Volume 2 - Issue 45 - Circulation 3,500 - Week of 11.05.09 to 11.12.09
About This Publication - Always Online at WisconsinDevelopment.com
Madison - 11/11/09 - Finally, after years of delay and frustration, Madison is getting a new central library.
The City Council late Tuesday dropped the most serious objections to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's financing plan for the $37 million, six-story, glass and stone library, meaning construction could start next year.
Activist Stuart Levitan summed up sentiment in the chambers, telling the council, "For 135 years the city of Madison has supported its public library. ... If you honor that past, the future will honor you."...
Ken Notes: Well said and congratulations. This will be a landmark and the public private partnership will serve the city well.
Middleton - 11/11/09 - A billing and collection service for all federal veterans treatment locations in a multi-state area will open in Middleton next year, bringing about 220 new jobs to the area, officials announced Tuesday.
The Veterans Health Administration signed a 20-year lease for its North Central Patient Account Center that will be housed in the former Full Compass Systems facility at 8001 Terrace Ave. in Middleton...
Ken Notes: Congratulations us! This is a win for the region, a great use of an existing facility, great participation on the part of the community, and real new jobs. This and Mustard hey Mike toss us some crumbs!!
Madison - November 11, 2009 - After hearing strong public support and protest, the Madison City Council on Wednesday preserved up to $16 million in public assistance for a proposed $93 million redevelopment of The Edgewater hotel in the 2010 capital budget.
In doing so, the council gave Mayor Dave Cieslewicz his second major capital budget victory. The council on Tuesday agreed to the mayor's financing plan for a $37 million central library at North Henry and West Washington Streets...
Ken Notes: Again my thanks to the council on this issue. This project, years from now, will be seen as a bold move by the community. Now about getting the guests from the Edgewater to the Monona Terrace and the airport -- think of these challenges as aldermanic job security...
Madison - 11/11/09 - To protect taxpayers, Madison City Council members are challenging Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's spending proposals for a new central library and redevelopment of the Edgewater hotel.
Cieslewicz strongly opposes the changes, among 24 proposed amendments to his $185.8 million capital and $239.4 million operating budgets, saying they could delay or kill the new library and Edgewater project.
The $37 million library is the city's biggest building project since Monona Terrace, which opened in 1997, and $16 million in proposed tax incremental financing (TIF) assistance for the Edgewater is among the city's largest TIF investments ever....
Wisconsin - 11/10/09 - Tom Barrett has implied that he would not remove his children from their Milwaukee schools if he were to run for governor and that he would want to spend some time in Milwaukee if he was elected. I suggest that not only could this be a good idea for the governor, it would be a great idea for the rest of the elected state officials as well.
Spending time outside Madison would allow our legislators to spend more time in their districts talking to local businesses, having coffee with seniors, getting involved with the local schools, and getting to know the real problems and the real opportunities in their districts throughout the state....
Ken Notes: I did not write the title just the editorial which I stand by. This also ran in several state newspapers.
Mazomanie - 11/11/09 - Wick Building Systems has told state officials it intends to eliminate up to 500 jobs at its three divisions in Mazomanie and Marshfield.
The state Department of Workforce Development said as many as 352 of the jobs would be lost in Mazomanie, home of custom home builder John Wick Homes and Wick Buildings, which makes agricultural and commercial buildings...
Ken Notes: This is not good news for a great community. The loss of business for Wick suggests, as I have pointed out, that the rescission may not be over for middle and lower income families. We need to switch our focus from big banks and billion dollar companies to middle America.
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...
Madison - 11/11/09 - With jobless claims remaining high in the state, Wisconsin's unemployment fund faces a projected deficit of nearly $2.8 billion by the end of 2011 -- more than twice the amount forecast earlier this year.
The projection delivered to lawmakers Tuesday means more state borrowing from the federal government to keep making payments to workers and possible higher taxes for employers and lower benefits for the unemployed to help the state pay the debt off...
Ken Notes: Again it is imperative that we bridge the gap between the survivors and the casualties of the economy. We should focus are legislative efforts on the creation of new jobs. If not in the end we will all loose. I am not sure we get the importance of this our mantra should be simple -- jobs good - jobs good - jobs good...
Madison - 11/8/09 - Q. Whatever happened to the grocery store that was supposed to be built in Westgate Mall?
A. Construction of an 80,500-square-foot Hy-Vee grocery store which may open next year was approved by the city's Plan Commission in February, said city planner Tim Parks....
Wisconsin - 11/11/09 - Wisconsin residents should brace for more tax increases and service cuts, based on an analysis that rated the state's budget predicament among the 10 worst in the country.
The rise in unemployment and a steep drop in revenues from 2008 to 2009 suggest a dire future for a state that has struggled to fill perennial budget shortfalls, according to the Pew Center on the States and its report, "Beyond California: States in Fiscal Peril."...
Ken Notes: Arghhhhhh! I hate this. We need to focus on jobs, jobs and oh ya JOBS. We can either climb out of the hole we dug or dig deeper. If our election focuses on a budget disaster it will become a self fulfilling prophecy regardless of who wins.
Wisconsin - 11/12/09 - Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary Michael Morgan made the following statement regarding a report released today by the Pew Center on States that says Wisconsin is among nine states to follow California on a path to financial collapse.
In no way can Wisconsin be compared to the nation's most financially troubled states, especially California.
While Wisconsin has been affected, like all states, by the national economic downturn, we have balanced our budget by cutting spending and raising revenues as needed.
In addition, recent reports have shown that many other states have large revenue shortfalls in the current fiscal year. But Wisconsin does not. ...
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
Dane County - November 5, 2009 - Metropolitan Madison residents, welcome to the Dane County Regional Transit Authority. The Dane County Board voted 20-16 with one absence early Friday morning to create a new governmental body with the power to raise a sales tax to fund bus and rail transportation options. Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk said she plans to sign the resolution, which will make the new body official....
Ken Notes: I truly hope that the RTA engage in the long range comprehensive planning the county needs not the fast track to a train that it may not need. I would still like to see a real discussion on a trolley, bus rapid transit, the airport connection, tourist and convention transportation, a transit center, and better traffic control. If we spend money on a train without addressing these issues first we fail everyone.
Wisconsin - November 6, 2009 - With the nation's economy growing again -- at least on paper -- one question locally is whether Madison's largest financial institution can dig itself out of a deep hole. Anchor BanCorp. Wisconsin has been one of the most battered banking operations in the Midwest. Losses are still mounting, regulators are wary and share prices for the bank, which trades under the symbol ABCW, have fallen below $1, leaving the stock in danger of being delisted by the NASDAQ exchange....
Ken Notes: Anchor has helped Madison put a lot of projects on the map and created a local option for funds, I hope they make it. They need to adopt sound principals and return to the investments they were built on. Buy the way the portfolio of development properties is interesting Milwaukee Condos, Lake Lawn, Castle Rock...
Wisconsin - Nov. 11, 2009- The Madison region has been better than any other large metro area in the state at sustaining jobs in a difficult economy, according to a study released Wednesday by the Milken Institute. Research-rich Madison ranked 63rd in the 2009 Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners Best-Performing Cities Index, up from 90th a year earlier. "In a period of recession, the index highlights metros that have adapted to weather the storm," Ross DeVol, director of regional economies at the Milken Institute and lead author of the report, said in a news release...
Kenosha - 11/11/09 - The last of Wisconsin's five greyhound race tracks is closing at the end of the year.
The operators of Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha say the track will end racing Dec. 31.
Dairyland executive Roy Berger says the track has lost $17 million over the last seven years, including a $4 million deficit in 2009.
The pari-mutuel race tracks folded one by one when the state opened the door to Indian casino gambling....
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 - 11/12/09 - Starting in 2010, a city or village that wants to operate its police department or its fire department more efficiently and save tax dollars will first need to get permission from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
I know it sounds crazy, but I am not making this up. The new requirement is called "maintenance of effort for emergency services." It appears in Section 79.07 (3) of the Wisconsin statutes. Here is the language:
A county or municipality may decrease the amount it spends for emergency services below its 2009 amount, with the Department of Revenue's approval, if the decrease in expenditures is a result of operating more efficiently, as determined by the department...
Ken Notes: I am not sure I should comment here but this seems the wrong direction. How about an incentive to consolidate or create more efficient system.
Wisconsin - Nov. 9, 2009 - Next year will mark a "transitional but sluggish year on the road to recovery" for the commercial construction industry, according to a forecast released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. "Through late 2008, the industry held up well, but 2009 was a year of retrenchment for many construction sectors, including those associated with private development and municipal projects," said the trade group's chief economist, Anirban Basu....
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...
Wisconsin - 11/11/09 - Why is conventional agriculture so wound up? Are they afraid of organic agriculture? What's all the fuss about? After all, a recent study by the Lieberman Research Group showed that organic food sales account for only 3.5 percent of all food product sales in the U.S.
A column in the September 2009 Prairie Farmer leads me to believe that the author, a spokesperson for conventional agriculture, dislikes and even fears organic farming and its supporters...
Ken Notes: This is interesting. We need to keep American farms strong, but I can see it now, mandates control U.S. production and soon all our produce is from South America.
Madison - 11/11/09 - Here is the press release from Fisher Development, which owns the building:
"When Antonio Estrada sought an additional location for his popular West Side La Mestiza restaurant, he looked downtown.
"I saw the potential to have the restaurant down here, to have another option at the Capitol," said Estrada, co-founder of La Mestiza. "The Capitol is a special place. It's good exposure."...
Ken Notes: Because heaven knows what the Capitol needs is more fuel for hot air. I'm sorry -- couldn't resist. I do wish the Estrada's well.
Dodgeville - November 11, 2009 - Dodgeville-based Lands' End debuted a new line of casual clothing Wednesday and will open a store in Madison dedicated to it later this month. Lands' End Canvas will offer men's and women's apparel in what promotional materials call "an effortless lived-in style." Women's items include jeans, T-shirts, swimwear and jewelry while men's items include jeans, cardigans and outerwear...
Ken Notes: This line is brilliant. A back to basics move that will restore Lands End to the place it once held. I just hope sears doesn't screw this up. The new website is HERE. I also line Duluth Trading company in Belleville CLICK HERE.
Dane County - October Dane County foreclosure filings increased by 1.3% from the number of filings registered in October of 2008, according to data maintained by the Wisconsin Circuit Court. A total of 154 new foreclosures were filed in October compared to 152 in October of 2008. Although up only slightly from the same month last year, this October's total is Dane County's third highest monthly total dating back to January of 2005...
Milwaukee - Nov. 12, 2009 - Department of City Development official Allison Rozek, who played a major role in the recent decision by the Common Council to help finance the Moderne high-rise, has left the department.
Department spokeswoman Andrea Rowe Richards confirmed that Rozek is no longer working at the department. Richards declined further comment, saying department officials don't publicly discuss personnel matters...
Ken Notes: Not close enough to know anything about this but Milwaukee has seemed to turn some of it's projects around recently, I hope that continues.
Milwaukee / Potosi - 11/11/09 - Salvageable portions of the former Gipfel brewery building, which is being razed, will be recycled, says building owner Rob Ruvin. Ruvin got back to me after I'd written the story about the Gipfel building's raze permit, issued Thursday by city building inspectors. Ruvin characterizes it as "dismantling" instead of a demolition. He said the recycled parts will be stored at the east side location of salvager Pieter Godfrey...
Ken Notes: Milwaukee should consider a brewery museum like the one in Potosi, Wisconsin. The Potosi website is HERE.
Milwaukee - Nov. 9, 2009 - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee officials remain interested in using the Columbia Hospital complex for student housing, according to the university's new preliminary construction spending proposal.
That proposal calls for spending $66.1 million to buy and renovate the hospital buildings, which are next to UWM's main campus.
The plan, which will be revised before being submitted to the UW-System's Board of Regents, says the hospital proposal "represents a major opportunity to address a wide range of campus space deficiencies."...
Milwaukee - Nov. 10, 2009 - The headquarters for University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's new School of Freshwater Sciences would cost an estimated $50 million to develop at the university's Great Lakes WATER Institute, according to a newly drafted proposal.
That estimate is part of a preliminary construction spending proposal that UWM officials will soon submit to the UW-System Board of Regents....
Oak Creek - 11/11/09 - Fond du Lac-based Wisco Hotel Group plans to build a 120-room hotel on a vacant 7.5-acre property behind the Candlewood suits and Fairfield Inn hotels that it opened earlier this year at 6440 S. 13th St. Wisco Hotel Group purchased the site for the third hotel from Edgerton Contractors.
The company recently received a $615,000 brownfield grant form the state for the project. The total project cost is estimated at $17.4 million...
Milwaukee - Nov. 11, 2009 - A former Menards home improvement store, at 8365 N. 76th St., will reopen this weekend as Mil-Town Marketplace, a multi-tenant retail center featuring discounted items.
The center will feature start-up business; small, independent retailers that are looking for low-cost expansion space, and larger retailers with close-out and overstocked goods, said Michael Short, a partner in the new venture along with building owner Frank Giuffre...
Milwaukee - November 6, 2009 - A pair of neighboring industrial buildings have been sold in the Walker's Point/Fifth Ward neighborhood, where several properties have recently been redeveloped.
The former Badger Trailer buildings, at 401-415 S. 3rd St. and 422 S. 4th St., total just over 59,000 square foot and were sold to 5th Ward Partners LLC for an undisclosed price. The properties, and an adjacent parking lot, and have a combined assessed value of $1.28 million.
In the short term, 5th Ward Partners plans to occupy part of the buildings and has tenants lined up to occupy the remaining space, according to Colliers Barry...
Madison - Nov. 11, 2009 - You may have noticed this bon mot from Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper after Republic Airways Holdings Inc. announced Tuesday it would shift airline jobs from Denver to Milwaukee.
"Milwaukee has something we don't: free hangar space," Hickenlooper said. "We offered every incentive conceivable to Republic Airways, but we can't pay their rent for them."
OK, that would imply that Indianapolis-based Republic, which owns both Midwest Airlines and Denver-based Frontier Airlines, doesn't pay a dime for its hangar space at Mitchell International Airport. But that's not true....
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.
We link to Editorial and Opinion articles each week, this does not suggest we agree with the stance of the author. The "Ken Notes" items are the opinion of our editor. We will include any comments or feedback sent to WDN. Ken also writes a monthly column for Capitol Region Business Journal and other state publications.
The focus for WDN is to create a positive view of economic development for the Greater Madison Region. The publication will also feature news from around the state, nation, and world that offers insight to policy, trends, and projects that may be of interest to the reader.
Please forward any information you would like included for consideration. We do our best to include any non advertising stories, press releases, or articles from other sources that you feel would be of interest to the reader. WDN can also host your news stories and press releases online. Please feel free to forward WDN.
We continue to develop this newsletter because of the positive feedback we have received in the past and strong encouragement to continue. As always let us know what you think.
Ken
Kenneth Harwood
WisconsinDevelopment.com LLC
P.O. Box 930234
Verona, WI 53593-0234
608.334.2174
ken@wisconsindevelopment.com