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November 2-9, 2007 | November 9-16, 2007 | November 16-30, 2007 | November 30 - December 7, 2007

Development News for the week 11/30/07 to 12/07/07

Editors Note: Welcome Thrive. As an advocate for the communities that make up Greater Madison, I am pleased to welcome Thrive - and encourage readers to check out the website HERE…

Regional Economic Development Group - Unveils New Identity, Web site

DECEMBER 4, 2007 (MADISON) – Today the Regional Economic Development Entity (REDE) launched a new identity and Web site to promote the eight-county Capital Region as a global economic player. The group will be known as Thrive. “The Capital Region is thinking globally and represents a world of opportunity given its wealth of intellectual, natural and human resources,” said Jennifer Alexander, Thrive President. “When we talk about Thrive as a group, we necessarily have to embrace Thrive as a concept.” Thrive launched a regional Web site, thrivehere.org…

Region looks for a brand to thrive

TUE., DEC 4, 2007 - Let's play the word association game: Nike. You're probably thinking sports. Basketball shoes. Swoosh. McDonald's. OK. Fast food. Big Macs. Golden arches. Silicon Valley. Hmmm. Computers. Technology. San Francisco, maybe? Thrive. Ummm … (crickets chirping). Well, if the organization formerly known as the Regional Economic Development Entity has anything to say about it, "Thrive" will make entrepreneurs and high-tech professionals think of south-central Wisconsin as the place to be…

EDITORIAL* - Trust is key to 'Thrive'

TUE., DEC 4, 2007 - South-central Wisconsin should give a warm welcome to "Thrive, " the nonprofit economic development booster that announced its name and image Tuesday at Monona Terrace. The formation of this organization to boost the eight-county area surrounding Madison is a big step in the right direction for our economy and, by extension, our quality of life. But Thrive can 't thrive without trust…

Regional economic group looks to Thrive

12/04/2007 - Perhaps hoping it will be a self-fulfilling prophesy, the Regional Economic Development Entity is changing its name to Thrive and is launching a new Web site, thrivehere.org, in a bid to attract businesses to the capital region of the state. The group -- a not-for-profit organization representing Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock and Sauk counties -- announced the new name and marketing campaign at a meeting of the Collaboration Council at Monona Terrace this afternoon. The Collaboration Council brings together business, government, education and non-profit leaders from the eight counties…

New Commercial Listings From PropertyDrive.com

Soglin feeling heat from bikers

THU., DEC 6, 2007 - Suggesting bicyclists who venture out in winter storms be taken out and shot may not win friends in the two-wheeled world, but the modest proposal is a hit on the Internet. That wasn 't former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin 's main intent when he slipped the suggestion -- which he insists was meant to be subtle and ironic and topical -- into his blog, www.waxingamerica.com. But it has opened a car door of insults onto a coasting commentary…

Editors Note: Paul – Paul – Paul… This will help the Q Score though…

Engineer Bill Baker Is the King of Superstable 150-Story Structures

Seventy feet beneath the Las Vegas strip, in a construction pit that will become the Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino, Bill Baker is looking for local talent. Baker is the head structural engineer at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the famed building design firm responsible for the Sears Tower in Chicago, the Time Warner Center in New York, and scores of other colossal glass boxes across the globe. This morning he's wearing a hard hat and an orange safety vest as he watches a Nevada construction crew at work. He'll likely draft some of them for his next big project, the multibillion-dollar Crown Las Vegas Resort and Casino. At 1,888 (lucky) feet…

Editors Note: A great story on “Supertalls” building that exceed 1,000 ft. -- Very interesting read and it is always fun to dream. Also if anyone is headed to Dubai and needs a porter I’m in…

Commission calls for $357 billion in passenger rail investment

Dec 7, 2007 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Experts convened by a federal transportation policy commission are recommending a $357.2 billion investment - or $8.1 billion a year - to significantly expand intercity passenger rail service by 2050. The recommendations were released Thursday by the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission's passenger rail working group. The ideas have been adopted by the commission and are expected be part of its final report to Congress, said Frank Busalacchi…

Editors Note: Now if we could actually spend that on multi-modal infrastructure instead of bureaucracy we would be in great shape…

Sub-Zero/Wolf to build dishwasher factory in Kentucky

WED., DEC 5, 2007 - Madison-based Sub-Zero/Wolf is getting into the dishwasher business with a new manufacturing plant in Kentucky. The luxury kitchen appliance company didn't mean to dis the Madison area in locating its new 200,000-square-foot facility on 45 acres in Richmond, Ky., corporate marketing manager Paul Leuthe said. It just ran out of room for expansion at its Fitchburg site, where its companies Sub-Zero Inc. and Wolf Appliance Inc., acquired in 2000, make high-end refrigeration and cooking units. "We like Dane County, we like Madison,"…

Editors Note: And we like SZ… Lets talk… If I mentioned banjo’s I’d probably get in trouble like Paul so I wont…

Manufacturing slowdown forecast

WED., DEC 5, 2007 - Manufacturing in Dane County is tightening its belt, speakers at an economic panel said Wednesday, but, they added, the industry is not in a serious downturn. Hiring for industrial jobs in the Madison area has declined over the last couple of months, said Jay Loewi, chief executive officer of the QTI Group, a local employment service. "I do think 2008 is going to be a little bit slower (in that sector), " said Loewi, a panelist at a seminar at the Fluno Center on the UW-Madison campus, where results of the 2007 First Business Economic Survey…

The complete survey here…

Senior change: Meriter Retirement Services sold to West Coast firm

12/06/2007 - A fast-growing West Coast-based senior housing chain has entered the local retirement housing market with the purchase of Meriter Retirement Services and its four facilities in downtown Madison. The deal announced today by the Meriter Health Services Board transfers ownership to Pacific Retirement Services of Medford, Ore. Financial details were not disclosed on the sale, which is anticipated to close in January pending regulatory approvals. Both firms are not-for-profit, leaving the properties tax-exempt. Meriter last year began looking to shed its…

Existing Home Sales Declined In October

Thursday, December 6, 2007 - Existing home sales declined in October in Dane County while median sale prices increased slightly, according to the South Central Wisconsin MLS. A total of 362 sales was reported in the county during the month, down from 412 in October last year. The median sale price of $220,000 was up from $219,250 a year ago. Fewer new listings were posted in Dane County during October and the number of homes and condominiums on the market fell to 5,267 from 5,425 a year ago…

Pass Complete For Brinks - Get Liquor License For Sports Eatery

Field Pass, Curt and Matt Brink's proposed new venture at University Square, got a liquor license Tuesday night despite objections by some vocal members of the Capitol Neighborhoods Association and despite the venue's location within Madison's new alcohol density control area. The City Council unanimously supported its Alcohol License Review Committee's recommendation to grant a license for a 550-person capacity restaurant. Jamie McCarville, who spoke in opposition to the licensing on behalf of the Capitol Neighborhoods Alcohol Issues Committee, argued that Field Pass's proposed location within the University Square development - which also includes housing for students, many under the age of 21…

Editors Note: Congrats… I am still a little confused though… large sports bar yes little bistro patio no… I am sure this makes sense somewhere…

The Madison region isn't the only part of Wisconsin to brand itself.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007 New North - Eighteen counties in northeastern Wisconsin, Milwaukee 7 - Seven counties including Milwaukee, Centergy - Marathon, Wood and Portage counties, Momentum - Dunn, Chippewa, Pepin and Eau Claire counties. Representatives from those four organizations and Thrive, the southcentral Wisconsin region's newly named organization, sit on Gov. Jim Doyle's recently created business advisory council. The state has contributed $270,000 to Thrive for two years….

Campus Apartment Plan On Hold - Older Homes Must First Be Moved

Tuesday, December 4, 2007 - If developers can relocate two century-old homes, a new $24 million, 14-story apartment building could rise next year at the busy corner of West Johnson and Mills streets. Whether they can find appropriate sites for the homes remains to be seen, however. Aimed at UW-Madison students, professionals and researchers with families, Ten Twenty-Two West Johnson calls for 163 apartments, from efficiency to four-bedroom units…

OPINION Seize Big Bang Moment For Economy

Sunday, December 2, 2007 - Efforts Are Converging To Put Wisconsin On A Course Toward Greater Economic Expansion. Wisconsin is nearing a Big Bang moment for its economy. In pockets of the state, including Dane County, the economic universe is already expanding, with new industries based on brainpower, creating jobs and boosting incomes. But overall, the state's economy remains too confined by the patterns of the past. As a result, the state looks like a poor cousin to its neighbors, Minnesota and Illinois, on measures of economic health that loom especially important in the new knowledge-based economy…

Madison Is Third Best For Relocating Singles

Saturday, December 1, 2007 - Madison has been ranked third among the top cities in the United States for "relocating singles" according to Primacy Relocation and Worldwide ERC. The top city was Atlanta, followed by New Haven, Conn.; Madison; Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y.; and Raleigh, N.C. The list is based on factors that affect the experience of a new, single resident soon after a job transfer such as cost of living, recreation activities including nightlife, and crime rates…

Rede Hires Biotech Director

Saturday, December 1, 2007 - The Regional Economic Development Entity , a not-for-profit entity serving the eight-county Capital Region, has hired C. Basil Mundy as director of biotechnology initiatives. Prior to launching his own business in 2005, Mundy was vice president for Madison-based Bone Care International…

Two Hotels Planned Near Princeton Club

Saturday, December 1, 2007 - The first of two projects that will lead to two hotels near the Princeton Club at the Beltline and High Point Road have begun. Construction began in July on a 132-room, four-story Hampton Inn & Suites . The project is scheduled for completion next summer. The construction of a 121-room, four-story, Homewood Suites by Hilton is scheduled to begin in December and be completed by late next year or early 2009, said Stacey Barmore, director of marketing for the North Central Group , a Madison-based hotel management and development company. The hotels, in the 400 block of Commerce Drive, are being built by Raymond Management Co ., of Madison. The North Central Group will assume the operational duties and day-to-day management…

Gander Mountain/camping World

Saturday, December 1, 2007 - Construction began this summer on a new Gander Mountain store in the town of Burke. The 90,000-square-foot store will replace the smaller Gander Mountain at East Towne Mall and will be joined by a 24,000-square-foot Camping World . The new store will be the fourth large-format store in Wisconsin, joining others in the Wausau area, Kenosha and one that opened in August in Waukesha. The larger store allows Gander Mountain to market more of its power-sports items, such as boats and all-terrain vehicles. Construction of the $2.5 million Camper World store has just begun. Gander Mountain currently has 115 stores open nationwide and Camping World has 30 stores nationwide. Developer: Oppidan Investment Company; 5125 County Road #101, Minnetonka, Minn. 55345. General contractor: Ryan Companies, Inc., 6213 McKee Road, Fitchburg…

Merger goes to the voters - City, town each send ordinance to referendum

12/05/07 - After a brief pause from Ald. Steve Sailing that nearly sucked the air out of City Hall, the Common Council finished what the Town Board had started minutes earlier Tuesday night, sending Verona’s city-town consolidation ordinance to a public ballot. What could be the first such instance in the state is now dependent on the will of voters and the ongoing boundary negotiations with neighboring municipalities. Should the twin referenda in the city and town April 1 pass by a simple majority and the city and town keep their word in approving boundary agreements and a pair of maps that will go with the ordinance, the city and town…

Around The State and Points Elsewhere
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Pabst Farms selects new regional mall developer

The massive Pabst Farms commercial and residential development at Interstate 94 and Highway 67 in Oconomowoc announced today that it has selected Beechwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty Corp. to develop the project's regional mall. The 1 million-square-foot regional mall, to be called Pabst Farms Town Center, will be built northeast of I-94 and Highway 67 and is expected to be open by 2010. Construction is expected to begin in 2008…

Curtain to rise for Les Paul sneak peek

Curtain to rise for Les Paul sneak peek. Exhibit organizers plan fund-raiser at museum. Planners of a Les Paul museum exhibit are offering a sneak peek inside the unfinished exhibit space in hopes of stirring new excitement and enticing more donations...

Wrecking crew

Wrecking crew. Workers wrap up tannery demolition as site rebirth nears. Mike Mardirosian presides over the deaths of buildings...

Senior care center is proposed

Senior care center is proposed. Hartland developer hopes to bring two care centers to upcoming Summit Village Commons. A proposed effort between two area developers could land a combination mixed-use development and senior care center at the southeast corner of Highway 67 and Highway...

Center looks to add to commercial development

Center looks to add to commercial development. Developer hopes to bring two care centers. A proposed effort between two area developers could land a combination mixed-use development and senior care center at the southeast corner of Highway 67 and Highway DR in the Town of Summit...

Pabst Farms shopping center names developer

Pabst Farms shopping center names developer. Center to remain about 1 million square feet. Pabst Farms Development has made it official - the new developer for its proposed shopping center at I-94 and Highway 67 in Oconomowoc is Development Diversified Realty (DDR) of Beachwood, Ohio...

Plan Commission OKs rezoning North Chicago

Plan Commission OKs rezoning North Chicago. Some question demand for such development in city. A proposed zoning change of blighted industrial land the city acquired as part of a tax-incremental finance district on North Chicago Avenue has drawn opposition from several residents who challenged...

Shopping center may get new look if village OKs special financing

Shopping center may get new look if village OKs special financing. A developer interested in revamping the Hales Corners Shopping Plaza has asked the village to consider creating a tax-incremental financing district to help fund the work...

Residents get a look at I-94's future

Residents get a look at I-94's future. Expanded roadway will affect city. The safety, growth and development of Oak Creek all depend on the reconstruction of Interstate 94...

Entrepreneurs: Broken promises

Entrepreneurs: Broken promises. All too often, programs meant to stimulate economic growth in distressed urban areas are launched with promises that are quickly forgotten as the effort quietly fails...

Plan proposed to raze Grafton mall

Plan proposed to raze Grafton mall. Condos, grocery would be built; Kohl's, pet supply store would move. A Madison developer that owns Manchester Mall plans to raze the mall and build a new complex that would be anchored by 136 condominiums and a Pick 'n Save grocery store, Village Administrator...

Bottom Line

Bottom Line. A look at the week ahead. DEVELOPMENT A proposed "eco-friendly" condominium building that would be developed overlooking the Milwaukee River on downtown's east side will be reviewed Tuesday by the Common Council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development...

Proposal calls for offices on Mequon golf course

Proposal calls for offices on Mequon golf course. 7 holes at Missing Links would be developed. The Missing Links Golf Course could go missing completely if the owner of seven of the course's nine holes can turn the land into office buildings...

City moves on development

City moves on development. TIF money to fund blighted land cleanup. The St. Francis Common Council recently approved borrowing $4.9 million for tax-incremental finance expenses in district No. 3, which includes South Lake Drive and Packard and Sivyer avenues...

Commission approves apartment complex plan

Commission approves apartment complex plan. Jewish Family Services received conceptual approval for a 66-unit apartment complex for residents 60 and older from the Brown Deer Plan Commission on Nov. 26. The building would be called Deerwood Crossing...

Green Bay council OKs deal for retail, office building - 3-story structure will go up by next fall

A three-story retail and office building will go up at Broadway and Dousman Street in Green Bay by next fall, thanks in part to a $3 million loan from the city and Redevelopment Authority to the developer, Smet Construction Co. The City Council approved of the deal Tuesday by an 8-4 vote. Aldermen Guy Zima, Gary Kriescher, Andy Nicholson and Tom DeWane cast the dissenting votes…

Subprime crisis takes toll on Milwaukee households

A new study by the Employment and Training Institute (ETI) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee indicates that more Milwaukee County households are stretching the limits of what they can afford for housing. For many of those people, high-interest mortgages and other escalating housing costs, such as taxes, utilities and mortgage values, are to blame, according to the study…

Development News for the week 11/16/07 to 11/30/07 (2 Wks)
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NOTE: Two Weeks due to Thanksgiving

Brinks To Open Huge Attraction Near Kohl Center

Thursday, November 29, 2007 - A year and a half after opening the ambitious Brink Lounge on East Washington Avenue, Curt Brink and his son, Matt, are dedicating themselves to an even bigger project, a $4 million restaurant and entertainment venue called the Field Pass, which they plan to debut in the redeveloped University Square building next summer. "We want to set a new tone for the area with how dynamic the building is and offer as dynamic an experience as possible," Matt Brink said Wednesday night after the project won approval from the city's Alcohol License Review Committee. Curt Brink said his goal is "to be a great restaurant and also be able to bring all ages together for great live entertainment."…

Smart growth: Toyota dealer fetes 100 years with new facility

11/28/2007 - Smart Motors will celebrate its 100th anniversary in style. The dealership, which was founded in 1908 in Waukesha and moved here four years later, is set to open its new 100,000 square-foot facility next Monday…

Editors Note: Nice building and free Wi Fi, I wonder if the coffee is any good.

New Commercial Listings this week From PropertyDrive.com

Large Property Transactions

Building Permits

Summit, Great Wisconsin credit unions to merge

Summit Credit Union and Great Wisconsin Credit Union today announced plans for a merger that would be the largest credit union merger in state history. If all goes according to plan, the merger of the two Madison-based credit unions would become effective in January 2009. Summit has $730 million in assets and 64,000 members. Great Wisconsin has $398 million in assets and 51,000 members. Together, the two credit unions have more than 20 locations in Wisconsin. Employees, who were notified of the merger earlier this week…

Middleton Offices Get New Life

Saturday, November 17, 2007 - A Denver development firm is spending $2 million to renovate a pair of office buildings totaling 150,000 square feet on Deming Way in Middleton. Old Vine Acquisitions Corp. of Denver bought the buildings at 1800 and 1850 Deming Way for $9.5 million from Fidelity National Information Services, a financial services company that moved most of its operations out of the two buildings last year. One building is four stories with nearly 88,000 square feet, and the other is a single story with more than 65,000 square feet. Craig Stanley, executive vice president of Siegel-Gallagher in Madison, which handled the sale, said the acquisition of mostly vacant office buildings that need renovation is rare in the Madison area…

CDW Berbee “goes green” with new data center

11/28/07- Madison, Wis. - Jon Vander Hill isn't sure about the public relations benefits of CDW Berbee's next enterprise data center, which will be a "green" data center, but he's convinced of the business benefits. Vander Hill, senior manager for data center infrastructure for CDW Berbee, the benefits extend beyond providing business customers with a redundant hosting platform…

Troy Gardens Project Gets National Honor

Thursday, November 29, 2007 - Madison Area Community Land Trust was recognized by AARP and the National Association of Home Builders for its 30-unit Troy Gardens project. The trust was among five organizations recognized nationally for creating user-friendly homes and developments appropriate for all ages and abilities. Troy Gardens, a cohousing condominium development at 514-570 Troy Drive on Madison's North Side, was praised for preserving 26 acres of prairie, wildlife habitat, community gardens and other open space while meeting high standards for individual accessibility such as through public transit or bicycles…

DeForest halts projects in neighboring Windsor

Using a power known as "extraterritorial plat review," DeForest has halted two proposed developments in the nearby town of Windsor. DeForest Village President Jeff Miller said today that the move stemmed from the inability of the two communities to reach a cooperative boundary agreement as called for in the 2004 settlement of legal action between the communities. "We got about 85 percent done but never came to a conclusion," Miller said. One project involves redesigning 27-hole Lake Windsor Golf Course into 18 holes and using the reclaimed space for about 40 housing units…

Foreclosures increase in state

11/29/2007 - Foreclosure filings in Wisconsin more than tripled in October compared to a year ago, well ahead of the U.S. rise of 94 percent, but the rate of filings per household remained under the national total, RealtyTrac Inc. reported today. Wisconsin had 2,506 filings in October, up 67.4 percent over September and a stunning 269 percent over last October. The 2,506 filings is a rate of 1 for every 997 households in the state. Nationally, 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported in October, up 2 percent from September and 94 percent from last October. The U.S. had one foreclosure filing for every 555 households in October…

Editors Note: The state needs to focus on job growth and local business expansion to offset the impact of the housing slump.

Madison's battle of the bumper stickers

11/29/2007 - LAST WEEK, an editor at the conservative National Review wrote an online column that suggested Madison is filled with hateful bumper stickers directed at conservatives by mean liberals. The columnist, Jay Nordlinger, had written a previous column that included a letter from a reader in Seattle, who reported seeing this sticker in that city…

Editors Note: Doug Moe does a fun piece on bumper stickers. I think the development community should weigh in:

Madison , come for a football game stay for a lifetime!

We are “Don’t call me senior” friendly!

A free hybrid car with every condo!

Reality is not that great – Try Madison!

I am sure there are more send me your thoughts…

Town To Face Realtors, Builders In High Court

Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - The State Supreme Court Will Take Up Their Spat Over A Development Moratorium Thursday. This Columbia County town is home to fertile farmland, rolling wooded hillsides and the Wisconsin River. Located between Lodi and Prairie du Sac, the town, which benefits from the backdrop of the Baraboo Bluffs, is also a stop for the Merrimac Ferry. On Thursday, this rural area settled in the 1840s will also be known for a case being argued before the state Supreme Court. The town, with a population of 1,807, will face off against the Wisconsin Realtors Association and the Wisconsin Builders Association on whether it has the right, like villages and cities, to enact temporary moratoriums on the development of subdivisions…

Merger vote is Tuesday

11/28/07 - Town, city will decide whether to send ordinance to referenda. The first official step for the merger could be this week. Verona’s Town Board and Common Council will decide separately Tuesday whether to put the proposed city-town consolidation to public vote. If they say yes – by a two-thirds approval of each body – it will send a charter ordinance to the Dane County Clerk’s office to be put on the April 2008 ballot….

Edgerton Plans Big Project Downtown

Saturday, November 17, 2007 - Hopes Are That The $6.3 Million Mixed-use Proposal Will Catalyze A "cute, Quaint" Downtown. Edgerton officials hope a proposed $6.3 million mixed-use project will become a catalyst for downtown development. The three-story building planned by Keller Development of Madison on the site of a municipal parking lot will include 24 residential units, retail and office space and underground parking. On Friday, Gov. Jim Doyle announced that Edgerton will receive an $87,500 state grant to do environmental cleanup of the two-acre parking lot. The grant was awarded under the state's Blight Elimination and Brownfield Redevelopment program. The state Commerce Department program provides grants to municipalities, local development corporations and the private sector for assessment, remediation and return of contaminated lands to productive use…

County hopes to make nursing home blend in

11/23/2007 - After several years of planning, Dane County is making final preparations to rebuild the nursing home on the east side of Verona. Unlike with the various Frankenstein-like additions of the past that once pushed Badger Prairie Health Care Center’s capacity past 400 beds, the county is starting from scratch, building a sprawling, low-profile complex that is intended to coexist neatly with the increasingly popular park behind it. The details of how the $21 million facility will blend in, including exterior color schemes, landscaping and other exterior elements, are subject to feedback from the people who will see it most often – area residents – during a Dec. 3 public information session at the Verona Public Library…

Alliant signs deal for huge Iowa coal plant

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- A proposed $1 billion coal-burning power plant in central Iowa will be owned by the Iowa utility unit of Madison-based Alliant Energy Co., two rural electric cooperatives and a municipal electric cooperative, the companies announced. Alliant subsidiary Interstate Power and Light Co. will own the plant with the Central Iowa Power Cooperative and the Corn Belt Power Cooperative…

Madison, 2 others team up on conventions

The Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau has teamed with two other similar-sized cities to attract more conventions. The bureaus from Madison, Hartford, Conn., and Spokane, Wash., want to offer meeting planners a regional rotation in midsized cities…

Job Creation Is Hot Topic At Hearing

Thursday, November 29, 2007 - Average family income in Madison is very average. That surprised Tom Ticknor, given the number of people with lots of education and the high-tech businesses spinning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which he called world-class resources. Ticknor is the consultant writing a new economic development plan for Madison. Madison is currently working from a typewritten 1983 plan, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz told the approximately 35 members of the public who attended the first of the city's economic development listening sessions Wednesday evening at the Alliant Energy Center…

Competitors To Renovate Mill Get Over 'hiccup'

Thursday, November 29, 2007 - It smelled like scandal. Two groups are vying to renovate the old Garver Feed Mill next to Olbrich gardens. The mayor proposed giving one $2 million. The other got nada. But, says Bill Barker, who heads the selection committee, in his Georgia accent, "It smelled bad but there was no carcass." Darn. Instead of writing about naughty politicians, I'm writing about the nice folks who have been working for more than a year to bring a bit of Madison's history back to life…

Editors Note: This could be an interesting project. Maybe this city should consider a financing package for both developers.

Freshly Prepared Food Is A Highlight At Expanded Sentry

Thursday, November 29, 2007 - After three years of development, Metcalfe's Sentry at the Hilldale Shopping Center now boasts an additional 10,000 square feet of retail space. Regular customers will likely notice an expanded selection of products and services. Owner Tim Metcalfe said the store's new look reflects the dramatic change in how the modern Madisonian shops for food and prepares meals. "A lot of the changes we made are in our perishable items, ready-made dishes, salads, baked goods," Metcalfe said. "We haven't added much to our grocery isles. That area I call tin can alley…

Wal-mart Reviews Area Plan

Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - A corporate review of proposed Wal-Mart supercenters has hit Dane County. The Bentonville, Ark., discount retailer has asked the city of Stoughton to postpone a vote on a conditional-use permit for a 155,000-square-foot store at Highway 51 and Highway B on the city's north side. The store, part of a 180-acre housing, retail and office development, has been in the works for more than four years, but Mayor Helen Johnson said it's too soon to speculate on the future of the project. "I'm not going to assume anything," Johnson said Tuesday. "We don't know if there's a real concern or not."…

Tracking Those Who Feed At The Public Trough

Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - Wisconsin doles out some $100 million in economic development assistance each year to private business and local governments. Over the past decade, those handouts have included $8.2 million for General Motors Corp., $4 million for Midwest Express Holdings, $3.4 million for Kohl's Department Stores and $3.3 million for Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Unfortunately, there is no precise way of tracking whether those monies actually generated any new business or created many new jobs. That lack of oversight was noted in a state audit last year and now again in a new national report that gave Wisconsin an "F" grade for disclosure of government subsidies…

Editors Note: I think these subsidies can be a positive thing but they have to be tied to real long term job growth and retention. We also have to watch the “This Office for Sale Syndrome” that has been a part of capitol politics for some time…

Nonprofit Names Leader For Health Care Initiatives

Monday, November 26, 2007 - The Regional Economic Development Entity, or REDE, a nonprofit that focuses on eight counties around Madison, has named Kathryn Otto as its director of health care initiatives. REDE says Otto will act as regional leader to pursue health care initiatives that will help economic growth in the area. Otto has worked with health and insurance providers, including Physicians Plus Medical Group, and has had several roles with Physicians Plus Insurance Corp. Most recently, Otto was manager of group retention for Dean Health Insurance. REDE says Otto has been instrumental in efforts such as establishing a Physicians Plus and a Dean Health Plan reimbursement program for Community Supported Agriculture shares…

Road Map For Development

Saturday, November 24, 2007 - When the city held a series of listening sessions in 2004, the focus was on trying to understand why some felt the city had an anti-business climate. A new round of listening sessions will begin next week, and the aim will be on something that hasn't happened since Ronald Reagan was in the White House and personal computers were in their infancy. The sessions are intended to help the city develop a strategic economic development implementation plan, which was last updated in 1983. The plan will be a guide to the city's economic development over the next three to five years…

State In Better Shape Than U.s. - Local Experts Credit The Diverse Economy

Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - The housing collapse and credit crisis will slow economic growth and nudge up unemployment next year, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday in a first-of-its-kind forecast that some economists believe will lead to interest rate cuts early in 2008. But Wisconsin should fare better than many other states, two local economists said. "Certainly in the early quarters (of 2008) we will probably continue to see fairly slow growth, but on the whole, we expect jobs to continue to increase," said Dennis K. Winters, chief of the Office of Economic Advisors in the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. "I'd look for us to be at the higher end of the forecast," added David J. Ward, president of Northstar Economics in Madison, citing the strengths of three sectors of the state economy: manufacturing, agriculture and technology…

Extended-stay Hotel Proposed In Sun Prairie

Tuesday, November 20, 2007 - An area of Sun Prairie pegged for retail and office growth could be getting its first hotel. Value Place, an extended-stay hotel company, has proposed a $3.5 million, 121-room hotel near the interchange of Highway 151 and Highway C. The Wichita, Kan., company is scheduled to present its plan to the Sun Prairie Plan Commission on Nov. 27. If approved, it would be the company's first project in Wisconsin. Jennifer Kramp, a spokeswoman for Value Place, said sites in the Milwaukee area are also being considered. The 43,430-square-foot, four-story facility at 2552 Jenny Wren Trail in the Smith's Crossing development would include three room plans with rates starting at $169 per week…

St. Mary's To Add Retail To Park St.

Monday, November 26, 2007 - Retail tenants are being sought for the Park Street frontage of the addition to St. Mary's Hospital scheduled to open Jan. 2. Jon Rozenfeld, St. Mary's executive vice president/chief operating officer, said the hospital has two letters of intent but no signed leases yet for the 4,100 square-feet of space, which can be divided up to four ways. "Food is an option and we're looking at other services," Rozenfeld said. "One tenant we'd like to find is a hair salon/spa. We believe that our employees as well as the neighborhood would support such a business." Employees would be able to schedule appointments over their lunch hour or before or after work…

Oregon Arena Plan Is Cut Back

Monday, November 26, 2007 - New Plan Calls For Just An Ice Rink Instead Of A Multisport Facility. Leaders of the Oregon Community Sports Arena have withdrawn their proposal for a $5.2 million multisport complex and instead are working on a scaled-back version with just an ice rink that could cost about $1.9 million. Regardless of the details, having a rink in the village would mean more shut-eye for members of the Oregon High School hockey team, who lately have awoke long before sunrise to practice at 5:45 a.m. in Verona. "Nobody really likes (early practices), nobody really wants to go to them, but that's the ice time they gave us," said Phil Klahn, an Oregon High School junior and wing on the varsity team. "It would just be awesome to finally have a place to call our own."

Around The State and Points Elsewhere
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Doyle targets $33M for farm aid

11/29/2007 - Gov. Jim Doyle announced today a proposal to invest more than $33 million for initiatives aimed at helping Wisconsin farms remain competitive in the ever-changing dairy and agriculture industry. The "Next Generation Agriculture" Plan will provide resources to assist state farmers in modernizing operations, capturing new markets and seizing new green opportunities, according to a news release from the governor's office. "From our farms and factories, to our world-class universities and cutting-edge businesses, Wisconsin is well-positioned to seize opportunities to flourish in the new economy…

Just simply refreshing

Just simply refreshing. Remember the old downtown Milwaukee Amtrak station that looked, in the words of City Planner Bob Greenstreet, like it could have withstood a barrage of heavy artillery? If you do, close your eyes and try to burn that dreadful image out of your mind forever...

Eco-friendly building proposed for downtown city lot

Eco-friendly building proposed for downtown city lot. $10.6 million plan includes, condos, retail. A local business operator wants to build what he calls an eco-friendly office, condominium and retail building on a downtown lot overlooking the Milwaukee River...

City moves on development

City moves on development. TIF money to fund blighted land cleanup. The St. Francis Common Council recently approved borrowing $4.9 million for tax-incremental finance expenses in district No. 3, which includes South Lake Drive and Packard and Sivyer avenues...

Commission approves apartment complex plan

Commission approves apartment complex plan. Jewish Family Services received conceptual approval for a 66-unit apartment complex for residents 60 and older from the Brown Deer Plan Commission on Nov. 26. The building would be called Deerwood Crossing...

Commission approves Walgreens plan

Commission approves Walgreens plan. Four store locations in vicinity of village. Plans for a Walgreens on the northwest corner of Brown Deer Road and 60th Street will move ahead, after the Brown Deer Plan Commission on Nov. 26 gave conceptual approval for a 14,820-square-foot building...

Oak Creek files suit in bid to buy back MMSD land

Oak Creek files suit in bid to buy back MMSD land. The City of Oak Creek has filed a lawsuit asking that it be allowed to repurchase 290 acres that the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District bought in 1986 as a sludge landfill site but never used...

Sendik's store will anchor Washington Square Mall

Sendik's store will anchor Washington Square Mall. Food market will occupy former Jewel-Osco space. After about nine months of discussion, the secret is finally out...

Editors Note: Please let Sendik’s know that I would love to talk to them about Greater Madison!

Three new hotels proposed near airport

Three new hotels proposed near airport. City's Plan Commission approves one. Three separate hotel proposals, totaling over 350 rooms, have surfaced near Mitchell International Airport in an area that is becoming the Milwaukee area's most active submarket for hotel development...

Pewaukee city to get smaller Jan. 1

Pewaukee city to get smaller Jan. 1. At the stroke of midnight this New Year's Eve, as people celebrate, watch the Times Square lighted ball drop, or even sleep peacefully at home, many City of Pewaukee residents will become residents of the City of Waukesha under a 1998 border agreement...

Editors Note: I’ve gone to bed and woken up in another city but that is another story…

Two companies plan to build in Burlington

Two companies plan to build in Burlington. Kohl's coming to Highway 36, Rex Con to office park. Two Milwaukee-area companies, including Kohl's Department Stores, recently announced their intent to bring their businesses to Burlington, joining a growing list of business ventures that have found...

History is crumbling on islands

History is crumbling on islands. Long-neglected lighthouses lie off Door Peninsula's tip. This baseball park-sized rock poking from the black waters of Lake Michigan on the edge of the treacherous shipping channel known as Death's Door is as lonely a place as you'll find...

Housing proposed at site on south side

Housing proposed at site on south side. Homeless, mentally ill would be served. The former Johnston Community Health Center on Milwaukee's south side would be turned into housing for the homeless and mentally ill under a proposal to be discussed by the city Plan Commission on Monday...

Developer pays to avoid suit

Developer pays to avoid suit. $46,000 for wetlands allows Franklin shops' construction. Developer Mark Carstensen has agreed to pay $46,000 to avoid a federal lawsuit over the destruction of wetlands at the site of a shopping center he is building at state Highway 100 and W. Drexel...

Condos will get classier treatment

Condos will get classier treatment. Proposal near GHS gains city support. On its fourth review, the Greenfield Plan Commission has accepted a proposed 14-building, 28-unit condominium development near Greenfield High School...

Developer completes Park East financing

Developer completes Park East financing. Project to include housing, retail. Mandel Group Inc. said Wednesday it has completed its financing for the first phase of The North End, a $185 million residential development along the Milwaukee River, in the Park East area...

North Chicago Avenue plan nearly doubles in cost

North Chicago Avenue plan nearly doubles in cost. The projected costs associated with acquiring, demolishing and redeveloping the 200 block of North Chicago Avenue have been restated by the city to reflect actual costs, City Engineer Kyle Vandercar said...

Condos, restaurants recommended

Condos, restaurants recommended. Panel of experts share thoughts about Silver Spring Drive's future. Nearly 100 people attended a Whitefish Bay Community Development Authority subcommittee meeting Nov. 15 to hear how the East Silver Spring Drive business district might redevelop...

Residents square off on Wal-Mart plan

Residents square off on Wal-Mart plan. Is the superstore retailer the right fit for city of Cudahy?. Wal-Mart watchers are waiting...

ShopKo coming to Sussex

ShopKo coming to Sussex. Discount chain to open three Midwest stores over next year. ShopKo, the Green Bay-based discount chain, will open a store in Sussex next fall, one of three the company plans for 2008...

Group plans new housing

Group plans new housing. Brown Deer project would target seniors. A 66-unit apartment development for elderly people has been proposed for a former supermarket site in Brown Deer...

Husco announces expansion

Husco announces expansion. Manufacturer names Wisconsin as possible location for new factory. Husco International is expanding in China and the United States, but it remains to be seen whether its domestic expansion will occur in Wisconsin...

Development News for the week 11/09/07 to 11/16/07
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Green Investment - Home Savings Branch Earns Environmental Building Award

Thursday, November 15, 2007 - Customers visiting Home Savings Bank's branch on East Washington Avenue might not notice right away that it's "green built." But the staff certainly does. The best thing, says office manager Veronica Bieganek, is the natural lighting, which reflects down into the single-story building from upper level windows strategically aligned to capture as much sunshine as possible. The relief on the eyes over an eight-hour workday alone is significant, Bieganek says, recalling her days as a bank teller. "It means you don't have to stand under those blue lights all day long," she said Wednesday morning as Home Savings Bank (www.home-savings.com)…

Editors Note: “Green is good”… and it is starting to make real financial sense…

New Commercial Listings From PropertyDrive.com

Commercial Properties By Community

From www.FutureWisconsin.Com your “One Stop” source for community economic development data for The Greater Madison area.

Large Property Transactions

Building Permits

Economic Development Listening Sessions

The City of Madison is in the process of developing a Strategic Economic Development Implementation Plan to guide our efforts over the next 3-5 years. The plan can only be as good as the ideas provided. Please take an opportunity to meet with…

Mixed-income Project Under Construction

Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - Construction began Tuesday on an 18-unit condominium project at 4809 Freese Lane, north of McFarland and east of Highway 51 on Madison's Southeast Side. Two- and three-bedroom condominiums will be priced from $124,900 to $179,900, said Dave Porterfield of the Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development of Madison, a nonprofit agency that specializes in affordable housing development and is building the project. He said eight of the units will be completed next spring and 11 must be sold to low-income buyers. The side-by-side duplex condominiums feature three designs and have large basements. The site is part of the larger Twin Oaks subdivision being developed by Habitat for Humanity of Dane County. More information is available at www.wphd.org…

Windsor, Developer Agree On $60 Million Mixed-use Project

Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - The Development Will Be On 85 Acres At Highway 51 And Windsor Road. The intersection of Highway 51 and Windsor Road is about to get a new look and it will stand in stark contrast to the nearby Windsor Congregational Cemetery that was established in 1858. Officials with the town and Madison-based Schwa Development signed an agreement Tuesday that will result in the construction of a $60 million mixed-use development. The project, about three miles north of the intersection of Interstate 39-90-94 and Highway 51 and just south of DeForest, will include…

Big Project In Works For Windsor

Officials from the town of Windsor today are signing a deal with a private development group on the largest real estate project ever in this bedroom community north of Madison. Dubbed "Windsor Crossing," the project is aimed at creating a mixed-use neighborhood fully served by public utilities and sidewalks. It would include extensive park conservancy and open spaces. Slated for 80 acres of farmland at the southwest corner of U.S. 51 and Windsor Road, the project is expected to eventually bring $60 million of commercial, retail and housing to the town, along with 150 new jobs and an expanded tax base. " Windsor really took charge of its development future, secured the land and collaborated with us to develop a winning plan," said John Waterman, co-founder…

Not on the list?

If I here one more site selection professional suggest that Madison is “not even on their list” I am going to implode. Who makes these lists and what does it take to get on them? I was able to find a few answers and the results suggest we should be on almost everyone’s list. Here is what I found. Each industry group has a separate set of criteria with a great deal of overlap. Lets talk about my conversation with a site selection firm seeking a location for a technology firm…

Editors Note: I know – I know shameless self promotion… Here’s more…

Pitching an idea to investors quickly

THU., NOV 15, 2007 - A device that gives your bicycle an electric power boost. Running shoes for people over age 40. A flashing light that helps you find your car in a crowded parking lot. Technology that turns cow dung into ... well, a variety of usable materials. Those were some of the ideas offered Thursday in the Elevator Pitch Olympics, a highlight of the annual Early Stage Symposium, held at Monona Terrace over the past two days. The event is aimed at nurturing promising young companies and drew about 400 people…

Editors Note: One stop Economic Development data and available commercial listings for each Madison Area community. www.FutureWisconsin.com or a two year archive of all development news www.WisconsinDevelopment.com, not to mention this newsletter. With 60 seconds to spare. Send checks too…

Brothers' Developments Give Lift To Cottage Grove -
New Project A Nod To Their Hometown's History

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - The three-story building with the corner clock tower and artfully varied stone and brick facades aims to make a bold statement from its developers: "This is Dwight and Dale Huston's hometown and they're proud of it." The building called Old Towne Center dominates its neighborhood of early to mid-1900s homes and businesses. It forms the focal point for a series of related developments that the Hustons have completed and others they plan to build. Their latest and most elaborate project, still under construction, combines space for a large coffee shop, a 200-seat supper club quality restaurant and bar and …

Engineering Invisible Solutions

Thursday, November 15, 2007 - Consulting Firm Works To Address Clients' Technical Needs. Somebody had to figure out how to hang that plane in the Dane County Regional Airport terminal and make it look like it's flying. Somebody had to figure out what size cable would work so it's both strong enough to hold the plane and as invisible as possible. That somebody is Arnold & O'Sheridan Consulting Engineers of Madison…

High soybean oil prices stop construction of Evansville biodiesel plant

MON., NOV 12, 2007 - High soybean oil prices have halted construction of the North Prairie Productions biodiesel plant in Evansville, making the end product too expensive compared with the pump price for regular diesel. The going rate for soybean oil, the raw material for biodiesel, is about 45 cents a pound or $3.60 a gallon, more than double the price when the plant was proposed, said John Sheehy of Sun Prairie, board chairman of North Prairie Productions…

Editors Note: My guess is that we will see the same problems soon with corn. We need to focus on a real alternative to fossil and agricultural fuels and UW Research is poised to lead the charge. Time to think outside the box – Way outside. Read the Yogi quote above - he may be the next great philosopher…

Hilldale On The Edge Again - From Outskirts To Thick Of Things

Saturday, November 10, 2007 - Fifty years ago, plans emerged for what was called the "most complete suburban shopping center," located on Madison's western outskirts. The idea behind the " University Hill Farms Shopping Center" was described as visionary and as a boon for the city, state and University of Wisconsin. And, as news accounts relate, it was at the "center of controversy" from its inception, spurring a lawsuit that delayed construction and lost it the distinction of becoming the city's first suburban shopping mall. Today, the Hilldale Shopping Center is again trend-setting and controversial as it evolves as one of the most dense urban infill redevelopment projects…

Council rejects $1 million utility offer

11/1/07 - ATC & MG&E offer to landscape substation if city drops proposal to PSC. The Common Council has rejected an offer by MG&E and the American Transmission Company to landscape the site of a new substation in exchange for the city to drop its objections to the site. The landscaping could have been worth as much as $1 million. When it met Oct. 23, the council rejected the agreement even though it’s unlikely the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, which will select the site, will endorse the city’s proposed alternative. Several council members characterized the offer as a thinly disguised bribe…

Editors Note: How about a trust fund used at the discretion of a third party group to improve the site or community if the project moves forward…

Waunakee Remodeling Still Building

Sunday, November 11, 2007 - The business started at his kitchen table in a 900-square-foot duplex behind the Waun-A-Bowl bowling alley. The only truck was a $3,000, lime green, 1975 Chevrolet Stepside pickup. Rick Spusta now works out of a 27,500-square-foot facility that includes a showroom, several offices and a warehouse. There's also space for the fleet of trucks he owns. After 30 years, Waunakee Remodeling has grown to become one of the major remodeling companies in southern Wisconsin. In 2002, Spusta opened a 3,500-square-foot windows and door shop in West Allis and, in 2004, a showroom on Odana Road in Madison. By next year, Spusta plans on adding 15,000 square feet to the headquarters on Waunakee's east side…

New Home Permits Are Up In City, County

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Housing starts in Dane County improved slightly last month from a year ago, according to a report issued Monday by MTD Marketing Services of Neenah. The county's 113 permits issued in October for single-family homes and duplexes were two more than in October 2006. Madison showed the biggest increase with 47 permits, up from 33 a year ago. Cottage Grove and Oregon also had modest increases while Fitchburg, Middleton, Sun Prairie and Waunakee had fewer permits issued than last year…

Town, City announce consolidation vote - Referendum would be in April, effective in 2009

11/08/2007 - The Verona Town Board and Verona Common Council will hold separate simultaneous meetings at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 to formally consider adoption of an ordinance consolidating the Town of Verona with the City of Verona. The Town Board will meet at Town Hall, 335 N. Nine Mound Road, and the Common Council will meet at City Hall, 111 Lincoln St. All interested parties are invited to attend either meeting, where the identical ordinance will be formally considered…

Appleton Developer Named Commerce Head

Saturday, November 10, 2007 - Gov. Jim Doyle has named developer Jack L. Fischer as the state's Commerce secretary. Fischer, 54, of Appleton, is president of the Fischer Group, which focuses on development of retail malls, offices and residential housing developments. He will start Nov. 26th. His appointment is subject to approval by the state Senate, typically a formality. The position opened with the resignation Nov. 1st of Mary Burke. She had been secretary since January 2005. Fischer has made political contributions to governors in both political parties…

Wind Farm Planned In Dane County

Saturday, November 10, 2007 - Dane County's first wind farm is on track to be up and spinning in about a year just west of Highway 12 in the town of Springfield. A group of property owners has cooperated with Elgin, Ill.,-based EcoEnergy to build six 397-foot turbines, which will generate an estimated 22 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year, or enough to power more than 2,500 homes, according to Curt Bjurlin, permit project manager for EcoEnergy. Property owners Tom Helt and Stan Hellenbrand proposed building two turbines in 2005…

Five Guys To Bring Burgers To Former Pipefitter's Spot

Thursday, November 15, 2007 - Fuddruckers didn't make it selling burgers on the lower end of State Street. Now another national burger chain is setting up shop in the middle of State Street, in the space vacated by the Pipefitter when it moved across the street. Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries (www.fiveguys.com), an East Coast-based franchise started in Virginia, is just starting remodeling work at 517 State St. Its target opening date is Feb. 1. The restaurant serves hamburgers, grilled cheese, hot dogs and french fries. The buns are prepared with 15 free toppings, including fried onions, sauteed mushrooms and green peppers…

Evjue Foundation Adds $382k In Grants

Additional Evjue Foundation grants totaling $382,500 were announced today by John H. Lussier, president of the 16-member foundation board. The new grants bring total giving by the charitable arm of The Capital Times to $2,323,805 this year. The gifts are made possible by the will of William T. Evjue, founder and longtime editor and publisher of The Capital Times, who directed that the proceeds of its controlling stock be distributed back to worthy community causes…

Editors Note: Mike could you mention N&N to John and the gang. Thanks…

News & Notes is now archived at http://parktowne.com/news.asp and www.WisconsinDevelopment.com

Around The State and Points Elsewhere
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Kalahari Resorts to build resort in Virginia

THU., NOV 15, 2007 - One of Virginia's major tourist destinations will soon get a taste of the Midwest. Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells will build a $200 million waterpark resort in Fredericksburg, Va. The resort, Kalahari's third, will be built in Celebrate Virginia, a 2,400-acre tourism campus along Interstate 95 about 45 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The project includes a 125,000-square-foot indoor waterpark, 100,000 square feet of conference space and 700 guest rooms and suites. "We've been wanting to get on the East Coast…

Editors Note: Madison need a destination resort downtown and my guess is the incentive package could be very interesting. Lets talk…

Economic ideas sought for state

Posted: Nov. 14, 2007 UW System initiative reaches out to find ways to strengthen future. The public is being asked to weigh in on how the University of Wisconsin System can help strengthen the state's economy and communities. Milwaukee County participants must register by calling (414) 290-2400 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Listening sessions will be held Nov. 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. in many counties around the state. Log onto the Web site advantage. wisconsin.edu and click on the listening sessions link for the location in each county…

Downtown office market shows more improvement

The downtown Milwaukee office space vacancy rate continues to improve, according to the third quarter office market report by Boston-based Colliers International, whose local affiliate is Milwaukee-based Colliers Barry. The vacancy rate for the downtown Milwaukee office market fell from 13.6 percent to 13.1 percent during the third quarter, according to the Colliers International report. However, the vacancy rate for class A office space in downtown Milwaukee rose from 8.5 percent at the end of the second quarter to 9.3 percent at the end of the third quarter, according to the report. Still, that's an improvement over the 12.1 vacancy rate for class A downtown Milwaukee office space that Colliers reported at the end of the first quarter…

Group plans new housing

Group plans new housing. Brown Deer project would target seniors. A 66-unit apartment development for elderly people has been proposed for a former supermarket site in Brown Deer...

Packers, developer snatch up land around Lambeau Field

Packers, developer snatch up land around Lambeau Field. $20 million in property purchases around the stadium in Green Bay are paving the way for more parking now and growth in the future. The real estate market may be down nationally, but it's on the rise near Green Bay's Lambeau Field...

Plan Commission OKs rezoning

Plan Commission OKs rezoning. Apartment complex still not finalized. The city of Brookfield Plan Commission this week recommended rezoning a 3-acre site off Bluemound Road in order to accommodate a 56-unit apartment complex slated for construction next year...

Commission forwards new TIF plan to panel

Commission forwards new TIF plan to panel. Common Council approval needed. Menomonee Falls is one step closer to forming a seventh tax-incremental financing district, a funding mechanism municipalities use to facilitate development or redevelopment...

Developers propose two new subdivisions

Developers propose two new subdivisions. The Mequon Planning Commission has recommended approval of two subdivisions that would add almost 100 new dwellings to the city...

Residents discuss ideas for new mall site development

Residents discuss ideas for new mall site development. Condemnation frowned upon. Muskego residents who spoke at the Nov. 12 town hall meeting were vocal when it came to telling city officials they did not want the condemnation process used to jumpstart development at the old Parkland Mall site on Janesville...

Plans revealed for warehouse

Plans revealed for warehouse. Former Beck Carton building would become office, retail space. A former warehouse in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward would be converted into offices and retail space under a proposal pending before a city board...

Concept plans on tap

Concept plans on tap. Walgreens, apartments to be considered. Two concept plans top the Brown Deer Plan Commission's agenda for Monday, Nov. 26...

Group forms plan to plug brain drain

Group forms plan to plug brain drain. State urged to build economy, attract talent. A state consortium of farm, labor, business and education groups has come up with a "Competitive Mandate for Wisconsin" seeking an economic development strategy that emphasizes education and builds on state...

Business district's value jumps

Business district's value jumps. CDA chairman calls increase 'astounding'. The value of the East Silver Spring Drive business district has shot up, which frees up more money to enhance the street, the Whitefish Bay Community Development Authority was told Nov. 5...

GE gets preliminary approval to build

GE gets preliminary approval to build. Commission also recommends creation of TIF district for area. Muskego residents speaking at a public hearing Nov. 6 looked favorably on plans to construct a $25 million, 486,000-square-foot GE Health Systems distribution center on South Moorland Road...

Saukville aims to grow quietly

Saukville aims to grow quietly. Village tries to mesh development, charm. Growth to the west of it, growth to the south: Saukville sees it coming and wants to be ready. At the moment, this village of 4,431 is a loose-knit community scattered along winding roads west of I-43. Its quiet...

Development News for the week 11/02/07 to 11/09/07
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T. Wall attracts big investment from N.Y. firm

FRI., NOV 9, 2007 - A New York equity fund has invested $110 million in T. Wall Properties of Middleton, putting the commercial developer on a fast track to significant growth. With 2.4 million square feet of office space and more than 750 acres of land in its portfolio, T. Wall Properties already is one of the state 's largest commercial developers…

Editors Note: Terrence is my 32 nd cousin… No really… OK maybe not but still, you have to try… New Urbanism will place Madison on the map -- once we get it in the ground!

T. WALL PROPERTIES SECURES $110 MILLION ORIGIONAL PRESS RELEASE

Madison , WI – T. Wall Properties, LLC, a Middleton, Wisconsin based commercial real estate development firm announced today that the company has secured a $110 million investment from Five Arrows Realty Securities V Limited Partnership. Five Arrows is an investment fund managed by New York-based Rothschild Realty Managers, LLC. Rothschild Reality is a leading provider of growth capital to public and private real estate companies. As part of the transaction with Five Arrows, Matthew W. Kaplan and John D. McGurk, who are principals with Five Arrows, have joined the T. Wall Properties Board of Directors….

New Commercial Listings From PropertyDrive.com

All Commercial Properties By Community

From www.FutureWisconsin.Com your “One Stop” source for community economic development data for The Greater Madison area.

Building Permits

Iowa Grocery Chain Eyes Kmart Site

Saturday, November 3, 2007 - A giant Iowa-based grocery chain is looking to turn the long-vacant Kmart site on East Washington Avenue into its first Wisconsin store. Hy-Vee - which operates over 200 stores in seven Midwestern states - wants to remodel the existing 104,000 square foot building into a full service grocery. The store could potentially create 350 to 400 new jobs here. " Madison is a vibrant, growing community," said Pete Hosch, assistant…

Tax Strategies - Accelerated depreciation for leasehold improvements

A valuable tax provision that temporarily allows leasehold improvements to be depreciated over 15 years will be available only until the end of this year unless Congress agrees to extend it or make it permanent. Commercial real estate owners who want to take advantage of this deduction need to get leases finalized and leasehold improvements done by Dec. 31, 2007…

Editors Note: Not a lot of time left! This was sent to me by Kevin Metcalfe a sponsor of FutureMonona.com.

Business Community Vital To Regional Rail, Mayor Says

Thursday, November 8, 2007 - "I don't think we are going to see anything regional without the support of the business community." That was the message from Mayor Dave Cieslewicz on commuter rail and transportation after Downtown Madison Inc.'s luncheon Wednesday with Texas State Sen. Kirk Watson. Watson, who was mayor of Austin from 1997 to 2001 and is currently chairman of its Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, told of how a referendum on commuter rail failed when he was mayor, but succeeded in 2005. And now Austin's rail system is set to open next year. Along those lines, Cieslewicz and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk are negotiating with the Legislature to get a Regional Transportation Authority authorized. If approved by the state, the plan would fund rail and other transportation improvements with a countywide 0.5 percent sales tax increase and would go before voters in a referendum…

What's Next For Josie's Site?

Thursday, November 8, 2007 - After standing unused for years, the site of Josie's Spaghetti House has been sold and is poised for redevelopment, but it's still unclear what will end up on the well-trafficked corner. Real estate developer Tom Degen bought five parcels of land, including the two sites where Josie's sits (the parking lot and the restaurant at 906 Regent St.), for $2 million in June, according to public records. The three additional sites are homes on College Court, and are adjacent to the Josie's properties. "I think the property has a lot of potential from a redevelopment standpoint," Degen said…

Going green at Kalahari saving green

FRI., NOV 9, 2007 - Kalahari Resort in Lake Delton recently completed the installation of 180 solar panels that will heat 60 percent of the hot water used at the waterpark resort. The $300,000 project, completed late last month, is part of an $800,0000 green initiative over the past 18 months. The projects are estimated to save about $400,000 a year in utility costs, said Todd…

Editors Note: Have I ever mentioned that Greater Madison needs a destination resort hotel near a large urban conference center. We could make it green, new urban and downtown… New York are you listening!

Ald. Gruber wants to put brakes on parking

Madison Ald. Tim Gruber says enough with the oceans of asphalt. The west-side City Council member wants to cap the amount of parking at new offices, shopping centers or medical centers. Currently, there are few limits on the size of commercial parking lots in the city of Madison, with developers basically free to build as much parking as they feel is financially feasible. Gruber's proposal would cap the amount at four spaces per 1,000 square feet of space…

Editors Note: Because you can always find a place to park at the malls and Hospitals. All those biking to West Towne in February raise your hands…

Studio Snaidero sells European home decor

WED., OCT 31, 2007 - A Madison-area design center offers European luxury home decor styled to suit the finest residences and hotels in the world. Studio Snaidero, 601 Junction Road, provides the products and expertise to equip most any room with state-of-the-art fixtures, appliances and accessories. "( Wow ' is) the response we want from people…

Steinway Piano Gallery sells elegant instruments

WED., NOV 7, 2007 - Steinway is a name most recognize; for more than 150 years the New York piano maker has created elegant instruments used throughout the world. Grant Billings is a third generation Steinway retailer…

Foreclosures Up, Sales Down

Tuesday, November 6, 2007 - Foreclosures hit a record high in October and home sales tumbled in Dane County in September, according to two new reports. There were 101 foreclosures filed in Dane County in October, 38.3 percent more than the 73 last October, bringing the total for the first 10 months of this year to 730, 19.2 percent more than the 612 a year ago, ForeclosuresWI.com reported today. Statewide, the 2,280 foreclosures filed in October were 37.5 percent more than the 1,657 last October. Year-to-date through October, the 17,013 foreclosures filed in the state were 28.3 percent more than the 13,256 a year ago…

City to provide $5,000 toward survey for Artspace proposal

11/01/2007 - Stoughton is one step closer to having its own “artist community,” thanks to action taken by the Stoughton Common Council recently. During its Oct. 9 meeting, the council unanimously approved a $5,000 request from the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce for an artist survey to be conducted by Artspace Projects, Inc. The area-wide artist survey is phase two of the Artspace project, aimed at renovating a vacant Stoughton Trailers warehouse into artists’ quarters. The survey will cost $25,000 to complete, according to Ed Bieno, who added he’s already received a $20,000 financial commitment from the Madison Community Foundation…

Editors Note: I am sort of pulling for this project. I hope that we can create a series of unique destinations close to Madison that will attract visitors and new residents to the area…

Monona Roundabout Gets Mixed Reviews

Some of the thousands of customers who ventured to Dane County's first Wal-Mart Supercenter on Wednesday may not have liked the roundabout, but the European concept appeared to have worked. And, according to the state Department of Transportation, we should probably get used to the intersection control method because more roundabouts are on the way. "Generally speaking, people are opposed to change even when the statistics indicate that roundabouts reduce fatality crashes by about 90 percent and injury crashes by about 75 percent…

Intruding into Garver Mill -- Will developers pave paradise, put up a parking lot?

Thursday 11/08/2007 - Paddling down Starkweather Creek, where the water curves past the old Garver Feed Mill, it's easy to forget you're in the heart of Madison. "You really feel like you're in a different place," says John Steines, a member of Friends of Starkweather Creek. "There's open sky, trees and hawks overhead. You see sandhill cranes and ducks. It's a great place for birdwatching." But Friends of Starkweather Creek is worried…

Hilldale To Host Celebration Event

Thursday, November 8, 2007 - Hilldale Shopping Center, at University Avenue and Midvale Boulevard, will host a "Evolution Celebration" on Saturday to mark recent additions and other improvements at the development. There will be a free screening of "Vananja," a female coming of age film at Sundance Cinema (12:05 p.m. and 2:40 p.m.) and a special presentation by Penelope Trunk, author of "The Brazen Careerist," from noon to 1 p.m. More information is available at www.Hilldale.com…

City Funding To CDA Sparks Council Dissent

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - Despite concerns from both the right and the left, the Madison City Council unanimously authorized $75,000 Tuesday to allow the city's Community Development Authority to detail what it would do if it becomes the redeveloper of city-owned properties on Allied Drive. The agency is expected to use the funds to hire a consultant to do a housing market study and an architect to develop a concept plan for the project, CDA Chairman Stuart Levitan told the council. Ald. Brenda Konkel is one of the leading left-wing critics of Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's plan, but ultimately voted for the measure Tuesday night. "I'd rather spend $75,000 to see if a CDA project is feasible than to take a leap of faith," Konkel…

Center Of Attention - Uw's Fluno Center Gains International Acclaim

Tuesday, November 6, 2007 - On the menu: butternut squash bisque, with root vegetable chips. Roasted beet and apple salad, with chevre and walnut vinaigrette. Toasted pumpkin-gorgonzola ravioli, with pipian pesto. The diners were about 130 women business executives, who had gathered for leadership education and inspiration. The setting was downtown Madison, at a place that has earned global acclaim but is relatively unknown locally. Months later, when asked to describe the food, Leslie Grenzow responds with a moan of approval. "Excellent and healthy," says Grenzow, first vice president at Evergreen State Bank in Stoughton. "It wasn't anything like your average banquet meal…

What Lies Beneath? Cleanup Is First Step In Redeveloping East Side Plant Site

Monday, November 5, 2007 - Lore in the old blue-collar east side neighborhood tells of chemical burns that flashed through the landscape decades ago, barrels buried in a field and noxious odors from the Royster-Clark fertilizer plant that choked the air. Today, with the redevelopment of the 26-acre site at the intersection of Cottage Grove and Dempsey roads in the offing, neighbors are most worried about what lies beneath it. "With it being a fertilizer plant so long, there are concerns about what's in the ground and the ground water…

Super-big Boxes Proliferating

Sunday, November 4, 2007 - Dane County's first Wal-Mart stores were built in 1988 in Stoughton and on Watts Road in Madison. The $20 million Madison project included a 110,000-square-foot Wal-Mart and a 106,000-square-foot Sam's Club. A 69,000-square-foot Wal-Mart was built in Sun Prairie in 1989, and a $6 million Wal-Mart was constructed in 1997 on Madison's East Side near Highway 30 and Stoughton Road. The Wal-Mart Supercenter that will open on Wednesday in Monona is the second in a string of super-sized retail projects under construction, planned or proposed in Dane County. Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is looking for sites in Sun Prairie and on Madison's Far West Side. It also has plans to build a 155,000-square-foot Supercenter in Stoughton…

Ceremony Planned At Assisted-living Site

A groundbreaking ceremony will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday for the new All Saints Assisted Living Center, near Watts Road and Highway M on the Far West Side. The 58-unit, 43,000-square-foot facility is scheduled for completion next summer and will be part of the All Saints Neighborhood, which promotes an "aging in place" concept. The $9 million project is a joint effort by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Madison and Horizon Development…

EDITORIAL A Library For Far East Side

Friday, November 2, 2007 - Madison Ald. Zach Brandon has indicated that he is not interested in pursuing the development of a new library for the southwest side neighborhood he represents. Indeed, Brandon sponsored a budget amendment at the Board of Estimates to remove $437,000 from the 2008 capital budget for a new library in the area. Brandon believes that, instead of being able to walk to a neighborhood library, his constituents can make their way by car to the new library in Verona, which is indeed impressive. But Madison needs great libraries as well. Indeed, a key to the city's long-term appeal and stability…

New Sun Prairie School Approved

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - By a wide margin, voters in Sun Prairie on Tuesday night approved money to build a new high school - without a pool. The $96 million referendum, one of three on the ballot, calls for a high school to be built along Highway N for 2,000 students in grades 10-12 and for the existing high school to be retrofitted for eighth- and ninth-graders. It passed by a vote of 4,106 to 3,089. "This was the big one," Sun Prairie Superintendent Tim Culver said. "The one that passed was fundamentally critical to continue education as we know it in Sun Prairie."…

Hillel Plan Moves Forward

Tuesday, November 6, 2007 - Under threat of a lawsuit from its adjacent neighbor, the UW Hillel Foundation is moving forward with plans to triple the size of its student center at 611 Langdon St. The Jewish student organization, which traces its Madison roots to the 1920s and is the second oldest operating Hillel in the world, wants to demolish its existing 12,000 square-foot building and replace it with a four-story, 40,000 square-foot facility. Those plans have run into opposition, however, from the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based owners of the seven-story Campus Inn hotel next door at 601 Landgon St…

Around The State and Points Elsewhere
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MILWAUKEE POPULATION SURGES PAST 600,000

Wed Nov 7 2007 - A revised U.S. Census Bureau estimate boosted Milwaukee's population by nearly 30,000 residents to more than 600,000. The estimate of 602,782 moved Milwaukee from 25th place to 22nd among America's largest cities, as it passed Washington, Seattle and Boston…

Former Packer Chmura part of investors group buying Pabst building

Joseph Zilber, the founder of Milwaukee-based Zilber Ltd. who is redeveloping the former Pabst brewery property in downtown Milwaukee into a mixed-use neighborhood called The Brewery, announced that a group of investors, including former Green Bay Packer Mark Chmura, are buying a three-story, 28,000-square-foot building in the brewery complex.

Museum given $500,000 Bader grant

Museum given $500,000 Bader grant. Foundation gives $6.7 million in gifts. The Milwaukee Public Museum will receive $500,000 for its restructuring plan as part of $6.7 million in grants announced Thursday by the Helen Bader Foundation...

Firms show interest in buying Cousins Center property

Firms show interest in buying Cousins Center property. Hedge fund operator Stark Investments and development firm General Capital Group have emerged as prospective buyers of the 44-acre Cousins Center property in St. Francis...

City tries to spread its redevelopment skills

City tries to spread its redevelopment skills. FIRE would use tax credits to market itself to other cities. West Allis is hoping to spread some of its redevelopment magic to other cities in southeastern Wisconsin...

Condos grow in popularity

Condos grow in popularity. Carol Jarosz is one of many Wauwatosa residents who has changed her lifestyle and bought a condominium in Wauwatosa...

Leaders seek fresh ideas for old mall property

Leaders seek fresh ideas for old mall property. City could purchase site for development. Residents are invited to a town hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, at the Muskego High School Performing Arts Center, S8750 Racine Ave., to discuss the former Parkland Mall property. Mayor John Johnson...

Auctions take hold as way to sell homes

Auctions take hold as way to sell homes. Mequon residence to be on block next week. A rapid-fire auctioneer stood at a bank-owned River Hills house late last month surrounded by bidders hoping to win it and 7.4 acres...

Wal-Mart lays out plan for supercenter

Wal-Mart lays out plan for supercenter. Proposal for former Iceport site gets cool reception from many. Wal-Mart promised a unique, destination supercenter that would create more than 300 jobs and help generate nearly $800,000 in tax revenue at the abandoned Iceport site...

Plan commissioners say no to church plan

Plan commissioners say no to church plan. Mayor, alderman won't support plan for Campbell farm. The Rev. Allen Jahneke was told by two key members of the Plan Commission that it was unlikely he would get commission approval of the NorthPoint Community Church's plans to develop a community gathering...

Battle of beer towns: How Milwaukee, Denver measure up

Battle of beer towns: How Milwaukee, Denver measure up. Miller's planned merger with Coors could leave Milwaukee to fight for part of its identity. Keeping Miller Brewing Co.'s headquarters in Milwaukee won't be easy...

Developer looks to reinvigorate Bradley Center

Developer looks to reinvigorate Bradley Center. The Bradley Center board of directors is negotiating an agreement with a development company that is expected to come up with a plan that could generate additional revenue for the building's tenants, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Admirals...

Owners of new homes left with liens

Owners of new homes left with liens. Developer of Sturtevant subdivision declared bankruptcy. Some homeowners living in the new Chicory Creek development were hit with startling news last month when the developer of the subdivision, Neumann Homes, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy...

Condo Canyon echoes with history

Condo Canyon echoes with history. Current projects add a new chapter to river's story. There's a new feature in Milwaukee's landscape. It's not as wide as the Menomonee Valley, not as high as the Allen-Bradley clock and nowhere near as striking as our lakefront, but it makes an impression...

No freeway ramps till mall ramps up

No freeway ramps till mall ramps up. DOT to keep brakes on new interchange near Pabst Farms shopping site. A new $25 million freeway interchange at Pabst Farms will not be built unless a developer is lined up for an upscale regional shopping mall there, state Department of Transportation...

UW-Madison steps up to No. 2 in research rankings

Published 11/08/07 - Madison, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Madison has claimed the number two spot in university research and now conducts $905 million worth of research annually, according to new statistics released by the National Science Foundation. With science and engineering research expenditures totaling…

WisDOT.  $100,000 project at Viroqua Municipal Airport (weather system)

WisDOT.  $100,000 project at Platteville Municipal Airport (weather system).

WisDOT.  $50,000 project at Solon Springs Municipal Airport (airport layout plan).

WisDOT.  $1,052.631 project at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (terminal building).

WisDOT.  $159,914 project at Fond du Lac County Airport (snow removal equipment).

WisDOT.  $100,000 maintenance project at King's Land O' Lakes Airport (fueling system).

WisDOT.  $28,000 project at Neillsville Municipal Airport (snow removal bldg).

WisDOT.  $4,813,602 project at Outagamie County Airport (terminal apron & taxiway).

WisDOT.  $2,450,000 project at Wittman Regional Airport (runway project).

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