Volume 2 - Issue 43 - Circulation 3,500 - Week of 10.22.09 to 10.29.09
About This Publication - Always Online at WisconsinDevelopment.com

Madison - October 28, 2009 - Goodbye disco-era eyesore. Hello Lake Mendota panorama. To address neighborhood concerns, a developer has dramatically changed plans to remake the historic Edgewater Hotel, lowering a 1973 addition to allow a two-tiered public terrace that opens views to Lake Mendota and reducing the height of a new hotel tower from 11 to eight stories...

Ken Notes: I am guessing there is very little that would satisfy all the neighbors. I think both plans are an exponential improvement and applaud the efforts Hammes Co. and, dare I say, the city to keep this alive.

Wisconsin - 10/24/2009 - Terrence Wall announced that he has filed papers to run for the Wisconsin seat in the United States Senate (2010). Wall is a Wisconsin-raised, self-made entrepreneur who started from nothing and built a number of successful businesses. He is the founder of T. Wall Properties, a builder of office properties headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin and is considered an expert in economic development and job creation. Wall also founded the DaneVest Tech Fund, an investment capital fund that specializes in advising and providing capital for Wisconsin based technology start-ups so that they can grow and still remain in Wisconsin. Wall also formed The Wisconsin Foundation, a non-profit foundation specializing in philanthropy and training and assisting other non-profits in how to conduct capital campaigns for special projects...

Ken Notes: This will be interesting. Terrence will have a lot to say about development in the state.

Fitchburg - Oct. 25, 2009 - Engberg Anderson representatives unveiled three potential designs for the Fitchburg Library at an Oct. 21 meeting at City Hall. Residents in attendance preferred the one labeled C over the one labeled A by a vote of 24-17. None of the votes were for B. All three of the building designs included a green space on the roof with vegetation that would have not only aesthetic value but help with to stormwater runoff concerns and even temperature control inside the building....

Ken Notes: Great designs.

Wisconsin - Oct. 28, 2009 - Gov. Jim Doyle has handed out $247,000 in grants to train carpenters in building green. Doyle gave the money to the North Central Regional Council of Carpenters. It will help pay for equipment and instructors to train carpenters in green building practices as well as windmill and alternative energy system installation...

Wisconsin - Oct. 27, 2009 - State lawmakers and business officials are coming together with the creation of a jobs task force to help grow the state's economy. Speaker Mike Sheridan announced the creation of the task force on Monday, and many local companies have reacted with excitement. "This has been an evolution towards understanding the right role for government and the right role for industry," said Ralph Kauten, CEO of Quintessence Biosciences....

Janesville - October 28, 2009 - Council Votes To Match Funds. The Janesville City Council has taken a big step toward building a new ice arena. On Tuesday, the City Council voted in favor of matching $2.5 million if private investors can raise their share of the funds by March. A private group came forward months ago, expressing interest in building a new facility....

Capital Region - October 28, 2009 - Could a new library building be a source of nourishment for the body as well as the mind? A grass-roots Madison group is working to make the idea blossom. The Downtown Community Gardens Group is hosting a public meeting Thursday to spread information and stimulate discussion on a proposal to put a community garden on top of the proposed six-story, $37 million library at West Washington Avenue and Henry Street....

Ken Notes: I like this idea but should point out that a rooftop garden makes a lot more sense in a region where you have to commute more than a few miles to find abundant green space. I would rather see the same money spent on acquiring say 40 acres within a mile or two of downtown for a massive public organic garden.

WISCONSIN - This is a comprehensive data base of all business professionals in development, planning, government, commercial real estate, architecture, construction, and service providers to business. Any professional may enter his or her own business card for free. FutureWisconsin is Wisconsin's own social networking data base to promote new business in the state...

Ken Notes: Network with professionals doing business in the state...

Wisconsin - Oct. 26, 2009 - Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton announced Monday that she would not run for governor. The decision further complicates the race for governor on the Democratic side. Gov. Jim Doyle has already announced that he would not run for re-election. Lawton's revelation is the third stunning development by Democrats since August: Doyle's decision to back out, U.S. Rep. Ron Kind's decision to not run for governor ...

Ken Notes: My crystal ball says you will see a Barrett announcement tied to the Obama visit next week. They will use Wisconsin's leadership in education to stress the importance of a an education friendly administration. Just a guess. WDN is not meant to be political but the next governor will have a huge impact on economic development in the state.

Madison - October 27, 2009 - The developer seeking to remake the historic Edgewater Hotel is scaling back plans for the project, reducing the height of a new hotel tower and cutting the cost of the redevelopment. The changes will reduce the cost of the project from $109 million to $90 million. Developer Robert Dunn said he still intends to seek $16 million in tax incremental financing, slightly less than the $16.8 million in public assistance originally requested....

Recent commercial property listings from PropertyDrive.

Wisconsin - More than $336 million in federal stimulus money has been allocated to counties, cities, towns and villages in Wisconsin. Of that total, about $124 million has been allocated through the state Department of Transportation for road, bridge and transit projects. And more than $48 million in Housing and Urban Development funds has been allocated...

Ken Notes: Great Resource

Madison Area - October 22, 2009 - Gorman, Stone House land WHEDA grants...

Wisconsin - October 27, 2009 - The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals claims it has won a fight with a Madison company over assertions that its glue traps... It's not the sexiest business in town, but the company is at least still producing paychecks as far as I know...

Ken Notes: Mike makes some interesting points here. We are spending a lot to bring bio companies to the area that in turn have not provided many jobs. I am not sure I want to be the rat trap capitol of the world but I like the idea of building a better mousetrap...

Madison Area - October 23, 2009 - Seven Madison-area projects will receive a $26.5 million slice of $102 million in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for affordable housing developments throughout the state. The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority this week announced the funding, in the form of grants and loans, for a total of 36 developments statewide that will create 2,252 living units and more than 2,076 construction and construction-related jobs. The Madison-area projects are:...

Madison Area - Oct. 26, 2009 - A proposed Dane County Regional Transit Authority received recommendations from two Dane County Board committees at a joint meeting Monday evening, bringing the long-sought planning body one step closer to reality. With votes of 3-2 and 6-2, the Dane County Public Works and Transportation Committee and Personnel and Finance Committee, respectively, voted to recommend the County Board create the RTA. The board could take up the issue as soon as its Nov. 5 meeting, board Chairman Scott McDonell said...

Ken Notes: It would help if communities like Verona, Fitchurg, Monona among others had a voice.

Madison - October 27, 2009 - With the demise of the Saturn brand, Zimbrick Saturn is going out of business. The 19-year-old dealership at 310 W. Beltline Hwy. will close this winter, after Saturn's parent General Motors wasn't able to swing a deal to sell the brand to Penske Automotive Group...

Wisconsin - October 24, 2009 - Developer Terrence Wall announced his bid Saturday for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Democrat Russ Feingold. In a statement announcing his candidacy, Wall did not say what party he's affiliated with, but assuming he runs as a Republican, he faces only one other opponent in the primary, Watertown businessman Dave Westlake....

Ken Notes: See press release above...

Madison - October 24, 2009 - Joe Clausius finally has an answer to all the questions. The alderman has said the Hy-Vee grocery has a been a topic of discussion in his 17th District since the Iowa company announced two years ago it would open its first Wisconsin store at the former Kmart site at 3801 E. Washington Ave....

Ken Notes: Welcome!

The seller of real estate is required to file a Real Estate Transfer Return (RETR) with the County Register of Deeds when recording deeds of property conveyances. State statutes require those returns to be filed electronically beginning July 1, 2009. Below is a link to the electronically filed Real Estate Transfer data as of July 1st 2009 and forward. The data will be updated on a weekly basis...

Ken Notes: This link is a regular feature of WDN...

Treasury Department Debt to the Penny Link
CNN Money Scorecard
Government Recovery Website
Wisconsin State Budget Google News

Create a vibrant, innovative and prosperous entrepreneurial business climate, nurturing, connecting and celebrating entrepreneurs and their companies...

Ken Notes: A valuable resource worth visiting for all businesses in the state. A special thanks for BizStarts for compiling and sharing the resource!...

Wisconsin - This section allows you to access any of our current space needs and acquire some brief detail regarding each. You'll notice that in addition to posting our current RFPs and RFIS, we are listing other significant needs for which we are seeking space....

Ken Notes: Brokers should check this often...

Capital Region - October 28, 2009 - "We have to run this by the governor's office." That's what's being said inside the Department of Natural Resources on a weekly basis, according to former DNR Secretary George Meyer. Meyer spoke at a legislative hearing on July 28, called by Rep. Spencer Black to consider whether Wisconsin should go back to having a board-appointed DNR secretary instead of a governor-appointed one. Political interference with policy and regulatory decisions is "constant," Meyer testified, and he wasn't alone. Linda Meyer, of the Association of Retired Conservationists, testified that under governor-appointed secretaries, needed changes to regulations have been delayed and watered down....

Ken Notes: An interesting case but it seems to me that the DNR has far more resources and is in a much better position to make an informed recommendation than CARPC regarding MAZO. CARPC seems to suggest that development outside the beltline equals sprawl. I am not sure this was their mission. If water quality is the issue the DNR should be the judge and if they are failing the people the people should demand new leadership.

Madison - October 24, 2009 - Regarding last Sunday's editorial about height restrictions in the city's new zoning code, one way to make additional height palatable to neighborhoods might be through the use of transfer of development rights. The city could grant a developer permission to add an extra floor if the developer worked with a rural community to purchase development rights from farmers who want to make sure their land would always be used for growing crops....

Ken Notes: See my "public garden" comment above...

Madison - October 24, 2009 - Why do people assume that urban sprawl is just due to buildings not being bigger and taller? The issue is much bigger than that. There needs to be a much more efficient way of developing residential and commercial areas. I realize that money plays into this, but we need to be careful of the greed factor. Madison needs to remember what its appeal has been and protect it. Looking at the history of Madison, the area was selected because of it's natural beauty. Because of the development, it's much harder to see it...

Ken Notes: We need the comprehensive planning that would give the developers a clear understanding what should go where and an approval process that is much faster and more efficient. This planning should also be regional with a positive partnership between Madison and the surrounding communities. Of course I dream the impossible dream.

Madison Area - October 24, 2009 - Yes, Madison should be looking at new projects with more density in mind. Sprawl on the fringes is by far the most inefficient type of development in terms of land and energy use, utility costs and transportation. But there are some areas of the city where we've already had conversations about height limits and have codified them. Historic Districts in particular have height limits that are carefully considered when a district is designated....

Madison - October 23, 2009 - It's hard to imagine a better place for a large retailer than next to a dense shopping mall and major road. And in this case, the retailer would replace a giant hole that's been an eyesore on Madison's Near West Side for more than a year....

Ken Notes: The cartoon is perfect, and I often am not a fan of big box. I think this store has a lot going for it.

Oregon - 10/23/09 - The Oregon Village Board approved the transfer of up to $615,000 from one village Tax Incremental Finance district to another as a way to reduce the impact to taxpayers of last year's borrowing for the downtown project. "It would decrease the village tax bill for village purposes, because we'd be transferring money from TIF 2 into TIF 3," explained village administrator Mike Gracz. "In a sense, we're kind of giving TIF 3 increment to pay part of its debt service, because it does not have enough increment to cover the debt service for 2008."...

Wisconsin - Oct. 27, 2009 - A Wisconsin nonprofit will train solar power instructors throughout the Midwest with a $3.3 million federal grant. The Midwest Renewable Energy Association will work with universities, colleges and other groups in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio to train 200 solar instructors in the next five years...

Milwaukee - Oct. 29, 2009 - Developer Doug Weas has dropped plans to buy the Columbia Hospital complex, next to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, that university officials hope to convert into space for student housing, and other purposes. A difficult lending climate, and lack of a firm commitment from UWM officials to use the buildings, led Weas to drop the purchase offer, according to sources who asked not to be identified. The buildings, owned by Columbia St. Mary's Inc., will become available for development in fall 2010 after the hospital complex closes...

Wisconsin - Oct. 28, 2009 - Despite more vigorous leasing activity, consistent with a stabilizing economy, U.S. office vacancies rose another half point during the third quarter of 2009, coming in at 16.0 percent, according to the third-quarter office report from Colliers International. As with the previous quarter, national office vacancies kept rising in both downtown and suburban markets. The national downtown vacancy rate increased 37 basis points and the suburban vacancy rate jumped 66 basis points....

Milwaukee - Oct. 28, 2009 - While the Common Council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee delayed a decision Tuesday on the proposed Moderne high-rise loan, committee members indicated they'd likely approve the proposal--with some changes--at a meeting on Nov. 3...

Erin - 10/28/09 - Bob Lang received $10.5 million in his recent sale of Erin Hills Golf Course, in the Town of Erin, to Andy Ziegler, according to new documents filed with the Washington County Register of Deeds. Lang's Erin Hills Golf Course LLC sold the property to Ziegler's EHGC Acquisition Company LLC for $10.04 million, according to the documents. Also, Lang individually sold a portion of the property to EHGC Acquisition for $552,200...

Milwaukee - Oct. 29, 2009 - A lawsuit between development firms JBK Properties Inc. and Hammes Co. Sports Development Inc. over a disputed consulting contract has been settled, according to Milwaukee County Circuit Court records. JBK sued Hammes, seeking a $50,000 fee for providing consulting services. The suit said Hammes had signed a consulting contract related to Hammes' plan to develop an office building at 815 E. Michigan St. Hammes, in its court response, said it never signed the contract....

Erin - Oct. 28, 2009 - Andrew Ziegler, the co-founder and CEO of Milwaukee-based Artisan Partners Limited Partnership, an institutional investment management firm, announced that he plans to purchase the Erin Hills golf course from Robert Lang, the former owner of the Lang Cos...

Wisconsin - Oct. 27, 2009 - The new Iron Horse Hotel, just south of downtown Milwaukee, is among the winners in the annual Wisconsin Commercial Real Estate Women Showcase Awards. The Impact Award for Ingenuity winner was the Iron Horse Hotel, 500 W. Florida St. Project team members included: Dixon Development LLC, Kubala Washatko Architects and Kelly Construction & Design....

Milwaukee - 10/26/09 - Local developer Deb Lindner hopes to begin construction next spring on a 32-unit apartment building in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood. Lindner, of Citywide Development, told me the three-story building would be developed west of S. Robinson Ave. and north of E. Ward St. That site is about a block west of S. Kinnickinnic Ave., between E. Becher St. and E. Lincoln Ave....

A single source for all economic development news for Greater Madison and beyond. Wisconsin Development News, (WDN) is published weekly by Ken Harwood.

Available to commercial brokers, developers, financial professionals, community planners, public officials, the press and others who have expressed an interest in Wisconsin development. All stories should link to their original source in the original context. These pages may contain advertising, and I encourage patronage of both our sponsors and the related advertisers and publications I link too.

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Ken

Kenneth Harwood
WisconsinDevelopment.com LLC
P.O. Box 930234
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ken@wisconsindevelopment.com