government, which supplies half the agency’s $4 million housing budget, has held funding increases to just 2% in recent years. “It’s not a doomsday scenario,” says Andy Heidt… Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - In a surprise move, the Madison Plan Commission has stopped a plan from JH Findorff and Son construction to raze four century-old homes near its headquarters overlooking Monona Bay. The commission Monday night voted unanimously to deny a demolition permit, saying there was no sound reason for tearing down the buildings on Dow Court - one which dates to 1888 and was home to George Dow Jr., whose family owned one of the area's first steam-powered mills. The mill was later operated by Findorff before it burned… Wal-mart: The Low Tax Leader, Always Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - The next time you make the not-so-scenic drive on U.S. 151 past the giant new Wal-Mart warehouse near Beaver Dam, keep this in mind: Wisconsin's largest employer draws more in corporate welfare than it pays in state taxes. Not that this comes as any great surprise. Stories about the evil doings of the nation's largest corporations are greeted largely with yawns these days. But according to a report from the Milwaukee-based Institute for Wisconsin's Future that somehow fell through the cracks on Tax Day, Wal-Mart has used a variety of completely legal tax avoidance schemes to cut millions from its state tax bill… Editors Note: Thanks Mike… Green Grows The Worship Space - Four Faith Communities Expand With Eye To Environmental Principles Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - High-energy efforts for low-energy costs: That describes major expansions at four local houses of worship, but each has its own shade of green. The faith communities are investing more than $40 million to accommodate growth, cut utility bills, save the planet and teach others how to be Earth-friendly. * Blackhawk Evangelical Free Church will move west this fall into a new $16 million church at the corner of Mineral Point and South… Rail, Streetcar Plans Compete For Support Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - The Mayor Seeks A Delay On A Commuter Rail Proposal So His Streetcar Idea Can Be Part Of A Pitch For Lots Of Federal Money. Details are emerging this week about possible passenger rail systems designed to provide relief to Madison and Dane County residents mired in increasingly sluggish rush-hour traffic. The systems being studied are controversial because they are costly and because of a conflict between proponents of streetcars -- which would move people around within Madison -- and commuter trains -- which would move passengers between the city and some of its suburbs… OPINION Council Must Get Down To Business Monday, April 23, 2007 - Gov. Jim Doyle's New Advisory Group Should Meet Often And Offer Advice From The Front Lines To Help Shape Wisconsin's Economic Policies. Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle has wisely decided to consult in a regular and formal way with front-line business people to better frame the state's economic policies. Doyle announced this week the creation of a business advisory council with representatives from five regional economic groups -- including one in south-central Wisconsin. Doyle and the Legislature will still make the decisions. But now those decisions will be better informed by the economic realities faced by businesses… New Madison Must Cope With Old Waste - Developing The Land Sunday, April 22, 2007 - As developers build a new Madison they almost always have to cope first with what's buried beneath the old city -- waste and contaminants from an industrial past. Doug Clark, an environmental lawyer with Foley and Lardner, said the problem of contaminated land in Madison is particularly important now because much of the development happening in the city is taking place on urban lots. It's almost impossible to develop such property in the city, he added, without coming across the residue of a time when disposing of waste meant throwing it out the back door… Developers Are Thinking Outside The Lot Sunday, April 22, 2007 - Acres of blacktop are no longer a necessity to accommodate the parking needs of Madiosn area shoppers. In Dane County, developers are increasingly using parking ramps and underground parking… Mayor Doesn't Keep Konkel On The Plan Commission Sunday, April 22, 2007 - At least one surprise was evident last week when the Madison City Council voted to approve Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's committee appointments for the upcoming council session. In what some council members considered an unexpected move, the mayor did not reappoint to the Plan Commission four-year member Brenda Konkel, replacing her instead with Tim Gruber, another progressive. The Plan Commission makes recommendations… County Touts Its 'green' Buildings Saturday, April 21, 2007 - The Dane County Courthouse was touted by county and energy conservation officials this week as a shining example of how much money and fuel can be saved by using energy-saving techniques and construction. Because of the savings and the resultant pollution reduction from steps taken
at the new $44 million courthouse and other county buildings, Dane County is the first in the state to register its air pollution savings with the state Department of Natural Resources. That keeps the county a step ahead of potential federal regulations requiring companies and municipalities to reduce their impact on global warming through greenhouse gas air pollution… Around The State and Points Elsewhere First Business Bank - Milwaukee Introduces Mezzanine Funding 4/26/2007 - MILWAUKEE, April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- First Business Bank is now offering mezzanine funding to Milwaukee-area clients through an investment with Aldine Capital Fund, L.P. (in Wisconsin and Illinois) to provide funding between $2 million and $8 million in investment size. Mezzanine financing, also referred to as "mezzanine capital" or "junior capital," allows borrowers to obtain unsecured debt financing based on cash flow rather than traditional collateral. It is a tool that can fill the financing gap that often occurs between owners' equity and traditional bank financing, where the maximum bank loan might be capped by collateral requirements or other limitations. Mezzanine financing is most often used for financing growth, re-capitalization, acquisitions or ownership changes Mongolian Grill stir fry eatery opens at Bayshore Mongolian Grill stir fry eatery opens at Bayshore. Mongolian Grill recently opened its first Wisconsin location off of Port Washington Road, in the southwest corner of Bayshore Town Center, in Glendale... City stalls zoning of condo project City stalls zoning of condo project. Plans for a five-story apartment and condominium project near the Brewers Hill neighborhood have stalled after the city Plan Commission killed a proposed rezoning for the site... 1 more hotel is proposed. Park East plan calls for long-term lodging, condos. Another upscale hotel project has surfaced in downtown Milwaukee, but this one is close to securing financing and is not seeking cash from City Hall, the developer said Monday... State still lagging in venture capital State still lagging in venture capital. But health care, biotech sectors encourage observers. Wisconsin continues to lag behind other parts of the nation in attracting venture capital, although the state's health care sector is attracting notice, according to a study released Monday... Port firm to buy factory. Manufacturer to move into vacant facility. A Port Washington manufacturer agreed to buy the former OmniQuip/Trak factory and will move there in late June... Shopping for options. Kohl's expected departure leaves Manchester Mall up in air. The announcement that Kohl's Department Stores plans to open a store near the east end of the village has tenants of the Manchester Mall wondering what the future holds for the shopping complex... Good to Know. Useful real estate news. New homes see slight increase in MarchThe number of new houses started in March rose a little - 0.8% - according to the Commerce Department. The number of building permits granted in March rose by the same amount... Business group claims first success Business group claims first success. Milwaukee 7 says it courted German firm. Milwaukee sat on the sidelines for decades as cities from Singapore to San Diego scrambled to attract new industry. It wasn't until recently that business and civic leaders even began assembling a team so that... West side upgrades planned. 6 apartment buildings set for renovation. A development firm is buying six apartment buildings on Milwaukee's west side and will do extensive renovations - creating a $14.1 million investment for the neighborhood's housing stock... School in St. Francis could become housing School in St. Francis could become housing. A former Catholic school in St. Francis would be converted into 64 senior apartments under a proposal that received city approval this week... Wisconsin's small manufacturers big on success Wisconsin's small manufacturers big on success. Many people in Baraboo have never heard of Humane Manufacturing. But this picturesque town in central Wisconsin is home to a world-class manufacturing firm that is growing and thriving even at a time of intense global competition... Marquette Square likely to feature smaller units Marquette Square likely to feature smaller units. Balconies also added, but request for drive-through tabled. The South Milwaukee Community Development Authority approved some revisions to the look and design of the Marquette Square mixed-use development at the corner of 10th and Marquette avenues... Business in Brief. LOCALSara Lee lands $240,000 in state tax creditsSara Lee Corp. will receive $240,000 in Enterprise Development Zones tax credits from the state Department of Commerce to help retain 80 jobs in New London. Sara Lee, based in Chicago, is spending $6.9... Developer looks for Kenosha tenants Developer looks for Kenosha tenants. Work on proposed Town Center could begin this fall. Construction could begin by fall on a Kenosha shopping center west of I-94 and north of Highway 50, the project's developer said Wednesday... Ad campaign aims to reduce foreclosures Ad campaign aims to reduce foreclosures. Group says state is among nation's trouble spots. Wisconsin home loan borrowers will be urged to seek foreclosure prevention counseling as part of a national ad campaign to start in June... West side hotel will get upgrade April 25, 2007 - Rick Wiegand, who dramatically renovated the Ambassador Hotel at 2308 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, is now renovating the Executive Inn across the street at 2301 W. Wisconsin Ave. Wiegand is spending $1 million to gut and renovate the Executive Inn's 40 rooms and lobby. The hotel will be renamed the Ambassador Inn and will re-open May 15… Green Bay brewery/restaurant to open Milwaukee location April 25, 2007 - Hinterland, a brewery, upscale restaurant and lounge in Green Bay, plans to open a restaurant in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward. The Milwaukee restaurant will open in August. Hinterland recently leased 5,000 square feet of space at 222 E. Erie St. The building is owned by 222 E. Erie Associates LLC including Michael Glazier of Sertus Capital Partners LLC as a general partner…
Development News for the week of 4/13/07 to 4/20/07 To continue receiving News&Notes,
please add our 'From' address (kenh@parktowne.com) to your address book. Note this week's news is slightly abbreviated due to a technical problem with a search engine at the local papers. I will run and archive any stories that I could not get to in next weeks addition. New Research Shows Wal-Mart Rigs the System to Skip Out on $2.3 Billion in State Taxes 4/17/2007 - WASHINGTON, April 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wal-Mart appears to be skipping out on its fair share of taxes that most Americans have to pay to help support state governments. New research conducted in part by a leading non-partisan, non-profit tax organization reveals that Wal-Mart avoided $2.3 billion in state
income taxes, cutting its payment to state governments almost in half between 1999 and 2005: Over those seven years, Wal-Mart reported $77.4 billion in pretax U.S. profits to its shareholders. But it reported a total state income tax bill of only $2.4 billion, just 3.16% of those profits. Interestingly, Wisconsin is one of 30 states that do not require "combined reporting" of corporate profits. This failure
facilitates numerous corporate tax shelters, under which Wal-Mart and other large multi-state corporations take advantage of state laws to account for various subsidiaries as separate, unrelated corporations -- and shift profits (on paper) from states like Wisconsin to other states where those profits aren't taxed. Editors Note: I am surprised at the lack of local stories on this release. Jamming UW prof's
secret life! FRI., APR 20, 2007 - UW-Madison real estate professor Morris Davis lives a secret life. He's an international rock star. That secret will be out next Thursday when his group, The Contractions, plays the King Club and he takes the stage with his bass
performing classic rock hits. Ten years ago, as a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, Davis decided to join a jam session with one of his professors. Editors Note: and people said real estate profession was boring. FRI., APR 20, 2007 - Wisconsin officials hope to establish the state among biofuel industry leaders by joining 11 other states in a new Midwest alternative fuel alliance. Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen will announce today the formation of
the North Central Bio Economy Consortium and its plans to unite the Midwest's agriculture infrastructure and spur biofuel production. Funded by a $100,000 grant from The Energy Foundation of San Francisco, the consortium will also include Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. The consortium will also receive a combined $72,000 from the state members. Wisconsin Cheeseman
ownership changes FRI., APR 20, 2007 - Businesswoman Holly Cremer-Berkenstadt was taught at a young age the importance of giving back to the community. When her parents, Garvin and Helen, founded the Wisconsin Cheeseman in 1946 they not only wanted to earn a comfortable
living for themselves, they dreamed of creating hundreds of jobs so others could share in the benefits. Today, the company which markets holiday boxed cheese and other gift products employs over 170 at its headquarters. Madison's public housing crisis 04/19/2007 - Madison's Community Development Authority is headed for trouble. The agency's public housing, all of which is at least 30 years old, needs extensive maintenance - new roofs, boilers and other repairs. But the agency's income from rents has been
declining, and the federal government, which supplies half the agency's $4 million housing budget, has held funding increases to just 2% in recent years. Willy Street's dilemma - A grocery co-op struggles with
business planning 04/19/2007 - Voting is under way at the Willy Street Co-op (1221 Williamson St.), where members are deciding whether to support "the expenditure of funds exceeding $50,000 to open one retail site in the Madison area within the next three years."
Ballots were mailed earlier this month, and they are due Monday. What is at stake? If approved, the measure would free the co-op board to choose the site of a second store and spend what is necessary to develop it. Co-op members would have no further input. The balloting is the latest development in the co-op's four-year effort to open another store. Madison ditches Internet supplier Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - A local Internet service provider will no longer be working with Mad City Broadband to provide wireless Internet access to the city of Madison. According to Bryan Schenker, director of ResTech Services, Mad City Broadband
terminated the contract. Schenker said he could not give a specific reason why the company decided to end the partnership, and Mad City Broadband did not return calls as of press time. New Economic Development Website Under Construction in Verona An economic development website www.FutureVERONA.com is
under construction for the Verona area. "A work in progress", the Website uses the Property Drive engine to list available properties in real time. In addition the site is designed to be a one-stop shop for Economic Development resources for the community. If this is successfully the system will be available to other communities in the area and across the state. The authors are soliciting feedback on the site at
this time. Editors Note: I am the developer of the above site. Please let me know what you think. Around The State and Points Elsewhere Marquette University College of Business to create the Marquette Center for Real Estate Marquette University College of Business has launched a fundraising drive to create the Marquette Center for Real Estate, a research initiative that will compile data on the commercial real estate market in the Milwaukee area. The center will be created in conjunction with the Robert B. Bell Sr. Chair in Real Estate. The fund drive is being steered by William Schiel, senior vice president of facilities development for Walgreens, and James Devine, principal and real estate attorney at Newcastle Properties. Both are Marquette alumni. Governor Doyle Announces $6 Million for Kerry Group American Headquarters in Beloit 4/19/2007 - BELOIT - Governor Jim Doyle today announced $6 million to help the Kerry Group as they expand their American headquarters in Beloit. Governor Doyle joined with representatives from the City of Beloit and Kerry Americas, a worldwide leader in food production, sales and marketing to make the announcement. The Beloit expansion is expected to retain 800 jobs and create 250 new, good paying jobs for the area. "To be competitive long into the future, we need to work together with companies to provide the best environment and opportunities to thrive in our economy," Governor Doyle said. "Today, we're taking another step forward to create opportunities for business and hardworking families, and give our state the edge we need to compete, and win in the global marketplace.". Governor Doyle Announces $240,000 to Assist Sara Lee Corporation to Retain 80 Jobs 4/18/2007 - MADISON-Governor Doyle announced today that the Sara Lee Corporation, New London, Outagamie County, will receive $240,000 in Enterprise Development Zone (EDZ) tax credits from the Department of Commerce (Commerce) to help retain 80 jobs. "Making sure there are enough good paying jobs to support Wisconsin families has been a top priority of my Administration since day one," Governor Doyle said. "The future of our economy relies on our ability to work closely with companies. School in St. Francis could become housing School in St. Francis could become housing. A former Catholic school in St. Francis would be converted into 64 senior apartments under a proposal that received city approval this week... Unemployment rate in state falls slightly to 5.6% Unemployment rate in state falls slightly to 5.6%. Unemployment fell slightly in Wisconsin in March to 5.6% from 5.9% in February, the state Department of Workforce Development said Thursday... Wisconsin's small manufacturers big on success Wisconsin's small manufacturers big on success. Many people in Baraboo have never heard of Humane Manufacturing. But this picturesque town in central Wisconsin is home to a world-class manufacturing firm that is growing and thriving even at a time of intense global competition... Open line to business. If Gov. Jim Doyle is looking for advice on the state's business climate, he's likely to get it from his new Governor's Business Council. It's an idea that, at least in theory, makes a lot of sense... Marquette Square likely to feature smaller units Marquette Square likely to feature smaller units. Balconies also added, but request for drive-through tabled. The South Milwaukee Community Development Authority approved some revisions to the look and design of the Marquette Square mixed-use development at the corner of 10th and Marquette avenues... Developer looks for Kenosha tenants Developer looks for Kenosha tenants. Work on proposed Town Center could begin this fall. Construction could begin by fall on a Kenosha shopping center west of I-94 and north of Highway 50, the project's developer said Wednesday... Ad campaign aims to reduce foreclosures Ad campaign aims to reduce foreclosures. Group says state is among nation's trouble spots. Wisconsin home loan borrowers will be urged to seek foreclosure prevention counseling as part of a national ad campaign to start in June... Grand Avenue Lofts fails to win housing tax credits Grand Avenue Lofts fails to win housing tax credits. It's the second rejection for $12.4 million plan. A $12.4 million housing and retail project planned for the area west of Marquette University faces an uncertain future after failing to secure a key part of its financing... Plans for upscale hotel debated Plans for upscale hotel debated. Waukesha officials weigh financing for downtown project. NEWSWATCH UPDATE: Waukesha boutique hotel OK'd A $2 million city financial package to assist in redeveloping a blighted building into a new boutique hotel and upscale restaurant was given a go-ahead... Pabst Farms may lack enough bar licenses Pabst Farms may lack enough bar licenses. The upscale mall headed to Oconomowoc's Pabst Farms is presenting a dilemma for the city: The developers want a dozen liquor licenses for restaurants with full bars, and the city has only one to give... Funds pushed for Park East. City money sought for project. A hotel, retail and apartment development proposed for Milwaukee's Park East area is getting a new push for city financing, with an alderman introducing legislation that would force the Department of City Development to... A drive for downtown. Development coordinator, survey among ideas for Cedarburg's center. A committee appointed by Mayor Greg Myers to examine downtown growth seems poised to make recommendations soon, and an economic development coordinator as well as housing are likely... A mansion to swoon over. Price tag for house with fainting room not for the faint of heart. Feeling lightheaded?... Mequon concept home updates. Midwest style while tour benefits foundation. When construction is completed on Sandhill Circle, the houses on this cul de sac will be part of a setting in which birds and animals are as at home as two-legged residents. With its emphasis on nature, the... Don't default on your loan - you can keep your home Don't default on your loan - you can keep your home. Take steps to avoid becoming a sad story. Trouble begins with a slow-motion descent toward your first missed mortgage payment... Appleton
Post Crescent. Outagamie landowners owe $3.87 million in taxes. Dept. of Commerce. $156,000 to City of Lancaster for Woolrich Dairy USA business expansion. Development News for the week of 4/06/07 to 4/13/07 Power line delayed as ATC
mulls options - Housing slump reduces demand April 13, 2007 - Local officials are applauding the decision by American Transmission Co. to delay construction of a controversial 345-kilovolt transmission line across Dane County, but energy conservation activist Nino Amato said it's just a tactical move
by the company to "reposition" itself in trying to justify need for the line. Mark Williamson, vice president of major projects for ATC, said today the company needs more time to take a hard look at power usage forecasts and the potential to bury a part of the new line in sensitive areas… Saturday, April 7, 2007 - James A. Graaskamp, the late and legendary UW-Madison real estate professor, will be honored April 25-26 when the UW-Madison Center for Real Estate is renamed in his memory. Since 2005, almost 600 alumni and friends generated
nearly $11 million in donations for the Center and its renaming. The support provides the critical resources to allow the Wisconsin Real Estate Program to remain competitive and to carry on the legacy of Jim Graaskamp, the UW said in a news release. A Milwaukee native, Graaskamp was stricken with polio at the age of 17… Country's
Largest Health-care Design Firm Opens Madison Office Thursday, April 12, 2007 - Hdr Architecture Relies On Former Marshall Erdman Employees To Staff Its New Office On The West Side. Fueling the competition for health-care and medical-design contracts, HDR Architecture, the nation's largest architectural
company for health-care projects, has opened an office at 525 Junction Road on Madison's West Side. The Omaha-based company designed the American Family Children's Hospital under construction on the UW Hospital campus in Madison. HDR has found talent at a smaller local competitor, Marshall Erdman and Associates, which also designs medical clinics and hospitals. Fourteen of the 16 employees at HDR's Madison office are former
Erdman employees… Brakes On
In Property Value Growth - Still Rising, But At Much Lower Rate Than Recent Years Saturday, April 7, 2007 - The soaring increases in property value that the city has seen in recent years slowed considerably in 2006, according to Madison property tax information released Friday. The overall taxable value of real estate in the city
increased 5.8 percent in 2006, down from the 9.9 percent increase in 2005, according to preliminary figures that will be used to determine how property taxes are levied. The value of commercial property increased even more quickly than it has in years past, expanding by about $506 million, but the growth in value of all other types of property lagged recent years. Commercial property values jumped 7.9 percent… Public
Gets Look At Stoughton Road Visions - 'upscale' East Side Gateway Thursday, April 12, 2007 - The revitalization of Stoughton Road, intended someday to evoke pride for the 25,000 people who live in the eight neighborhoods surrounding it, has gained professional help. Consultants with the Cunningham Group of Minneapolis met
for the first time Wednesday with residents interested in the area's future. Despite nasty weather, about 60 people took part in the planning at the Olbrich Gardens atrium. Fred Arnold, chairman of the Stoughton Road Revitalization Project, said that a core group of 10 to 12 people had been meeting since June 2005 to develop a strategy for creating an "upscale" community vision for the "gateway" to
Madison's east side… Report: Wisconsin businesses
lag in taxes paid April 13, 2007 - MADISON (AP) - If Wisconsin businesses would pay the national average in state and local taxes, an additional $1.3 billion would flow to school districts, fire departments and other governmental services, a new report concluded. The study
released Wednesday by the Institute for Wisconsin's Future, a Democratic-leaning group founded in 1994 and based in Milwaukee, concludes that too many of Wisconsin's biggest profit-makers are underpaying taxes when compared with their counterparts in other states… Ecological
Economy Will Be Forum Topic Thursday, April 12, 2007 - Local doctors Eugene and Linda Farley are well known in Madison for their advocacy for accessible health care. But their son Joshua will bring a different message to Madison this weekend in two free public events. Joshua Farley
will talk about the economic consequences of global warming at 7 p.m. Friday at the Wisconsin Historical Society in a speech sponsored by The New College Madison. He will also be the principal speaker at a forum about ecological economics conducted by The Madison Institute from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Pyle Center… Farmland
Preservation Funding Remains Elusive Thursday, April 12, 2007 - With a dairy farm that's been in his family 110 years, Daniel Stoffel knows the past and fears for the future of agriculture in the lush hills and valleys 40 miles north of Milwaukee. "It's a little scary," Stoffel said
of what he sees for the years to come.As a member of the Washington County Board, Stoffel pushed for a referendum designed to protect farmland from development that's been eating away at it across Wisconsin, only to see the proposal soundly defeated by voters last week… Directory shows high-tech growth spurt in Dane Co. 04/11/07 - Madison, Wis. The technology industry in Dane County saw its largest single-year job increase in recent years, and its ranks grew to 510 businesses, according to the 2007 Greater Madison Area Directory of High-Tech Companies published by Madison
Gas & Electric Co… Monona
Seeks Young Families - Aging Population A Concern For City Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - Monona needs more young families with children to fill its schools, and its row-upon-row of 1950s ranch homes seem ideal for first-time buyers. But a recent survey found that only about half of newly purchased homes were bought
by young families. The rest of the buyers who responded to the survey were singles, childless couples, empty nesters and retirees. On Tuesday night, at the final meeting before the anticipated draft release of a sweeping, city-wide housing study, the city's Community Development Authority debated for more than an hour… Agora Is
Tranquil Inside And Out Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - Workers Enjoy The Atmosphere Of New Fitchburg Center Development. The Agora -- the new development at the center of the Fitchburg Center business park -- is ready for its close-up. The handsome structure at 5500 East Cheryl
Parkway, with its stone facade, cedar siding, clay tile roof, turrets and copper trim, looks as tranquil and unlike an office building on the inside as it does on the outside. Promega's 165 administrative employees occupy three-fourths of the 84,000-square-foot Agora and three small businesses have taken up residence on the first floor so far: Prairie Bean Coffee, Kneaded Relief Day Spa & Wellness center and Ecco Salon. Berbee
Will Expand In Fitchburg Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - Just months after being purchased by Illinois computer products seller CDW Corp., Berbee Information Networks Corp. is expanding in Fitchburg. Berbee will occupy half of two buildings recently approved for construction by the
Fitchburg City Council, a few blocks from its current location at 5520 Research Park Drive, in the Fitchburg Center. The buildings will be on Nobel Drive, in the adjacent Fitchburg Technology Campus, and will include offices and a data center… Factors
Are Many In Timing Of Projects Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - Each year, the state Department of Transportation completes from 350 to 400 state highway projects, costing an average of $1.5 million each. How do state officials decide which roads to widen, repave or reconstruct? There's no
easy answer, but the department considers public comments, traffic volume and crash reports, pavement and bridge conditions, and future demands. Officials also weigh the time necessary to study alternatives and associated costs, the complexity of the project and whether there's money in the budget to do it, said Adam Boardman, program development and analysis section chief with the DOT… Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - There are now 32 CCTV surveillance cameras within 200 yards of George Orwell's home in North London. In London, the World Association of Debt Management Offices, which manages billions of dollars of government debt, had its Web
site shut down due to an unpaid debt. Among the items stolen from the All Souls Church in Peterborough… Editors Note: I missed this on Wednesday so I included it in N&N it is an interesting list… Monroe St.
Project Ok'd - Development To Include 45 Condos, Restaurant Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - A multi-story, mixed-use redevelopment wedged between Monroe Street and Wingra Park has sailed past the Madison Plan Commission. After hearing virtually no opposition to the $15 million project, the panel Monday unanimously
approved a general development plan, although work is not to begin until May 2008.Billed as a "transit-oriented development," the project from landlord Jim Corcoran is planned just west of the Laurel Tavern and Michael's Frozen Custard, running through the entire block to Arbor Drive… Uw
Marketing Project Tracks Buyer's Habits Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - CORRECTION: The University of Wisconsin-Madison is not involved in the Project Apollo market research pilot study, as stated Tuesday in headlines and a caption. An old marketing adage claims that about half of the money spent on
advertising is wasted, but nobody knows which half. A project matching researchers at the A.C. Nielsen Co. and Arbitron Inc. with several major packaged goods firms and a major retailer seeks to dramatically change this. Several members of the steering committee for Project Apollo, the marketing information service pilot, discussed the initiative Monday night in a roundtable discussion at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
School of Business in conjunction with its A.C. Nielsen Center… Growth In
Store - If You Thought Wal-mart Was Through Expanding In State, Well . . . Sunday, April 8, 2007 - New Berlin is assigned door 22. Kenosha has door 19 and Wisconsin Dells, door 20. Each of the 49 Wal-Mart discount stores and Supercenters serviced by the company's 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center here has its own loading
dock. And this massive and controversial $55 million facility, with 19 miles of conveyor belts and 650 employees, also provides a glimpse of what's to come. There are 35 doors without a store assignment. Once those are filled, 16 more could be added without adding onto the building, which sits on part of 250 acres at Highways 151 and A on the northern edge of this Dodge County city… Executive
Trying New Concept In Waterparks Sunday, April 8, 2007 - Investors Are Converting Up To 20 Existing Hotels Into Modern Waterparks. Charles Heath has built hundreds of housing units for seniors throughout the state. Now his firm will focus on their grandchildren. Horizon Design Build Manage
is part of a $1 billion plan to convert up to 20 hotels throughout the country into waterpark resorts. Heath's company first built the Lodge at Cedar Creek in Wausau followed by the addition of a waterpark resort at the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha… Fast And
Fashionable - New East-side Convenience Store Is Green, Gives Back Saturday, April 7, 2007 - April theme products at MoCo Market include a reusable coffee sleeve equipped with a handy cash pocket, a wrist-mounted digital camera with video function, and a professionally styled sling pack. The rotating assortment changes
each month to fit a motif (April's focus is on travel), and aimed at attracting urban hipsters who strive to live sustainably. Welcome to MoCo Market (www.mocomarket.com), Madison's first green convenience store. The shop opened this week in a small spot on the ground level… Who Should
Live On Revamped Allied Drive? - At Issue: Screening Tenants For City-owned Property Saturday, April 7, 2007 - As Lynn Green sees it, the city of Madison has the opportunity in the Allied Drive area to create an innovative program to help low-income, high-risk residents move into permanent, quality housing. But the talk she's hearing from
fellow members of the city's Allied Area Task Force, charged with charting the future of an eight-acre parcel that the city bought last year, doesn't seem to be heading that way. Remarks about some residents being too troublesome to try to include… Saturday, April 7, 2007 - Officials With The Willy Street Co-op Won't Say Where They've Been Scoping Out A Second Location. The results of a vote on whether to open a second Willy Street Co-op store won't be known until April 23, but the answer is likely
between the store's milk cooler and spring-water dispenser. That is where, in a white three-ring binder, customers have filled 35 pages with comments about a second location. The overwhelming sense is that the vote will be in favor of an additional location. But there is anything but a consensus on where the… New-home
Permits Were Down In March Saturday, April 7, 2007 - The number of March housing starts in Dane County continued to lag behind last year, according to a report issued Friday by MTD Marketing Services of Neenah. The county had 103 permits issued last month for single-family homes and
duplexes, down from 155 permits issued in March 2006. Through the first three months of 2007, 254 permits were issued, down more than 35 percent from 394 a year ago… Group looks to start new bank in
DeForest - Small businesses, not-for-profits would be focus April 6, 2007 - The former chief executive of a small community bank in DeForest is heading a group hoping to raise about $10 million to start a new bank in the Madison suburb. Thomas E. Spitz, formerly the CEO of DMB Community Bank in DeForest, and seven
other organizers have applied for a state charter to open Settlers Bank. Spitz said details on the stock offering to raise start-up capital aren't available yet. Spitz, who has worked for Firstar Bank and Bank One, said David Fink, most recently a district president for M&I Bank in Dane County, will be the president of Settlers Bank. If it receives regulatory approval, the
bank will open in leased space in the Village of DeForest, Spitz said… MON., APR 9, 2007 - A new commercial bank could open this fall in DeForest. Settlers Bank would be the first chartered in Dane County since Oak Bank of Fitchburg was started in 2000, said Thomas Spitz of Sun Prairie, who spent 24 years in the banking
industry and will be the chief executive of Settlers Bank. He said the bank will have initial capital of $10 million to $12 million and will start with about 10 employees… Around The State and Points Elsewhere Retailers expect dreary
spring FRI., APR 13, 2007 - NEW YORK - Spring looks bleak for the nation's retailers. After robust sales in March, there are signs that consumers are already spending less. And a trifecta of problems - rising gas prices, a rougher housing market and the specter of
higher interest rates - are likely to make the retail business even tougher in the months ahead. Although many stores reported Thursday that they had surpassed expectations last month, several warned of upcoming disappointments… Boldt Company, based in Appleton, WI, was named the top Midwest contractor for 2007
APPLETON, April 11, 2007– The Boldt Company, based in Appleton, WI, was named the top Midwest contractor for 2007 by Midwest Construction magazine. The Boldt Company, which ranked 16th in revenue for 2007 out
of 144 companies surveyed, was praised by the publication for its growth, dynamism, ethical standards, and high quality work.“Boldt has been an integral part of the New North economy for generations,” said Jerry Murphy, Executive Director of the New North, Inc. “As a company they value not only the work of their employees but the overall success of the region.n“This award
is a reflection of the talent and vision of Boldt’s leadership team and members such as Bob DeKoch (co-chair of New North, Inc.) who is often viewed as one of the fathers of regional economic development in Wisconsin. We are fortunate as region to have companies like Boldt and community leaders like DeKoch.”… Expo
will have major commercial real estate focus Published April 11, 2007 - The third annual Wisconsin Business and Technology Expo, to be held May 2-3 at State Fair Park in West Allis, will feature a major emphasis on commercial real estate. The expo will include the Green Pavilion, which will be a
dedicated exhibit and seminar area, sponsored by We Energies and the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance, with several businesses showcasing their green building products… Cambridge
River North to break ground this summer April 11, 2007 - Although the housing market has cooled, sales for one Milwaukee condominium project are going well. Cambridge River North, a five-story, 48-unit condominium development planned by Cassidy Realty LLC, has sold 30 percent of its units and
will break ground this summer, the company announced recently. "We're thrilled to see immediate interest in Cambridge River North," said Cass Stephens, owner of Cassidy Realty. "Considering how slow the market is, sales have exceeded our expectations."… New Berlin hotel advances. Board of Appeals upholds approval of Deer Creek Inn. Plans for an upscale, 405-room hotel, water park and conference center sailed forward Thursday night after the city's Board of Appeals voted 4-1 to uphold the Plan Commission's approval of the project... Boosting downtown. Ahotel and restaurant proposed for downtown Waukesha could provide a big boost for redevelopment efforts there and serve as a jobs and economic engine for the heart of the city - if it's done right and if it doesn't break the bank... Condo work must halt. State tells judge erosion controls lacking near Silver Lake. A judge has ordered the developers of a condominium complex in Oconomowoc to stop all work on a portion adjacent to Silver Lake until they have obtained required state permits and implemented... Walworth's property wealth leads region Walworth's property wealth leads region. Waukesha drops to No. 2. Walworth County is now southeastern Wisconsin's wealthiest county in per-capita property value, a fact that should command notice by the rest of the region, a report released today by the Public Policy Forum says... Board approves Appleton Avenue development Board approves Appleton Avenue development. Appleton Avenue will soon have three new businesses. The Menomonee Falls Village Board on April 2 approved the creation of a development district... Welcome development. AMadison-based developer is launching a new rent-to-own project in Milwaukee's Metcalfe Park neighborhood that is the first of its kind in southeastern Wisconsin. It should provide a needed boost for this inner city area... Trade pact with Korea could enrich Wisconsin Trade pact with Korea could enrich Wisconsin. Getting rid of costly tariffs that reach as high as 487% could give Wisconsin farm exports a boost under a trade agreement between the United States and South Korea... Envisioning out-of-the-box MacArthur Square Envisioning out-of-the-box MacArthur Square. Planner Larry Witzling calls it "the black hole of development." "Whenever any project gets near it," he says of MacArthur Square, "they all die." So why should such a strategically located civic space be so toxic? Well, for one thing, it's all but inaccessible... Younger buyers see home as short-term investment Younger buyers see home as short-term investment. Julian Kegel, 22, is a man with one monster of a to-do list... Kohl's plans Grafton site. A Kohl's Department Store will be built near a new Costco warehouse store in a 15-store complex under construction at I-43 and Highway 60, Mike Rambousek, Grafton planning and development director, said Friday... WisDOT.
$365,195 project at Adams County Airport (lighting, aircraft apron) WisDOT.
$173,650 project at Langlade County Airport (T-hangar). Rep. Suder.
Questions need for $48.8 million Davies Center project (UW Eau Claire). Institute
for Wisconsin's Future. Broken Partnerships: How Wisconsin's corporate sector underpays state and local taxes by $1 billion. Green County Area Entrepreneur & Inventors Club To Be Formed Are you an Edison or a Bill Gates? Do you invent wonderful gadgets that could revolutionize the world? Or do you have an idea for a business and are wondering, “Is this the next Microsoft”? Or are you just curious to meet other inventors and entrepreneurs in southwest Wisconsin? The Green County Development
Corporation (GCDC) announces the formation of the Green County Area Entrepreneur and Inventors (E&I) Club. The group will hold its first meeting on Monday, April 16, 2007, at Founders Hall at the Monroe Clinic in Monroe from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m… Development News for the week of 3/30/07 to 4/06/07 To continue receiving News&Notes,
please add our 'From' address (kenh@parktowne.com) to your address book. Economic Development Trends and Insight for Dane County Some interesting facts and trends came to light in March as UW-Madison real estate professor Stephen Malpezzi suggested that Wisconsin is the number 2 manufacturing state per capita in the nation dispelling the notion that we are primarily an agricultural
state. Malpezzi also suggests that income levels in Dane county remain high and should help sustain the local development market even if interest rates rise. Finally he suggests that foreign investment has been a major factor in interest rate stabilization and notes that this may change. He suggests that budget deficits and lower personal savings, which should cause interest rates to go up, have been offset by this foreign
investment… BusinessWatch Website is www.businesswatchmagazine.com Contentious State
Street project delayed for year FRI., APR 6, 2007 - Construction won't interrupt business on State Street this summer. City officials agreed Thursday to delay the project for a year. The agreement came at a meeting of the Central Madison Business Improvement District. State Street
merchants said last week that they would lose money and be forced to lay off employees because the late start of the project meant State Street would still have been torn up in the fall when students returned to UW- Madison. "The clear consensus among affected merchants was to delay the project a year," said 4th District Ald. Mike Verveer… Allstate to revive vacant
call center FRI., APR 6, 2007 - CROSS PLAINS -- Nearly two years after Lands' End closed a telephone center here -- eliminating some 375 full- and part-time jobs -- a replacement employer has been found. Gov. Jim Doyle announced today that Allstate Insurance would be
moving in and potentially bringing some 200 jobs back to Dane County. Allstate will receive up to $750,000 in state tax credits to establish an Express Claims Office in Cross Plains. The new office could create more than 200 jobs by 2008, Doyle said… Cross
Plains Residents Pleased - Village Welcomes Allstate Call Center Thursday, April 5, 2007 - After sitting dark for nearly two years, the building that once housed a Lands' End call center was buzzing Wednesday morning with smiles, applause and optimism as local and state leaders welcomed an insurance giant to this
village of 3,000. With a construction crew toiling in the background to update the building, Gov. Jim Doyle said that Allstate Insurance Co. will soon fill the space with its own call center and about 200 jobs while receiving up to $750,000 in state tax credits… Jan
Alf Named Interim Director FRI., APR 6, 2007 - As most of you know, Pepi Randolph has resigned from Forward Wisconsin to take a new position with the Potawatomi Business Development Corporation. All of us at Forward thank Pepi for his leadership these past two plus years and wish
him well in his new position… Branch
Opens On Mineral Point Road Thursday, April 5, 2007 - Wisconsin Community Bank has opened its fifth branch at 8240 Mineral Point Road. The 17,979-square-foot facility was designed by BrandPartners and constructed by Tri-North Builders. The bank, a member of Heartland Financial USA of
Dubuque, Iowa, also has offices in Cottage Grove, Fitchburg, Middleton and Monroe… Doyle touts biofuels,
renewables Vowing the Midwest can become "the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy -- with Wisconsin at the forefront," Gov. Jim Doyle today unveiled the new Office of Energy Independence and gave support to a regional renewable energy credit trading system.
"If an oil field in Iran has to compete against a farm field in Wisconsin, that's a very good thing for the environment, for our economy and for the world," said Doyle in remarks prepared for an event today on the UW-Madison campus. Doyle has already signed Wisconsin on to the list of states with a goal of "25 by 25" or getting 25… 3/29/07 - After a year of ups and downs, JT Packard | |
