Green Bay Development News [Archive] - Page 31

Tower Park

December 29th, 2011, 04:26 AM

Green Bay Packers. The Press-Gazette notes if the Packers sell all their currently available stock, the team will gross $70 million. The Packers announced Tuesday nearly all the 250,000 shares initially offered three weeks ago have been sold and the team is now offering an additional 30,000 shares. The 280,000 shares cost $250 each plus a $25 handling charge. The money raised minus expenses will be used for $143 million in expansion and improvements at Lambeau Field. The stock sale will continue until Feb. 29 or until shares are sold out. http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111227/PKR01/111227122/Packers-add-30-000-shares-stock-offering?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/136278898.html

Aaron Rodgers. Prevea Health has signed Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to do advertising for the health-care company, with a multi-year contract beginning Sunday. Prevea will use Rodgers' name and likeness in its health and wellness campaigns, and some personal appearances also will be involved. The company has 23 clinics in Northeast Wisconsin and partners with St. Mary's and St. Vincent hospitals in Green Bay and St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan. Rodgers this year has appeared nationally in advertising for State Farm insurance, statewide for Ford trucks and Associated Bank, and locally for a Milwaukee law firm. He's expected to be named the NFL's MVP for the 2011 season. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111228/GPG03/112280528/Aaron-Rodgers-promote-Prevea-Health-clinics and http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-fbn-rodgers-healthan,0,4595791.story

Green Bay Packers. Hotels are filling up for the Packers' first home playoff game in three years, with the first of what could be two games at Lambeau Field to be played either Saturday, Jan. 14 or Sunday, Jan. 15. Meanwhile, some businesses selling Packers merchandise report business is up 50 to 170 percent from last year. Supplies of popular Packer jerseys are running short. “Even I did not predict we’d be doing the level (of sales) we are,” says the Packers' director of retail operations. http://www.wbay.com/story/16401126/hotels-fill-up-fast-for-green-bay-playoff-games and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111228/GPG0101/111228096/Popular-Packers-jerseys-will-even-shorter-supply?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|GPG-News

Oneida Casino/Radisson Hotel & Conference Center. Good pickup of information, Morse, about the Oneida casino and hotel. Wonder if that's a current, active plan, something outdated from the past or some kind of a dream. In recent years, there's been expansion and remodeling of the casino and the Radisson, but certainly nothing on this scale. Below is a rendering of the casino and hotel as envisioned by WHPacific, an architectural and engineering firm. The copyright on their webpage discussing the Oneida plan, by the way, is dated 2009.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/imgProject031.jpg

Ashwaubenon. Baylake Bank on Tuesday auctioned furniture and equipment in the former Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel on Ashland Avenue. Items sold included beds, dressers, tables and some kitchen and bar equipment. Hurt's Recycling was retained by Baylake to arrange the auction and pre-auction sale. The building and real estate remain for sale. The 142-room hotel closed in 2009. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111228/GPG03/112280532/Howard-Johnson-Plaza-Hotel-equipment-sold-building-sale-Ashwaubenon

Allouez. GBObserver, it'll be interesting to see what happens with the new Subway Cafe on Webster and if it succeeds. It'll have competition nearby that includes a McDonald's, a Cousins Subs and Allouez Cafe.

Downtown. More on the city's new snowplowing plans for part of the east side downtown. http://www.wbay.com/story/16400846/change-comes-to-plowing-downtown-green-bay

Downtown. A New Year's greeting posted by OMSI and DGBI.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/379517_10150444103758595_39473118594_8604338_1900925061_n1.jpg

GBObserver

December 29th, 2011, 02:32 PM

I am hearing rumblings that a large donation has been made to the Neville Public Museum from an estate. There may be requirements for what it is to be used for. I will be anxious to see how that can possibly speed up the new ideas of expansion, new permanent exhibits, or the floating exhibit.

GBObserver

December 29th, 2011, 05:18 PM

Allouez. GBObserver, it'll be interesting to see what happens with the new Subway Cafe on Webster and if it succeeds. It'll have competition nearby that includes a McDonald's, a Cousins Subs and Allouez Cafe.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/379517_10150444103758595_39473118594_8604338_1900925061_n1.jpg

I welcome the Subway Cafe'. I don't do McDonalds anymore (after watching Supersize Me 2 years ago) and the Allouez Cafe's breakfast is too darn bland for me (though I love having the restaurant in the neighborhood). I order from Cousin's and subs from Gallagher's, but I can see myself giving business to the new place.

I LOVE the picture from DGBI! The tugboat/flag picture is one of the best winter ones I've see from the area.

Tower Park

December 29th, 2011, 10:27 PM

City Council. Races are shaping up for the April 3 elections for City Council. Deadline for nomination papers is Tuesday. Council members serve two-year terms at a salary of $9,887 a year. The city’s 12 aldermanic districts have been redrawn to account for population changes in the 2010 census.

Three incumbents are not seeking re-election:

District 4 – Tony Theisen
6 – Dan Haefs
7 – Ned Dorff

To date there are four contested races:

3 – Andy Nicholson (i), Joseph Prosser
5 – Amy Kocha (i), Bradley Hopp
8 – Chris Wery (i), Jesse Brunette
9 – Guy Zima (i), Brent Luther

Five incumbents to date are running unopposed.

1 – Jerry Wiezbiskie
2 – Tom DeWane
10 – Steven Deneys
11 – Brian Danzinger
12 – Patrick Buckley

Three newcomers to date are running unopposed:

4 – Gary Kriescher (had been on the Council for 10 years until 2008)
6 – Joseph Moore
7 – Jeff Van Straten

Of interesting comments (to me) of candidates quoted by the Press-Gazette, Van Straten is a former Ledgeview town chair who has moved downtown and says “it’s the place to be.” “I wanted to be right in the center of Green Bay. I’m loving it.” District 7 includes a large section of the downtown. Moore, who is a manager at a Menard’s, says he would like to focus on development and beautification, particularly along Webster Avenue on the northeast side, and “would get involved in city planning.” Prosser, a spec writer for manufacturer La Force Inc., says he would like to work on development and building issues in the city. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111229/GPG0101/112290510/9-incumbents-7-challengers-vie-Green-Bay-City-Council-seats?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

County Board. All 26 County Board seats will be up for election April 3. Two candidates have filed papers declaring they won't run: Jesse Brunette and Tony Theisen, both of Green Bay. Brunette is focusing on a bid for the City Council, and Theisen is retiring from the board. Contested races to date are in Allouez, De Pere, Green Bay, Howard, Hobart/Lawrence and Humboldt/Scott. Deadline for nomination papers is Tuesday. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111225/GPG0101/112250553/Brown-County-Board-race-attracts-interest By the way, here's a lengthy and well-done piece by reporter Scott Cooper Williams of the Press-Gazette about local elected officials who hold two offices simultaneously. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111227/GPG0101/112270420/-1/7daysarchives/Green-Bay-City-Council-Brown-County-politics-ethics

Bay Settlement. Here are some photos taken by GBObserver in May showing demolition of the Holy Cross Convent on Bay Settlement Road on the Green Bay/Scott border. The building was on the National Register of Historic Places. The other two photos show a limestone house at the site that may have been or is a rectory and the adjacent Holy Cross Church. Both those buildings remain. The church is on the National Register.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2011-12-29at120419PM.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2011-12-29at120114PM.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2011-12-29at115221AM.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2011-12-29at115820AM.jpg

Broadway District. Latest issue of “Broadway Beat.” http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Big-News-On-Broadway.html?soid=1102808930981&aid=h85Fv6I-gbI

Green Bay. This from theatlanticcities.com website, associated with The Atlantic magazine. http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2011/12/why-they-call-green-bay-titletown/753/

“It’s worth remembering that (Green Bay) is not as geographically isolated or as tiny as it might first appear. A veritable suburb of Milwaukee and only about 200 miles and a four hour drive from Chicago, Green Bay, in fact, is an integral part of the world's third largest mega region. Home to 46 million people and with an economy of $1.6 trillion, Chi-Pitts runs from Pittsburgh in the east through Minneapolis in the west and includes Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago — and, of course, Green Bay.”

Morse

December 30th, 2011, 12:06 AM

Via Tower Park above-Green Bay Bullfrogs. Open their sixth Northwoods League season hosting the expansion Lakeshore Chinooks of Mequon on Wednesday, May 30th, at Joannes Stadium at 6:35 p.m. The 70-game regular season consists of 35 home and away games each, all played within the division, and concludes Sunday, August 12th. The league's South Division in 2012 will consist of its seven Wisconsin franchises - Green Bay, Madison, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids and Mequon - plus the defending NWL champions Battle Creek. http://www.greenbaybullfrogs.com/ and http://www.northwoodsleague.com/Story.aspx?ArticleId=1362

A big "THANKS FOR NOTHING" to the Press Gazette for not having this news in today's newspaper. A Thank You for at least posting it online.

Full schedule is now available at: http://www.greenbaybullfrogs.com/schedule/games/

Latest update on new stadium: Fingers crossed the big news comes this week? What a Christmas present it could be...stay tuned!

Did any big news come or is it still in the works?

Fillmore

December 30th, 2011, 07:35 PM

I realize this is a dream, but can you imagine the traffic something like this would bring to downtown if it were built there?

I would wager copious amounts of money and pride on the fact that downtown Green Bay will never see a tower that tall. And 12-15 isn't that significant. There's no commerce to produce a structure that size, and there's no lack of space downtown. Shreiber could have built a magnificent tower and really been a catalyst for future development, but that's not what Green Bay is about. Remember, GB is small town America, not an up and coming mid-sized metropolis.

Tower Park

December 30th, 2011, 09:03 PM

Here’s an extended look – most of these photos never seen by the general public before – of the east side downtown in 1961, 50 years ago almost to the day and before urban renewal arrived in force later that decade. The occasion was the Packers 37-0 win over the New York Giants on Dec. 31 in the NFL title game at new City Stadium, the first Packers championship in 17 years and the first NFL title game ever played in Green Bay. The Press-Gazette had photography staff in the streets, day and night, to catch shots of fans celebrating the victory. I believe game time then would have been 1 p.m. Central. All photos Press-Gazette. From a set of photos posted for now at http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=U0&Dato=20111229&Kategori=PKR0804&Lopenr=112290809&Ref=PH

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-18-2.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-17-2.jpg

Dragging goalposts taken from City Stadium after the game down Adams St. Looking south on Adams toward the Northern Building.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-10-6.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-9-6.jpg

Two shots of the old Main St. looking east from about Washington St. Police car to right. All this was razed for GREGBY.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-25.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-23-2.jpg

Pine St. looking west toward what's now WaterMark. Washington St. by Prange's, w gold lights, red & white candy-cane decorations.

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Adams St. south toward St. Willy's & former Hotel Astor. Washington & Main - the Hurlbut bldg. is about where the Clarion Hotel is.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-12-5.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-22-1.jpg

East approach of the Main St. Bridge looking west, day & night. Man at left climbing wall is stealing Packer banners from building.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-15-9.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-19-1.jpg

At left, serenading on Main St.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-21-1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-28-1.jpg

Visiting NFL teams stayed at the Hotel Northland. I lived there once, as it took in hotel guests as well as longer-term residents.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-16-3.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-33-1.jpg

I think the daughter of folks who ran the Alpha Restaurant on Main now runs the Alpha Delights restaurant in downtown De Pere.
Arm-in-arm on N. Washington St.

Bay2Bay

December 31st, 2011, 12:38 AM

Thanks for sharing Tower Park! I checked out the rest of the photos on GBPG website and I love the compostion of this photo, the Hotel sign sneaking out above and the guy hanging out the window to see the goings on...

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q28/westwinder/northland.jpg

Tower Park

December 31st, 2011, 01:39 AM

^^ You're right, that is a good photo. And since the Northland didn't have room air conditioning or screens, those large windows opened direct to the outside.

Rockmont

December 31st, 2011, 10:03 AM

I love these shots! It just goes to show that football fans were just as fanatical 50 years ago as they are now. That Watermark building, or as it was Prange's Dept. Store chain or Younkers, whatever it was, is a great landmark. I'm glad that they decided to keep it and make it something new.

MediaDoggie

December 31st, 2011, 10:28 AM

GBObserver

December 31st, 2011, 03:21 PM

Thank You Tower Park!
I was part of the crowd although only about 12. The older guys were watching out for us and sent us home when it was getting too rowdy. It's nice to see the city in the glory days before downtown's slide. These pics show how Green Bay was the shopping destination for N.E. Wi., and Upper Michigan.

I also think it is great to see how fans are celebrating DOWNTOWN and not in Ashwaubenon (City Stadium was not exactly in downtown then either).

Tower Park

January 1st, 2012, 12:06 AM

Downtown Plus. In a year-in-review piece, the Press-Gazette says 2011 "was a year that set the stage for transformational change in Green Bay, particularly in the heart of downtown." As evidence, the paper cites developments during the year regarding Port Plaza Towers, Washington Commons, Schreiber Foods Inc., WaterMark, the Children's Museum of Green Bay and the KI Convention Center. Other major developments included the Brown County Sheriff's Department relocation, the new Veterans Administration Clinic, the Oneida biomass plant, the Zippin Pippin and the re-election of Mayor Schmitt. New on the scene for the year were new Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach, Green Bay schools Superintendent Michelle Langenfeld and Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce President Laurie Radke. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111231/GPG0101/112310557/Shifting-landscape-creates-new-Green-Bay-vision?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

Neville Public Museum. The director of the Neville Public Museum says it will host a Super Bowl fundraising event on Sunday, Feb. 5 and, according to WFRV, "this is just the start of a brand new partnership with the Packers." Former Packers Lynn Dickey, Marv Fleming and Chester Marcol are confirmed participants for the limited, by-reservation-only event. Neville Director Rolf Johnson says attendance at the museum on Sundays has increased fourfold "since the Packers have started winning." Otherwise, he adds, Sundays typically "are rather slow days unless the weather is bad." The Neville has one of the largest collections of Packers photography in the nation, according to WFRV, and sales of prints have increased dramatically this year. The museum also is planning an exhibit about the science of football, and the Neville will be the start of the new Packers Heritage Trail. The station says the trail will open next summer. Farther in at http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=105277 plus http://packershalloffame.com/superbowlparty/

Olde Main Street District. Information about the ARTgarge. ARTgarage photo. http://gbartlover.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/help-make-the-artgarage-the-central-place-for-the-arts-in-green-bay/ and http://www.theartgarage.org/

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City Council. Four more candidates have filed for Green Bay City Council elections, including a brother of Ald. Tom De Wane. Timothy De Wane, a political newcomer, has registered to run against Gary Kriescher in District 4, where longtime incumbent Tony Theisen has decided not to seek re-election. In District 6, where incumbent Dan Haefs is stepping aside, Richard DeBroux has filed to run against Joseph Moore. A primary could be necessary in District 9, where James Warner has joined incumbent Guy Zima and challenger Brent Luther. And in District 10, Robert Lenard is challenging incumbent Steven Deneys. The deadline to declare candidacy is Tuesday. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011111230062

Downtown. Newcomer Funeral Homes of Topeka has acquired Schauer & Schumacher Funeral Home, 340 S. Monroe Ave., from Service Corp. International of Houston. The name will be changed to Newcomer Funeral Home, Urban J. Schumacher Chapel. Newcomer owns 43 funeral homes in nine states, and this is its first location in Wisconsin. Urban Schumacher, Meghan Schetter and Mary Stahl will remain with the business. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111231/GPG03/112310533/Schauer-Schumacher-Funeral-Home-sold-Kansas-company

Brown County. The number of cremations in Brown County has doubled the past decade. Through Dec. 14, the county had recorded 868 cremations — 60 more than recorded all of last year and an apparent record. A decade earlier, the county recorded about 400. The growth in cremation mirrors a national trend that saw 41 percent of Americans who died the past year choose that over traditional burial. Authorities say more people are choosing cremation in part because it can be cheaper than burial and because society is more accepting of it. There are two crematoriums in Green Bay and one in De Pere. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111226/GPG0101/112260457/More-Brown-County-opt-against-burial-option-choose-cremation

Tower Park

January 1st, 2012, 12:24 AM

Just to be clear, there was the old City Stadium (by East High) and the new City Stadium (later renamed Lambeau Field). The 1961 championship game was played at the new stadium. The listed attendance was 39,029. I have a DVD of the entire NBC television broadcast of that game, including pregame activities that included baton twirling. The half-time show on the field included two dancers from New York performing a new dance called the twist. I have another set of photos I'll post on a slow news day or closer to the playoffs.

Danillo

January 2nd, 2012, 12:24 AM

I was on the CityDeck yesterday, and out of curiosity, I paced off the size of the pilings for the two new piers. This is obviously inexact, and actual dimensions my be online somewhere, but it gives an idea how large (and awesome) the new piers will be. For reference, I paced the ShopKo landing at about 30 yards north-to-south. The main stage in front of the Watermark is about 55 yards long, while the Cherry St. Landing is about 60 yards long. Add to that the new ramps and floating docks, and I think it's all going to be very impressive. As great as the CityDeck is, the new piers, access for boaters, and connections to Hagermeister Park and the Children's Museum are going to make it much, much better.

Tower Park

January 2nd, 2012, 03:12 AM

Downtown. Green Bay's economic development director says the city plans to work this year on getting more housing downtown. "(It's) hard to develop a sustained economic revival without people living downtown," says Greg Flisram. "We suspect strongly there is a pent-up demand for urban living." Green Bay also plans on marketing redevelopment of the former Hotel Northland plus two open lots on the Fox River between E. Walnut and Main streets and expects to relaunch an updated and interactive economic development website. Press-Gazette downtown photo taken this fall. Halfway through at http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120101/GPG03/201010548/Area-businesses-optimistic-about-2012

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Military Avenue. No details, no mention of scale, but the fact it's noted suggests to me it could be something toward the more substantial side. But EDA Director Greg Flisram tells the Press-Gazette, "We are expecting an announcement on Military Avenue about a redevelopment project in the next couple of weeks." We'll see what happens. Halfway through at http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120101/GPG03/201010548/Area-businesses-optimistic-about-2012

Wisconsin. Most Wisconsin banks head into 2012 stronger than they were a year ago, but big increases in lending and profits seem unlikely in a still-slow economy, say analysts contacted by the Journal Sentinel. Through the first nine months of 2011, about one in eight state-based banks lost money. That compares to 2010, when one in five was unprofitable, and 2009, when one in four was unprofitable. No state bank has failed since March, and over the past year five banks had special sanctions lifted by regulators. However, more than 40 Wisconsin-based banks still are under special scrutiny. "While almost all are expected to survive," says the Journal Sentinel, "it's possible the state hasn't seen its last bank failure linked to bad real estate loans." One larger Wisconsin bank still under special scrutiny is AnchorBank of Madison, which has been operating under a cease-and-desist order from regulators since summer 2009 and continues to post quarterly losses. AnchorBank once had branches in the Green Bay market but pulled out. http://www.jsonline.com/business/states-climate-for-banks-improving-fi3k3qk-136485868.html

Green Bay roots

January 2nd, 2012, 04:08 AM

[QUOTE=Tower Park;Military Avenue. No details, no mention of scale, but the fact it's noted suggests to me it could be something toward the more substantial side. But EDA Director Greg Flisram tells the Press-Gazette, "We are expecting an announcement on Military Avenue about a redevelopment project in the next couple of weeks." We'll see what happens. Halfway through at http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120101/GPG03/201010548/Area-businesses-optimistic-about-2012

I am going to take a poke at this and only because i really hope this is it... Lowe's purchases Cub foods, Toys R Us and the strip mall on the corner of Military and Western. I would LOVE to hear that and i think would be a great location for it!

Tower Park

January 4th, 2012, 03:16 AM

Metro Area. According to a Press-Gazette analysis, Green Bay has the highest property-tax rate and Ledgeview the lowest among metro communities and governments. Next highest after Green Bay are Allouez and De Pere. Next lowest after Ledgeview are Bellevue and Howard. Cities typically have higher property-tax rates but also typically provide more services and amenities, have larger populations and densities, and typically have older and larger infrastructure and planning & development issues. Here are the numbers: the first is the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value, the second is the property tax on a $150,000 home based on that rate, the third is the community or government's 2012 budget. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120103/GPG0101/201030448/Area-communities-cut-spending-increase-tax-levies?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-News

Green Bay.....$9.01.....$1351.....$100 million
Allouez.....$6.35.....$952.....$7.4 million
De Pere.....$6.17.....$926.....$16.2 million
Ashwaubenon.....$4.69.....$704.....$15.2 million
Brown County.....$4.58.....$687.....$278 million
Suamico.....$4.22.....$633.....N/A
Hobart.....$4.20.....$630.....N/A
Howard.....$3.31.....$496.....$9.3 million
Bellevue.....$2.73.....$409.....$4 million
Ledgeview.....$2.29.....$344.....$2.5 million

Green Bay Police Department. Switched today to a district-policing approach, adopting four districts citywide and abandoning a previous 10-zone model. Officers will be assigned to one of the four, which span from the far west side to the far east side. Officers routinely will patrol one section of the city under the new system to better identify crime trends and suspects. District A covers the far west city limits to near Oneida Street. District B goes from that point to the Fox River. District C borders the east side of the Fox River to where the East River meets Deckner Avenue. District D picks up from there and extends to the city limits on the far east side. GBPD has 185 sworn officers and is headquartered downtown. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120102/GPG0101/201020482/-1/7daysarchives/Green-Bay-police-shift-to-district-approach

Ashwaubenon. Household hazardous waste collected at the county's hazardous-waste facility in Ashwaubenon surpassed 1 million pounds for the first time in 2011. The total was 1.1 million pounds. That compares with 754,000 pounds five years ago and 998,000 pounds last year. Electronics accounted for about 40 percent of the waste collected in 2011. The Brown County Household Hazardous Waste Facility is located at 2561 S. Broadway next to Highway 172. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120103/GPG0101/201030449/Hazardous-waste-recycling-grows-Brown-County?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s

Ashwaubenon. Is considering whether to build a $2.4 million pedestrian bridge over Highway 172 just west of Highway 41. WisDOT has agreed to pay 75 percent of the construction cost, as part of the 41 reconstruction project, plus maintenance costs. The village would be responsible for the remaining $600,000 plus snow removal and costs to connect the bridge to existing paths in the area. Supporters says the bridge will improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross Wisconsin 172 and better connect the village's residential neighborhoods, while opponents say Ashwaubenon can't afford to take on the extra cost during a time of budget cuts, especially if the bridge won't be used. The village plans to hold a community meeting to discuss the proposed project and must inform the state of its intentions by April. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120103/GPG0101/201030442/Ashwaubenon-considers-Wisconsin-172-pedestrian-bridge?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

Highway 41. The Highway 41 construction project in 2012 is entering what officials are calling its busiest year yet in Brown County, with the major impact expected to be at the W. Mason Street interchange. The overpass and on and off ramps there will be closed for six months starting Feb. 1. The adjacent Mason/Taylor street intersection will also be closed and traffic rerouted. Businesses in the area are bracing for the closures. http://www.wbay.com/story/16438419/2012/01/03/expect-highway-construction-to-accelerate-in-2012

Broadway District. What perhaps could be another national State Farm insurance commercial with Aaron Rodgers ????? has been in the works at 319 N. Broadway in the Broadway District. First photo OBI, second photo LoopNet.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/406309_10150467417872635_248985517634_8751818_1979508288_n1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/broadway-2.jpg

Tower Park

January 4th, 2012, 03:22 AM

Military Avenue. No details, no mention of scale, but the fact it's noted suggests to me it could be something toward the more substantial side. But EDA Director Greg Flisram tells the Press-Gazette, "We are expecting an announcement on Military Avenue about a redevelopment project in the next couple of weeks." We'll see what happens. Halfway through at http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120101/GPG03/201010548/Area-businesses-optimistic-about-2012

I am going to take a poke at this and only because i really hope this is it... Lowe's purchases Cub foods, Toys R Us and the strip mall on the corner of Military and Western. I would LOVE to hear that and i think would be a great location for it!

Good guess! I'm sure the city would like to see the Cub Foods property in use again. It'll be interesting to see what this project amounts to.

gbmphillips

January 4th, 2012, 03:01 PM

I heard the village of Howard was preparing a parcel of land in hopes of attracting the Lowes store there near Hwy 41, seems that would be a better location for the store

jerkylips999

January 4th, 2012, 09:48 PM

I heard the village of Howard was preparing a parcel of land in hopes of attracting the Lowes store there near Hwy 41, seems that would be a better location for the store

I know that there was a development plan for the parcel across from Fleet Farm West (the old Hardee's/Tom's Drive-In, etc). At one time I heard that Best Buy would be going in there, but I seriously doubt that will happen these days. I wonder if that would be the parcel? I'm not sure how that will "work" with FF right across the street (although I heard they were moving as well). If that was the case, FF, Menard's, & Lowes would all be in very close proximity.

Green Bay Native

January 5th, 2012, 12:16 AM

I know that there was a development plan for the parcel across from Fleet Farm West (the old Hardee's/Tom's Drive-In, etc). At one time I heard that Best Buy would be going in there, but I seriously doubt that will happen these days. I wonder if that would be the parcel? I'm not sure how that will "work" with FF right across the street (although I heard they were moving as well). If that was the case, FF, Menard's, & Lowes would all be in very close proximity.

I believe that would be Home Depot instead of Menard's.

And I think those competitors strategically build close to each other, as down here where you see a Lowe's, you are pretty sure that there is a Hope Depot nearby.

Tower Park

January 5th, 2012, 12:23 AM

Shopko. Shopko Stores and Pamida announced today they will merge to create what is being called one of the largest U.S. retailers focused on serving smaller and rural communities. The combined company will be headquartered at Shopko’s current offices in Ashwaubenon and will use the Shopko name, with the merger expected to create some 120 new positions there. The combined entity will have nearly 350 stores in 22 states. Shopko currently operates 149 stores in 13 states in the Midwest, Mountain and Pacific Northwest regions, with annual revenue of $2 billion. Based in Omaha, Pamida operates 193 stores in 17 states primarily in the Mountain, North Central and Midwest regions, with annual revenue of $1 billion. Both are owned by Sun Capital Partners Inc. of Boca Raton, a private equity firm. Shopko plans to invest $80 million over the next year to convert most Pamida stores to Shopko Hometown stores, a smaller version of the typical Shopko store. There will be no change to Shopko stores. Shopko expects to accelerate the opening of new Shopko Hometown stores in the second half of 2012 and into 2013. WLUK photo. http://www.jsonline.com/business/shopko-pamida-to-merge-put-headquarters-in-green-bay-ct3m4gh-136670053.html and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120104/GPG0101/120104072/Shopko-Pamida-stores-merge?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/shopko-to-merge-with-pamida and http://www.shopko.com/docs/company/news_media/Shopko-Pamida_Merger_Press_Release_FINAL.pdf

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/shopko_20100504130604_640_480.jpg

Green Bay Bullfrogs. The Green Bay Bullfrogs will return to Joannes Stadium this year under a new five-year lease at the city-owned facility. Majority owner Jeff Royle says he remains hopeful the team will have a new stadium soon, possibly even within a year. The new lease replaces a previous five-year lease that expired after last season, requires the Bullfrogs to make $10,000 in improvements to Joannes annually and includes a provision the team can leave early if it gets a new stadium built. Joannes Stadium can accommodate about 2,000 fans — about 1,600 in bleachers and backed seating plus room for about 400 more fans in fan decks. Beyond that it's SRO. The stadium lacks adequate restrooms, concessions, parking, office and sales space and other provisions and has no visitors locker room. The Bullfrogs have obtained an option on city-owned land along the Fox River for a proposed 3,500-capacity, $10 million facility that could accommodate the team’s games and other events. The Bullfrogs are entering their sixth season this year and are members of the Northwoods League. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120104/GPG0101/201040587/For-now-Green-Bay-Bullfrogs-settle-Joannes-Stadium?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s and http://www.sportinggroundsoftitletown.com/

Hotel Northland. The city is starting what WFRV calls a “full-court press” to market the Hotel Northland. Among other initiatives, the city is upgrading the redevelopment project’s website and advertising the property is available. It's also working with the hotel's owner — Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corp. — to hire a broker specializing in moving historic properties. "We think that with the KI Convention Center and some of the marketable momentum we have downtown that we can tell a pretty compelling story to a developer coming in from the outside as to why this is a good investment for him," says EDA Director Greg Flisram. In terms of downtown hotels, a restored Northland would help recover occupancy lost when the 98-room Days Inn closed, but the replacement space at the Northland would be upscale. Blueprint image of the Northland building from the city’s redevelopment website. http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=105907&watch=1 and http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=105907 and www.hotelnorthlandgb.com

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-01-04at25144PM.jpg

Broadway District. OBI helps confirm that it's another State Farm insurance TV commercial with Aaron Rodgers that's been under way at 319 N. Broadway and/or, it appears, the nearby Three Three Five private dining studio at 335 N. Broadway. Maybe both locations — I’m not clear on that. Three Three Five photo. http://www.facebook.com/OnBroadwayGB?sk=wall and http://www.facebook.com/threethreefive

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/391844_349066625119332_163689290323734_1410516_386715335_n.jpg

City & County. Former Green Bay Ald. Shae Sortwell, who resigned last year to take a new job in Madison, has entered the City Council race to reclaim his old seat. Sortwell filed his candidacy Tuesday in District 6, where he opposes Joseph Moore and Richard DeBroux. The winner will succeed Ald. Daniel Haefs, who was appointed to complete an unexpired term after Sortwell resigned last February to take a state legislative job.  Also filing new candidacies in other council districts are Daniel Bins, who is running against Gary Kriescher and Timothy DeWane in District 4; David Boyce and Jeanine Hammes, who oppose Jeff Van Straten in District 7; former GB Planning Department employee Mark Steuer, who is running against Steven Deneys and Robert Lenard in District 10; and Thomas Sladek, who opposes Patrick Buckley in District 12.   All 12 aldermanic seats are open in the April 3 elections. Meanwhile, 15 members are running unopposed for the 26-seat County Board. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120103/GPG0101/120103158/Local-election-scene-shapes-up-candidates-file-papers?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120104/GPG0101/201040624/Few-Brown-County-races-look-hot-spring-election?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s

jerkylips999

January 5th, 2012, 01:09 AM

I believe that would be Home Depot instead of Menard's.

And I think those competitors strategically build close to each other, as down here where you see a Lowe's, you are pretty sure that there is a Hope Depot nearby.

Actually I did mean Menards. It's going up right now in Howard, across from Woodmans.

Kramerica

January 5th, 2012, 02:08 AM

I know that there was a development plan for the parcel across from Fleet Farm West (the old Hardee's/Tom's Drive-In, etc). At one time I heard that Best Buy would be going in there, but I seriously doubt that will happen these days. I wonder if that would be the parcel? I'm not sure how that will "work" with FF right across the street (although I heard they were moving as well). If that was the case, FF, Menard's, & Lowes would all be in very close proximity.
On the east side of Green Bay, FF, Home Depot, and Menards are all at the 43/JJ interchange. In Waukesha, all three are within a 1/4 mile of each other. And there are numerous places where you can find two of the four next to each other. So it isn't all that uncommon.

The next couple of years would be tough for opening a new big store at the Hardee's/Tom's site. With all the 41/29 construction, access will be very messed up. But once it is all done, it will be a prime location.

Tower Park

January 5th, 2012, 11:21 PM

Lambeau Field. Construction on the Packers $143 million stadium project is reported well under way at both end-zone areas. Officials say mild weather has helped progress. About 60 workers are now on site but more will be added in months ahead, with about 300 at peak construction. On the north side, steel work is up where a new stadium gate with six elevators and a new entrance for the disabled will be built. That work will also include construction of a rooftop viewing terrace for use by fans in club seats. On the south side, workers are putting in foundations and elevator pits for the 6,700-seat addition. The seats will be constructed in four levels and feature different themes. A new south gate with escalators and elevators will be built. By the beginning of the 2012 season, the north end-zone work should be finished and two new videoboards should be in place at both end zones. All work is expected to be done in time for the 2013 season. First photo from the Journal Sentinel showing work on the south side. Second photo Press-Gazette showing north-side construction. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/136753783.html

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/26704199-mjs_lambeau-_nws--_porter-_5_lambeau.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-26.jpg

Green Bay Packers. The Packers report their season-ticket waiting list has grown 10 percent since September, from 87,000 to 96,000. http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120105/PKR01/120105076/Lambeau-Field-addition-moving-along-season-ticket-waiting-list-up-96-000?odyssey=mod|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Stadium District. Press-Gazette follow-up of an apparent carbon-monoxide leak last Friday night at the Hilton Garden Inn on Lombardi Avenue that sent up to 16 people to the hospital shows CO levels were extremely high and prompted a room-by-room search of the hotel as a precaution. Emergency workers arriving at the hotel found four children and others suffering symptoms that included headache, nausea and vomiting. More occupants came forward with similar symptoms. CO was detected in the hotel's swimming-pool area, a mechanical room, workout room, two restrooms and a stairway, with levels as high as 957 parts per million. The Press-Gazette says 9 parts per million is sometimes considered sufficient to prompt evacuation of a building. None of the stricken have been identified, and their conditions remain unknown. A heating system may have malfunctioned causing a carbon-monoxide leak. Hilton Garden Inn photo http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120105/GPG0101/120105065/Records-show-extremely-high-levels-carbon-monoxide-Hilton-Garden-incident?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120101/GPG0101/201010565/Carbon-monoxide-leak-at-Hilton-Garden-Inn-in-Green-Bay-sends-16-to-hospital

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/2631759-Hilton-Garden-Inn-Green-Bay-Hotel-Exterior-1.jpg

Shopko. More reporting on Shopko's merger with Pamida. "To compete with national players we need size," says Pamida's CEO, "and together we have much more clout. This is a proactive way to grow our business." The merged companies will have more than 20,000 employees. Shopko currently is the 11th largest private employer in the Green Bay area, with about 1,300 employees here. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120105/GPG03/201050500/Shopko-Stores-convert-Pamida-locations-Shopko-Hometown-stores?odyssey=nav|head and http://www.omaha.com/article/20120105/MONEY/701059943#omaha-loses-pamida-hq-in-shopko-merger

Broadway District. The State Farm insurance ad shot Tuesday in the Broadway District with Aaron Rodgers will also feature teammates Clay Matthews or B.J. Raji and could debut on national television this weekend, before and during NFL playoff games, if all goes according to plan. The footage will continue the story line of Rodgers and his touchdown dance; some footage could end up on the Internet or social-media networks only. Officials say the shooting took all day and included State Farm insurance agent Mike Sollie and actor Adrian Martinez, who wore a Cheesehead in the insurance company’s first Rodgers ad. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/136708958.html

Downtown. On another downtown note, here's a shot at night of the new skylight just installed at the Central Library. DGBI photo.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/387839_10150459706608595_39473118594_8680617_548326621_n.jpg

Bay2Bay

January 6th, 2012, 03:22 AM

GBObserver

January 6th, 2012, 11:24 PM

Demo of the Days Inn is full throttle.

The back of the building is as pile, the roof is off, the ground floor's exterior walls are gone, and a few pieces of equipment are making quick work of what remains and loading rubble into dumpsters. At this pace I would think that by February the lot will be fully cleared.

Tower Park

January 7th, 2012, 12:53 AM

City Hall. Agenda items for Tuesday’s 1/10/12 RDA meeting include: 1. Review and possible action on a development agreement with General Capital for redevelopment of properties in 400 block of North Broadway. Recommendation: Approve development agreement. 2. Update and possible action on a proposed funding model for expansion of the KI Convention Center. Recommendation: To be presented at meeting. http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mins_agd/

Broadway District. EDA Director Greg Flisram says of the NorthCoast Productions project on Dousman Street that "we marshaled a lot of different resources to piece that together" and the city is “trying to establish more of that kind of creative industry in the region." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120101/GPG03/201010548/Area-businesses-optimistic-about-2012 Here are some examples of work by NorthCoast, a marketing technology and video production company. Includes a Bergstrom Automotive commercial, a longer piece for Quaker Oats and a highlight reel of its work. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1738952990456 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP83LbNN1Ig&feature=player_embedded and http://www.northcoastpro.com/demo-reel

Green Bay Fire Department. Robert Goplin was sworn in Thursday as Green Bay’s new fire chief. Former Chief Jeff Roemer stepped down Dec. 31 to return full-time to his fire-consulting business. The department is headquartered downtown in the city’s No. 1 fire station at Washington and Adams streets. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120106/GPG0101/201060564/Challenges-await-new-Green-Bay-fire-chief?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Metro Area. According to a report by WBAY, there’s a shortage of taxis in the Green Bay area at peak times, including Packer games, certain holidays like New Year’s Eve and “big bar nights.” Says a typical wait for a cab here can be 10 or 15 minutes but up to two hours at busy times. One veteran cab driver for Yellow Cab says the biggest challenge of his job is midnight to 2 a.m. on busy bar nights when he gets inundated with calls. “We’ll go down there to get the people and 15 people will come up to you and want to get in the cab. People will even bribe you trying to get the cab,” he says. "There just aren't enough cabs in Green Bay. But it doesn't pay to have that many cabs any other time because then everybody’s starving.” There are about 60 licensed cab drivers for the city. http://www.wbay.com/story/16458787/green-bay-sobering-up-to-taxi-trouble

Area. No specifics, but the first charging stations in the area for electric cars are expected to be up and running by summer through a program sponsored by Wisconsin Public Service Corp. and a local electrical workers union. WLUK photo. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/solar-project-training-initiative

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/5PM_THURS_SOLAR_PROJEC0e02dbc9-c747-4b0b-9e6a-2fa99c8fa82d0000_20120105174152_640_480.jpg

Ashwaubenon. Prevea Ashwaubenon Health Center opens Saturday at 2502 S. Ashland Ave. in a 27,000 square-foot building adjacent to Western Racquet & Fitness Club. The center is about a half-mile east of a Prevea office at 760 Pilgrim Way, which closed today. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120106/GPG03/201060524/Prevea-Health-moves-its-Pilgrim-Way-clinic-Ashwaubenon

Tower Park

January 7th, 2012, 03:09 AM

OK, I'm on it. Here's the new State Farm ad airing this weekend, shot on Broadway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxYJb2ScuXM

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/136851978.html

Puant

January 8th, 2012, 01:46 AM

mariekitty

January 8th, 2012, 03:45 AM

very interesting thread!

Bay2Bay

January 8th, 2012, 04:46 AM

Is everyone ready for another onslaught of national media coverage with the constant theme, "Let's beat to death the fact that Green Bay is indeed a small town" during the football coverage?

Of course GB is small, but the perception is that all there is to do is eat at Applebees or Perkins.....Nothing against those places but we always hear that there's nothing to do but go there...

The other things to do should be promoted more somehow.... Too bad everything is so spread out, makes it hard for a tourist to figure out where to go.

So true. Three things for the national media to remember when playing "up" Green Bay's small size:
1) When giving the city population, always round down. Better yet. Use the 1990 census number. 5 digits sounds soooooo much smaller than 6 digits.
2) Never, never, never refer to the metro population.
3) Never mention that the Green Bay television market is actually larger than some others cities such as Tuscon, Honolulu, Chattanooga, Des Moines, Spokane, Toledo, Omaha, Madison.

Tower Park

January 8th, 2012, 05:12 AM

Days Inn. As GBObserver says, demolition of the Days Inn is in full throttle. Photo by the Children's Museum of Green Bay.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/402769_10150574174405610_168159770609_11417892_832884130_n1.jpg

Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District. Two more public meetings have been scheduled for the $147 million upgrade and expansion of the Green Bay MSD plant that will increase sewer rates nine percent annually for five years, starting this year. The first meeting is Tuesday, 9 to 11 a.m., at the MSD headquarters. The second is January 17, 5 to 7 p.m., at the Weyers-Hilliard Branch of the Brown County Library in Howard. Work on the treatment-plant project is scheduled to begin in 2014 and would boost capacity, replace outdated equipment and help meet new environmental standards. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120106/GPG0101/201060551/-1/7daysarchives/2-meetings-set-Green-Bay-Metropolitan-Sewerage-District-wastewater-upgrade

Stadium District. Because of construction at the stadium, the 2012 Cellcom Green Bay Marathon will bypass the inside of Lambeau Field. This year's race, the 13th annual, still will start and finish outside Lambeau, but participants will not run through the stadium as they have in past races. The event will be held Sunday, May 20. Organizers say the marathon's 2013 course will again include running through Lambeau. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120105/GPG0101/201050530/-1/7daysarchives/Cellcom-marathon-kicks-off-event-bypasses-Lambeau-year

Comment. It'll be interesting to see what happens at Tuesday's RDA meeting regarding the proposed KI Convention Center expansion. IF the mayor and the suburbs and visitors bureau have worked out some kind of a funding agreement, IF, the meeting could be a step forward for the project. But we'll see.

beerguru

January 8th, 2012, 07:08 AM

So true. Three things for the national media to remember when playing "up" Green Bay's small size:
1) When giving the city population, always round down. Better yet. Use the 1990 census number. 5 digits sounds soooooo much smaller than 6 digits.
2) Never, never, never refer to the metro population.
3) Never mention that the Green Bay television market is actually larger than some others cities such as Tuscon, Honolulu, Chattanooga, Des Moines, Spokane, Toledo, Omaha, Madison.

Green Bay needs a slinky, skinny spire. Something along the river perhaps- say, 60 stories. That would become (after taking a decade or two to fill up), a destination place. Shopping on the lower floors, parking above that, office suites above that, and hotel rooms, apartments and condos above those. the top would have a revolving restaurant/nightclub, with an observation deck above that. Place a long TV/radio antenna on top, and you'd have a building 1000' high (including antenna, which I know really isn't considered a part of the building).

It would certainly become the signature building for the city/region- after Lambeau Field, of course. Imagine that place on Monday Night Football!:banana:

MediaDoggie

January 8th, 2012, 11:45 AM

Puant

January 8th, 2012, 04:39 PM

Green Bay needs a slinky, skinny spire. Something along the river perhaps- say, 60 stories. That would become (after taking a decade or two to fill up), a destination place. Shopping on the lower floors, parking above that, office suites above that, and hotel rooms, apartments and condos above those. the top would have a revolving restaurant/nightclub, with an observation deck above that. Place a long TV/radio antenna on top, and you'd have a building 1000' high (including antenna, which I know really isn't considered a part of the building).

It would certainly become the signature building for the city/region- after Lambeau Field, of course. Imagine that place on Monday Night Football!:banana:

;)

Danillo

January 8th, 2012, 07:32 PM

Puant

January 8th, 2012, 08:20 PM

Green Bay is totally unique among American pro sports cities. Announcers are going to talk about this. This is good. It's what we are. I hear many, many more positive things about Green Bay than I hear people making fun of Green Bay. I think the national perception of Green Bay as a result of the Packers is positive. Doesn't mean everyone wants to live here, or that there are zero misconceptions about the place, but that's true about every city.

Right, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I do think a lot of people living in "big cities" across the US kind of envy the "small town" life -- the short commutes, good schools, low crime, the 'neighborliness', the thoughtful and intelligent SSC forums, etc.

There's a well-known author named Richard Florida (you probably heard of at least one of his books) who's been to Green Bay and has recently been writing about this.

Check out a couple of his recent articles:

Why they call Green Bay "Titletown" (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2011/12/why-they-call-green-bay-titletown/753/) (love this article!)

State of the Day: Wisconsin (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2012/01/state-day-wisconsin/867/)

Here's the link to his blog/site (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/authors/richard-florida/?page=4)

Tower Park

January 9th, 2012, 04:18 AM

Green Bay Packers. The first of what the Packers hope will be two home playoff games will be played next Sunday at Lambeau Field at 3:30 p.m. against the New York Giants. The game will be televised nationally on Fox. Subject to change, the long-range forecast for game day is mostly sunny, high near 22, with mild or normal temperatures and little or no snow in Green Bay in the week leading up to the game.

Bellin Building. A third restaurant - the Terrace Room - has opened in the Bellin Building. It's located on the northwest corner of the second floor, overlooks the Fox River and is owned by the same people - Bellin owner Steve Schneider and partners - who own the Daily Buzz Cafe and the Black & Tan Grille, also located in the building. Terrace Room hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The restaurant takes it name from the popular Terrace Room restaurant once located inside the H.C. Prange Co., later Younkers, department store. The restaurant in earlier years was located in that portion of what's now the WaterMark building straddling Pine Street, seen in the Press-Gazette photo below from 1961. The restaurant later moved to the top floor of a new addition to Prange's on the store's north side, where Flats on the Fox is located today, and overlooked the Green Bay harbor. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120108/GPG03/201080598/Richard-Ryman-column-Terrace-Room-restaurant-returns-downtown

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-25.jpg

Al's Hamburger. Not sure when this was taken, but the photo below at right is one of several interior photos of Al's Hamburger posted today by DGBI. Although the neon sign is not there now, the front exterior has been repaired and looks like it did before last August's fire. The interior is being rebuilt, and a re-opening date is expected to be announced soon. Fire photo from the Press-Gazette.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde4-3.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/404294_355299461162379_181961338496193_1500896_1691966962_n1-1.jpg

Bellevue & Ledgeview. An informational meeting will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Bellevue Safety Building on the reconstruction of Monroe Road between Hoffman and Dickinson roads south of Highway 172. The two-mile project includes widening the road from two to four lanes, construction of four-foot-wide bike lanes on each side of the road and an eight-foot-wide pedestrian trail on the west side. Work is expected to take place from April through November. Last year, a four-way stop along the construction route was converted to a roundabout. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120108/GPG0101/201080616/GV-Monroe-Road-widening-Bellevue-Ledgeview-begin-spring?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/monroe.jpg

Tower Park

January 9th, 2012, 04:33 AM

Green Bay is totally unique among American pro sports cities. Announcers are going to talk about this. This is good. It's what we are. I hear many, many more positive things about Green Bay than I hear people making fun of Green Bay. I think the national perception of Green Bay as a result of the Packers is positive. Doesn't mean everyone wants to live here, or that there are zero misconceptions about the place, but that's true about every city.

Well said!

There's a well-known author named Richard Florida (you probably heard of at least one of his books) who's been to Green Bay and has recently been writing about this.

Check out a couple of his recent articles:

Why they call Green Bay "Titletown" (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2011/12/why-they-call-green-bay-titletown/753/) (love this article!)

State of the Day: Wisconsin (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2012/01/state-day-wisconsin/867/)

Here's the link to his blog/site (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/authors/richard-florida/?page=4)

Thanks for posting!

Green Bay needs a slinky, skinny spire. Something along the river perhaps- say, 60 stories. That would become (after taking a decade or two to fill up), a destination place. Shopping on the lower floors, parking above that, office suites above that, and hotel rooms, apartments and condos above those. the top would have a revolving restaurant/nightclub, with an observation deck above that. Place a long TV/radio antenna on top, and you'd have a building 1000' high (including antenna, which I know really isn't considered a part of the building).

It would certainly become the signature building for the city/region- after Lambeau Field, of course. Imagine that place on Monday Night Football!:banana:

Heck, why stop at 60? Let's go for 80! :)

mgk920

January 9th, 2012, 06:55 PM

Bellevue & Ledgeview. An informational meeting will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Bellevue Safety Building on the reconstruction of Monroe Road between Hoffman and Dickinson roads south of Highway 172. The two-mile project includes widening the road from two to four lanes, construction of four-foot-wide bike lanes on each side of the road and an eight-foot-wide pedestrian trail on the west side. Work is expected to take place from April through November. Last year, a four-way stop along the construction route was converted to a roundabout. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120108/GPG0101/201080616/GV-Monroe-Road-widening-Bellevue-Ledgeview-begin-spring?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE
Instead of an 'eight-foot-wide pedestrian trail' on one side of the road, why not put a 'four-foot-wide pedestrian trail' on each side?

:yes:

Mike

beerguru

January 9th, 2012, 09:01 PM

Well said!

Thanks for posting!

Heck, why stop at 60? Let's go for 80! :)

60 floors is tall enough. as i stated, it would take a decade or two in order to fill it up. hey- here's an idea! make the building a non-profit, community-owned entity. sell stock in it a la the packers. co-brand it with the team- call it the Green Bay Packers Spire!

Fillmore

January 9th, 2012, 09:08 PM

beerguru

January 9th, 2012, 09:39 PM

The national perception of Green Bay as a result of the Packers IS positive, although you are led to believe everyone in GB bleeds green and gold. But it's a colossal negative for downtown development.

well, the industrial nature of the fox river inlet from the bay itself has long been a deterrent to a larger, taller downtown green bay. can anyone imagine what downtown chicago would look like today, without daniel burnham's plan to largely keep industry away from the lakefront?

Tower Park

January 10th, 2012, 06:27 AM

Metro Area. The Journal Sentinel takes a look at the economic impact of an NFL playoff game(s) in Green Bay in January. "Restaurants, bars, hotels and even museums are giddy about big crowds showing up in Brown County for the weekend, credit cards and cash in hand," the paper says. It notes there are about 4,300 hotel rooms in the greater Green Bay area, "small by Super Bowl standards but big enough to handle visitors for a playoff game." What rooms may still be available for the game are expected to fill up quickly. It's been four years since the Packers last hosted a playoff game. http://www.jsonline.com/business/after-packers-bye-green-bay-hopes-for-2-buy-weeks-ld3n2jf-136920633.html

Austin Straubel. As many as 100 private jets are expected this weekend at Austin Straubel airport for the Packers/Giants game. An increase in commercial airline traffic is also expected for the game, with passengers generally beginning to arrive here Friday. http://www.wbay.com/story/16481798/2012/01/09/titletowns-airport-expects-a-giant-weekend and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/giants-as-playoff-opponent-means-influx-of-fans-money

Downtown. A Packers Pep Rally will be held 3 p.m. Friday on Courthouse Square in the 300 block of E. Walnut St. The mayor, county executive and Packers President Mark Murphy will attend. The event is cosponsored by the city, county and DGBI and is expected to last about a half-hour. http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/PR/2012%201%209%20press%20release-%20packer%20pep%20rally.pdf

Green Bay Metro. Will hold a press conference Wednesday to discuss its Lambeau Field game-day routes, service for the Packers playoff game(s) and "planned service for New Years Eve, 2012." Comment. Sounds like Metro perhaps will have special New Year's Eve service next December, maybe similar in nature to what I think is done in Milwaukee each year. http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/PR/2012%201%209%20press%20release-%20metro%20packer%20season.pdf

Green Bay & Door County. Permits to construct new homes last year declined 22% in the Green Bay & Door County market from 2010, according to Oshkosh-based MTD Marketing Services of Wisconsin Inc. There were 437 permits issued, compared to 562 in 2010. That compares to a 4% increase in the greater Milwaukee area (858 to 895); a decrease of 2% in Dane County (610 to 599); a 21% decline in the Appleton/Oshkosh area (565 to 449); and a 32% decline in the Racine/Kenosha area (274 to 187). Overall, permits to construct new homes in these biggest Wisconsin markets fell 11% last year, "a sign of continued weakness in the residential real estate market," says the Journal Sentinel. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/building-permits-down-105-in-state-metro-areas-last-year-as3nati-136919028.html

Ledgeview. What may be the first booyah restaurant in the Green Bay market has opened in Ledgeview in Olde School Square at 3720 Creamery Road. It's the Booyah Shed & Grill. The restaurant got its start with a mobile unit appearing at local festivals and events like the Farmers Market On Broadway. Says the restaurant, "Using two, 90 gallon, seasoned, cast iron kettles, we cook and simmer Booyah for hours to ensure all the flavors come to life in your mouth. We take pride in the fact that no one has ever complained that our Booyah is too thin." Booyah Shed & Grill photo. http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=106447 and http://www.booyahshed.com/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/l1.jpg

timmyeckhart

January 10th, 2012, 08:16 AM

Hi, I'm new here but I think that GBSurveyor's view of parking lots is good.

beerguru

January 11th, 2012, 12:40 AM

60 floors is tall enough. as i stated, it would take a decade or two in order to fill it up. hey- here's an idea! make the building a non-profit, community-owned entity. sell stock in it a la the packers. co-brand it with the team- call it the Green Bay Packers Spire!

place a giant rotating Green Bay Packers logo beacon on top of the tallest mast- flashing green and gold at night! that would be pretty cool (or goofy, take your pick).:nuts:

Puant

January 11th, 2012, 05:03 AM

From Richard Ryman - Press-Gazette's Facebook update:

"Everybody says they seen need for KI expansion. No one can agree how it should be paid for, or by who.

RDA approves Schmitt/Evans plan for funding KI Convention Center expansion, but Green Bay finance committee rejects it."

Tower Park

January 11th, 2012, 05:28 AM

KI Convention Center. In Twitter and Facebook posts tonight, Press-Gazette reporter Richard Ryman says the RDA today approved and the City Council's Finance Committee today rejected a "Schmitt/Evans plan" to fund expansion of the KI Convention Center. "Everybody says they see need for KI expansion," Ryman says. "No one can agree how it should be paid for, or by who." There could be more information in Wednesday's paper. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Richard-Ryman-Press-Gazette/259876414050159

YWCA Green Bay-De Pere. The YWCA Green Bay-De Pere today announced a $3.3 million fund-raising campaign for its downtown headquarters. The campaign intends to use $850,000 for building upgrades and maintenance plus $1.75 million for programs and operational support. The remaining $700,000 will be dedicated to what's being called long-term sustainability of facilities and programs. Capital improvements include a new roof, energy conservation upgrades, plumbing repairs and lobby updates. The YWCA already has raised $2.7 million of the campaign goal and is looking for support from the general public for the remaining $600,000. The YWCA Green Bay-De Pere is located at 230 S. Madison St. and serves about 7,000 people annually. The organization was founded 91 years ago and built its current facility in 1962, expanding it in 2005. First photo is dated 2006 and is from UWGB Special Collections. Second photo is from Bing Maps showing, I think, the 2005 expansion on the north side. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120110/GPG0101/201100449/YWCA-announces-3-3M-campaign?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/2613493127_f1c645731e.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-01-10at124039PM.jpg

Downtown. Thirty-eight "Titletown" banners are going up on Washington, Walnut, Main and Monroe streets downtown. DGBI photo. Days Inn. Latest photo, from DGBI. http://www.wbay.com/story/16490723/2012/01/10/green-bay-hangs-titletown-banners-ahead-of-playofs and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/sports/packers_and_nfl/green-bay-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-playoffs

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/banner-3.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/390374_10150469717328595_39473118594_8723966_839287700_n.jpg

Fox River. Hundreds of bald eagles have been sighted near the Fox River from Wrightstown to Neenah, including 494 spotted in a count last winter. Most migrant eagles arrive in the Fox Valley in December before heading back north by March. A small number of birds remains year-round. The DNR made its first official recording of a bald eagle in the Fox Valley in 1982. The population remained low even after the state banned DDT in 1971, when scientists determined eagle numbers were dropping because of the chemical's impact on eggshells. In 2007, the bald eagle was removed from both the federal and state endangered and threatened species lists. Gannett Wisconsin Media photo of eagles at the Thousand Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna taken Dec. 30. http://www.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/article/20120105/APC0101/201050478/Eagles-landed-along-Fox-Winnebago

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-27.jpg

Tower Park

January 11th, 2012, 05:29 AM

Oops. Just saw your post, Puant.

ifyoubuildit

January 11th, 2012, 06:09 PM

From Richard Ryman - Press-Gazette's Facebook update:

"Everybody says they see need for KI expansion," Ryman says. "No one can agree how it should be paid for, or by who."

Boy that sounds familiar!!

lookingglass

January 11th, 2012, 11:32 PM

A few Beaumont pictures.

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/ii531/lookingglass2/1178_001.jpg
http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/ii531/lookingglass2/1177_001.jpg
http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/ii531/lookingglass2/1179_001.jpg

Tower Park

January 12th, 2012, 12:17 AM

^^ Great photos! There's been a hotel on that site for many years. The one of the Beaumont Motor Inn looks like it was taken shortly after it opened, as the old Main Street is still in place and the buildings behind and to the side of it haven't been razed yet. I have mixed feelings about the loss of the Days Inn, as downtown is losing a hotel when you'd like to see more lodging being added. Then again, the Schreiber project is a great opportunity. Here's hoping more hotel space opens up in the future. Here's an article about a boom in new hotel construction under way now in downtown Milwaukee. http://www.jsonline.com/business/550-new-hotel-rooms-to-add-competition-in-downtown-milwaukee-hq3m5ik-136879908.html

Bay2Bay

January 12th, 2012, 03:01 AM

A pretty humorous article in the New York Times online edition about when the Giants got snowed in last year after the game with the Pack and couldn't get out of Dodge...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/sports/football/for-giants-memories-of-a-bad-trip-that-wouldnt-end.html?_r=1&hp

GBObserver

January 12th, 2012, 03:36 AM

Today I was driving downtown and happen to notice something that caught my eye and wondered if anyone else has heard anything. I believe that several properties were foreclosed on and purchased, one of which was the Schauer and Schumacher building.

I noticed that the back section of the building has a For Sale or Lease on it, but the front part of the building did not have a sign as it did previously. I'm wondering if the new owners have something it the works. Has anyone seen any mention of the property in city meeting notes?

Tower Park

January 12th, 2012, 04:48 AM

Green Bay Metro. Transit Director Tom Wittig announced today that Metro's final ridership total for 2011 was 1,542,287 - an increase of 171,452 passengers over 2010. "Public transportation in Green Bay has stepped up significant levels," Wittig says. "The perception of public transit in the Green Bay metro area is very, very high and positive right now, and that's what we set out to do." Wittig also announced a partnership with MillerCoors for free New Year’s Eve service for 2012. http://www.facebook.com/GreenBayCity?sk=app_143103275748075&app_data=dlt-1#!/pages/Green-Bay-Metro/112541541663 and http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/137121298.html

Green Bay Metro. Will offer free Lambeau Field game-day service for the playoffs as well as for all Packers home games again next season. The announcement was made today. Metro estimates about 3,300 riders will use the buses to and from Lambeau Field this Sunday. "That's about the same number who rode the buses on the season's busiest day, the Christmas Day game against the Bears," says WLUK. More than 18,000 riders have used the game-day service this season. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/packers-playoffs-and-public-transit

Metro Area. Around 1,000 hotel rooms in Brown County, or about 25 percent of available space, are reported still available for the NFC divisional playoff game this weekend at Lambeau Field. "It's a lot slower than originally anticipated," says one Ashwaubenon hotel operator. In 2008, when the Packers last hosted a playoff game, hotels were reported at capacity. Theories about why rooms are still available include a possible perception by outsiders that hotel space in a small NFL market would be in short supply or that fans are waiting for the NFC championship game here if the Packers win Sunday. Although this weekend's game is sold out, thousands of tickets are still available, online and elsewhere. http://www.wbay.com/story/16500867/2012/01/11/for-packers-playoffs-theres-room-at-the-inn and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/packers-playoffs-and-public-transit

KI Convention Center. The question of whether to use additional room-tax money to help fund expansion of the KI Convention Center goes before the full City Council plus a County Board committee next week. On Tuesday, the RDA supported one plan, while the council's Finance Committee and the Ashwaubenon Village Board endorsed another supported by the Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau. Mayor Schmitt says the proposed 78,000-square-foot expansion would make KI the fifth-largest convention center in the state, up from 12th (or ninth, depending on different news accounts). At issue is how to use additional revenue generated by increasing the metro area's hotel room tax from its current 8 percent to 10 percent. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120111/GPG0101/201110557/Green-Bay-mayor-Brown-Co-supervisor-back-expanded-convention-center?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/room-tax-money-debated

Larsen Green. The RDA on Tuesday reaffirmed its support for a big, new mixed-used residential project at Larsen Green. General Capital Group in December agreed to buy four former vegetable processing plant buildings from OBI and convert them to a mixture of apartments and commercial spaces. The Milwaukee-area development company plans to invest $12 million. The project would include apartments, retail space, a public market and new OBI offices in the four masonry factory buildings, once home at various times to the Larsen Co., Dean Foods, Agrilink and Birds Eye. The RDA on Tuesday agreed to changes in a draft development agreement for the project. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120111/GPG03/201110544/RDA-supports-converting-old-Larson-canning-buildings-apartments-commercial-space?odyssey=nav|head

Broadway District. Valley Plating & Fabricating has expanded to downtown. Headquarted at 536 Elizabeth St., the company is now fabricating large structures in one of the K&K Warehousing Inc. buildings at 111 W. Walnut St. on the west bank of the Fox River. The fabricator is a division of Wisconsin Plastics Inc., Ashwaubenon. The 18,000-square-foot K&K building, once part of the Northwest Engineering Co., has a high ceiling and 40-ton overhead crane and can accommodate trucks, trains or barges to move product. Valley Plating makes structures for the mining, paper, marine, heavy machinery, trucking and construction industries. It's looking to hire 15 to 18 qualified steel fabricators to staff continuing operations at Elizabeth Street and the K&K facility, with welders especially needed. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120111/GPG03/201110539/Valley-Plating-hire-15-18-people-new-downtown-facility

Just In. Suburbs said today they oppose the mayor's latest KI funding plan. More discussions anticipated. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/KI-Convention-Center-expansion-unclear

Puant

January 12th, 2012, 05:00 AM

^^Great pics of the Beaumont & the Days Inn...I had never seen those before, thanks lookingglass for sharing (and welcome!).

The old Beaumont -- Classic building, sure. I have seen pictures of the interior, looked fantastic. Plush, awesome woodwork, the whole deal. But I have to say the exterior architecture was rather.... unbecoming. That's my take.

The Days Inn of course was a crappy building but this early picture of the new building (as the Beaumot "motor inn") actually makes it look BETTER. Boy they really hacked up the exterior over the years, the "improvements" made it worse. That latest bit of teal crap they added a couple years ago pretty much put the tackiness over the top; Yet, I think most of us had written it off as "well, it's a hotel, which is good, and it's here to stay". I don't think any of us could imagine it going away (I couldn't). But now that it is, and it's going to be replaced by something much better (hopefully---we need to see the plans!), I have to say I'm extremely satisfied.

I took a walk today along the Main St bridge, down Washington where the demoltion was fully underway, then past the Children's Museum which again, looks far better than I anticipated, past the old building that's being renovated (which also looks better than I anticipated)...It's great to see all of these improvements.

Bay2Bay--- hilarious article! Glad you shared that. I almost forgot about how the Giants were stranded in Appleton.

GBObserver -- I saw the new signs on the S&S building, it does not appear they have a tenant. There is just a new landlord. Not sure if the new ownership will help, we'll see.

lookingglass

January 12th, 2012, 05:11 AM

A GREGBY proposal of redeveloping downtown Green Bay prior to the Port Plaza version. Interesting how Main and Washington would have been pedestrian only.

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/ii531/lookingglass2/005.jpg

Tower Park

January 12th, 2012, 05:16 AM

Latest Days Inn demo photo, posted this evening by DGBI.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/385113_10150472595468595_39473118594_8733790_1204288233_n1.jpg

Puant

January 12th, 2012, 05:21 AM

^^Love the images Lookingglass!

When can someone share some of the Schreiber HQ renders????? I wanna see them!!!

jerkylips999

January 12th, 2012, 05:17 PM

^^Love the images Lookingglass!

When can someone share some of the Schreiber HQ renders????? I wanna see them!!!

yeah, me too! They must be out there somewhere.

GBSurveyor

January 12th, 2012, 08:23 PM

Tower Park

January 12th, 2012, 09:56 PM

Does anyone know if there are any plans available on the KI center expansion? I have seen some renderings from a video posted on the Fox 11 site, but nothing very detailed. a quick search netted little new info. Maybe its been a long time, but I don't seem to remember much about it. Also does anyone know if the funding mechanism being debated will allow for construction to start soon or is this a few years down the road.

Here's a rendering for the proposed expansion. All I have. The mayor would like to start construction this year but, at this point, has a long way to go. He's publicly at odds with the visitors bureau, the lodging association and the room tax commission - not good. It didn't help that he apparently didn't give any advance notice to the room tax commission of his latest proposal and reportedly showed up late for yesterday's commission meeting after discussion on increasing the room tax had ended.

In my humble opinion, if he didn't already, the mayor needs to sit down unofficially in a room with people like Brad Toll and Mike Aubinger and see if there's any room for movement here. In the end, the opponents may just say this is a city project, you fund it. I don't know the intricacies of funding something like this, but, offhand, I don't know why the city couldn't just bond more for the project. Maybe I'm naive and there's more to it. Whatever he comes up with, the mayor will need the City Council's support - in the run-up to the April council elections - and Zima and Ald./RDA member Buckley, to name two, are showing opposition. Depending on the funding mechanism, he may also need County Board support, and I don't see that right now.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Untitled-1_20100629162407_640_480JP.jpg

Tower Park

January 13th, 2012, 12:26 AM

KI Convention Center. The Press-Gazette says the Green Bay Area Room Tax Commission gave a “cool reception” Wednesday to Mayor Schmitt’s latest plan to earmark certain hotel room-tax revenues for expansion of the KI Convention Center. “Few on the commission expressed an interest,” the paper says. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120112/GPG0101/201120501/KI-Convention-Center-expansion-plan-meets-more-resistance?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Appleton FYI. A leader in the effort for a new Fox Cities Exhibition Center in downtown Appleton says an increase in the local hotel room tax will be sought to help fund the project, with completion of the convention center anticipated for 2014. When asked if Appleton is in an “arms race” with Green Bay for expansion of convention facilities, the response was: “Not at all. Our view is that the more conventions that can come to Northeast Wisconsin, the better. There really are about 20 to 25 rotating conventions that come to regional sites — La Crosse, Wausau, Green Bay and Wisconsin Dells. What we're going to be doing is adding Appleton to that cycle. A convention may go to Green Bay one year. They may come here another year. But we think once they come to Northeast Wisconsin, they're going to realize this is a good place to hold their annual conventions.” http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012201110342

Olde Main Street District. Will host its annual "State of the Street" meeting on Wednesday, January 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the ARTgarage. The event will include a “Taste of Olde Main Street,” highlights from 2011, business and volunteer recognitions and district initiatives for 2012. Plus remarks from Mayor Schmitt and a video debut about the district. http://downtowngreenbay.com/olde-main-streets-annual-meeting

Downtown. DGBI's latest downtown newsletter, with a special playoff edition called "What's Up Titletown." Activities include the Friday pep rally, banners, posters, game-day bus service to Lambeau Field and business promotions and events. http://campaignbox.imagedistillery.com/t/r-4F69A822096655E1

Broadway District. The latest edition of OBI’s “Broadway Beat,” including information on the 9th annual Winterfest On Broadway on Saturday, January 28, from 11 to 8. http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-On-Broadway-Inc-.html?soid=1102808930981&aid=jzkJKlLYb2g and http://winterfestonbroadway.com/

Green Bay Metro. Here’s a Green Bay Metro chart showing annual fixed-route passenger totals on the system from 1989 to 2009. Peak ridership during that time was 1996, with slightly more than 2 million passengers. The low point was 1.4 million in 2009, the decline attributed by Metro to service cuts, fare increases and lower fuel prices. It was also during the recession. Ridership increased by 16,000 in 2010 and by 171,000 last year to 1.5 million. Meanwhile, the inaugural free game-day service at Lambeau Field this season has totaled 18,954 riders to date, an average of nearly 2,000 passengers per game, peaking at 3,371 for the Bears game on Christmas. MillerCoors helps fund the service as part of its national Miller Lite Free Rides program. Chart and past annual ridership information from Metro’s annual reports for 2008, 2009 and 2010. Plus http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120112/GPG0101/201120495/Free-bus-rides-Packers-game-days-roll-on?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2011-11-17at24301PM.jpg

gbmphillips

January 13th, 2012, 04:38 AM

yeah, me too! They must be out there somewhere.
...never mind

Tower Park

January 14th, 2012, 01:11 AM

Schneider National Inc. Don Schneider — the billionaire former president and CEO of Schneider National Inc. who built the trucking company into one of the country's largest highway freight carriers — died today in De Pere at the age of 76 after a battle with Alzheimer’s. Schneider’s father, Al, started what became Schneider National in 1935 in Green Bay with a single truck. Largely under Don Schneider's leadership, the company grew over the last 35 years from less than $100 million in annual revenue to $3.4 billion. He retired from day-to-day duties in 2002. Schneider National has about 10,000 semi-tractors and 32,000 trailers nationwide and, based in Ashwaubenon, is the third largest private employer in the Green Bay area, with about 2,600 employees. Journal Sentinel photo. http://www.jsonline.com/business/don-schneider-who-built-green-bay-trucking-company-dead-at-76-bp3ppsb-137280263.html and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120113/GPG0101/120113034/Update-Schneider-called-visionary-risk-taker-transportation-industry?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/schneider.jpg

Green Bay Packers. Although the Packers had 450 shovels, an estimated 1,200 people turned out at Lambeau Field today after the team issued a call to shovel out the stadium’s seats from Thursday’s four-inch snowfall. Each of the 450 shovelers was paid $10 per hour, with the project expected to last up to five hours. Game time is Sunday. Journal Sentinel photo. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/sports/packers_and_nfl/green-bay-packers-see-biggest-snow-shoveling-turnout-ever and http://www.wbay.com/story/16516242/2012/01/13/hundreds-too-many-turn-out-to-shovel-lambeau-field

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/lambaeushovels.jpg

KI Convention Center. The Executive Committee of the Brown County Board on Thursday voted to wait for a month before recommending whether the county should spend money to help expand the KI Convention Center. Supervisors spent two hours debating whether the county should contribute $5 million to $10 million to the project before deciding they needed more time and information. "Another wasted night," said Mayor Schmitt of the committee’s decision. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120113/GPG0101/201130555/KI-Convention-Center-funding-hits-snag-Brown-County-too?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-News

Broadway District. The NorthCoast Productions remodeling of a two-story building at 414-418 Dousman St. is expected to be completed by May. The remodeling “will be contemporary in style and will fit in well with the neighborhood,” according to minutes of Monday’s city Historic Preservation Commission meeting. The building’s west brick exterior will be cleaned, the structure’s windows and storefront “darkened,” ceramic-tile entrances retained, sills will be masonry and the main entrance will be on Dousman. “At this point, it is unknown what is underneath the front cladding,” the HPC minutes state. An attached white garage to the west will be razed and a new one-story addition constructed to the rear and used as a filming studio. NorthCoast has agreed to invest $500,000 in the project and will move from its current location at 211 N. Broadway when the remodeling is completed. The company has 12 employees and expects to add three more at the new site. LoopNet photo. Historic Preservation Commission 1/9/2012 minutes at http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mins_agd/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/dousman.png

Biomass Plant. Opponents of a waste-to-energy plant on Green Bay's northwest side are meeting Saturday to promote a petition drive. The event is scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m. at Kavarna on Broadway and is open to anyone interested in signing or circulating the petition. The Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin and Incinerator Free Brown County are collecting signatures to urge the plant's developers to stop construction. A company affiliated with the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin is building the gasification plant at 1230 Hurlbut St. Anyone who supports the petition drive Saturday will receive a yard sign, organizers say. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120113/GPG0101/201130550/Drive-aims-oppose-new-alternative-energy-plant?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s

UWGB. Chancellor Thomas Harden is expected to decide by February whether nearly 200 trees of a total 1,600 trees on the Shorewood Golf Course on campus should be cut down. Course officials say the project would improve the course for golfers, reduce maintenance costs by $2,000 to $5,000 annually and promote new growth. Some of the trees are diseased or dead. Opponents say the project is overkill, would impact wildlife and question whether trees should be cut down to make room to play golf or make course maintenance easier. At least some trees on the course have already been marked for removal. Image from WBAY. http://www.wbay.com/story/16491193/2012/01/10/golf-course-considers-cutting-down-200-trees

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/uwgb1.jpg

Danillo

January 14th, 2012, 03:36 PM

I hear that the new Schreiber Foods building is going to match the design of Baylake Bank and be 3 or 4 stories

Been meaning to comment on this. My understanding is that not much of the plans have been finalized. To me, what you're hearing would suggest that they are going for a more traditional look, which wouldn't be too surprising. We'll see. I think it's fair to say that "match the design of Baylake Bank" can mean a whole lot of things. In theory, Baylake (which I don't hate as much as some people do) "matches" the Northland Hotel, but I think we can all agree that those are two very different looking buildings!

My hope is that the building is, in terms of scale, along the lines of Nicolet Bank. Nicolet is only 4 stories tall, but still a pretty substantial building for Green Bay. I'm more concerned about how the site will be laid out and integrated into the rest of the downtown. I think Schreiber wants to do the best they can, but there's no way around there being a fair bit of open space. How that's handled can either be really awesome or really out of place, and I don't think there's much middle ground.

Puant

January 14th, 2012, 07:03 PM

I think the Baylake building could fit into the surroundings better if something taller and more "downtown-like" were built behind it on the mall site.

This struck me as I played around with my old city model, viewing things from different angles. This isn't the best angle (click here for my playtime renders) (http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o52/Puant/20110611_Schreiber5.jpg) because it's not from a pedestrian perspective but you might see what I mean anyway.... It's not a 60-story spire with a giant rotating Lombardi tropy on the top---this building is only 17 stories or so---but that size (10-20 stories) is all we really need in this cow town to be of proper scale.

If you like 'spires' I do think the only place where something like that would "fit" in Green Bay would be where the city's downtown plan (http://packerland.blogspot.com/2008/12/landmark-tower-22.html) has one pegged--at the head of the Fox River trail at the confluence of the Fox & East Rivers near WPS. Something that trail users & convention center tourists might be able to climb up and look around from. I don't know how it should be designed exactly (Danillo hated on my kitschy lighthouse idea (http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o52/Puant/lighthouse2_onScenicImage.jpg) I posted for fun a few years ago...) but I do think a tower of some sort would fit in well here.

_____________________________________________________

Ah what the hell...not development news really but here's a "Frozen Tundra" article (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/sports/football/tenderizing-the-packers-tundra-with-light-and-heat.html?_r=2&ref=football) you might find interesting (from the New York Times).

beerguru

January 14th, 2012, 07:25 PM

i like 'em all bro! great ideas all of them. however, a skinny 60 story mixed use spire funded by the community (like the packers) would be the tallest building in wisconsin- and another point of pride for green bay. that could be a pretty neat tourist atraction.

I think the Baylake building could fit into the surroundings better if something taller and more "downtown-like" were built behind it on the mall site.

This struck me as I played around with my old city model, viewing things from different angles. This isn't the best angle (click here for my playtime renders) (http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o52/Puant/20110611_Schreiber5.jpg) because it's not from a pedestrian perspective but you might see what I mean anyway.... It's not a 60-story spire with a giant rotating Lombardi tropy on the top---this building is only 17 stories or so---but that size (10-20 stories) is all we really need in this cow town to be of proper scale.

If you like 'spires' I do think the only place where something like that would "fit" in Green Bay would be where the city's downtown plan (http://packerland.blogspot.com/2008/12/landmark-tower-22.html) has one pegged--at the head of the Fox River trail at the confluence of the Fox & East Rivers near WPS. Something that trail users & convention center tourists might be able to climb up and look around from. I don't know how it should be designed exactly (Danillo hated on my kitschy lighthouse idea (http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o52/Puant/lighthouse2_onScenicImage.jpg) I posted for fun a few years ago...) but I do think a tower of some sort would fit in well here.

_____________________________________________________

Ah what the hell...not development news really but here's a "Frozen Tundra" article (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/sports/football/tenderizing-the-packers-tundra-with-light-and-heat.html?_r=2&ref=football) you might find interesting (from the New York Times).

Rockmont

January 15th, 2012, 08:38 AM

GO PACKERS! Let's get the job done, tomorrow, and on to the next game and hopefully the Super Bowl, once again. God Speed, Joe Philbin and family.

Tower Park

January 15th, 2012, 08:07 PM

Downtown. The Packers Pep Rally on Friday by the Courthouse. Press-Gazette photo. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120114/GPG0101/201140623/-1/7daysarchives/Packers-rally-held-downtown-after-hundreds-help-clear-out-Lambeau

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde7-3.jpg

Broadway District. More on the State Farm commercials airing nationaly shot on Broadway. Outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL_T1n_aU94&feature=share A third commercial with Clay Matthews: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1vsdBsBMcU Press-Gazette feature coverage today: http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120115/GPG0505/120113165/Rodgers-Discount-Double-Check-commercials-roll?odyssey=mod|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE|s Image from State Farm.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/allstate2.jpg

Stadium District. Coverage by the Journal Sentinel of the Packer party houses. Journal Sentinel graphic and photo. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/packer-party-pads-allows-fans-to-stroll-to-lambeau-du3pcck-137337163.html

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/PACKERHOME14G1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/mjs-packer-house-rental-1-of-1-hoffmanjpg-packershovel2.jpg

Lambeau Field. As pointed out by Puant, the Packers for two years have been using a new lighting system to keep the playing surface at Lambeau greener and softer in the fall and winter. There are also warming pipes underground. The playing surface is a combination of grass and artificial turf. Packer photos showing the new field lighting and warming system in use, night and day.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/FIELD-articleLarge1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/field-1-popup1.jpg

Lambeau Field. Game time today is 3:30 p.m. Fox will have 18 to 20 cameras in use for the broadcast. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/behind-the-scenes-at-lambeau-field

Tower Park

January 16th, 2012, 10:20 PM

Medical College of Wisconsin. The Medical College of Wisconsin is looking at the feasibility of opening what’s being called a “small Green Bay campus” in 2015. The college’s president and CEO says the move “seems to make sense” and has been met with an enthusiastic response from local officials. A Green Bay medical campus would train primary-care physicians and work with local hospitals and colleges, including UWGB. Students would complete their studies, including medical residency, here or do graduate medical training. Wisconsin currently has two medical schools — the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. A feasibility study by a separate group is under way for a third medical school in the state, what could be a $75 million facility in Wausau. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120116/GPG0101/201160487/State-Medical-College-considers-Green-Bay-area-campus?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

Oneida Energy Plant. WGBA reports construction on the projected $23 million trash-to-energy plant on Green Bay’s northwest side is under way. Construction trailers, fencing and signage are up, some earth has been moved and some construction materials stored on the project site at 1230 Hurlbut St. (although when I checked about 8 a.m. this morning — MLK Day — the site was quiet). The 60,000-square-foot plant is to be built by the Oneida Seven Generations Corp. and would process common household trash for conversion into electricity. It’s scheduled to open in December. Citizens groups are continuing their petition drive against the project. http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/137354568.html and http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=107222

Highway 41. WisDOT will hold an informational meeting Tuesday about upcoming construction in the 41/W. Mason Street interchange area. The session will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the U.S. 41 Brown County Project Office, 1940 W. Mason St. The interchange is set to close Feb. 1 to Aug. 1. Work will include three roundabouts along W. Mason, reconstruction of the W. Mason overpass and interchange ramps, replacement of bridges over Ninth Street and expansion and reconstruction of 41 from Ninth to Larsen Road. Information Tuesday will also cover other construction projects this year in the 41/29 corridor, including construction on a new Shawano Avenue and on/off ramps at Packerland Drive. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120116/GPG0101/201160493/DOT-discuss-work-U-S-41-Mason-Street-interchange?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Main Street. A nightclub on Main Street near Deckner Avenue has closed for at least a week while city officials decide to shut it down or have it reopen under a new management plan. The club is named Hush and is located at 1629 Main St. in a grove of trees about a block back from the street and a block north of Deckner. Police have received about 60 calls for service at the location since 2007, including a fight in 2010 caught on surveillance video involving at least 50 people and injuring a police officer. http://www.wbay.com/story/16483172/2012/01/10/green-bay-looks-to-shut-down-main-street-nightclub

De Pere. Parkers in De Pere are objecting to a new ordinance requiring them to purchase a city parking permit for $10 per month or $120 annually if parking for more than two hours at a time in one of the city’s 183 long-term parking spaces downtown. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120116/GPG0101/201160489/De-Pere-pay-to-park-government-parking?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|GPG-News

Howard. SMT Machine & Tool is constructing a 28,700-square-foot addition onto its building at 1325 Cornell Rd. The $2.2 million addition will include new offices, a machining center and room for additional growth. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120115/GPG03/201150604/SMT-Machine-expands-works-OT-keep-up

Tower Park

January 18th, 2012, 03:59 AM

Washington Commons. Preliminary reports indicate the low bid opened today for demolishing the former Washington Commons and adjacent J.C. Penney store totaled $879,740. At least eight companies are said to have bid on the demolition, with bids ranging up to $2.5 million. The RDA meets Thursday to review the bids and potentially select a contractor for the project. Meanwhile, the Days Inn demolition is moving quickly and most of the former hotel is now down. DGBI photo below posted today shows Washington Commons, looking north on Washington Street. https://twitter.com/#!/PGscottwilliams and http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mins_agd/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/400933_10150485297473595_39473118594_8775868_895475089_n1.jpg

KI Convention Center. The City Council voted Monday to support increasing the county's hotel room tax from 8 to 10 percent and to split the additional revenue raised by 50/50 between the proposed KI Convention Center expansion and more funding for the Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau. The vote was 7 to 6, with Mayor Schmitt casting the tie-breaking vote. The county and at least three other municipalities still must vote on the issue. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120117/GPG0101/201170504/Green-Bay-OKs-hotel-tax-hike-KI-Convention-Center-project?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/ki-expansion-funding-debated

Voting For: Deneys, Dorff, Nicholson, Theisen, Wery, Wiezbiskie, Mayor Schmitt
Voting Against: Buckley, Danziger, De Wane, Haefs, Kocha, Zima

Downtown. DGBI photo taken from the Bellin Building today showing E. Walnut Street looking east.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/403139_10150484667803595_39473118594_8774135_1297657094_n.jpg

Highway 41. WisDOT renderings showing the new 41/W. Mason Street interchange and the three roundabouts to be built on the street this year. The roundabout in the bottom rendering is at W. Mason and Taylor streets. That's the U.S. 41 Brown County Project Office at 1940 W. Mason St. (formerly Circuit City) in the background behind the roundabout in the second rendering. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/dot-highlights-highway-41-and-mason-street-closure

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-01-17at104505AM.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-01-17at104239AM.jpg

Lambeau Field. The Fox television broadcast of the Packers/Giants game Sunday was the most-watched NFL divisional playoff game ever on any network, with a peak viewing of 50 million people. Leading metered markets tuned to the game were Milwaukee, Norfolk, Minneapolis, New York, Providence, Chicago and Las Vegas. Green Bay is not a large enough television market to be metered daily. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/137490278.html

Danillo

January 18th, 2012, 05:27 PM

I think it was Puant who suggested this before (one of his many good ideas, not to be confused with the oversized lighthouse ;-) ), but they really should open the mall up for us to go at with sledgehammers before the real demo begins. Ahhh, stress relief!

GBSurveyor

January 19th, 2012, 02:34 AM

Tower Park

January 19th, 2012, 04:09 AM

Washington Commons. WBAY says awarding a contract anticipated Thursday for the demolition of the former Washington Commons will be “setting the stage for a new era downtown.” The station also says “a number of outside firms have showed interest in moving in downtown” since Schreiber Foods Inc. announced its new downtown office projects last year. Adds DGBI’s Jeff Mirkes of Washington Commons: "We look back at the mall, it really served its time, it did its thing from the mid-‘70s for about 20 years." What originally was called Port Plaza Mall opened in 1977; it lost the first of its three anchor stores, Boston Store, in 2000. Younkers and J.C. Penney soon followed, as the mall proper emptied. The five-acre Washington Commons site is expected to be cleared by summer. The apparent low bidder on demolishing the mall and adjacent J.C. Penney building is Meridian Industrial Service Corp. of north suburban Chicago, with a bid of $879,740. The city's own internal estimate for demolition costs was nearly $1.4 million. Press-Gazette (left) and DGBI photos show what's left of the nearby Days Inn. http://www.wbay.com/story/16549047/2012/01/18/green-bay-set-to-award-contract-to-demolish-downtown-mall and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120118/GPG03/201180663/RDA-award-bid-former-mall-razing-week

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-3-13.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/408979_10150486592508595_39473118594_8780008_559250930_n.jpg

Green Bay. Builders took out 165 building permits in Green Bay in December for projects totaling $5.8 million. The biggest project permitted last month was a $3.1 million addition to CityDeck. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120118/GPG03/201180661/December-building-permits-Green-Bay-fall-from-10

Highway 41. About 200 people showed up Wednesday for two WisDOT informational meetings on the Feb. 1 to Aug. 1 closure of W. Mason St. at 41 for interchange reconstruction and nearby work. Work will also start later this year on the Lombardi Ave. and Main Ave. interchanges, but announcements on those projects should come later. WisDOT rendering of the W. Mason St. overpass. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120118/GPG0101/201180650/U-S-41-West-Mason-Street-road-plan-assessed?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-News and http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/137545668.html and http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/about-the-project/2012-construction-schedule

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2011-10-05at43349PM.jpg

Port of Green Bay. A total of 188 ships carrying more than two million metric tons of freight visited the Port of Green Bay in 2011. The ship number was 32 percent higher and the freight number 25 percent higher than 2010. “The season started off right and kept holding strong, a good indicator that the economy is picking up,” says Port Manager Dean Haen. "If our manufacturers are bringing in more raw materials, that means they're planning on producing more, which is good for our manufacturers and all the employees that work at those manufacturers." Haen says increases in domestic imports such as gypsum and petroleum coke were major contributors to the successful season. The largest increase in foreign imports was salt. The Port of Green Bay has 14 active terminal operators. http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/137626163.html and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/strong-season-for-port-of-green-bay

Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. Bill Brault of De Pere — a founder of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, a founder of PMI Entertainment Group and first president of what’s now the Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau — died Tuesday at the age of 84. Green Bay was the first NFL city to have a museum for its own team when the Hall of Fame opened on July 2, 1967, in a concourse underneath seating on one side of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena. The hall later moved into its own addition to the arena and later to Lambeau Field. Press-Gazette photo of the Packers Hall of Fame taken at its 1967 opening. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120118/GPG0101/201180644/Tourism-advocate-Brault-dies-84?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-50.jpg

De Pere. After numerous complaints from residents and businesses, the City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to begin repeal of a new ordinance requiring parkers to purchase a parking permit for $10 per month or $120 annually if parking for more than two hours at a time in one of the city’s 183 long-term parking spaces downtown. “You don't want people to come to downtown De Pere and say, 'We've got two hours, then we've got to leave,'" says one business operator. "If you want to kill business, enforce this." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120118/GPG0101/201180651/Repeal-De-Pere-parking-ordinance-likely?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

jerkylips999

January 19th, 2012, 09:15 PM

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-01-17at104505AM.jpg

regarding this image, is there really THAT much undeveloped area southwest of 41/Mason? I didn't realize that.

Also, contractor was selected for mall demolition..

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120119/GPG03/120119056/Minnesota-firm-chosen-raze-old-downtown-mall?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

Green Bay Native

January 19th, 2012, 10:04 PM

^^ That is all part of Beaver Dam Park.

Tower Park

January 20th, 2012, 08:04 AM

Washington Commons. In addition to the post by jerkylips, here's some more coverage of Thursday's RDA meeting. EDA Director Greg Flisram tells WGBA that what he calls the first phase of construction for Schreiber Foods Inc. on the mall site will be the company's corporate headquarters building. A latter phase will be its research-and-development complex, "and it's possible that it may be more than one building, maybe two buildings." Flisram also says it's intended that plans would include a "pedestrian connection through the site that would lead out to Main Street." http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/137709778.html and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/green-bay-redevelopment-authority-selects-contractor-for-mall-demolition and http://www.wbay.com/story/16549047/2012/01/18/green-bay-set-to-award-contract-to-demolish-downtown-mall

Associated Banc-Corp. The parent company of Associated Bank posted a more than fivefold increase in profits in the fourth quarter of 2011 as the sum of troubled loans on its books continued to decrease. Associated Banc-Corp said Thursday it had net income of $39.8 million in the fourth quarter, up from $6.61 million in the final quarter of 2010. Delinquent loans were down 38% to $357 million - the lowest level in two years - while write-offs of bad loans fell 79% in the quarter. For the full year, net income was $114.9 million, comparied with a loss of $30.4 million in 2010. With assets of about $22 billion, Associated is the largest bank based in Wisconsin. http://www.jsonline.com/business/associated-bank-4q-earnings-up-fivefold-8u3sarf-137702638.html

Green Bay Area Public School District. With its headquarters on Broadway, the Green Bay Area Public School District reports 3 percent of its high school students drop out, according to latest available statistics. The state average is 2 percent. By comparison, the De Pere School District has a 1 percent dropout rate and the Ashwaubenon, Howard-Suamico, Pulaski and West De Pere school districts a rate of a half percent or less. By race in the Green Bay district, about 9 percent of black high school students drop out compared with 8 percent of Native Americans, 6 percent of Hispanics, 3 percent of Asian students and 2 percent of whites. District administrators say they're working to recruit more minority instructors and hope minority students living in Green Bay eventually will attend college and return to teach here. With about 21,000 students, the Green Bay Area Public School District is the fifth largest in Wisconsin. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120119/GPG0101/201190607/Green-Bay-schools-try-decrease-dropout-numbers?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Brown County. Building permits for new one- and two-family homes in Brown County totaled 264 through November, the third most in the state and behind Dane and Waukesha counties. That compares with 371 permits during the same period in 2010, which ended with 387. New homes permitted statewide last year through September totaled 4,160, compared with 5,052 in September 2010. "Things aren't what they once were, but we are seeing signs of optimism," says the president of the Brown County Home Builders Association. The annual Home Expo is currently under way at the KI Convention Center. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120119/GPG03/201190550/Home-Expo-will-offer-seminars-how-demos

Appleton FYI. The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau has awarded a $250,000 grant to the City of Appleton for the design of a new downtown Fox Cities Exhibition Center. Target date for completion of the center is 2014. . . . Voters in nine counties will be asked in an April 3 referendum whether to borrow $66.5 million for seven proposed Fox Valley Technical College capital facilities projects. The largest of the seven is a $32.5 million public safety training center on 75 acres of land at the south end of Outagamie County Regional Airport. . . . For the second consecutive season, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center saw its net operating revenues increase in 2010-11, this time with a gain of $1.5 million. The nonprofit facility's standout events of the season included two Broadway musicals — the Wisconsin premiere of "Jersey Boys" and a return engagement of "Wicked" — plus a community performance of Handel's "Messiah." http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120118/APC03/120118058/-1/7daysarchives/Fox-Cities-Convention-Visitors-Bureau-grant-Fox-Cities-Exhibition-Center and http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120117/APC0101/120117158/FVTC-board-authorizes-66-5-million-referendum and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120119/GPG0101/201190614/Revenue-up-Fox-Cities-Performing-Arts-Center?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s

Puant

January 21st, 2012, 06:46 AM

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2011-10-05at43349PM.jpg

The only thing missing here is Ponch & John from CHiPs.

10 lanes? For Green Bay? Wow....

Tower Park

January 21st, 2012, 04:56 PM

Prestige Park Towers. In a preview for its Sunday edition, the Press-Gazette says it will examine the failure of the once-proposed $60 million Prestige Park Towers project. "It could have been a big development for Green Bay: two 12-story towers of luxury condominiums designed for Packers fans," says the paper. "But the project near Lambeau Field never happened. And a bank now has acquired the real estate through a foreclosure." The Press-Gazette says it has interviewed the developer and others close to the project - which dates to 2006 - and will look at what might happen now "at the high-profile location." Rendering from Prestige Park Towers. Its website is still up at http://prestige.balancestudios.com/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/PrestigeTowers1.jpg

Appleton FYI. The Post-Crescent says the Packers loss last Sunday "did more than deflate the hopes and dreams of its fans. It put a hit on the local economy." For the downtown Radisson Paper Valley Hotel alone, home-game weekends bring in between $50,000 and $75,000 in both restaurant and room revenue from out-of-town fans and the visiting NFL team staying at the hotel. http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120118/APC03/201180556/-1/7daysarchives/Packers-ouster-from-playoffs-hurts-local-business

Downtown & Allouez. Green Bay City Council rep and RDA member Pat Buckley says that, with the Schreiber Foods development and possible KI Convention Center expansion, he's looking at opening a third Subway restaurant downtown. He currently operates the Subways on N. Washington and Dousman streets as well as the new Subway Cafe in Allouez. Buckley Enterprises operates 43 restaurants (I'm not clear if they're all Subways - could be) and has 500 employees, with a footprint extending from Shawano to Lake Michigan, Coleman to Milwaukee. Buckley says sales are ahead of projection for the new Subway Cafe at 1705 S. Webster Ave. in Allouez and he may open more Subway Cafes. The cafe has couches, overstuffed chairs and a separate coffee counter and offers gourmet sandwiches and breakfast items in addition to regular Subway fare. Says the Green Bay alderman of his Subways, "I spend a lot of my days just looking for locations." Press-Gazette photo of Buckley in his new Allouez location. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120121/GPG03/201210625/Subway-tests-cafe-concept

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bildeCALQWX32.jpg

Downtown. Latest edition of DGBI's "What's Up Downtown." http://campaignbox.imagedistillery.com/t/ViewEmail/r/45338C1735C603BB/AA9C952A5FFD74664936C359EC0425C0

Neville Public Museum. Feature-story coverage of the Neville's new interactive children's exhbit about money called "Moneyville." The exhibit includes a bank, store, anti-counterfeiting lab, stock market and shipping dock. Visitors can create their own money and engage in other hands-on activities designed to build math skills and economic expertise. Exhibit up through May 6. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120114/GPG03/201140610/Kids-make-dollars-sense-Moneyville?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Austin Straubel. Full-body scanners have been installed at security checkpoints at Austin Straubel. The machines use electromagnetic waves to screen passengers for prohibited items like weapons and explosives. The scanners require a passenger to stand alone in a transparent booth for about three seconds while the machine takes readings to detect potential threats. A generic image of the person appears next to the booth, with a display indicating "OK" or with anomalies highlighted. Passengers on whom a machine has detected potential trouble spots are subject to pat-down searches. The devices are now at airports in Milwaukee and Green Bay and are coming in a month to the airports serving Appleton and Wausau. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120120/GPG0101/201200521/-1/7daysarchives/Austin-Straubel-International-Airport-security-body-scanner

Tower Park

January 22nd, 2012, 04:04 AM

Washington Commons. Some more details on its demolition. The contractor selected by the RDA for the demolition will use the brownfield site the Bullfrogs have been looking at for a new stadium to crush concrete retrieved from the mall. The concrete will be recycled for uses like road construction, possibly including the Highway 41 project. http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=108012

Resch Center. Press-Gazette sports reporter and columnist Scott Venci says "the possibility is growing by the day" the Resch Center will land the state high school boys and girls basketball tournaments starting next year or in 2014. "The feeling here is Green Bay wins," Venci says. "Several people who are part of the process or familiar with the dealings feel the same way." PMI says it's aggressivley pursuing the events. "We have made them a very lucrative deal." PMI will meet with WIAA officials next week, and a decision could be made by March. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120121/GPG0205/201210573/Scott-Venci-column-PMI-ready-win-WIAA-basketball-bid?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-Sports

Resch Center. I don't know much about country music, but the Resch Center has signed a major country singer to a concert Wednesday, April 18. She's Miranda Lambert, two-time country music female vocalist-of-the-year nominated for the award again this year. Sounds like a big sellout coming. http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/137797673.html

Highway 41. The Ashwaubenon and Howard fire departments will assist the Green Bay Fire Department in responding to calls in the city west of Highway 41 once the W. Mason St. overpass over 41 is closed for six months for reconstruction beginning Feb. 1. Green Bay, in turn, will assist Howard in servicing part of the village east of 41 near the freeway construction. http://www.wbay.com/story/16557887/2012/01/19/green-bay-firefighters-plan-around-highway-construction and http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=108322

UWGB. Lamers Campus Connect is offering bus service Fridays and Sundays between UWGB and UW-Madison beginning tomorrow. Service continues during the schools' spring semester through May 20. The bus departs 2 p.m. from UWGB — with stops in Appleton and at UW-Oshkosh — with a 5:30 p.m. arrival in Madison. Return service departs Madison at 6 p.m. with stops in the same cities before arriving in Green Bay at 9:30 p.m. A similar service was started in October by Kobussen Trailways, so it sounds to me like Lamers is replacing Kobussen on the route. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120121/GPG03/201210624/Busing-offered-between-UWGB-UW-Madison-campuses and www.golamers.com/Lamers-connect-UW-Green-Bay-to-UW-Madison.php.

Hobart. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday for the $6 million Angelus Retirement Village. The project involves construction of a 53,000-square-foot, 52-unit assisted-living residence. The facility on Centennial Blvd. west of the Centerline Dr. roundabout is scheduled to open July 15. Looks like this project could be part of the 603-acre Centennial Centre at Hobart development off Highway 29. Map from Schreiber/Anderson Associates Inc. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120121/GPG0101/201210634/Building-retirement-facility-gets-underway?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/D050E203-8DA8-47C0-902D-0ED86DC75A4E1.jpg

Puant

January 22nd, 2012, 06:59 PM

When Tower posted the preview of this article yesterday, I'm sure we all predicted what it would say.

Here's the article in a nutshell:

Developer blames the city, the city blames the developer.

Anyway here's the expanded P-G article if you want to read more:

In his storefront office on Velp Avenue, Paul Kaczrowski keeps a plaque on his desk with an engraved message: "If you chase two rabbits, both will get away."

It is a lesson the 71-year-old businessman has taken from a career that has included promoting everything from car racing and water parks to rock concerts.

Around 2005, Kaczrowski narrowed his focus and set his sights on building two 12-story towers of luxury condominiums near Lambeau Field.

Designed as a glitzy playground for well-to-do fans of the Green Bay Packers, Prestige Park Towers would have enjoyed the dual distinction of being one of Green Bay's tallest structures and being paired with one of the country's most beloved sports landmarks.

But the $60 million condominium development fell apart, and the real estate now has been foreclosed amid conflicting accounts from the developer and city leaders about what went wrong.

The site of one of Green Bay's most recent and ambitious building projects is back on the market. It could figure prominently in plans to expand Lambeau Field's attractions into a larger entertainment district.

"It's in the sweet spot," said Mark Schnoll, a real estate broker marketing the property for Investors Community Bank, the Manitowoc-based bank that took over the 13-acre site last summer through a foreclosure that accused Kaczrowski of reneging on a $2.2 million loan.

On the Web: Pictures and promotional materials for the defunct Prestige Park Towers project.

Kaczrowski contends that the Prestige Park Towers concept failed because of a lack of support from city officials, particularly Mayor Jim Schmitt.

Noting that the mayor's former company, Famis Manufacturing Inc., has property nearby, Kaczrowski accuses Schmitt of sabotaging the development because Kaczrowski would not pay the mayor's price for his land.

"Unless I cooperated with him, he wasn't going to let anything get done there," Kaczrowski said.

Schmitt denies that theory, pointing out that the Famis site was not part of the Prestige Park Towers concept. The condo project failed, Schmitt said, because Kaczrowski could not come up with financing.

"That guy is one of those dreamers with no money," he said. "There are a few of these guys in every town."

The Prestige Park Towers concept drew considerable buzz locally after Kaczrowski announced his plans and unveiled renderings of the towers, which he hoped to build two blocks east of Lambeau Field on the street now known as Tony Canadeo Run.

The project was intended to include about 80 customized condominiums selling for $240,000 to $1 million or more each. Buyers would have access to underground parking, concierge services, a tropical-themed restaurant and other upscale amenities.

The city of Green Bay's website shows a 2007 photo of Schmitt and Kaczrowski together in front of a rendering, and describes Prestige Park Towers as "unlike any other development in Northeastern Wisconsin."

Aleta Meyer, who was Kaczrowski's sales director on the project, recalls that the condos drew strong interest from wealthy Lambeau Field season-ticket holders and snowbird residents who wanted to live in style near their favorite football team.

"That place would have been packed with Packers fans," she said.

According to Meyer, eight or 10 condos already were sold before things began to unravel, especially with the start of the recession in 2008.

City officials already had given preliminary approval for the project's design. But after Kaczrowski raised the possibility of needing financial assistance from the city, officials pulled back and the project lost momentum, Meyer said.

"All of a sudden we're running out of money," she said. "There was nowhere to go but down."

Plans for buying surrounding properties and clearing an area suitable for twin 12-story towers fell by the wayside, too.

Ron Smith, owner of Smitty's Used Cars, said he was willing to consider selling his Lombardi Avenue car lot. But Kaczrowski had no money and ultimately wasted time on a concept that was doomed to failure, Smith said.

Questioning why anyone would pay $1 million for a condominium at that location, Smith said another type of development likely would work better.

"It's prime real estate," he said. "It's just a matter of time before something comes along."

In the time since the Prestige Park Towers fizzled, the Green Bay Packers have announced plans for a "Titletown Entertainment District" to surround Lambeau Field with new restaurants, retail shops, and other sports venues or attractions. The organization has purchased 28 acres since 2005 as part of that effort.

Packers spokesman Aaron Popkey said that while development talks are focused on areas directly adjacent to the football stadium, long-range plans could extend farther, from U.S. 41 on the west to Ashland Avenue on the east.

Under that scenario, Kaczrowski's former development site could warrant closer consideration, Popkey said.

"It certainly merits discussion," he said. "That whole area is ripe."

Schnoll, a real estate broker for Milwaukee-based Inland Companies, is listing the 13-acre site in four separate parcels with a combined asking price of $2.7 million.

A couple of potential buyers have shown interest, Schnoll said, although neither would say specifically what they intended to build there.

Inland's marketing materials highlight the property's proximity to the Tundra Lodge Resort & Conference Center and other developments that Kaczrowski helped build before he turned his attention to Prestige Park Towers.

Kaczrowski said he will be interested to see whether Green Bay city officials provide the next potential developer the sort of assistance he says he was denied.

As for his defunct tower concept, Kaczrowski said he has no regrets — and no doubts that it could have succeeded.

"Everybody says I'm a dreamer," he said. "Yeah, I dreamed."

Here's the promotional video:

http://bcove.me/d1ywl1sr (http://bcove.me/d1ywl1sr)

My takeaway from the article: There's this quote by Mayor Schmidt:
"That guy is one of those dreamers with no money," he said. "There are a few of these guys in every town."

Read: "Stop coming up with ideas, stop aiming high. I'm the leader of this community, and I declare there are no dreams to be had in this community. Unless you're rich."

I say this tongue-in-cheek of course..

Tower Park

January 22nd, 2012, 08:44 PM

JT-MI

January 22nd, 2012, 11:44 PM

Looks great! This thread has come a long way!

Danillo

January 23rd, 2012, 02:24 AM

JT-MI!!! The founder had returned!!!!

Tower Park

January 23rd, 2012, 04:11 AM

Prestige Park Towers. At right is the Press-Gazette photo of developer Paul Kaczrowski that ran with today's coverage of the Prestige Park Towers project. The proposed luxury condo site was on both sides of Tony Canadeo Run from the area of Bart Starr Dr. on the east to the area of Reggie White Way on the west. That property is now for sale. Bing map.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/canadeo.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde4-13.jpg

KI Convention Center. The Press-Gazette headlines an editorial today on the KI Convention Centre dispute "Leaders Need to Clarify Downtown Vision." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120122/GPG0602/201220613/Editorial-Green-Bay-leaders-must-clarify-downtown-vision

Wisconsin Public Service Corp. A profile of the new president of WPS, one of the largest commercial office building tenants downtown. WPS provides electricity and natural gas to more than 500,000 customers in Wisconsin and part of Upper Michigan. The company has 1,300 employees in both states. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120122/GPG03/201220606/WPS-new-president-knows-service-area-s-people-issues

Downtown. Agenda item on Monday's 1/23/2012 GB Plan Commission agenda: 7. Discussion and action on the request to vacate the current Gregby Way to allow for future development, submitted by the Planning Department. . . . Agenda item on Monday's 1/23/2012 GB Traffic Commission agenda: 2. Report by the Planning Department of proposed bicycle facility improvements in and near the downtown area. http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mins_agd/

Downtown. Signs on the south end of the former MGL Fitness Inc. building on N. Monroe Ave. say that a Main Oriental Market is coming soon. The north end of the building is for lease. The building years ago was a Goodyear tires outlet. . . . The new Yucatan Liquor Stand tavern just east of the newly reopened Confetti's on E. Walnut St. has closed and the location is now posted for rent. The Press-Gazette featured the tavern in an article last October.

Port of Green Bay. More on the port's successful 2011 season. It handled about 2.2 million tons of cargo last year, up from 1.7 million tons in 2010. It's the first time the port's been above 2 million tons since 2008. Recent activity peaked in 2005 and 2006, when 2.5 million tons were recorded. The Port of Green Bay saw its last vessel Jan. 9 and closed for the season last week. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120122/GPG03/201220600/Port-Green-Bay-tonnage-rises-25-2011

GarfieldPark

January 23rd, 2012, 10:34 PM

As an "out of state" person with no knowledge of any of the details about the Prestige Park Towers plan (other than what has been written above), I doubt if either party should be considered the primary reason that the project didn't happen. The main reason it fell through is because nationally, the real estate market was completely over-priced and development plans that looked good on paper in 2006 or 2007 -- simply were no longer workable by 2008. The way the bottom fell out of the real estate market - there was no way the condo project would work at the unit prices the developer originally thought he could get for them. It was smart for the mayor not to agree to put a bunch of additional city money into the project to try to save it. It would have just been good city money spent that would never have been seen again.

Mr. Kaczrowski is probably a good guy - and its good to have dreamers in your community. There were hundreds - probably thousands of big dreamers across the country - dreaming full speed ahead during 06 - 07 -- but most of them ran into all kinds of trouble by 08 - 09. Mr. Kaczrowski is probably lucky he didn't get this project started a year earlier - because if this would have been constructed - with an 08 opening, he probably would have found a whole lot of people deciding they really didn't want to buy their units in his project and he probably would have had a big time bankruptcy on his hands. I guess at least Green Bay might have had a couple of large, empty buildings - which might have been later bought in a real estate auction for a much cheaper price - and then eventually this building might have started to fill up with residents. For Mr. Kaczrowski, however -- he should probably feel thankful that he did not get this building started - because he likely would have lost a lot of money on it.

Morse

January 24th, 2012, 01:09 AM

KI Convention Center. The Press-Gazette headlines an editorial today on the KI Convention Centre dispute "Leaders Need to Clarify Downtown Vision." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120122/GPG0602/201220613/Editorial-Green-Bay-leaders-must-clarify-downtown-vision

Mayor Schmitt is quoted as saying another announcement is coming downtown. Anyone venture to guess? I know Greg Flisram, ED Director several weeks back mentioned the city is talking to three different companies about moving downtown and Mayor Schmitt was hoping to nail down one before the end of 2011. Or could this involve potential movement on the Daily Planet site? Someone on here mentioned that we may hear more about that site in January. Associated Bank would make for a sweet announcement!

Tower Park

January 24th, 2012, 04:32 AM

Central Library. Library officials this spring are expected to ask the County Board to fund engineering work that could be the beginning of major renovations of the downtown library. The engineering is expected to cost about $1.5 million, and the renovations a maximum $23 million. Library Director Lynn Stainbrook says the county should proceed with the improvements. "It's time to fix this place up," she says. County Board Chair Guy Zima questions the projected engineering cost, and Sup. John Vander Leest says any repairs and upgrades should not exceed $10 million. Officials also are looking at noncounty funding sources like grants and energy funds to help finance the library renovations. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120123/GPG0101/201230502/Brown-County-Library-looks-make-more-renovations?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Baylake Bank. The parent company of Baylake Bank has declared its first quarterly dividend since 2007, when it ceased paying dividends to preserve capital during the recession. Baylake Corp. said Monday it will issue a 1 cent per share quarterly dividend on its common stock. It had been paying 16 cents per share at the time it suspended dividends in December 2007. Based in Sturgeon Bay and also with an office downtown here, Baylake is the 10th largest bank with headquarters in Wisconsin. http://www.jsonline.com/business/baylake-bank-restores-quarterly-dividend-eh3toh5-137915288.html

Days Inn. Is now completely down and just piles of rubble.

Tower Park

January 24th, 2012, 04:33 AM

Green Bay Looks to Make Downtown More Bike-Friendly

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bikes.png

By Sarah Thomsen
WBAY-TV
Updated: Jan 23, 2012 5:26 PM CST

With Monday's mix of rain and snow, it seemed hard to think about bicycling anywhere. But that's exactly what Green Bay's Traffic Commission planned to debate Monday night - a proposal for bike and shared-use lanes for the downtown area.

The Green Bay Planning Department is looking to make five miles of the downtown area bike-friendly.

The proposal calls for painting bicycle lanes on existing roads along Broadway and Baird Street. Other areas - including Cherry, Crooks, Dousman and the Walnut Street Bridge - would have shared lanes for bicycles and cars.

"What we're trying to do is create a couple of functional loops that connect destinations that kind of reflect ways people are already riding in the community," Nic Sparacio said. Sparacio - an avid bicyclist and a city planner - is leading the charge to make these streets safer for cyclists.

"There are some dangerous situations that we're trying to correct with this. One is riding on sidewalks," he said.

The proposal calls for no new road construction, just paint and new signs. It would remove five blocks of on-street parking to make room for bike lanes. And where the street isn't wide enough, it would add markings for a "sharrow" lane - a new traffic engineering concept used in other cities and countries.

"It tells the bicyclist where to safely position in the lane but it also tells the motorist that bicycles belong there," Sparacio explained.

Sparacio said neighborhood and business leaders helped design this plan, hoping it reminds drivers on four wheels to make room for those on two. "Our main goals are to create a safer environment for bicycling and encourage more people to go out and use that as a mode of transportation."

If approved, the lanes should be ready in June.

http://www.wbay.com/story/16582785/2012/01/23/green-bay-looks-to-make-downtown-more-bike-friendly

Tower Park

January 25th, 2012, 03:30 AM

Brown County. Sales of existing homes in Brown County fell 0.3 percent from 2010 to 2011, from 2,103 to 2,096, while the median existing home price fell 1.4%, from $139,000 to $137,000. Statewide, sales increased 0.2 percent for the same period. As months passed during 2011, the Wisconsin Realtors Association says a trend began emerging throughout the state of more sales at a lower median price. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120124/GPG03/201240445/Wisconsin-home-sales-rebound-2011

Green Bay Plaza. Old Country Buffet in the Green Bay Plaza will remain open as the restaurant's parent company files for bankruptcy protection. Other Old Country Buffet restaurants remaining open in Wisconsin are in Grand Chute, Madison, Brown Deer, Greenfield, Janesville, Onalaska and Eau Claire, while those in Brookfield, Racine and Kenosha will close. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120124/GPG03/201240443/Old-Country-Buffet-will-remain-open-Green-Bay-s-west-side

UWGB. About 180 trees of a total 1,600 trees on the Shorewood Golf Course at UWGB will not be cut down, the university has decided. The decision was made after feedback from four public forums and through emails and phone calls. The course director says crews will continue a longstanding practice of removing dead or diseased trees in playable areas. http://www.wbay.com/story/16592047/2012/01/24/uw-green-bay-cuts-plan-to-cut-trees

Fox Cities & Oshkosh FYI. The Post-Crescent says after the nation's financial sector nearly collapsed in 2008, bank lending to small businesses in the Appleton-Neenah-Oshkosh metro area declined sharply as the local credit market essentially froze, according to data from the federal government. Small business lending fell from $542 million in 2007, when the Great Recession started, to $328 million in 2009, when the recession ended. Lending slipped again in 2010 — the latest year for which data is available — to $317 million. "The data provide a powerful illustration that the national financial calamity had deep and protracted reverberations in the Fox Valley," says the Post-Crescent. http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120122/APC0101/201220502/-1/7daysarchives/Fox-Valley-small-businesses-feel-effects-Great-Recession-credit-crunch

Olde Main Street District. Olde Main Steet Inc.'s annual meeting is tomorrow at the ARTgarage from 4 to 6 p.m. http://downtowngreenbay.com/olde-main-streets-annual-meeting

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/401529_10150499980958595_39473118594_8819911_1638564313_n1.jpg

Tower Park

January 26th, 2012, 03:51 AM

Austin Straubel. The number of passengers arriving at and departing from Austin Straubel airport in 2011 increased 1% from 2010. A total of 731,284 passengers used the airport last year, compared to 725,036 in 2010. The numbers were split almost evenly between arrivals and departures. In December, however, arrivals and departures dropped 7% - from 51,651 to 48,020. The numbers indicate the decline reflects principally the departure of Frontier Airlines from the airport. (Continental's numbers look now to be merged into United's.) From a chart in today's Press-Gazette, no link.

Downtown. Coverage by Wisconsin Public Radio of downtown Green Bay redevelopment activity. "When this property was built 40 years ago, we led with retail," Jeff Mirkes says of the former Port Plaza Mall. "Today there's a different thought process. We are beginning to encounter more people that are interested in an urban residential opportunity. So we believe that strong corporate presence will also be a catalyst to some of the other important components of a downtown's success." http://wpr.org/news/display_headline_story.cfm?storyid=27903

Downtown. Bank Mutual Corp. reported a net loss of $48 million in 2011. That compares to a net loss of $73 million in 2010. In the fourth quarter, the bank reported a net income of $1.4 million, compared to a net loss of $76 million a year earlier. Bank Mutual has an office downtown at 201 N. Monroe Ave. in the former First Northern Savings & Loan building plus seven other locations in the Green Bay area. The bank is headquarted in suburban Milwaukee. From today's Press-Gazette, no link.

Broadway District. From OBI: "With a heavy heart, we must announce that The Burger Company, located at 106 S. Broadway, will close after January 29. Owner Ray Salter is retiring from the restaurant business, but will continue to be Chair of the Broadway Business Improvement District (BID). Be sure to stop in for one last burger this week and wish Ray and Kathy well! Stay tuned for details regarding the future of the restaurant’s vacant space." OBI photo. http://www.facebook.com/OnBroadwayGB?sk=wall

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/429700_10150512511502635_248985517634_8901177_1290560960_n1.jpg

Broadway District. The 9th Annual Winterfest On Broadway 2012 is this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. OBI expects most outdoor activities - like ice sculpting and wood carving - to be held. But because of the lack of snow, snowboarding may be canceled. A new event this year is a sled dog-pull competition featuring the Tri-State Alaskan Malamute Club. At present there's a 60% chance of some snow Friday night, with highs the rest of this week around 30 to 35. http://www.winterfestonbroadway.com/ and http://www.wbay.com/story/16599519/2012/01/25/sluggish-winter-affecting-winter-festivals

Downtown. The latest issue of DGBI's "What's Up Downtown." http://campaignbox.imagedistillery.com/t/ViewEmail/r/69F987D5029A5A73/D6ED4EA4F8EE7430A2432AF2E34A2A5F

UWGB. More on UWGB scrapping plans to remove about 180 mature oaks from its heavily wooded Shorewood Golf Course. "The oak savanna forest here pre-dates the course itself," says the course director. "The university and Shorewood management will always value the integrity of that property." Shorewood was built in the 1930s and originally was an 18-hole course. It later was converted to nine holes when construction on the new UWGB campus began in the 1960s. http://www.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/article/20120125/GPG0101/201250601/UWGB-axes-plan-remove-golf-course-trees?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News

Bay2Bay

January 26th, 2012, 04:21 AM

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/429700_10150512511502635_248985517634_8901177_1290560960_n1.jpg

Hey Tower thanks for posting! Love this building. Would be nice to someday see the windows restored on the second floor to their full length!

Tower Park

January 26th, 2012, 04:58 AM

Hey Tower thanks for posting! Love this building. Would be nice to someday see the windows restored on the second floor to their full length!

That WOULD be nice. May have had a corner tower at one time too that was lopped off. Sounds like there may be something else replacing the restaurant. Wonder what it could be.

As an "out of state" person with no knowledge of any of the details about the Prestige Park Towers plan (other than what has been written above), I doubt if either party should be considered the primary reason that the project didn't happen. The main reason it fell through is because nationally, the real estate market was completely over-priced and development plans that looked good on paper in 2006 or 2007 -- simply were no longer workable by 2008. The way the bottom fell out of the real estate market - there was no way the condo project would work at the unit prices the developer originally thought he could get for them. It was smart for the mayor not to agree to put a bunch of additional city money into the project to try to save it. It would have just been good city money spent that would never have been seen again.

Mr. Kaczrowski is probably a good guy - and its good to have dreamers in your community. There were hundreds - probably thousands of big dreamers across the country - dreaming full speed ahead during 06 - 07 -- but most of them ran into all kinds of trouble by 08 - 09. Mr. Kaczrowski is probably lucky he didn't get this project started a year earlier - because if this would have been constructed - with an 08 opening, he probably would have found a whole lot of people deciding they really didn't want to buy their units in his project and he probably would have had a big time bankruptcy on his hands. I guess at least Green Bay might have had a couple of large, empty buildings - which might have been later bought in a real estate auction for a much cheaper price - and then eventually this building might have started to fill up with residents. For Mr. Kaczrowski, however -- he should probably feel thankful that he did not get this building started - because he likely would have lost a lot of money on it.

Well said. Again, it might have worked as just one building. But, as you say, it would have opened just as the economy tanked. Even in the best of times, I don't think Green Bay could support a 24-story condo project. There is a 14(?)-story condo or apartment building along 41 in the Fox Cities, so that might indicate something like that possibly could be built here at the right time and place and under the right circumstances.

KI Convention Center. The Press-Gazette headlines an editorial today on the KI Convention Centre dispute "Leaders Need to Clarify Downtown Vision." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120122/GPG0602/201220613/Editorial-Green-Bay-leaders-must-clarify-downtown-vision

Mayor Schmitt is quoted as saying another announcement is coming downtown. Anyone venture to guess? I know Greg Flisram, ED Director several weeks back mentioned the city is talking to three different companies about moving downtown and Mayor Schmitt was hoping to nail down one before the end of 2011. Or could this involve potential movement on the Daily Planet site? Someone on here mentioned that we may hear more about that site in January. Associated Bank would make for a sweet announcement!

Could be one of a half-dozen or so possibilities. Or a complete surprise. I thought it was interesting that Flisram said what I took to be the Schreiber global technology research center project could involve not one but two buildings.

Navarino Rezdnt

January 27th, 2012, 10:10 PM

Broadway District. From OBI: "With a heavy heart, we must announce that The Burger Company, located at 106 S. Broadway, will close after January 29. Owner Ray Salter is retiring from the restaurant business, but will continue to be Chair of the Broadway Business Improvement District (BID). Be sure to stop in for one last burger this week and wish Ray and Kathy well! Stay tuned for details regarding the future of the restaurant’s vacant space." OBI photo. http://www.facebook.com/OnBroadwayGB?sk=wall

A few days ago I saw Lance Morrow(?sp), the owner of Taste of the South restaurant, at the the gas station. In the brief discussion we had he mentioned that he was "going into the Burger Co." I don't know if he's moving Taste of the South into the location or taking over the operation of Burger Co. I was in a hurry so I didn't ask. Taste of the South is located next door to the Burger Co.

Tower Park

January 29th, 2012, 10:52 PM

Broadway District. OBI Executive Director Christopher Naumann says the Broadway District - made up of primarily locally owned retail shops and restaurants - has a 90 percent occupancy rate. More than 20 businesses have opened up the last two years, he says, and foot traffic is growing. Ray Salter, the retiring operator of The Burger Company, says recent business is up about 45 percent. "This is the new downtown Green Bay,” he says. “This is the closest thing to a downtown that we have." Linda Galt of Kavarna and Parisi's Delicatessen says the district is filling in with new businesses and "especially since the recession ended, everyone is doing really well." Images from WLUK, including scenes from Winterfest On Broadway on Saturday. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/broadway-district-seeing-good-business

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/obi.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/salter.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/galt.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/kavarna.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/street.png http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/sidewalk.jpg

Broadway District. With three inches of new snow, sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-20s, an estimated 5,000 people attended the ninth annual Winterfest On Broadway on Saturday. Activities included kite flying at Leicht Memorial Park, ice sculptures along Broadway, a sled dog pull competition, horse-drawn wagons, art and craft, games and packed restaurants and stores. Press-Gazette photo. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120129/GPG0101/201290598/New-activities-put-icing-downtown-Green-Bay-s-Winterfest?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-News

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde6-11.jpg

Broadway District. The Press-Gazette reports plans call for leasing The Burger Company's corner space to the adjacent Taste of the South On Broadway restauarant. (The two are connected by an inside doorway. My guess is Taste of the South will expand into the new space plus keep its existing space, which includes a bar.) Ray Salter, 67, who owns the building the restaurants are in, says he'll vacation for two months before returning as chair of the Broadway Business Improvement District. He plans to oversee installation of new planters in the Broadway District in time for the first farmers market of the season. The latest issue of OBI's Broadway Beat says Salter and his wife, Kathy, purchased the Grey Building in 1983. They converted second-floor offices into studio apartments and the first floor into Papa Salter's Restaurant and Lounge, which operated in 1984 and 1985. Over the years, the location has also housed Fuzzy's Sports Bar, Grandpa Rays, Maria's Mexican Restaurant and La Cocina. The Burger Company operated there from 2007-2009 and again from 2010 to present. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120127/GPG03/201270482/Business-closing-Burger-Co- and http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-On-Broadway-Inc-.html?soid=1102808930981&aid=DJeQjeY7If0

Olde Main Street District. Continued growth of Gallery Nite and the East River Trail extension are key projects for the Olde Main Street District in 2012, says OMSI Executive Director Jeff Mirkes. The group had its annual meeting Wednesday at the ARTgarage. Mirkes says the trail project has some funding through grants from the DNR and the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program. Other OMSI goals for 2012 are development of a five-year strategic plan, development of a Cannery Arts Center (no details here), expansion of the Park in the Art bike-rack program and utilization of a downtown survey, conducted in 2011, to recruit businesses. Olde Main has a new promotional video plus new banners for light poles promoting "The Arts District." Founded in 1998, Olde Main Street Inc. is a Business Improvement District supported by assessments on commercial property within the district. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120126/GPG03/201260547/-1/7daysarchives/State-Street-details-initiatives

Olde Main Street District. Here's the new promotional video. http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/VideoNetwork/1414589103001/Olde-Main-Street-promotional-video

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/trolley.png http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/banner-2.jpg

Downtown. Feature article on a new addition to Washington St., the Vintage Liquid Emporium at 119 1/2 S. Washington St. (A correction in the Press-Gazette the next day seems to indicate the name of this place is actually Nines Cocktail Lounge and its location is 121 S. Washington St. So I'm confused.) http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120126/GPG0504/120125123/-1/7daysarchives/Hey-Bartender-Vintage-Liquid-Emporium-owners-strive-downtown-versatility

Tower Park

January 30th, 2012, 02:43 AM

Highway 41. Crews plan to remove the W. Mason St. overpass over Highway 41 overnight Wednesday through Friday plus Feb. 6 and 7. While the overpass is removed, 41 traffic overnight will be detoured to the Mason St. interchange off ramps, then back to the freeway using on ramps. At the same time, traffic on 41 will be reduced overnight to one lane in each direction between Lombardi Ave. and Highway 29. While the Mason interchange is being rebuilt, Highway 54 traffic will be detoured to 172 and I-43. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120129/GPG0101/201290591/Mason-Street-road-work-start-Wednesday?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s and http://www.wbay.com/story/16627033/2012/01/29/countdown-to-highway-41-construction-project

Highway 41. WisDOT videos. Image of 41 northbound at Lombardi Ave. News coverage here: http://www.wbay.com/story/16610998/dot-gives-highway-41-drivers-a-glimpse-of-the-future

Northbound on the 6 to 10-lane 41, taking the flyover to 29 westbound: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=lombardi-ave-to-wis-29
41 southbound thru the 29 interchange: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=memorial-drive-to-mason-street
Bird's-eye view of the W. Mason St. interchange: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=mason-street-overview
From 41 southbound thru roundabouts on eastbound W. Mason St.: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=southbound-us-41-to-eastbound-mason-street
Taking 29 eastbound into the city from the 29 freeway: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=packerland-drive-to-taylor-street
Other 41 videos: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/highway41.jpg

Oneida, Wrightstown, Greenleaf, Pulaski. Highway projects scheduled this year. Highway 54 in Oneida, including new bridge over Duck Creek and roundabout at Seminary Rd. Removal of buildings and site clearance for new Highway 96 bridge over the Fox River in Wrightstown. Highway 96 resurfacing from Wrightstown to Greenleaf. http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120129/APC0101/201290551/DOT-lists-road-projects-planned-region?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s Future reconstruction plans for Highways 32 and 160 in and around Pulaski, including downtown, scheduled for 2013 and 2014. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120126/GPG0101/201260557/-1/7daysarchives/DOT-meeting-address-Pulaski-construction-projects

De Pere. Organizations and businesses are being asked to submit proposals for the former locktender's house in De Pere. A report released in September found the exterior of the two-story building in good condition but its interior requiring major repairs. Possible new uses include a bed-and-breakfast, visitor's center, museum or canoe rental shop. Repairs and renovations could cost a half-million dollars, with grants and/or tax credits available. The house was built in 1912 on Government Island next to the De Pere Lock, was vacated in 1983 and has been on the Wisconsin and national registers of historic places since 1993. Its architectural style is Dutch Colonial Revival. The building is one of 10 state-owned former locktender houses, nine of them historic sites, along the Fox River from Menasha to De Pere. Photo from the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120129/GPG0101/201290585/New-use-sought-De-Pere-lockkeeper-s-house?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-News and http://heritageparkway.org/in-the-news-blog/live-like-a-locktender/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/04864-Fox-River-Steve-Wagner-580x2891.jpg

Geography Teacher

January 31st, 2012, 12:42 AM

Highway 41. WisDOT videos. Image of 41 northbound at Lombardi Ave. News coverage here: http://www.wbay.com/story/16610998/dot-gives-highway-41-drivers-a-glimpse-of-the-future

Northbound on the 6 to 10-lane 41, taking the flyover to 29 westbound: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=lombardi-ave-to-wis-29
41 southbound thru the 29 interchange: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=memorial-drive-to-mason-street
Bird's-eye view of the W. Mason St. interchange: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=mason-street-overview
From 41 southbound thru roundabouts on eastbound W. Mason St.: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=southbound-us-41-to-eastbound-mason-street
Taking 29 eastbound into the city from the 29 freeway: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos?video=packerland-drive-to-taylor-street
Other 41 videos: http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/project-videos

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/highway41.jpg

I love that the music is a ripoff of "Where Are You Going?" by Dave Matthews Band.

Danillo

January 31st, 2012, 02:35 AM

Nice evening tonight.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tngotzSnB5k/TydEYkVSa6I/AAAAAAAAADQ/52NbTdOZmi0/s912/river1.jpg

GBguy

January 31st, 2012, 03:36 AM

Very nice...best picture of downtown GB that I've seen. Why did the Benny Hill theme come to my mind when I first saw it?

Tower Park

January 31st, 2012, 04:05 AM

Tower Park

January 31st, 2012, 04:07 AM

Super Photo Danillo! :applause:

Downtown. Details are hazy, but it looks like a Segway-renting business may be coming to Green Bay this spring or summer. Maybe the Fox River Trail and/or CityDeck area. Image from the web.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/segway_tour_high1.jpg

De Pere. Video report on construction of the $3 million riverwalk project. http://www.wbay.com/story/16634811/2012/01/30/construction-underway-for-de-pere-riverwalk

Resch Center. On the heels of signing top country singer Miranda Lambert, the Resch Center has signed two more big acts: Barry Manilow and Cirque du Soleil.

Kress Events Center. The 19-0 UWGB Phoenix women's basketball team today moved up to No. 10 in the latest AP Division I rankings, the team's highest-ever position in this poll. Also, from yesterday, coverage of the team in the New York Times. The Times says crowds of 2,000 or more are common in the 4,000-seat Kress Events Center, with a season-best 3,747 recently for a game against Cleveland State. Photos from Kahler Slater. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120130/GPG020101/120130070/Big-day-UWGB-women-s-basketball-Top-10-ranking-New-York-Times-story?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/30/sports/ncaabasketball/womens-basketball-claims-an-identity-in-green-bay.html?_r=1

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Kress-INT-bball-court-21.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/kress2.jpg

sr22ger

January 31st, 2012, 04:08 AM

Gorgeous picture Danillo. Promotional material I'm sure DTGBI would love to have.

Puant

January 31st, 2012, 04:25 AM

Hi folks. Just wanted to let you know I'll be pulling back on my daily (usually) updates. :omg: I don't have the time, I think it discourages others from posting here and my work hours are changing. I'll still check my sources most days, but I'm going to focus on downtown news and images, which is what I think most people on this forum are interested in. But I'll continue to post other big developments, like 41 and Lambeau, and things that interest me, like historic buildings.

Thanks for everything you do.

Beargb

January 31st, 2012, 04:53 AM

Green Bay Native

January 31st, 2012, 06:21 PM

Tower, thanks so much. I don't post too often as I don't currently live in the area. But you have provided such a great service to me. I truly appreciate it, as I'm sure that others on the board do as well. Here's to you :cheers:

^^ Same here. Getting the real news from there.

GBObserver

January 31st, 2012, 09:39 PM

Tower, thanks for all the work you put into your posts.

As I was driving to lunch today I noticed a small crew opening up and cleaning the Gross building. Not just the outside windows, but the front door was open, a vacuum was running, and windows were attended to inside and out. The separate entrance on the other end of the building was also being recharged. No lease/purchase signs are up anymore.

Has anyone heard anything about this property? Or, could it be that the owners are just prepping for the inevitable property grab as downtown gets hot? :)

Puant

February 1st, 2012, 01:55 AM

^^ Same here. Getting the real news from there.

Yeah no kidding, me too. Real news, well-worded, complete with analysis and lots of sources, all cited....

....All for free, no popup ads sliding in front of me or flashing weird faces trying to interrupt me and get my attention....

it was nice....But, I totally understand that these things take time and you're busy.....Thanks.

Tower Park

February 1st, 2012, 04:34 AM

Thanks, folks, for the comments. Very kind. Will keep posting but over time may be somewhat less and more focused. But another busy day today. :)

Tower Park

February 1st, 2012, 04:34 AM

Children’s Museum. The Children’s Museum of Green Bay to date has raised $3.2 million of its $4.5 million goal for its new facility on the first floor of River Center downtown. A media tour was held today. The museum is set to open this spring and expects 120,000 visitors annually. "I have no concern at all that people are going to come here and we'll actually pull people from Appleton and Northeast Wisconsin — actually across the country and the world — with the Green Bay Packers sitting in our backyard as well," says Executive Director Toni Burnett. Exhibit construction will start shortly. Below are two of several Children's Museum photos posted today. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/green-bay-childrens-museum-holds-sneak-peek and http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150237024755610.363576.168159770609&type=1

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/417413_10150632619820610_168159770609_11607477_1314725105_n.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/407086_10150632618550610_168159770609_11607475_1688631843_n.jpg

Downtown. Regarding the scoop by GBObserver, it’s my understanding the Frankenthal Building at 130 N. Adams St. at Adams and Cherry is being cleaned for inspection by a potential tenant, at least for all or part of the first floor. Would be great to find a successful tenant(s) there. The 19,350-square-foot building was built in 1928, is Mediterranean Revival in style and features large storefront windows. For many years, it housed the C.A. Gross Co. men’s clothing store. LoopNet photo. http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/13745259/130-N-Adams-St-Green-Bay-WI/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-01-31at73820PM.jpg]

Green Bay Metro. Is holding a press conference Wednesday with Lamers Bus Lines to discuss: 1) route/boarding coordination between the two; 2) the new Lamers Campus Connect service between UWGB and UW-Madison; and 3) express shuttles between downtown and the Resch Center if the WIAA moves the state boys and girls high school basketball tournaments from Madison to Green Bay starting as early as next year. Lamers recently inaugurated daily bus service between Green Bay and Madison plus additional weekend service between the cities’ two UW campuses during school. The mayor and representatives from Metro, Lamers, the visitors bureau, UWGB and Valley Transit will attend the press conference. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150489521886664&set=a.320770106663.136882.112541541663&type=1&theater

Resch Center. The WIAA is now deciding whether to continue holding the state high school boys and girls basketball tournaments at the Kohl Center in Madison or move them to the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon. Representatives of both sites — including Mayor Paul Soglin of Madison — made presentations to the WIAA last week. Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy took part in a video that was played for the WIAA, and the team has offered to help develop parts of the tournament if held here. The Resch is being considered for the tournaments because Madison has run into scheduling problems at the Kohl with certain UW sporting events. The Capital Times says Soglin and others have been “waging an intensive behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign.” Says a WIAA representative, "The Board has never really had to make a decision like this before. We really don't have any precedent to follow to move a signature event from one place to another. It's almost overwhelming." The tournaments have an estimated economic impact of $6 million to $9 million and generate considerable publicity. A decision could come by March. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120126/GPG0205/201260465/-1/7daysarchives/WIAA-Wisconsin-basketball-PMI-Packers and http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-hall/laptop-city-hall-mayor-soglin-treks-to-stevens-point-to/article_63481f30-4825-11e1-9451-001871e3ce6c.html and http://host.madison.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/wiaa-state-basketball-if-kohl-center-s-not-available-green/article_731b99e2-47bb-11e1-bcb7-001871e3ce6c.html

Lambeau Field. Lambeau Field's scoreboards are now being removed and will be replaced with new video boards with larger video screens. It's part of the stadium's $143 million expansion and remodeling project. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120131/GPG0101/120131103/Old-Lambeau-Field-scoreboards-removed-will-recycled?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

Pulaski. The cause of a fire that gutted part of downtown Pulaski has been ruled undetermined, officials announced today. The Dec. 2 fire originated within or above a men’s bathroom at Wood Lanes bowling alley, according to a news release from the state fire marshal, Pulaski Tri-County Fire Department, Pulaski Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the groups investigating the incident. The investigation is now considered complete. The fire displaced 11 people. More than 180 firefighters from 39 agencies spent more than 10 hours battling the blaze. First image from WLUK, photos from Press-Gazette. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120131/GPG0101/120131118/Pulaski-fire-cause-undetermined-started-near-bathroom-bowling-alley?odyssey=mod|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/fire2.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde7-2.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde3-3.jpg

nowpc2

February 1st, 2012, 04:15 PM

Tower, I want to also thank you for the news posting. I understand it is a lot of work on your part.

In regards to the Frankenthal Building, the retail space has been empty for so long. If I remember correctly, C.A. Gross closed in 2000. The building also housed Green Bay Metro for years and for a small time Bay Lake Bank, but has been empty from the point where Bay Lake moved. This one always amazed me. It looks like a nice space.

Downtown. Regarding the scoop by GBObserver, it’s my understanding the Frankenthal Building at 130 N. Adams St. at Adams and Cherry is being cleaned for inspection by a potential tenant, at least for all or part of the first floor. Would be great to find a successful tenant(s) there. The 19,350-square-foot building was built in 1928, is Mediterranean Revival in style and features large storefront windows. For many years, it housed the C.A. Gross Co. men’s clothing store.

jerkylips999

February 1st, 2012, 07:02 PM

Medical school in GB? (http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120201/GPG0101/302020030/Green-Bay-listed-as-possible-site-for-new-Medical-College-of-Wisconsin-program?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE)

This would be fantastic if it landed in GB. One thing that I question, though, is the school - hospital relationship. As I understand it, hospitals must be designated as either teaching or non-teaching. I would think that for a non-teaching hospital to become a teaching hospital would take some work. If they're looking at GB, fox valley, Eau Claire, or Wausau, I think they'd all be in the same boat.

Tower Park

February 2nd, 2012, 04:43 AM

Downtown. A plan by Racine's Johnson family to invest $235 million in Johnson Bank has received regulatory approval. Johnson Financial Group says the new infusion of family money brings Johnson Bank above the threshold to be considered well-capitalized and ensures it remains independent and privately owned. The Johnson family first announced in November it intended to recapitalize the bank. Headquartered in downtown Racine, Johnson Bank lost $17 million in 2011 and $220 million in 2010, much of it from losses on loans tied to real estate. The bank is the second-largest based in Wisconsin and has a downtown Green Bay location along the Fox River at 318 S. Washington St. LoopNet photo of the downtown GB location. http://www.jsonline.com/business/regulators-approve-capital-infusion-in-johnson-bank-dc41krs-138527279.html

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/johnson.jpg

Green Bay Metro. Press conference today about Lamers Bus Lines buses that now can be boarded at Green Bay Metro's Transportation Center downtown. Includes Lamers' daily Green Bay-Madison route, and there's mention in these television reports of Green Bay-Milwaukee service (I think that would be new for Lamers). The Press-Gazette had a reporter at today's presser, so maybe more details tomorrow. Photo of the Transportation Center by Maintenance Design Group. http://www.wbay.com/story/16652545/2012/02/01/green-bay-metro-partners-with-lamers-for-inter-city-transit and http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/138519839.html

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/GreenBay-WI-01-400x3001.jpg

Green Bay. According to the Press-Gazette, Green Bay has five homeless shelters and three other agencies offering transitional housing services. Volunteers who conducted a citywide canvass in January found 10 people living on the streets, and dozens of homeless individuals and families are on waiting lists for emergency housing and other services. Says the paper, "While the numbers themselves might not appear overwhelming, officials said, they signal a worsening homelessness problem, and they demonstrate that shelters and other facilities are no longer adequate to meet the need." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120129/GPG0101/201290583/-1/7daysarchives/Volunteers-search-answers-area-homelessness

Downtown. Latest edition of DGBI's "What's Up Downtown." http://campaignbox.imagedistillery.com/t/ViewEmail/r/7FD71DE2A6803B6F/D6ED4EA4F8EE7430A2432AF2E34A2A5F

Ashwaubenon. Reconstruction of S. Oneida St. from Cormier to Hansen roads by Bay Park Square is scheduled to start the end of this month and be completed by September. The $7.7 million project will include construction of left- and right-turn lanes, new traffic signals and decorative lighting. Access to businesses will be available throughout the project. Press-Gazette map. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120130/GPG0101/201300481/-1/7daysarchives/Oneida-Street-road-construction-project-looks-at-February-start

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde2-3.jpg

De Pere. The network of fueling stations selling compressed natural gas (CNG) in Wisconsin is expanding. TrilliumHD of Green Bay said Tuesday it will open the Green Bay area's first CNG fueling station in March. The station will be off Highway 41 at the De Pere Superstore. TrilliumHD is a joint venture between Integrys Transportation Fuels Inc of Green Bay and Chicago and Ashwaubenon trucking company Paper Transport Inc. Plans call for a network of over-the-road CNG fueling stations for use by truck fleets, with a typical CNG station requiring an investment of about $1 million. Additional CNG stations in Northeast Wisconsin are expected this year. Integrys Transportation Fuels is a sister company of Wisconsin Public Service Corp. Both are subsidiaries of Chicago-based Integrys Energy Group, which entered the compressed natural gas business with its acquisition of two companies last year. http://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-gets-more-stations-selling-compressed-natural-gas-op411qv-138449124.html

Danillo

February 2nd, 2012, 05:30 AM

Allow me to join the well deserved chorus of appreciation for your posts, Tower. They are great and I read them every day. Whatever you find time to post is appreciated, and if you need to slow down or even stop all together, that would not diminish the appreciation for the free service you have provided all this time. Thanks!

Tower Park

February 3rd, 2012, 06:25 AM

Resch Center. Madison is turning up the heat and sweetening its deal to keep the WIAA high school basketball tournaments. The visitors bureau there has offered "substantial" financial incentives, UW-Madison is pursuing options to make the Kohl Center available on the WIAA's preferred dates and hoteliers are preparing a proposal to make the event more affordable to visitors. In what could signal trouble (my words) for moving the tournaments to the Resch Center, the executive director of the WIAA, Dave Anderson, says so far there's no obvious choice where to locate the two events. "I don't think there's any single element in either package that says, 'Wow, this is where it needs to be,'" he says. The Wisconsin State Journal also says Anderson considers the Resch's seating capacity to be "a bit shy of that needed for a marquee matchup." The center's seating capacity for basketball is listed at 9,877, although some media reports have put it at 10,500. Last year, the attendance for the boys tournament was about 96,500 and for the girls tournament, 55,000. http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/city-faces-stiff-competition-in-bid-to-keep-high-school/article_865d91d0-4d39-11e1-bbba-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1lHtyH47X

Bellevue. KI expects to have a $3.3 million expansion of its Bellevue manufacturing plant finished by June. The move will add 100,200 square feet of space and will consolidate and streamline the furniture maker's manufacturing, shipping, receiving and warehousing operations. Up to 50 jobs are being added over the next year or two. KI and local governmental officials broke ground on the expansion project this morning. "This is the corporate headquarters. This is the brain trust that makes all these things happen. So it's always exciting to expand in your hometown," says CEO Dick Resch. "I've been here since 1964. It was a very small company, about $4 million in sales and now we're over $750 million." The expansion is the fourth addition at the plant at 1330 Bellevue St. since the early 1970s. KI is the largest employer in Bellevue and the 15th largest private employer in the Green Bay area, with about 1,000 employees. Image from WLUK. http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=314282808623669&id=248380511880566 and http://www.wbay.com/story/16662828/2012/02/02/ki-breaks-ground-on-3-million-factory-expansion and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/ki-expansion-to-add-up-to-50-jobs

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/resch.jpg

Metropolitan Sewerage District. The Press-Gazette editorially is supporting the expansion, repair and upgrade of MSD's Green Bay plant. "Given the state of the MSD's infrastructure, it appears to us the utility has made its case that the $147 million project can't be delayed or avoided," the paper says. The average residential customer is expected to pay an additional $130-$200 per year to help pay for the project. MSD serves more than 217,000 residential customers and treats an average of 38 million gallons a day from its Green Bay and De Pere wastewater facilities. The current system is at 90 percent capacity. The construction project will be launched later this year, is scheduled to be completed in 2014 and will be financed with 20-year municipal bonds. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120202/GPG0602/202020563/Editorial-Expansion-requires-spike-sewer-bills

Wisconsin. As first posted by jerkylips, a dozen cities in Wisconsin including Green Bay may be considered by the Medical College of Wisconsin for location of satellite campuses. The expansion over time could increase the school's enrollment by 50 percent, from its current 200 students to as many as 300. A feasibility study is expected to take 6-8 months, and the expansion could start as early as 2014. Located in Milwaukee, the Medical College envisions partnering with universities, colleges and health systems to set up the satellite sites. Cities potentially under consideration include Green Bay-Fox River Valley, Wausau-Stevens Point-or Marshfield, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Janesville-Beloit and Racine-Kenosha. The initial plan would be to start with one site and add others in future years. http://www.jsonline.com/business/medical-college-pushes-to-expand-5a41cot-138540494.html and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120201/GPG0101/302020030/Green-Bay-listed-as-possible-site-for-new-Medical-College-of-Wisconsin-program?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

De Pere. More on the compressed natural gas fueling station under construction at the De Pere Superstore, 1501 W. Main Ave., off Highway 41. The CNG facility is expected to open in March. The market for compressed natural gas to fuel trucks is growing, and some cars are now being built to use the fuel. At present, there are about 100,000 gasoline stations in the country and about 2,000 CNG stations, with fewer than 20 in Wisconsin. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120202/GPG03/202020547/Joint-venture-builds-natural-gas-station and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/natural-gas-fuel-to-be-sold-in-de-pere

Green Bay Metro. More on its partnering with Lamers Bus Lines and Lamers' new routes to and from Madison. The other intercity bus lines serving Green Bay, with connections to Milwaukee, Chicago, Minneapolis and Upper Michigan, are not involved in the partnership. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120202/GPG0101/202020561/Lamers-buses-join-Green-Bay-Metro-hub?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Tower Park

February 4th, 2012, 12:41 AM

Riverside Ballroom. The Winter Dance Party, a Buddy Holly tribute show and re-creation of his famed 1959 tour, was held last week at the Riverside Ballroom, 1560 Main St., before a sold-out crowd of 900. The original Winter Dance Party was a tour scheduled to cover 24 Midwestern cities in three weeks. Along with the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and others, Holly performed at the Riverside on February 1 that year. After performing the next night in Iowa, Holly, the Bopper, Valens and a pilot were killed early February 3 when their small plane crashed into a cornfield shortly after takeoff. The Riverside Ballroom today hosts a Holly tribute show each winter. Photos below show the real Holly taken at the Riverside on February 1, 1959. Plus an original 1959 poster and postcard (ca. 1930s?) of the Riverside. Photos courtesy of the late Larry Matti. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120126/GPG0502/120125143/Kendra-Meinert-column-Winter-Dance-Party-returns-Buddy-Holly-classics and http://www.wbay.com/story/16621451/rock-n-roll-fans-celebrate-the-days-before-the-music-died

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-03at41629PM.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-03at42235PM.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-03at42534PM.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-03at43341PM.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-03at43103PM.jpg

Brown County Jail. FYI, the Brown County Jail is currently at 84 percent capacity. It can house 750 inmates. An additional 80 offenders are in an increasingly popular electronic-monitoring program, which allows living at home, and 13 are in a drug-court program. There are plans to begin a military veterans court and the county is considering a mental health court, both of which would place certain offenders in treatment programs instead of jail. The Sheriff’s Department says the jail — located at 3030 Curry Ln. on Green Bay’s northeast side — is typically at 80 to 90 percent capacity. The department currently has 148 officers. Brown County Jail photo. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120124/GPG0101/201240473/Brown-County-Sheriff-John-Gossage-cost-cutting-budgets

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/911-call-960.jpg

Tower Park

February 4th, 2012, 12:45 AM

One more time, thanks folks for the comments. There's always something interesting going on in town. . . . ugh, I just saw the headlines of tragedy in De Pere.

nowpc2

February 4th, 2012, 03:17 AM

Hello Tower,

The news out of De Pere is just so sad. My heart goes out to their family and friends.

One more time, thanks folks for the comments. There's always something interesting going on in town. . . . ugh, I just saw the headlines of tragedy in De Pere.

Puant

February 4th, 2012, 04:17 AM

Riverside Ballroom. The Winter Dance Party, a Buddy Holly tribute show and re-creation of his famed 1959 tour, was held last week at the Riverside Ballroom, 1560 Main St., before a sold-out crowd of 900. The original Winter Dance Party was a tour scheduled to cover 24 Midwestern cities in three weeks. Along with the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and others, Holly performed at the Riverside on February 1 that year. After performing the next night in Iowa, Holly, the Bopper, Valens and a pilot were killed early February 3 when their small plane crashed into a cornfield shortly after takeoff. The Riverside Ballroom today hosts a Holly tribute show each winter. Photos below show the real Holly taken at the Riverside on February 1, 1959. Plus an original 1959 poster and postcard (ca. 1930s?) of the Riverside. Photos courtesy of the late Larry Matti. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120126/GPG0502/120125143/Kendra-Meinert-column-Winter-Dance-Party-returns-Buddy-Holly-classics and http://www.wbay.com/story/16621451/rock-n-roll-fans-celebrate-the-days-before-the-music-died

This reminds me of a little piece I wrote years back when I (apparently) had more time...It's "historical fiction" -- the full piece is here (http://packerland.blogspot.com/2008/01/winter-of-1959.html), but the part that's most close to fact is below:

Early February 1959. The Lombardi family is making the move from New York to Green Bay. The kids, Susan and Vincent Jr., are almost as depressed as their mother about moving from the big city to the small town. As they round Chicago and head north, the family is awe-struck by the snow drifts piled higher than than the car lining the roadway. The sheer whiteness of everthing overwhelms the senses. Just days earlier, a passenger plane had crashed back home in New York while making instrument landing at La Guardia, killing 65 people. What are we getting into? they all nervously thought. More news crackled over the car radio telling of a blinding snowstorm in which Richie Valens and Buddy Holly had been flying into when their plane crashed in Iowa, tragically ending their lives. The Lombardis drove into the same blizzard that had killed the musicians, although the streets had been plowed by the time they arrived in Green Bay, it continued to snow throughout the day. In typical fashion, the new neighbors went out of their way to help clear the snow from the driveway of the Lombardi's first Wisconsin home at 222 West Mission Road in Allouez.

Tower Park

February 5th, 2012, 01:06 AM

Oneida Indian Reservation. The new chair of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, Ed Delgado, says over the next decade he wants to grow the reservation's Oneida population from 3,000 to 10,000. To attract more tribal members, he says, the tribe must have more housing. He also says establishing a stronger tribal identity — including signs and other markings within the reservation — is important. The Oneida Tribe has a stated mission of reclaiming 65,000 acres from its original reservation, which encompasses all of Hobart plus the Town of Oneida in Outagamie County and parts of Green Bay, Ashwaubenon and Howard. The Press-Gazette says since Delgado became tribal chair last August, a thawing in the tribe's relationship with Hobart has occurred, a relationship that the paper says "in recent years has been primarily defined by lawsuits, mistrust and verbal sniping." Expedia map. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120130/GPG0101/201300484/-1/7daysarchives/Oneida-Tribe-of-Indians-Ed-Delgado-Hobart

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/OneidaRezWI1.gif

Great Lakes. A privately funded study outlines three ways certain Chicago waterways can be closed off from the Great Lakes to keep invasive species such as Asian carp from moving between them. The cheapest solution would cost more than $3 billion and would take at least a decade to complete. A similar study by the Army Corps of Engineers is due in late 2015. Press-Gazette-provided graphic. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120201/GPG0101/202010609/-1/7daysarchives/Study-outlines-3-ways-keep-Asian-carp-out-Great-Lakes

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/0131-GREATLAKES-Chicago1.jpg

Ashwaubenon. Big changes in store for J.C. Penney stores nationwide, including the one at 800 Willard Dr. in Ashwaubenon. The company each month will be adding what it calls specialty shops inside its stores so, by 2015, each store will be a collection of 100 shops. Penney's had been one of the Port Plaza Mall anchors downtown but moved to Ashwaubenon after 2000. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120128/GPG03/201280595/J-C-Penney-reinvents-stores-logo

De Pere & Howard. The construction of a new station in De Pere and the rebranding of another in Howard bring to 22 the number of Grand Central Station convenience stores and gas stations being built and opened by Titletown Oil Corp. The new De Pere location on Lawrence Drive near Walmart will be similar to other Grand Centrals and include a clock tower incorporated into the building design, a car wash and space leased to a franchise restaurant such as A&W. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120201/GPG03/202010584/-1/7daysarchives/Grand-Central-brand-expands-De-Pere

Children's Museum. Here's one of several new commercials for the Children's Museum of Green Bay announcing its April opening. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWLVGuZXEzg&feature=share and http://www.facebook.com/ChildrensMuseumGB#!/ChildrensMuseumGB?sk=wall

Riverside Ballroom. Here's the memorial outside the Riverside Ballroom commemorating the appearance by Buddy Holly and others in 1959. It's not my favorite piece of public art in Green Bay, but it gets the job done. Photo by js observer via flickr.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/holly.jpg

Tower Park

February 6th, 2012, 04:14 AM

Northeast Wisconsin. The president of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education system (GRACE) says enrollment drops in schools of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay have gone from 6 to 8 percent annually the previous decade to about 2 percent annually in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years. Those kinds of declines help explain why so many Catholic schools in the city and elsewhere in the area have closed or consolidated with other schools over the past 40 years. Some have been torn down. Today, about 10,700 students attend Catholic elementary, middle and high schools throughout the 16-county Green Bay diocese. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120130/GPG0101/201300488/Catholic-schools-praise-learning?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Ashwaubenon. Traffic will be able to access businesses on S. Oneida St. during its seven-month reconstruction, but business owners still fear the work will cause a big drop in sales. Oneida between Cormier and Hansen roads will be reconstructed in a $7.7 million project set to get under way Feb. 20. Some businesses expect a loss in sales similar to what some businesses on Military Ave. saw during that street's seven-month reconstruction project completed last November. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120205/GPG0101/202050668/S-Oneida-St-businesses-fear-road-work-will-hurt-sales?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Kress Events Center & Resch Center. The UWGB women's basketball team on Saturday night recorded its second-ever sellout at the Kress Events Center, with a crowd of 4,018 in a win over UW-Milwaukee. Across town at the Resch Center, the Phoenix men Saturday afternoon drew what for them these days is a good crowd of 5,124 in a loss to UWM (I think the men could average in the vicinity of 6,000 with a consistently good winning team). Although they don't get the same front-page sports coverage as UWGB, the Green Bay Gamblers in average attendance outdraw both Phoenix teams and with a much longer home schedule. They drew 6,277 at the Resch for a game New Year's Eve against Chicago.

Green Bay Area. Another nighttime child-care center in the Green Bay area has closed, leaving parents who work second shift fewer options. Ten other centers closed nights in 2011. Joyful Noise, 1076 St. Agnes Dr. in Green Bay, closed Jan. 20, leaving just three regulated child-care centers in Brown County open after 7 p.m. There are suggestions here that last year there were too many local child-care centers open nights given the demand, but now there are too few. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120205/GPG0101/202050662/Green-Bay-parents-struggle-find-2nd-shift-child-care?odyssey=mod|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE|s

I-43 Business Center. Feature story on Mackinaws Grill & Spirits and its 10th anniversary. Principal owner Kevin Quinn is the son of Pat Quinn, described here as "a longtime restaurateur at Green Bay establishments like Gippers Sports Bar, BrewBaker’s Pub and Oxford’s Cafe" (the latter two located or once located downtown). Photo by Bayland Buildings Inc. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120204/GPG0504/120203197/Great-outdoors-equal-great-results-Mackinaws-Green-Bay

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/mackinaws-011.jpg

Morse

February 6th, 2012, 06:53 PM

After reading the RDA minutes and listening to the audio, there were a couple of dates mentioned for the Schreiber site. As previously mentioned, Veit & Company were awarded the demolition contract and should be in Green Bay this week prepping. The mall site is to be cleared June 1st followed by JC Penney on June 22. Whoever is awared the Schreiber contract will start site mobilization in late June.

Has anyone heard a anymore regarding the Daily Planet site (it was mentioned on here previously that some news may be coming out in Jan.)?

Also, has anyone heard anything regarding Mayor Schmitt having another announcement?

Tower Park

February 7th, 2012, 04:42 AM

UWGB. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner in Alaska reported well into an article last month that UWGB was among schools under consideration to join the Division I Western Collegiate Hockey Association as a 10th member. The league is revamping its membership for 2013-14, a period of major realignment in NCAA Division I hockey with three new conferences, including a new Big Ten hockey conference. Alaska Anchorage and Wisconsin (for now) are members of the WCHA. Said the News-Miner: “Among schools under consideration to become the 10th member of the new WCHA are Wisconsin-Green Bay, Iowa State, Minnesota State Moorhead and Alabama-Huntsville. Officials at Wisconsin-Green Bay, Iowa State and Minnesota State Moorhead have discussed adding Division I hockey to their athletic programs.” However, shortly after the article appeared, Press-Gazette hockey reporter Weston Hodkiewicz tweeted, “Per #UWGB officials, the school has ‘not had any conversations with the #WCHA regarding adding Division I hockey.’" http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/17263074/article-Nanooks’-Karr-working-on-organizing-new-WCHA?instance=home_sports_lead_story and https://twitter.com/#!/WesHod/status/161553656330731521

Washington Commons. Crews are scheduled to arrive downtown this week to start the demolition of the former Washington Commons. Veit & Company Inc., a specialty contracting and waste management firm headquartered in Rogers, MN, northwest of Minneapolis, will lead the demolition project under a $1.1 million contract with the City of Green Bay, which owns the former mall. Veit is scheduled to complete demolition of the mall and adjacent former J.C. Penney store by June. Officials said interior work is likely to take six to eight weeks before there is any significant sign of demolition on the exterior. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120206/GPG0101/120206073/Washington-Commons-mall-demolition-starts-week?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Military Avenue. Feature story on a record store that opened last fall in the Westgate Center — Rock n Roll Land, 504 S. Military Ave. Buys and sells used vinyl albums, cassettes and 8-tracks plus an assortment of vintage music memorabilia. Decided to open after Amazing Records (apparently the one on Dousman St. downtown) closed in 2010. The Rock n Roll’s owners hope to begin using a small stage at the back of the store to host performances by local high school musicians. Located in a portion of the former Henri’s Music. http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120126/GPG0502/120125119/Rock-n-Roll-Land-Green-Bay-aims-more-than-just-record-store

gbmphillips

February 7th, 2012, 05:09 AM

That would be great to have DIV 1 hockey in town. Gamblers are good but this would be a real step up in talent and competiton

Morse

February 7th, 2012, 05:01 PM

Packers looking to expand parking lot footprint though no commercial development is planned at this time.

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/packers-plan-for-new-parking

Tower Park

February 8th, 2012, 01:43 AM

Resch Center. Issues remain but a major step in keeping the state boys and girls high school basketball tournaments in Madison has been taken with the confirmation Monday the Big Ten Conference will not need the Kohl Center for men’s hockey playoffs debuting in 2013-14. That potentially frees up future dates for the basketball tournaments. The WIAA says there still are some unresolved scheduling conflicts and concerns about the cost of parking, concessions and hotel space in Madison. For the first time in media reports I’ve seen, there’s mention here of the possibility of moving the state high school wresting tournament too. http://host.madison.com/sports/college/hockey/uw-men-s-hockey-big-ten-agrees-to-neutral-site/article_238fcb4e-4ecf-11e1-8590-001871e3ce6c.html

UWGB. In a series of tweets today, Press-Gazette hockey reporter Weston Hodkiewicz had this to say about UWGB and the prospect of Division I hockey: “Talked with @GBPhoenix AD Ken Bothof, who reiterated there are no plans at this time to add men's hockey to the school's sports programs. The school does review its array of programs on a yearly basis, but those discussions focus primarily on gender equity. As for being attached to #WCHA discussions, Bothof said: ‘I don't know who it's coming from.’ @GBPhoenix added women's golf about five years ago to help with current gender equity. Adding hockey likely would require major adjustments.” http://twitter.com/WesHod

Highway 41. More on how fire departments in Green Bay, Howard and Ashwaubenon are teaming up to maintain emergency services around the Highway 41 construction site during the expected seven-month shutdown of W. Mason St. Officials developed the cooperative arrangement in response to losing Mason as an east-west corridor in the area during construction and concerns about traffic congestion on surrounding streets. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120207/GPG0101/202070450/Highway-41-fire-departments-transportation-emergency-services-road-construction

De Pere. The new De Pere Menards store at 1313 Lawrence Dr. along Highway 41 near Walmart is set to open Feb. 14. Another new Menards is being built in Howard. It’s been anticipated an older and smaller store in Ashwaubenon will close once the new locations are up and running. http://twitter.com/NathanPhelpsPG

Oshkosh FYI. Oshkosh Corp. shareholders have thwarted billionaire investor Carl Icahn's attempt to gain six seats on the company's 13-member board of directors. Meanwhile, profits at the company fell by nearly two-thirds its fiscal first quarter on lower sales of some military vehicles and parts. Oshkosh Corp. is the largest private employer in Oshkosh, with an estimated 4,500 employees. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120128/GPG03/201280600/Oshkosh-Corp-backers-foil-Icahn-s-board-directors-plan and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120201/GPG03/202010586/Oshkosh-profit-falls-slow-defense-sales and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120127/GPG03/201270479/Oshkosh-Corp-fights-control-its-board-directors

Just In. "UW-Green Bay Has No Plans to Launch Hockey Program" http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120207/GPG020101/120207148/

Bay2Bay

February 8th, 2012, 04:37 AM

GBObserver

February 8th, 2012, 05:28 PM

For what it's worth, I was poking around the Frontier Airline website and noticed under their Routes and Schedules, Seasonal Service, Wisconsin Service the following...

"We fly to Madison, Milwaukee and Rhinelander in Wisconsin year-round, but add service to Green Bay during the peak summer season (May through September). Check our listing below for specific information.
Denver to / from: Green Bay 2012 Seasonal Service Dates TBD"

So, according to this it looks like Frontier should be back in Green Bay this summer.

And to add another voice to the chorus, I too appreciate the updates Tower Park!

There is a press conference at the airport as we speak announcing a new service, Metjet, which will offer nonstop flights to Orlando and other locations. Perhaps Frontier will be reintroduced, too.

Service to Orlando and Minneapolis begin from Austin Straubel on 5/25/12. 737 planes operated by Sun Country. www.metjet.net

GBObserver

February 8th, 2012, 06:10 PM

Morse

February 8th, 2012, 07:50 PM

Proposals are being solicited for developing the property adjacent to the Meyer. Numerous proposals were submitted over the last decade but none, obviously, have come through. Hoping that this attempt will be different.

Are you able to tell us if the Theatre Board is just reaching out to developers at this time or is there an actual viable option (s) that have stepped forward and are being discussed/planned?

Thanks Observer!

GBObserver

February 8th, 2012, 08:13 PM

Are you able to tell us if the Theatre Board is just reaching out to developers at this time or is there an actual viable option (s) that have stepped forward and are being discussed/planned?

Thanks Observer!

You're welcome. The proposal deadline on the RFP is 5pm on Friday, Feb 24th, 2012 my guess is that reviews to narrow the field won't occur until near deadline.

They are looking for:
Professional services (legal, cpa, etc)
High end restaurant
Gallery
Dance Studio
Fitness training

Jschmuck

February 8th, 2012, 11:46 PM

Thanks Tower for your work!

I wonder if any proposal for the property adjacent to the Meyer would/could include a skywalk to the Cherry Street parking structure.

Tower Park

February 9th, 2012, 03:17 AM

Austin Straubel. Picking up on the scoop by GBObserver, a new airline with offices in downtown De Pere announced today it will begin weekend service May 25 from Austin Straubel airport with direct flights between Green Bay and Minneapolis and Orlando. The airline, MetJet Inc., also said it could add future direct flights to cities like Dallas and Phoenix. "We're sure Orlando is going to be a success. But as we grow what we'll also do is recommit to bringing new cities to Green Bay," said founder and CEO Michael Heisman. "Dallas makes sense, Phoenix makes sense. Green Bay can definitely support those markets on their own." Plans call for using 162-passenger Boeing 737s. Flights to Orlando International Airport will depart Fridays and Saturdays. Return flights will leave Orlando Saturdays and Sundays. Flights to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will depart Saturdays and Sundays. Flights from MSP to GRB will be on Fridays and Saturdays. MetJet currently employs 20 people in De Pere and expects to add more once service starts. MetJet image below. Company background information at http://www.metjet.net/index.asp News coverage at http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/metjet-offering-non-stop-flight-to-orlando and http://www.wbay.com/story/16770800/2012/02/08/de-pere-airline-to-offer-non-stop-flights-to-orlando and http://www.flygrb.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/MetJet%20press%20release-2-8-2012-Final.pdf

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/metjet737.jpg

Lambeau Field. Picking up on the post by Morse, the Ashwaubenon Plan Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of rezoning expected to lead to demolition of two houses on Stadium Drive just south of Lambeau Field. The Packers own the houses and want the space to make room for media parking, particularly mobile-broadcast trucks. Work could begin in April. The Packers say they have no plans for commercial development north or south of the stadium. Commercial development — such as retail, hotels or entertainment businesses — would be east and west of the stadium. The team met with about 70 residents in January to discuss plans and answer questions. Press-Gazette photo. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120208/GPG03/202080628/Packers-seek-OK-raze-houses-parking

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-28.jpg

Ashwaubenon, De Pere, Howard, Bellevue. The Menards store at 905 Waube Ln. in Ashwaubenon is scheduled to close Feb. 24. The new Menards opening next Tuesday in De Pere off Highway 41 will be called a Menards Mega Store. The new Menards under construction in Howard off Highway 41 is expected to open this spring, but an exact date has yet to be determined. The Menards in Bellevue off I-43 is being remodeled. Menards is based in Eau Claire and has 262 home improvement/building supply stores in 13 states. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120208/GPG03/202080631/Menards-De-Pere-open-Tuesday?odyssey=nav|head

Ashwaubenon. What may be the first Vietnamese restaurant in the Green Bay metro area has opened in Ashwaubenon. It’s Pho #1 Noodle & Grill and is located at 2201 S. Oneida St. I’m told it opened around last August. Interestingly, on its website, the restaurant offers directions “from Hobart,” “from Bellevue,” “from Wrightstown” and “from Pulaski.” http://www.pho1noodlegrill.com/about/home.htm

Downtown. The City Council on Tuesday agreed to vacate part or all of Gregby Way for the Schreiber Foods Inc. development. . . . Because of lagging demand, the council voted to end seasonal dock rentals at the city-owned marina downtown, converting it to transient boating only. . . . The council also voted to allow a bartender’s license for Wendy Knight, former owner of the now-defunct The District tavern at 126 S. Adams St. (formerly The Stein). Knight was the tavern’s owner when police last year issued six liquor-license violations. She was convicted in part of serving underage patrons, gave up her liquor license and The District closed last September. . . . The new Main Oriental Market at N. Monroe Ave. and Pine St. is now open in a portion of the former MGL Fitness Inc. building. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120208/GPG0101/202080611/Ex-tavern-owner-can-get-license-tend-bar?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s and http://twitter.com/PGscottwilliams and Main Oriental Market sign

Manitowoc FYI. The EPA will let operators of the passenger ferry S.S. Badger apply for a permit to continue dumping coal ash into Lake Michigan. The Badger typically puts more than 500 tons of waste ash into the lake every year during its crossings between Manitowoc and Ludington. The EPA had previously set a December deadline for the company to stop the practice. The Badger will be allowed to continue its current operations as methods are studied to convert the ship from burning coal to natural gas. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120208/GPG0101/120208065/EPA-Badger-ferry-can-apply-continue-coal-ash-dumping?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

Tower Park

February 9th, 2012, 03:18 AM

From a five-minute report at http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/on_assignment/water-mark-finally-making-progress An earlier version today of the video posted with this story made some mention, as I remember it, of one business, I think, (unnamed) potentially taking up nearly an entire floor of WaterMark. Jeff Mirkes will be the guest this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on the program "CW14 Focus" on Channel 14. http://www.cw14online.com/subindex/local_shows/cw_14_focus

WaterMark Finally Making Progress
Updated: Wednesday, 08 Feb 2012, 6:09 PM CST
Published: Wednesday, 08 Feb 2012, 4:00 AM CST

by Robert Hornacek
WLUK-TV

For Milwaukee area developer John Vetter, it's almost time to celebrate.

"Honestly, my excitement almost doubles on a weekly basis," Vetter said.

Why is he so excited? Because he has spent nearly a decade trying to re-develop the old Younkers building in downtown Green Bay. But the project has bogged down in delays.

Harry Maier watched the lack of progress from the front row. He's the chairman of the city's Redevelopment Authority.

"You have to recognize, Robert, the frustration of this project over the last four years has been something," Maier told FOX 11 On Special Assignment reporter Robert Hornacek. "Everywhere I went I always got a question, 'What's happening downtown?' And it was a tough one to answer because I didn't have the answer."

Now, the persistence is finally starting to pay off with what's now known as the WaterMark project , a six-story, mixed-use development.

"I'm very proud of what we've done here because I frankly don't think anyone else would've. They would've given up a long time ago," Vetter said.

When he came to town in 2004, Vetter saw opportunities but was met with obstacles. Shortly after the city gave Vetter the go-ahead, financing dried up. Vetter says even now, getting the money for a project like this is a challenge.

"It's kind of impossible on a national level to finance speculative real estate and that's what this is considered. This is considered speculative real estate. Those days pretty much are gone, you can't really do that anymore unless you're independently wealthy or you have it 100% leased," Vetter said.

Despite the obstacles, the WaterMark project is moving finally moving forward.

"The fact that we were able to pull this off is a remarkable piece of business," Vetter said as he toured his signature project with FOX 11.

The ground level of the WaterMark features the Children's Museum and Hagemeister Park restaurant along with some retail. The next three floors will be offices. The top two floors will be condos, 18 of them in all.

Of course, not everyone is happy with the project. Ald. Guy Zima is Vetter's chief critic.

"Preserving the ugly nature of the old Younkers building, I was really hoping for something a little more dynamic, something more beautiful, something you could really be proud of our downtown," Zima said.

One of Vetter's biggest supporters over the years, Mayor Jim Schmitt, is very proud of the project.

"Yeah, it's about time," Schmitt said. "But I know the finished product we're going to see there and it's going to be awesome."

Despite years of delays, Schmitt has stuck with his developer.

"You know, I am an optimist and I never thought it wasn't going to happen but boy we had some dark times with that project," Schmitt said.

While the WaterMark is well on its way, Harry Maier concedes the project has changed over the years.

"It's been scaled down. There's no doubt," Maier said.

The original plans called for a hotel, water park and condo project valued at $48.5 million. Now, it's closer to $22 million.

FOX 11 On Special Assignment asked Vetter to explain the difference.

"That's a little bit news to me," Vetter said. "I don't know that it was ever quite that high. I think there was talk you know, in the height of a heated market there's talk of doing things. What I like about this project: It's realistic.

"This is the right size. I think this is the right size for the market in Green Bay. Too often, and I think in the height of the market, everyone got a head of their skis. And I think all that talk at that value was probably not really substantiated by the market that existed here," Vetter said.

Zima has another view.

"John Vetter hasn't fulfilled a single promise he made," Zima said. The long-time alderman also questions the funding of the project, including $2 million in state tax credits and a $3.5 million loan from the city.

"The city is at risk," Zima contends. "It's the city's money that's in the Younkers building right now."

When asked if the project would happen without the tax credits and loan, Vetter quickly replied, "Absolutely not."

"The city made a loan," Vetter added. "They get paid a nice interest rate. The city is making money on this deal. They didn't give the money. It's not a gift. It's not a subsidy. It's not a bailout."

The residential condos at the WaterMark will be available to the public starting on March 15.

Tower Park

February 9th, 2012, 03:18 AM

http://www.wbay.com/story/16772693/2012/02/08/businesses-moving-to-downtown-green-bay

Interest Is Building in Downtown Green Bay
Updated: Feb 08, 2012 6:16 PM CST

by Kristyn Allen
WBAY-TV

With downtown Green Bay in the midst of a dramatic makeover, more businesses are interested in calling it home.

Tom Hinz and his wife have owned the sixth floor of the Bellin Building for more than 20 years. After making renovations last August, he says the floor is now 30 percent occupied.

"It's an increase. It's improving because the people that we have renting up here now are fairly new and they like it down here," Hinz said.

It's been more than 15 years since the sixth floor of the Bellin Building was full, but in recent weeks there have been nearly ten inquiries from businesses looking to move downtown.

"Hopefully we'll get it all rented out over the next several months," Hinz said.

Hinz credits that interest to the new Schreiber Foods headquarters and global technology center that's set to be built on the site of the vacant Washington Commons mall.

"It's like Schreibers has given the downtown stamp of approval for Green Bay by building a corporate office here. They could've moved somewhere else, but they're giving their approval by moving down here," said Hinz.

"Schreiber will be under construction for the next two years, so part of our efforts is to keep activating downtown. That is a big draw as well," Downtown Green Bay Inc. executive director Jeff Mirkes said.

Great Lakes Asset Corp. has been looking for space in downtown Green Bay for nearly a year and is close to signing a lease.

"Downtown Green Bay has made so many amazing changes lately that it seemed like the right place for us to be," executive director Cindy Esterling said.

The small business lender has been on Green Bay's west side for 20 years.

With a downtown location, Esterling said, "We will be able to get the information out a little easier about what our product is and how it benefits businesses in the area."

Growing interest seems to be a trend.

The office occupancy rate is now at 86 percent, according to Downtown Green Bay Inc., and it is rising again.

Just before the recession hit, occupancy was 90 percent.

"Comparatively at any given time we might have four, five, or six entrepreneurs looking at downtown. Right now we have a list of 15 inquiries," Mirkes said.

While there has been a lot of interest in bringing in new restaurants and office space in the downtown district, one challenge is bringing in small retail stores. Efforts are under way to attract more retailers.

"What can be attractive to them is great rates on space, close proximity to things happening, and those are the things we will continue to highlight as we talk with entrepreneurs," Mirkes said.

Mirkes says it's the right mix of businesses and retailers that makes a successful downtown.

"We do have ongoing efforts to attract the right kind of retail. I will admit over the years trying to attract big box retail to the downtown has been unsuccessful," he said.

Tower Park

February 10th, 2012, 06:25 AM

Schreiber Foods. This from WLUK today in a report on the Schreiber Foods Inc. development: "The company has not released any specific plans for the project, other than to say the company headquarters and global technology center will likely be housed in one building." That's different from previous public statements that indicated Schreiber would construct separate headquarters and technology buildings. "I can't tell you a whole lot about what it's going to look like and that's what most people are wondering about," says a Schreiber official. "But we're pretty deep into the design phase right now, kind of gathering a lot of data, and we've made a lot of progress." The design of the Schreiber project is expected to be made public in April or May, with construction starting later this year. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/on_assignment/downtown-mall-makes-way-for-schreiber

Downtown. The build-out of the Hagemeister Park restaurant has begun. And DGBI is fielding more inquiries from businesses potentially interested in locating in WaterMark. http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=111512

Neville Public Museum. OBI is welcoming Cong. Reid Ribble to the Broadway District for a town meeting on Monday from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Neville Public Museum. The event will focus on the Main Street Program and its "economies and realities." The public is welcome but seating is limited. Refreshments provided. RSVP. From the latest edition of OBI's "Broadway Beat." http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-On-Broadway-Inc-.html?soid=1102808930981&aid=EEJ-ByRk5kI

Downtown. The Downtown Neighborhood Association will hold a special meeting on Thursday, Feb. 16, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Community Room at Flats on the Fox. There will be election of directors and officers plus a meet-and-greet with three aldermanic candidates. From the latest edition of DGBI's "What's Up Downtown." http://campaignbox.imagedistillery.com/t/ViewEmail/r/1499B37C6068F4CE/D6ED4EA4F8EE7430A2432AF2E34A2A5F

Austin Straubel. MetJet Inc. says its fares will be competitive with air fares in Milwaukee. The cost of its round-trip flight between Green Bay and Orlando starting in May is about $320. For the record, the company doesn't intend to be an airline but, rather, a travel provider that charters flights from existing air carriers. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120209/GPG03/202090503/MetJet-offer-nonstop-flights-from-Green-Bay-Orlando-Minneapolis-

Resch Center. In the latest public development in the bidding war between Green Bay and Madison for the WIAA high school basketball tournaments, the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District is offering a $25,000 contribution to the WIAA to help defray first-year expenses. It's also potentially offering an additional contribution of up to $25,000. A final decision on where to hold the tournaments could come by March. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120209/GPG0101/202090523/Stadium-district-offers-25K-WIAA-basketball-tournament-moves-Resch-Center?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-News

Stadium District. WFRV reports four houses on Stadium Drive in Ashwaubenon just south of Lambeau Field have been sold the past six months to what the station describes as "private investors" and two more houses are now for sale. "This is extremely popular" says one Realtor. "914 [Stadium Drive] started the trend and that happened in September . . . They sold their property for three times what it's worth, for $314,000." The Packers buy houses near the stadium based on their location and asking price. This report seems to suggest, I think, that others may be buying property in the neighborhood as well. http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=111452

Tower Park

February 11th, 2012, 01:05 AM

ACE Marine. Marinette Marine Corp. has received an $89.6 million order from the U.S. Coast Guard for 40 more utility boats, half of them to be built at the company's ACE Marine LLC subsidiary in Green Bay. The other 20 will be built in Washington state. Delivery of the 40 boats - called Response Boats-Medium - is scheduled to begin in 2013. The boats are used for search and rescue, recreational boating safety, environmental protection, law enforcement, port and waterway security, and defense operations. ACE has about 50 employees at its production facility along the Fox River downtown at 201 S. Pearl St. It typically builds 15 to 18 of the response boats per year. ACE photo. http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=320172301368053&id=248380511880566 and http://www.jsonline.com/business/coast-guard-orders-40-rescue-boats-from-marinette-marine-3n458p8-139102479.html and http://www.wbay.com/story/16910960/2012/02/10/marinette-marine-signs-89-million-us-coast-guard-contract

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/RB-M1.jpg

Broadway District & Olde Main Area. Items on Tuesday's 2/14/2012 RDA meeting agenda: 2. Review and approval of Development Agreement with Northcoast Productions for 414-418 Dousman Street. Recommendation: Approve Development Agreement for 414-418 Dousman Street subject to technical legal adjustments to the Agreement as may be deemed necessary by the Parties. 6. Award of contract for Roundabout Feasibility Study for Walnut and Baird Street. Recommendation: Approve award of contract. (That would be at East High School and Joannes Park and the entrance to Joannes Stadium.) http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mins_agd/

Washington Commons. Some construction fencing is up and some trucks are on site at Washington Commons in advance of its demolition.

KI Convention Center. The Bellevue Village Board has voted in favor of allocating the proposed Green Bay area hotel room-tax increase entirely to tourism marketing. Municipalities in Brown County are voting on whether a 2-percent increase in the tax should go to the visitors bureau for marketing purposes or to be split between that and funding for a proposed expansion of the KI Convention Center. There's also talk of using monies for maintenance of the Resch Center. Mayor Schmitt had asked the board to delay its vote, but Village Administrator Aaron Oppenheimer said it would be possible to revisit the issue after more information became available. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120209/GPG0101/202090527/-1/7daysarchives/Bellevue-board-Put-county-hotel-tax-toward-marketing

Lambeau Field. The Green Bay Packers on Thursday announced a $3 to $5 per-ticket price increase for the coming season, bringing ticket costs to $72, $80 and $92, depending on location. It’s the third consecutive year the team has raised ticket prices. Between 2007 and 2010, there were no increases. In 2010, prices went up $8 to $11, and last year, $2 to $4. “Our goal each year is to be at the league average in terms of our tickets prices,” says President and CEO Mark Murphy. “This increase maintains our position near the league average.” FYI, a chart in the print edition of today's Press-Gazette shows Packers ticket prices in 1990 were $18 and $22. http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120209/PKR01/120209096/Green-Bay-Packers-ticket-prices-increase-raise-Lambeau-Field?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Howard. Anduzzi's Sports Club has opened a sports bar and grill in Howard at 2555 Lineville Rd. Anduzzi's also has locations in Ashwaubenon and downtown Appleton. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120208/GPG03/202080626/-1/7daysarchives/Anduzzi-s-Sports-Club-expands-Howard and http://www.anduzzis.com/

Sturgeon Bay FYI. Yacht-building is picking up in Sturgeon Bay, with four yachts in various stages of construction in the Palmer Johnson yard downtown. As a result, employment at the company is expected to reach 150 to 200 over the next two years. One of the four boats under construction is a 215-foot luxury yacht called "Project Stimulus," the largest ever built by Palmer Johnson in Door County. Palmer Johnson photo of a similar yacht. http://www.doorcountyadvocate.com/article/20120128/ADV01/201280427/Palmer-Johnson-sells-two-large-yachts-ensuring-150-200-shipyard-jobs?odyssey=nav%7Chead

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde1-9.jpg

Tower Park

February 12th, 2012, 04:38 AM

St. Norbert College. Has opened another new campus building, the $7.7 million Michels Commons, a remodeling of the former Sensenbrenner Memorial Union with space added. Includes a new food court and dining room seating 600, sports lounge, rotunda with large windows, a new second-story ballroom, reception spaces and outdoor patios plus space for an expanded and remodeled Peace and Justice Center. The family of Ruth and the late Dale Michels donated the funding for the project. Michels Corp. of Brownsville, located south of Fond du Lac, is one of the largest utility contractors in North America. Three of the Michels' children attended St. Norbert, and a granddaughter is a student. Other new and remodeled St. Norbert building projects in recent years have included the Ariens Family Welcome Center (2011), Schneider Stadium (2010), Wehr Hall (2010), Mulva Library (2009) and Gries Hall (2009). Michels Commons will be dedicated March 2. Press-Gazette photo and SNC rendering. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120211/GPG0101/202110597/St-Norbert-College-opens-7-7M-commons?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s and http://www.snc.edu/michelscommons/about.html

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde4-14.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/michelscommonsse1.jpg

ACE Marine. The Journal Sentinel says all 40 of the utility boats just ordered from Marinette Marine Corp. by the Coast Guard will be built in Green Bay. The order is part of a multiyear contract awarded three years ago that could be worth more than $600 million and involve the construction of 250 boats, with half built at ACE Marine LLC and half in Washington state. Thus far, the Coast Guard has ordered 166 of the new 45-foot boats. "This is a big deal for us," says Marinette Marine President and CEO Chuck Goddard. "There is at least another year left on the contract, and we hope it's more than that." The Coast Guard is replacing an aging fleet of 41-foot boats used at stations across the country since the 1970s. The agency wants boats that are faster and more technologically advanced than the older vessels. The new boats have mounted weapons, night surveillance gear and the latest available radar and communications equipment. The Journal Sentinel says ACE Marine now employs 60 people. http://www.jsonline.com/business/coast-guard-orders-40-rescue-boats-from-marinette-marine-3n458p8-139102479.html and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120211/GPG03/202110584/Marinette-Marine-build-40-more-Coast-Guard-boats

Resch Center. In a new reported development, WBAY says that Friday was the deadline for Green Bay and Madison to submit any counter-proposals for hosting the state high school basketball tournaments. A decision by the WIAA could be made in March or later. "We have a very, very attractive proposal that the WIAA Board of Control will have before they begin their deliberations," says Deb Archer of the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We have always been told it's not about money. That's what the WIAA has told us, it's not to be a bidding war, it's not about money. And so we look at our package as being about Madison, what Madison has to offer." http://www.wbay.com/story/16911203/2012/02/10/bidding-war-may-delay-wiaa-decision-on-basketball-tournament

Austin Straubel. The FAA is expected to decide by August if Austin Straubel airport will get a new air-traffic control tower. The current 62-foot-tall structure was built in 1967. A new tower could be built at three different sites on the west side of the airport and would be taller and include a much larger area for controllers and equipment atop the tower. It would be a stand-alone facility, and the tower cab would be at least three times the size of the existing tower cab. Meanwhile, a new public safety building at the airport is expected to be finished late this year, with crews moving into the new and larger facility in early 2013. That project is unrelated to the pending tower project. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120211/GPG03/202110582/Austin-Straubel-airport-may-get-new-control-tower

Green Bay Packers. A movie about Vince Lombardi by ESPN Films starring Robert De Niro in the title role will not be made after all. Press-Gazette columnist Warren Gerds says the project has fallen through, "proving again that announcing that a movie is going to be made and completing it are two different things." The movie "Lombardi" had been announced in March 2010 and was to premiere the week leading up to this year's Super Bowl. http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120211/GPG04/202110518/Warren-Gerds-column-Lombardi-again-cinematic-no-show?odyssey=nav|head

Bay2Bay

February 12th, 2012, 07:10 PM

For what it's worth, I was poking around the Frontier Airline website and noticed under their Routes and Schedules, Seasonal Service, Wisconsin Service the following...

"We fly to Madison, Milwaukee and Rhinelander in Wisconsin year-round, but add service to Green Bay during the peak summer season (May through September). Check our listing below for specific information.
Denver to / from: Green Bay 2012 Seasonal Service Dates TBD"

So, according to this it looks like Frontier should be back in Green Bay this summer.

And to add another voice to the chorus, I too appreciate the updates Tower Park!

In an aritcle in todays online GBPG it looks like Fontier Airlines has told the airport director they will not be returning to GRB this year with seasonal service... http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120212/GPG03/202120612/Green-Bay-airport-seeks-more-flights?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

Tower Park

February 13th, 2012, 01:00 AM

Washington Commons. Leading paragraphs from a front-page story in today's Press-Gazette about memories of the former Port Plaza Mall, later renamed Washington Commons: "To those who worked at Green Bay's downtown shopping mall, the impending bulldozers make for a bittersweet occasion. It gives them time to reflect on happier times when they were part of a vibrant downtown scene filled with energy and excitement for many years. And soon they'll be left with only memories." First image shows the front page of what was then Green Bay's morning daily when the Port Plaza Mall opened in 1977. Bird's-eye view of the mall area is from 1998, when the new Main St. bridge was under construction and a time we now know that Port Plaza was on the verge of or beginning a decline. Center court photo is from 2001 after the interior of the mall had been remodeled at least once. The final photo, from 2002, shows how the mall's connection to the Younkers department store (at left) cut off Washington St., at one time Green Bay's prime downtown retail street. Photographs from the Press-Gazette. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120212/GPG0101/202120620/Former-Port-Plaza-Mall-workers-say-farewell-just-place-?odyssey=mod|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/4326851244_65194285a61.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde500.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde3-6.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde4-15.jpg

Downtown. DGBI Executive Director Jeff Mirkes talks about what the downtown was like when he started with the organization in 1999: "From what I recall, there wasn't a lot of confidence. There wasn't much direction. And there really wasn't that much happening. . . . I think what was really taking place is we really began to see the demise of retail in our downtown, . . . the beginning of the spiral for what was the Port Plaza Mall at the time. . . . When that Boston Store building closed, when those front doors were locked and the windows were papered, that led to the exodus of the retailers that were there. . . . Retail was becoming very suburbanized. The nationals wanted to be by the rooftops and they wanted to be by the highways. Downtown needed to find a way." Mirkes says the new Cherry St. and Pine St. landings on CityDeck should be ready by midsummer. (Sorry, I missed the last half of this half-hour interview today on the "CW14 Focus" program, and only the first 11.5 minutes are posted.) Press-Gazette photo of Boston Store shortly before its closing in 2000. That closing was followed by the closings of Younkers in 2004, J.C. Penney in 2005 and Washington Commons in 2006. http://www.cw14online.com/subindex/local_shows/cw_14_focus

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde5-15.jpg

Days Inn. Here's another full-page historical piece in the Press-Gazette by Michael Iwinski, former chair of the Green Bay Historic Preservation Commission, this one on the history of the former Days Inn property, which is said to have had a hotel on it since the 1830s: the Washington House (1830-1853), the Beaumont House (1860-1909), the Beaumont Hotel (1909-1963), and the Beaumont Motor Inn/Beaumont Inn (ground-breaking 1964, opened 1965). The Beaumont later became the Days Inn. First photo is from the city and is said to show the Washington House. Second photo from 1890, from the Otto Stiller Collection of the Neville Public Museum, looking east on old Main St. from the Main St. Bridge area. Third is a postcard from the ca. 1940s. The fourth photo is a smaller version of a photo posted recently by lookingglass showing the Beaumont Motor Inn shortly after its opening in 1965. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120212/GPG06/202120617/Check-out-time-historic-hotel-site

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/washington_house1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde4-16.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/beahot1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/beaumont.jpg

mgk920

February 13th, 2012, 05:56 AM

In an aritcle in todays online GBPG it looks like Fontier Airlines has told the airport director they will not be returning to GRB this year with seasonal service... http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120212/GPG03/202120612/Green-Bay-airport-seeks-more-flights?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p
I don't have any article links handy, but Frontier also announced a couple of days ago that they will soon be cutting back BIG TIME at Milwaukee-Mitchell (MKE), perhaps to as few as ten round-trip arrivals/departures per day.

:badnews:

Mike

Morse

February 13th, 2012, 06:11 AM

First of all, I also would like to thank Tower for all that you do! I look forward to your posts everyday and your efforts are much appreciated by everyone! Again, thank you so much!

I listened to the Jeff Mirkes interview as well and it was fun to hear. I didn't initially realize this but they have this broken down to three segments online with the other two are being linked underneath part one. A couple other nuggets that Jeff mentioned were the following:

-The pent up demand for downtown residential and the Schreiber development helped convince John Vetter to re-visit designating the top two floors of the Watermark to condos. The views are fantastic and Jeff reported that a gentlemen just picked out his condo.

-Momentum downtown is building. Usually at this time of year, DTGB has five or six inquiries about downtown availability whether it be office, restaurant, etc. This year they have 15 inquiries and several announcements should be made over the next few weeks.

-Jeff mentioned that updated statistics indicate office occupancy on the fox river is at 95%. He stated that there will be another announcement in a couple of weeks of a office tenant announcing a waterfront office location.

-The downtown condos are doing very well and people are showing a lot of interest in living on the top two floors of the Hotel Northland. The city is working with the owner and interested developers.

-Jeff thinks the future will include opportunities for urban residential living and there is a large demand for housing. He also thinks the downtown will continue to grow as family friendly and eclectic.

Night Rider

February 14th, 2012, 02:17 AM

What year did that parking ramp come down that is located by the old Younkers? Was that the ramp that fell apart during the 4rth?

Puant

February 14th, 2012, 02:47 AM

What year did that parking ramp come down that is located by the old Younkers? Was that the ramp that fell apart during the 4rth?

It was July 4 2001 when the lady fell to her death after the wall she was leaning against crumbled. My wife and I were standing on the bridge when that happened. I think the ramp came down in 2002.

Night Rider

February 14th, 2012, 02:56 AM

Thanks.

nowpc2

February 14th, 2012, 03:03 AM

When we had our computer store downtown we parked on the top floor of that ramp, always scared me...

It was July 4 2001 when the lady fell to her death after the wall she was leaning against crumbled. My wife and I were standing on the bridge when that happened. I think the ramp came down in 2002.

Bay2Bay

February 14th, 2012, 03:32 AM

When I was a boy; many, many moons ago that ramp was relatively new. One particular day an older women had a heart attack while trying to park on that ramp -- her foot hit the gas pedal and she and her passenger smashed through the barrciade and plunged to their deaths in the river below.

Tower Park

February 14th, 2012, 04:29 AM

oops, double post

Tower Park

February 14th, 2012, 04:38 AM

Downtown. Good catch, Morse. I thought most interesting of the second and third parts of the Mirkes interview on "CW14 Focus" was when Mirkes said an "office tenant . . . will be announcing very soon a waterfront office location" and that other announcements could also be coming up. Host and reporter Robert Hornacek concluded the interview with this commentary: "You know, I've spent most of my career in television covering downtown Green Bay, and I've come across two types of people. One is forever the optimist. No matter what's happening, they see potential and progress. The other side sees what used to be. They seem to not have the ability to see what the future holds, but they're very sure it won't be like the past. My question for you at home today is where do you come down? Do you think the downtown glass of water is half full or half empty? Well, with all the major projects finally moving forward, it certainly looks now that that glass is getting a little fuller."

ACE Marine. The new Coast Guard order means ACE Marine LLC has a backlog of work now through 2014. The company says it expected an order for 30 boats so was pleasantly surprised when the government wanted 40. "This is a great product for the Coast Guard. They love it," says Chuck Goddard, President and CEO of ACE's parent company, Marinette Marine Corp. "I meet with them every two weeks, and they tell me how much they love these boats and what they do for them." ACE Marine opened in 2008. http://www.wbay.com/story/16910960/2012/02/10/marinette-marine-signs-89-million-us-coast-guard-contract

NWTC, UWGB & SNC. NWTC has 7,009 full-time-equivalent students for the current spring semester, compared to 7,265 last spring. The number of students overall this semester, however, has increased to 35,291, compared to 32,762 a year ago. That means more students are taking fewer credits. At UWGB, spring enrollment is at 6,068, compared to 6,190 last spring. Last fall, the final UWGB enrollment was a record 6,665 (fall enrollment at the university typically is higher). St. Norbert College doesn't track spring enrollment but had a record 2,173 students last fall. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120213/GPG0101/202130453/Area-colleges-credit-economy-fluctuating-enrollment-numbers?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Green Bay/Door County. Permits to construct new homes rose 20% in Wisconsin's five largest population centers in January, helped by boosts in the Green Bay-Door County and Racine-Kenosha areas. There were 144 building permits issued last month for new single-family houses or duplexes in Greater Milwaukee, Dane County, Green Bay-Door County, the Fox Valley and the Racine-Kenosha area. That compared to 120 in January 2011. Permits in the Greater Milwaukee area fell to 49 from 51 while growing in Dane County from 32 to 33. They jumped to 26 from 9 in the Green Bay-Door County area, the Fox Valley was unchanged at 22, and permits increased to 14 from 6 in the Racine-Kenosha market. http://www.jsonline.com/business/new-home-starts-up-20-in-states-largest-metro-areas-u4462tn-139216104.html

Highway 41. An open house will be held Wednesday to discuss reconstruction of the Highway 41/Main Ave. interchange. The meeting will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the F.K. Bemis Conference Center at St. Norbert College. A business-only session is scheduled from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the same location. Work on the interchange is set to begin March 5. Work continues on two other interchanges - Highway 29 and W. Mason St. - and will also start later this year at Lombardi Ave. WisDOT map. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120212/GPG0101/202120621/-1/7daysarchives/De-Pere-Main-Avenue-road-construction-work

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-13at45936PM.jpg

Resch Center. The Green Bay Gamblers drew a season-high crowd of 7,507 in their win over Chicago Saturday night at the Resch Center for their 13th annual Teddy Bear Toss promotion. GB remains in first place in the USHL Eastern Conference. Photo by Dan Reynard via flickr of a previous Gamblers teddy-bear game at the Resch. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120212/GPG0209/202120586/-1/7daysarchives/Green-Bay-Gamblers-Chicago-Steel-USHL-teddy-bear-toss

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-13at51402PM.jpg

Marinette FYI. The U.S. Navy combat ship USS Freedom, built in Marinette, suffered another setback recently when it developed a leak off the coast of California and was forced to return to port. It was at least the fourth serious problem the ship - the first in its class - has encountered since commissioned in 2008. Meanwhile, the president's proposed fiscal year 2013 federal budget unveiled Monday includes funding for two more combat ships like the Freedom to be built at Marinette Marine Corp. The proposal could bring close to a billion dollars in new business to the company. http://www.jsonline.com/business/marinettebuilt-navy-ship-hits-choppy-seas-3n45agj-139198394.html and http://www.wbay.com/story/16926123/2012/02/13/obama-budget-could-bring-1-billion-to-marinette-area and http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=322351467816803&id=248380511880566

gbmphillips

February 14th, 2012, 05:17 AM

Don't be surprised if the new project downtown is now no more than a single building no taller than 3 stories.

Green Bay roots

February 14th, 2012, 01:46 PM

Don't be surprised if the new project downtown is now no more than a single building no taller than 3 stories.

GBMPhillips....i'm going to bet you are a half empty kinda guy! I'm all for criticism but this isn't even that, This is just a pessimistic attitude over speculation. :ohno:

jerkylips999

February 14th, 2012, 04:47 PM

gbmphillips

February 14th, 2012, 04:51 PM

GBMPhillips....i'm going to bet you are a half empty kinda guy! I'm all for criticism but this isn't even that, This is just a pessimistic attitude over speculation. :ohno:Well I guess if you include the lower level, what we normally call a basement you could say it will be four floors. Actually its a little more than just speculation, bit I guess we will see how close I am in a few short months.

gbgoose

February 14th, 2012, 05:17 PM

I think this may have been discussed at some point in the past, but I don't recall. When the new Schreiber building opens, how is employee parking going to be handled? Are they using the existing Main St. ramp?

I don't know what the capacity of that ramp is, but with the potential for KI Center expansion & bigger events there, will that ramp have the capacity for both the Schreiber employees & bigger events?

I'm no longer at my assignment at Schreiber so I don't have a lot of the inside info, but one thing I did learn was the walkway from the Main St ramp behind the US Bank / Schreiber building was also going to be utilized in the new building. I've heard options of what the new building would look like, but they did not share anything with their employees aside of a couple of town hall meetings.

I also want to add my thanks to Tower for all of the great and detailed updates in the area.

Danillo

February 14th, 2012, 06:33 PM

Don't be surprised if the new project downtown is now no more than a single building no taller than 3 stories.

Who knows, but there's nothing wrong with a three story building. If a business wants to come down here and build a nice, three story building, then fantastic. One could have said, before Nicolet Bank was built, that it's going to be "no more than a 4 story building," but I don't think that phrase would exactly capture the impact that building has has in the downtown. So, if it's indeed true that there'd be a new three story building, the question is if it's a good three stories or a poorly designed three stories.

I think this may have been discussed at some point in the past, but I don't recall. When the new Schreiber building opens, how is employee parking going to be handled? Are they using the existing Main St. ramp?

I don't know what the capacity of that ramp is, but with the potential for KI Center expansion & bigger events there, will that ramp have the capacity for both the Schreiber employees & bigger events?

Expect to see some surface parking on the Schreiber campus as well. That's a big site for the footprint those buildings will have.

Morse

February 14th, 2012, 08:08 PM

Tower Park

February 15th, 2012, 12:38 AM

Veterans Administration Clinic. Preliminary site work is done and vertical beams are now going up for the new $60 million Veterans Administration Clinic at Highway 54/57 and University Ave. in the city. Scheduled for completion in 2013. Rendering from Summit Smith Healthcare Facilities.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/greenBayBig4-1.jpg

Brown County. Five businesses, organizations and sites received Historic Preservation Awards for 2011 from the Brown County Historical Society at the group’s annual meeting Sunday night at the Clarion Hotel downtown. Congratulations to all!

• ARTgarage, 1409 Main St., originally part of the Green Bay Canning Co.
• Kavarna & Parisi’s Delicatessen, 143 N. Broadway, originally the Jones Motor Co.
• Breakthrough Fuel LLC, 400 S. Washington St., originally the Milwaukee Road Passenger Depot.
• Old Ford Square, 421 George St., De Pere, formerly the Toonen Ford Auto Garage.
• Ashwaubenon Historical Society headquarters, 737 Cormier Rd., former Ashwaubenon Water & Sewer Utility Pump House building.

Fox River Trail. Utility work is scheduled to begin Wednesday along the Fox River Trail in De Pere from the Kress Family Branch of the Brown County Library to the Claude Allouez Bridge as fiber optics are installed between the trail and Front St. The trail will remain open during construction, expected to last until March 1. Photo from Obeo Virtual Tour shows the trail near the Historic Lawton Foundry Town Homes and at or near where the construction will take place. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120214/GPG0101/202140480/Utility-work-start-along-Fox-River-Trail-De-Pere?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s and www.browncountyparks.org

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/exteriorwfoxrivertrail_500.jpg

Resch Center. Madison continues to sweeten its offer to keep the state high school basketball tournaments, making the Kohl Center more available, offering cash to the WIAA and ensuring better deals for parking, lodging and restaurants. Mayor Paul Soglin says Madison didn't initially recognize the danger of losing the tournaments but is now doing all it can to keep them. http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/madison-sweetens-deal-to-keep-wiaa-tournaments-as-green-bay/article_152721a6-56ae-11e1-8e0a-0019bb2963f4.html and http://www.wbay.com/story/16935952/2012/02/14/green-bay-frustrated-by-madisons-counter-offer-in-wiaa-bidding-war

Resch Center. Press-Gazette sports columnist and reporter Rob Demovsky says the UWGB men’s basketball team should consider playing most weekday games at the Kress Events Center on the UWGB campus and weekend games at the Resch Center. That’s because, he says, most weekday games at the Resch are lucky to draw 3,000 fans. Through 11 home games this season, the 10-14 Phoenix are averaging 3,057, but none of the five weekday games has drawn even 2,600. The Kress center has a listed capacity of 4,018. The Phoenix men are under contract to play at the Resch through the 2012-13 season. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120214/GPG020101/202140451/Rob-Demovsky-column-UWGB-men-should-get-cozy-Kress-Center?odyssey=nav|head

Oshkosh FYI. The Obama administration has proposed cutting billions of dollars in spending for military vehicles as the U.S. pulls troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. That means funding for heavy tactical vehicles built by Oshkosh Corp. will drop $600 million next year. The Pentagon’s spending plan for fiscal 2013 includes 32 percent less in spending for ground vehicles than 2012. Oshkosh Corp. is the largest private employer in Oshkosh, with an estimated 4,500 employees. "It's over. Not only will there be no more quick reaction in vehicle programs for U.S. forces, the whole focus of the Defense Department is shifting to the Asia Pacific and the Navy," says a military policy research group. "To the extent that we rely on ground forces, it will be mostly the Marine Corps." http://www.jsonline.com/business/defense-cuts-may-hurt-oshkosh-corp-i2469e4-139259343.html and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120214/GPG03/120214017/Proposed-defense-spending-cuts-impact-Oshkosh-Corp-

gbgoose

February 15th, 2012, 06:08 PM

I'm no longer at my assignment at Schreiber so I don't have a lot of the inside info, but one thing I did learn was the walkway from the Main St ramp behind the US Bank / Schreiber building was also going to be utilized in the new building. I've heard options of what the new building would look like, but they did not share anything with their employees aside of a couple of town hall meetings.

I also want to add my thanks to Tower for all of the great and detailed updates in the area.

Morse - I've also heard the 3-4 story campus style complex with a little landscape in front of the walkway. Two buildings like originally thought - one 5-6 office complex with the technology center, and build tall.

Keep in mind, this is just heresay through employees there as nothing is filtering down from the top at all. In the town halls, it was discussed day care for employees and a small coffee shop to be part of the HQ. No fitness center as it would still be in conjunction with the YMCA. Whether these come to fruition is TBD. The initial design date was to be displayed next month, and when I asked the buy I reported to on that he laughed at me.

I was trying to copy the quote from Morse, but when I went to Edit - didn't see a delete button. Must be a brain freeze on my part? haha.

Green Bay 4 Life

February 15th, 2012, 09:25 PM

Wow, the artist's rendering for the renovation to the Central Library is cool. I sure hope this happends. This would be another piece to the downtown puzzle in moving it forward just in terms of appearance alone.

http://www.co.brown.wi.us/i/f/library/Central/Artist's%20Rendering.jpg

jerkylips999

February 15th, 2012, 10:00 PM

That library rendering looks great - I'd love to see that downtown. One thing that seems very obvious to me about the central library is that parking is definitely an issue. If these updates move forward, does anyone know if there's a plan to address parking?

On Schreiber...I may have this wrong, but it sounds like an option may now be that everything is consolidated in one building, and that building may be 3 stories? I'm not claiming to know how much it costs to build something like that, but it seems like $50 million for a 3 story building is awfully expensive.

Tower Park

February 16th, 2012, 12:01 AM

Port of Green Bay. President Obama's 2013 budget blueprint includes $7 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Cat Island Chain Restoration Project. The estimated $32 million project calls for rebuilding some of the islands in the chain and constructing a wave barrier to protect them. Part of the restored land would become an enhanced bird and fish habitat and part would become a disposal area for outer-harbor dredge materials expected to last 20 to 30 years. The outer-harbor materials are more sandy and considered clean; polluted inner-harbor sediments would continue to go to the Bay Port Industrial Park. The first phase of the restoration project could begin this year, and completion could take two to three years, depending on funding. Brown County has raised $12 million to cover its share of costs, with the Corps of Engineers expected to fund the rest. The project is supported by the DNR and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The two-and-a-half-mile long, 272-acre Cat Island Chain is located in the lower bay near the mouth of the Fox River. The color photo of the chain below was taken in 1966 by Tom Erdmann. Much of that land is now under water. The black-and-white photo is from ca. 1945 and looks up the port’s navigational channel from the chain toward the mouth of the Fox River. The photo shows the two range lights that years later were relocated to the Green Bay Yachting Club Inc. and renovated. ©Photo of the range-light renovation project taken in 2000 by Terry Pepper. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120215/GPG0101/202150537/Obama-budget-includes-7M-Cat-Island-chain?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s and http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/foxriver/sites/nrda_selected/cat_island_chain.html and http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC1YTW8 and http://terrypepper.com/lights/michigan/grassyisland/grassyisland.htm and http://www.greenbayyachtclub.com/History.htm

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/96c1698e-5be5-40d2-b7b5-3a5d69c1db3b.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/9d5ef19e-0da5-49c2-99b2-a6b86ff28fa7.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Grassyisland02.jpg

Broadway District. Construction is expected to begin in mid-March on the new NorthCoast Productions headquarters at 414-418 Dousman St. and is scheduled now to be completed in August. According to city Historic Preservation Commission minutes, NorthCoast plans to rehab a two-story building, raze an attached garage and construct a one-story addition for offices and a production studio. The company has agreed to invest $500,000 in the project and will move from its current location in Old Fort Square at 211 N. Broadway when the construction is completed, increasing employment from 12 to 15. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120215/GPG03/202150551/Green-Bay-considers-roundabout-near-East-High-School?odyssey=mod%7Cdefcon%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

Olde Main Area. The RDA on Tuesday approved an initial design study for building a roundabout at E. Walnut and Baird streets at Joannes Park and East High School. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120215/GPG03/202150551/Green-Bay-considers-roundabout-near-East-High-School

Allouez. The former Pier 64 restaurant at 1350 Marine St. along the Fox River in Allouez is now Ogan Restaurant. Ogan stands for organic, gourmet, art, natural. Entrees include sea bass, Norwegian salmon and New Zealand rack of lamb. Ogan photos. http://wearegreenbay.com/fulltext?nxd_id=112102 and http://www.oganrestaurant.com/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/MPK_OganRestaurant_065e.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/ogan-dining.jpg

Oshkosh FYI. What the Oshkosh Northwestern calls “Oshkosh’s troubled downtown hotel” has new owners. The UWO Foundation and John Pfefferle and Rich Batley, partners in Appleton's downtown CopperLeaf Hotel, on Tuesday announced their purchase of the City Center Hotel for $2.1 million. A full-scale $9 million renovation of the eight-story, 179-room hotel — located on the Fox River next to the Oshkosh Convention Center — is anticipated. “Tuesday's completed sale puts the hotel on a positive track after a turbulent decade of unpaid bills, foreclosures, bank holdouts and deferred maintenance,” says the Northwestern. The hotel is expected to reopen around January 1, 2013. http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20120215/OSH0101/202150432/Video-story-Investors-announce-deal-purchase-City-Center-Hotel?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Tower Park

February 16th, 2012, 12:02 AM

Great post, GB 4 Life. Like the rendering. Looks like the library would expand southward into the exterior open area fronting Pine St. Like very much the use of glass. The Library Board will make a presentation about the proposed renovation to the County Board tonight at 7 at City Hall.

jerkylips, as I read the post by gbgoose, he's saying the Schreiber project possibly could be two buildings around 3-4 stories each, or possibly one building around 5-6 stories. There's also been some suggestion elsewhere, as I read it, of possibly more than two buildings overall in the project area.

nowpc2

February 16th, 2012, 03:28 PM

I thing this project is a great use of the building. I have been in the upstairs once and it is setup with a bunch of older looking apartments. It will be interesting to see the finished product.

I am wondering if anyone will do anything with 412 Dousman? The building looks to be in such bad shape.

Broadway District. Construction is expected to begin in mid-March on the new NorthCoast Productions headquarters at 414-418 Dousman St. and is scheduled now to be completed in August. According to city Historic Preservation Commission minutes, NorthCoast plans to rehab a two-story building, raze an attached garage and construct a one-story addition for offices and a production studio. The company has agreed to invest $500,000 in the project and will move from its current location in Old Fort Square at 211 N. Broadway when the construction is completed, increasing employment from 12 to 15.

Tower Park

February 17th, 2012, 05:05 AM

Resch Center. If the Kohl Center is not available in 2013 and 2014, the WIAA will move the state high school basketball tournaments to the Resch Center, the WIAA Board of Control has decided. The move could come as early as next year. The University of Wisconsin has said it could not guarantee the WIAA access to the Kohl Center on the association’s preferred dates in 2013 and 2014 due to scheduling conflicts with hockey. The WIAA wants secured dates for hosting the state girls basketball tournament the second weekend in March each year and the state boys basketball tournament one week later. The association is not interested in using the Dane County Coliseum or UW Field House as alternate sites. It's prepared to enter into a five-year agreement with the Resch. http://host.madison.com/wsj/sports/high-school/wiaa-board-votes-to-move-state-basketball-tournaments-to-green/article_2fb1232a-58eb-11e1-8d88-001871e3ce6c.html and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120216/GPG020510/120216110/WIAA-vote-could-bring-state-basketball-tourney-Green-Bay-next-year-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

WaterMark. Media and business tour today of WaterMark.

• WLUK. "We thought after the downturn of the whole residential market a few years ago, that there'd be no way there'd be a demand for residential," says Kelly Denk of WaterMark developer Vetter Denk. DGBI’s Jeff Mirkes says downtown has about 500 residential units, including single-family homes, apartments and condos, and estimates occupancy of those units at about 95 percent. "There's significant more demand,” Mirkes says. “We're very confident that downtown over the upcoming years could accommodate hundreds of more residential units.” Plans for the WaterMark condo units, including the cost, will be unveiled next month. The units are expected to be under construction by summer. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/watermark-progress-on-track-in-downtown-gb

• WBAY. More than 20 financial institutions were approached in recent years to help fund the $12 million WaterMark project, including some located nearby. But at a time when the economy was in retreat and many banks had to pull back on loans, only Brillion’s Calumet County Bank eventually decided to help. "The banking industry was under such incredible national scrutiny," says Jeff Mirkes. "We totally respect the banks had to make the decisions that were right for them." http://www.wbay.com/story/16955457/2012/02/16/small-bank-opened-the-door-to-huge-green-bay-development

• WBAY. "The lights in this building have not been on for maybe 10 years,” says Jeff Mirkes of WaterMark, formerly Younkers. “Ten years, something like that. The lights in this building are about to be turned on." http://www.wbay.com/story/16952724/2012/02/16/developers-show-off-the-view-from-the-watermark

• WGBA. As for the condo units, Kelly Denk says, "We understand the climate of the market. As developers we got to be really shrewd on how we spend the money. We got to keep the price points where the market is.” As for the sections of WaterMark that will house business, talks are in the works to bring in a financial institution. http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/139478003.html

• What’s Up Downtown. The top two floors of WaterMark will have 18 residential condo units. http://campaignbox.imagedistillery.com/t/ViewEmail/r/98EFE00356701BD3

Central Library. There was no news reporting I could find about the scheduled presentation to the County Board last night about the proposed Central Library renovation project. So I’m assuming any presentation at this point was informational only, with no proposals made or acted on for now. More information here http://www.co.brown.wi.us/departments/page_64ad5a0d1606/?department=58da4860ce85&subdepartment=72b7d6b798b9 and here http://www.co.brown.wi.us/i/f/library/Central/BCL%20Project%20Presentation%20-%202012%20revised.pdf

Oneida Energy Plant. The Press-Gazette indicates in a tweet that the Oneida energy plant project on Green Bay’s northwest side is receiving $1.1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. https://twitter.com/#!/PGscottwilliams/status/170233588489523200

Highway 41. Coverage of the informational meetings Wednesday about reconstruction of the 41/Main Ave. interchange as part of the Highway 41 widening project. The project is expected to last into 2017 in Brown County and be completed in 2014 in Winnebago County. Press-Gazette photo looking east on Main Ave. toward 41 and central De Pere. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120216/GPG0101/202160572/De-Pere-area-businesses-prepare-months-U-S-41-work?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.wbay.com/story/16947211/2012/02/15/de-pere-businesses-worried-abotionut-cost-of-construction

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-30.jpg

Broadway District. Here’s a LoopNet photo of the building at 412 Dousman St. mentioned by nowpc2. I don’t believe this building is part of the NorthCoast Productions project next door.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/ServeAttachment-1ashx-1.jpg

Tower Park

February 18th, 2012, 12:37 AM

WaterMark. Kelly Denk of developer Vetter Denk says he's had contact with about 10 potential commercial tenants for WaterMark. "We haven't gotten to lease negotiations, but it's just a matter of time," he says. Having the building now available for potential occupants to walk through and see "is huge for us,” he says. Jeff Mirkes of DGBI says commercial space downtown is 85 percent occupied overall and 95 percent in buildings along the Fox River. The six-story WaterMark is expected to be available for commercial tenants by April. Thirty people have expressed interest in living in the building’s 18 residential condo units on the top two floors. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120217/GPG0101/202170533/Riverfront-living-demand-downtown-Green-Bay-s-WaterMark-project?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Broadway District. The French Quarter Café is moving into the corner space of the Grey Building formerly occupied by The Burger Company at 106 S. Broadway at the high-profile intersection of Broadway and W. Walnut St. The restaurant’s offerings will include breakfast, sandwiches, salads, coffee, beignets and burgers. Its hours will be 6-10 a.m. breakfast, 10-2 lunch and 5-8 p.m. dinner on Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Signage is up and the restaurant looks close to opening. The adjacent Taste of the South On Broadway restaurant remains at its location and is connected to the French Quarter by an interior hallway. I suspect the two share a common kitchen. WLUK image.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-17at25820PM.jpg

Downtown. A large Veit & Company Inc. excavator arrived on a semi-trailer today at the Adams St. entrance to Washington Commons. . . . Some people associated with New Leaf Market were seen walking part of the downtown today with Jeff Mirkes. . . . Al’s Hamburger still has a contractor’s sign up on the front facade and has not yet reopened. . . . No new action yet at the former FiveSix Ultra Lounge, 405 W. Walnut St. The building this year will be rehabbed and converted into a retail store for computers, home theater equipment, sound and lighting, and technology services.

Resch Center. The Journal Sentinel weighs in on the potential move of the WIAA state basketball tournaments. The paper says bringing the tournaments to Milwaukee to the U.S. Cellular Arena downtown would be difficult because the Shrine Circus, Disney on Ice, UWM basketball and Milwaukee Wave soccer have first scheduling priority there. The Bradley Center, also located downtown, looked into the WIAA matter but passed because of potential conflicts. It gives scheduling priority to the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Admirals hockey and the Marquette Golden Eagles. Press-Gazette photos show the Resch Center under construction in ca. 2000-02. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/139519073.html and http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/139480893.html

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-8-13.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-9-7.jpg

Resch Center. Country singer Jason Aldean drew a sold-out crowd of 9,885 to the Resch Center on Thursday night. Aldean was nominated for three Grammy awards this year. Press-Gazette photo. http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120216/GPG0502/302160095/Review-photos-Aldean-Bryan-throw-hardcore-party-Resch?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-31.jpg

Oneida Energy Plant. Although some preliminary site-prep work has been done, the Press-Gazette says construction on the new $23 million Oneida energy plant off I-43 in Green Bay is expected to begin this spring. The just-announced $1.1 million Department of Energy grant for the plant at 1230 Hurlbut St. will be used to build a backup generator designed to minimize down time when the plant is undergoing maintenance. The plant is being built by Oneida Seven Generations Corp., affiliated with the Oneida Tribe. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120217/GPG0101/202170539/Alternative-energy-plant-wins-1-1M-grant?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s

Green Bay. A total of 118 building permits for construction valued at $86 million — $85 million of that for the Lambeau Field expansion and upgrade project — were issued in January by the City of Green Bay. That compares with 138 permits for $4 million a year ago January. At Lambeau, a total half-dozen cranes are at both ends of the stadium, including one particularly large overhead crane on the south side. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120217/GPG03/202170521/Lambeau-Field-expansion-causes-permit-surge

Just In. In a tweet from the Press-Gazette: “City and council officials are reporting a breakthrough on using hotel tax revenue to expand the KI Convention Center.” https://twitter.com/#!/PGscottwilliams/status/170600547513155584

Bay2Bay

February 18th, 2012, 03:09 AM

Tower Park: the WIAA state basketball tournaments. The paper says bringing the tournaments to Milwaukee to the U.S. Cellular Arena downtown would be difficult because the Shrine Circus, Disney on Ice, UWM basketball and Milwaukee Wave soccer have first scheduling priority there. The Bradley Center, also located downtown, looked into the WIAA matter but passed because of potential conflicts. It gives scheduling priority to the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Admirals hockey and the Marquette Golden Eagles. Press-Gazette photos show the Resch Center under construction in ca. 2000-02. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/139519073.html and http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/139480893.html

It would be a nice feather in Green Bay's cap if they get to host the WIAA basketball tourney's. But my gut tells me this is posturing by the WIAA. It feels like that are playing PMI against the UW athletic department to keep it in Madison. The WIAA seems to be airing all the details in the proposals to put public pressure on the UW athletic department to give up the dates for the Kohl Center.

GBSurveyor

February 18th, 2012, 03:46 AM

It would be a nice feather in Green Bay's cap if they get to host the WIAA basketball tourney's. But my gut tells me this is posturing by the WIAA. It feels like that are playing PMI against the UW athletic department to keep it in Madison. The WIAA seems to be airing all the details in the proposals to put public pressure on the UW athletic department to give up the dates for the Kohl Center.
I feel the same way... If/when Madison keeps the tourney it sounds like they will be giving some concessions that will help defray the costs to all who attend the tournament

Night Rider

February 18th, 2012, 04:27 PM

It would be a nice feather in Green Bay's cap if they get to host the WIAA basketball tourney's. But my gut tells me this is posturing by the WIAA. It feels like that are playing PMI against the UW athletic department to keep it in Madison. The WIAA seems to be airing all the details in the proposals to put public pressure on the UW athletic department to give up the dates for the Kohl Center.

Well said. Completely agree and I lose all respect for the WIAA if that's all it was. WIAA will never know what they missed with the NFL connection and a more welcoming environment. I've never been to Madison for the games, but would love to check it out if played locally. Madison crowds (from what I can see on TV) have really never been there supporting the games, and shouldn't be rewarded by another contract.

Fillmore

February 18th, 2012, 07:43 PM

Madison is the capital; the games should be played at the Kohl Center. I'd like to see the economic stimulus for Green Bay, but what can fans do in Green Bay? Madison offers a city and urban landscape with myriad choices of restaurants and shopping. The Resch Center is too small and car dependent.

Well said. Completely agree and I lose all respect for the WIAA if that's all it was. WIAA will never know what they missed with the NFL connection and a more welcoming environment. I've never been to Madison for the games, but would love to check it out if played locally. Madison crowds (from what I can see on TV) have really never been there supporting the games, and shouldn't be rewarded by another contract.

Night Rider

February 18th, 2012, 08:32 PM

Tower Park

February 19th, 2012, 02:31 AM

KI Convention Center & Resch Center. City, county and convention bureau representatives met at City Hall on Thursday to reach a tentative agreement covering expansion of the KI Convention Center. Under the agreement, the city would bond for the project, increased room-tax revenues would go to the convention bureau for marketing, and PMI Entertainment Group would pay for improvements to the Resch Center. Brown County would earmark what's being called surpluses in room-tax collections to pay off the KI bonds. Both the City Council and County Board will be asked in weeks ahead to approve the deal. Mayor Schmitt says if everything falls into place, he anticipates going to the bond market by June to borrow $12 million for the KI project. The city would provide another $8 million through such mechanisms as naming rights, management fees and tax-increment financing. PMI President Ken Wachter says "everybody seems to be on the same page, finally" and convention bureau President Brad Toll says "I think the concept works." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120218/GPG0101/202180631/KI-Center-may-soon-expand-thanks-new-hotel-tax-deal?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Stadium District. Needed maintenance and upgrades to the Resch Center and three nearby buildings owned by Brown County would cost about $13 million over the next decade, according to a study prepared by the county. The study says the work is needed because of past underfunding, the age of the facilities and obsolete systems. Here's the breakdown:

• Resch Center, rated in good condition, $4.4 million in work identified.
• Arena, rated in poor condition, $3.9 million in work identified.
• Shopko Hall, rated in poor condition, $2.9 million in work identified.
• The former Packers Hall of Fame building, fair condition, $1.5 million.

The study lays out a 10-year spending plan for significant expenses and day-to-day maintenance. The largest single item is a $1.3 million scoreboard replacement at the Resch Center in the ninth year of the plan. Auxiliary boards would be replaced the following year for $300,000. The largest expense for the Arena is $318,000 in foundation repairs proposed in the second year. Work on Shopko Hall would include a $500,000 heating, ventilation and air-conditioning project proposed in the fourth year. County officials plan to use the study to prioritize maintenance needs and identify a funding strategy. Supervisors are asking county staff to provide that information by mid-April. Concludes the Press-Gazette: "Leaders say the county must be more proactive about maintaining its physical assets, rather than operating on a seat-of-the-pants basis that neglects some maintenance needs but periodically forces the county to make major repairs." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120218/GPG0101/202180628/Repairs-upgrades-top-4M-decade-old-Resch-Center?odyssey=mod|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Resch Center. From today's Wisconsin State Journal: "A day after University of Wisconsin Athletic Department officials thought the WIAA was gearing up to end a decades-old arrangement with Madison, hope and confusion reigned." Add anger to the list. The UW athletic department says it's receiving conflicting information about the tournament negotiations and the executive director of the WIAA has "undertaken a personal campaign to move the WIAA tournaments to Green Bay," according to the Journal. Meanwhile, WBAY paraphrases the executive director, Dave Anderson, as saying in an interview that "Green Bay should hold off popping the champagne" for now. http://host.madison.com/wsj/sports/high-school/uw-athletics-officials-still-hopeful-of-compromise-with-wiaa-over/article_4956fc22-59d2-11e1-a701-001871e3ce6c.html and http://www.wbay.com/story/16963945/2012/02/17/a-conversation-with-wiaas-executive-director

CityDeck. Press-Gazette photo of the installation of platform pilings now under way at CityDeck for the new Cherry St. and Pine St. landings. The landings are expected to be installed by summer. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120218/GPG03/202180603/Crews-dock-citydeck-summer-work

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde2-4.jpg

A Is for Architecture. Features today one of the oldest buildings downtown, Captain's Walk Winery, 345 S. Adams St. It originally was the Elisha Morrow House and was completed in 1857 at the intersection of S. Adams and Crooks streets. Morrow was a local businessman and politician. The Italianate-style building was the clubhouse for the Green Bay Women's Club from 1920 to 1962. Captain's Walk has been located in the building since 2007. Photo is from the onmilwaukee.com website. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120218/GPG04/202180580/A-Architecture-Historic-Green-Bay-house-ages-like-fine-wine?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|GPG-Life&Style

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/gbtravel_fullsize_story21.jpg

Broadway District. The French Quarter Cafe opened today. It looked busy day and night.

Oconto FYI. The parent company of Cruisers Yachts in Oconto says it's hiring about 185 people after acquiring a line of fiberglass sport boats previously made in South Carolina. Says the Press-Gazette: "Boat and shipbuilding is one of the key industries in the region with Oconto-based Cruisers, Marquis Yachts in Pulaski, Palmer Johnson in Sturgeon Bay and Burger Boat in Manitowoc among those producing yachts and fishing boats. Marinette Marine Corp. in Marinette, ACE Marine in Green Bay and Bay Shipbuilding Co. in Sturgeon Bay are key players in both commercial and governmental contract work." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120218/GPG03/202180604/Wisconsin-yacht-company-expand and http://www.jsonline.com/business/oconto-boatbuilder-kcs-acquires-line-of-yachts-oi48601-139558198.html

Menominee FYI. In more area military contracts, Enstrom Helicopter Corp. signed a contract this week to deliver 28 additional helicopters to the Japanese military. The sale totals 30 helicopters and is the largest single sale in the history of the Menominee, MI-based helicopter manufacturer. Enstrom also announced it's delivered to date 10 of 16 helicopters to the Royal Thai Army. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120215/GPG03/202150550/Enstrom-deliver-more-helicopters and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120214/GPG03/202140503/Michigan-based-Enstrom-Helicopter-Corp-delivers-choppers-Thai-army

Just In. Austin Straubel airport hopes to resume normal operations by 8 p.m. tonight after a bomb threat forced an evacuation of the terminal around 6:30 p.m.

Tower Park

February 19th, 2012, 08:45 PM

Green Bay Packers. In a package of stories nearly four pages long based on interviews with more than three-dozen sources over three months, the Press-Gazette analyzes the Packers as an increasingly big business in a small town. Some highlights. Although not well-known in Green Bay, Tim Connolly, the team's 63-year-old vice president of sales and marketing, has emerged since hired 21 months ago as a key figure and "appears to be taking the lead in most projects of note." In five years, one president and four vice presidents have resigned from the Packers for various reasons. The top candidate identified for the open position of president and CEO in 2007 was then-Seattle Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke but he withdrew. Mark Murphy was hired. The Packers now have about 600 full- and part-time administrative employees, compared to about 150 in the late 1990s. When the team recently broached the possibility of taking over the Packers Hall of Fame - an independent corporation with its own board of directors - "the Hall of Fame's executive committee and board were outraged." One source claims if a stadium referendum had not passed, the NFL by now would have forced the Packers to leave Green Bay. http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway. The National Park Service has approved creation of a 280-mile-long Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway along the Wisconsin and Fox rivers and lakes Winnebago, Butte des Morts and Poygan from Prairie du Chien to Green Bay. The proposal is awaiting congressional approval. Parkways such as the proposed Fox-Wisconsin are not units of the Park Service, with decisions about land ownership and usage left to local authorities. Public meetings have been held along the parkway corridor - including one Thursday at the Neville Public Museum - as part of a study by Economic Development Partners of Verona. The study is expected to be completed by year's end and lead to development of a master plan looking at cultural resources in the region and ways to make them more accessible and attractive to tourists. Press-Gazette photo of the Fox River Trail in Allouez. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120219/GPG03/202190628/Organizers-work-create-historic-Fox-River-trail?odyssey=nav|head and http://heritageparkway.org/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde9-3.jpg

Brown County Courthouse. In 2010, an estimated 9 percent of Brown County's 1,462 marriages were held at the Brown County Courthouse. A marriage license costs $110, and the Courthouse ceremony is free when held during regular working hours. State law requires that a religious or judicially recognized official perform the ceremony in the presence of two witnesses at least age 18. More than 30 marriages have been performed at the Courthouse so far this year, and seven couples were married there on Valentine's Day. Press-Gazette photo. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120219/GPG04/202190620/More-couples-opt-courthouse-weddings?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|GPG-Life&Style

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde7-4.jpg

Resch Center. Journal Sentinel sports columnist Michael Hunt says the state basketball tournaments belong at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Wisconsin's major city. "Not saying Milwaukee is Oz," he says. "Not saying Madison doesn't have its charms or that the chance to see Lambeau Field across the street from the Resch Center might have appeal for those who have never walked around the NFL's best stadium. But let's face it. The tournament has been in Madison since glaciers cut the isthmus. Not knocking Green Bay, but when the Packers aren't in season, which would include the entire month of March, the place can take on the feel of the dark side of the moon." http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/state-tournament-belongs-in-milwaukee-2347ic6-139610493.html

Ashwaubenon. Center lanes on a mile-long stretch of S. Oneida St. between Cormier and Hansen roads are now closed for about two weeks. Outside lanes had been partially closed, but unseasonably warm weather has allowed the $7.7 million street reconstruction project to shift to inside lanes ahead of schedule. Residents can get construction updates and ask questions during a public meeting Tuesday at Ashwaubenon Village Hall. The Oneida St. project in the heart of Ashwaubenon's main business district is expected to last seven months. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120217/GPG0101/202170537/Oneida-Street-lanes-close-starting-today

Austin Straubel. Airport Director Tom Miller says in his 17 years at the airport he can recall no other bomb threats or incidents "as serious as this one" phoned in Saturday afternoon. The passenger terminal was reopened at 7:30 p.m. after a search and nothing was found. An investigation continues. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/authorities-investigate-bomb-threat-at-austin-straubel-airport-if48hrs-139593983.html and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120219/GPG0101/302190075/Bomb-scare-puts-Green-Bay-airport-security-into-action?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

Bay2Bay

February 19th, 2012, 09:11 PM

Resch Center. Journal Sentinel sports columnist Michael Hunt says the state basketball tournaments belong at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Wisconsin's major city. "Not saying Milwaukee is Oz," he says. "Not saying Madison doesn't have its charms or that the chance to see Lambeau Field across the street from the Resch Center might have appeal for those who have never walked around the NFL's best stadium. But let's face it. The tournament has been in Madison since glaciers cut the isthmus. Not knocking Green Bay, but when the Packers aren't in season, which would include the entire month of March, the place can take on the feel of the dark side of the moon."

How ironic Mike Hunt should make that crack about Green Bay taking on the feel of the dark side of the moon in the month of March. A couple of years ago I had the misfortune of being in downtown Milwaukee on a Monday -- museums closed and really nowhere interesting to shop. Talk about your dark side of the moon -- and that's the centerpiece of a metro of 1.5 million people that I visited in the month of June!

Fillmore

February 19th, 2012, 11:15 PM

Urban landscape, that's exactly what people want. What can fans in Green Bay do? They can show up and not treat the event like a ugly step child! They can refrain from jacking up hotel rates for people that travel to watch their kids play in the biggest game of their life. They can maybe introduce them to some of the luxury of having a NFL team nearby. The Resch center is the perfect size and location. They don't want to pay $40 to park all day and to walk a 1/2 mile to the Kohl center. They could care less about "urban atmosphere" and to look at some worthless piece of art (that that my dog could create) and act like it's inspired. Green Bay is fairly centered statewide. They don't want some tooty fruity saying Madison has the God given right to host the tournament. I've been to Madison a few times and it was nothing special.

Luxury? In Green Bay? Who are you kidding? That's like saying the Packers lost to the Giants, but they're still the best team in the NFL! It doesn't cost $40 to park all day in Madison, nor do you have to walk 1/2 mile to the Kohl Center. And what worthless piece of art are you referring to? If you're commenting on the Chazen, it's full of world famous, timeless artists like Picasso and Curry. Sure, it's no MOMA or Art Institute, and I guess if you could get some of the Packers to show you around in March that might be fun for the families. Oh, sorry I forgot, the Packer players don't live in Green Bay in the off season because they know it's a dump! They just use Lambeau Field as the place to rake in their dough before they get the hell out. It really comes down to the basic laws of supply and demand: The Kohl Center has too many events because industry thrives in Dane County. The Resch Center doesn't have enough because Brown County is too small. If Green Bay was really a great place to host the tournament this entire conversation would be an exercise in futility. The reality is that no one wants to go to Green Bay because there's nothing to do there, and just because Dick Resch decided he needed an arena named after him, doesn't mean there has to be events there; but what does he care, he's in the real estate business, not sports enterprise. Lastly, "tooty fruity?" Keep living in the 80's, brother, Green Bay is your place!

titletown

February 20th, 2012, 12:12 AM

Fillmore forgot to take his/her Prozac today. You sound like a very educated person in your posts! Bloody troll

Danillo

February 20th, 2012, 03:36 AM

Can we keep the basketball discussion related to the merits of the bids please, and not bash other people's cities? I'm going to make a really crazy statement, but my guess is that most people are attracted to go to the state tourney because, you know, they want to watch high school basketball.

Fillmore

February 20th, 2012, 04:51 AM

Fillmore forgot to take his/her Prozac today. You sound like a very educated person in your posts! Bloody troll

Sorry, no Prozac here. You see, I don't need it because I don't live in dreaded Green Bay anymore. I was smart enough and educated enough to get out. What a joke your little crap town is, hillbilly.

Fillmore

February 20th, 2012, 05:18 AM

Fillmore forgot to take his/her Prozac today. You sound like a very educated person in your posts! Bloody troll

No prozac here, hillbilly. I don't need it anymore since I was smart enough to get out of Crap Brown County. See, I live in an actual city where I don't have to dwell on what could be or what should have been like you do in Green Bay. Your crap town is a joke...and you know it. I genuinely feel sorry for you. Sheboygan has more of a skyline, and for that matter, more class. Ya go Packers!

900

February 20th, 2012, 03:50 PM

Thanks Fillmore for showing us what it means to be classy. Also, thanks for leaving; I'm sure that you will be more appreciated in DC.

Green Bay 4 Life

February 20th, 2012, 04:18 PM

First of all, I think we all know Green Bay isn't perfect. But here's the thing - either is Madison or Milwaukee or Appleton or anywhere in the world for that matter. Every place has things that won't appeal to every single person in the world. We all have different tastes. If you're looking for world class museums, an unmatched nightlife, and a downtown with tall buildings. Yes, Green Bay may not be for you. If you are looking for a mjority of good, friendly people, a great place to raise a family, relatively safe normal pace of life. Then maybe, this is your place.

There is an arena here that could host an event such as the WIAA Tournament. If they are just using Green Bay to get a sweeter deal in Madison, then so be it. But all in all - it is about going and seeing your child, school, etc in the tournament. Not about where it is being held. I'm sure 20 years from now if you ask someone who's team won or lost the in the State Tournament what their most lasting memory is from that they will say the game not where it was located...

Fillmore

February 20th, 2012, 05:23 PM

Thanks Fillmore for showing us what it means to be classy. Also, thanks for leaving; I'm sure that you will be more appreciated in DC.

Listen, I've been on this forum for 7 years and have enjoyed it. I would really like to see Green Bay do well, but being called a bloody troll for expressing my true opinions is not cool. I'm a graduate of UWGB and have an MS in mechanical engineering from UW Madison. I still have family in De Pere and each time I go home I get frustrated because people in Green Bay, and obviously I'm generalizing, seem to live for one thing, the Packers. I used to walk around Broadway and Washington street hoping to one day witness a thriving metro area, even one sans towers, but that has not come to fruition. I've been an advocate of Green Bay since Jillians and Gallaghers pizza opened and I was sad when they both went under. With regards to the Packers, The NFL doesn't make Green Bay special, or world class, or anything, and I've been saying from the start that the Packers do more harm than good for DEVELOPMENT in Green Bay. I was one of the first people to purchase a unit at Astor Place in 2005. My plan was to rent it out to see how the city could materialize and what businesses would be attracted to the downtown area. I imagined selling the place twenty years down the road and wishing the emerald city good luck. But that never happened. Jen Kuo called me and told me the project fell through. All that hype for nothing! Lastly, if you're wonder why Schreiber isn't building a tower, I believe it's because the second people see a larger building downtown Green Bay loses its credibility as a small town with an NFL team. While the metro population wouldn't increase, the sense would be that Green Bay "isn't so small anymore" because there are large buildings downtown. The landscape is primed for wonderful river development, but as long as the Packers run that town, you'll have to admire the view from the top of the OLD Younkers building.

900

February 20th, 2012, 06:30 PM

Fillmore

February 20th, 2012, 07:24 PM

I'm not the one calling everything crap. If you think a place is crap, there are three responses you can take: 1. Make it better, 2. Do nothing and spend your life frustrated about it, and 3. leave. Personally, I'm so busy working on number 1 that I don't have time to dwell on Green Bay's downsides. Obviously, since I'm hiding behind a number you'll have to take my word for this. As for you, you've chosen number 3, which I sincerely think is great because many more opt for number 2 and those are the people who frustrate me the most. If you choose to live in a community, be constructive. I hope that you're being constructive in DC. Your last couple of comments here on this forum certainly haven't been very constructive.

The reason that Schreiber isn't building a tower is because they don't need one. They're in the food industry, not real estate development. Your conspiracy is pretty absurd; especially since the NFL always seems to point their cameras at the corner of Broadway and Walnut—no matter what we do downtown. Downtown Green Bay has seen enormous positive change since 2005, despite a major economic slow down. Currently there is a lot of evidence that things are getting back on track for further growth. Gallagher's went out of business because they took on too much debt and didn't really know what they were doing. They had issues with enormous food cost wastage, employee theft, and other things. Compare them to Titletown & Hinterland from the same period, they know how to run a restaurant successfully. Furthermore, your obsession with skylines is bizarre. Downtown Green Bay is never going to look like Downtown Milwaukee. There are a lot of reasons for this, principally that our area's larger employers seem to prefer large campuses, take Humana for example. This probably has something to do with real estate costs. Schreiber could certainly have made this choice too, and the fact that they didn't has a lot to do with how much the downtown has improved since 2005. But none of this is probably happening fast enough for you as a consumer, so it's good that you can go out for Ethiopian food in Adams-Morgan. Personally, I'll be trying to help Somali refugees get an East African restaurant up and running in Green Bay.

My obsession with skylines, as you call it, isn't bizarre, nor is it unique, nor it is an obsession. I believe in progress and want cities to succeed and I appreciate the beauty of cities, especially those with beacons of accomplishment. There are millions of people in this great world who love skylines and city development--they're called Ayn Randians--not because there is something wrong with them, but because they can look at a building and see the thousands of hours of thinking and planning that went into constructing it. Every single person in this forum would love to see Shreiber build a tower of, say, 20 stories to serve as a true catalyst for a cityscape; they'd be lying if they stated otherwise. You would know this if this wasn't your first day, rookie! For you to claim that Schreiber isn't in the real estate business is just absurd. Every business is in the real estate business. They're taking a gamble on downtown and they hope it pays off. And the NFL points their cameras downtown because the gameday landscape is often desolate and reflects a "city" completely enamored with its football team. You need guys like me in this forum to provide a different perspective, no matter how strange or conspiratorial it appears. Green Bay is a nice place to live, but unfortunately its been branded by the NFL, and this has had a detrimental effect on non-NFL development, most notably in the downtown area. I hope you get that restaurant up and running. I'd be happy to come in and spend some money there.

900

February 20th, 2012, 07:52 PM

Awesome, glad that we have a Randian superman producer type to call us hillbillies, rookies, etc. to put us in our place because our city is a joke. If that's the perspective that you bring, then I'm sure that you're a valued member of this forum.

Geography Teacher

February 20th, 2012, 08:43 PM

When a friend or rival talks about how great their city is (Chicago, New York, Washington DC, etc.), they fail to mention that they had very little to do with that greatness. Most of the time, they were just fortunate to grow up there, and New York would be just as wonderful had he or she never been born. Great cities are products of their geography, and historical patterns to a lesser extent.

Now, if a person leaves Green Bay to become a part of an already great city, I suppose we have to credit that person for making a choice. But we also have to remember -- as a couple of you have mentioned -- that this is a choice to give up on your old city and be part of a new one. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that ("to each their own"). But I too am an educated urbanphile who has chosen to raise a family in a safe, pleasant, and fun environment rather than head off to the big city. I'd rather try to contribute to making this place better than to be a tiny cog in the machine that is an existing world class city.

So again, people have the right to live where they want. But it's understandable that others would be hurt by comments that mock their pride and commitment to their home.

gbmphillips

February 20th, 2012, 09:05 PM

Sorry, no Prozac here. You see, I don't need it because I don't live in dreaded Green Bay anymore. I was smart enough and educated enough to get out. What a joke your little crap town is, hillbilly.

And we thank you for leaving, you must fit in well in that hell whole DC where dishonesty is the norm and arrogance is a disease.

gbmphillips

February 20th, 2012, 09:13 PM

Lets see would I prefer to live in a town full of "hillbillies" as Fillmore called us or a city where violence is the norm

According to Uniform Crime Report statistics compiled by the FBI, there were 1,330.2 violent crimes per 100,000 people reported in the District of Columbia in 2010. There were also 4,778.9 property crimes per 100,000 reported during the same period.Violent crime is still more than three times the national average of 403.6 reported offenses per 100,000 people in 2010.

Yeah Fillmore you can have your big city life people live in Green Bay because they know it is a safe community and the people who live here are not animals, unlike DC,

Nativist

February 20th, 2012, 09:32 PM

I always thought that it was funny how the Ayn Rand crowd fetishized modern architecture when modernism was created by—mostly—socialists. But then I'm not smart enough or educated enough to live outside of Green Bay, so what do I know?

Green Bay 4 Life

February 20th, 2012, 09:43 PM

GBObserver

February 20th, 2012, 11:48 PM

And Washington DC has a great skyline of tall buildings... Oh wait. Nevermind. Who cares? Are we actually talking about this?

Just think of the possible progress we coudls ee soon. The Watermark finally opening, expansion of KI, Schrieber Foods Campus, BC Library renovation, City Deck Phase II and III completeion, possible Daily Planet Development proposal, and the Larsen Green Residential. Wow, for a City our size - to have that many things kicking around in the downtown is pretty significant. Sure it pales in comparison with some of the grander things going on in other places - but for those that know Green Bay - I mean really know Green Bay, these projects are transforming the image of our City. It won't happen all at once - but the next two years could be the most significant timeframe in our downtown since it was cleared for the mall. This is the time the City takes its downtown back. Sure we may not have a 20 story building (yet or ever) but if there is activity, great places to eat, corporations that have committed to being there, interest in people to live there - then that is a hell of a lot better than it was in the early 2000's. What a difference 10 years makes.

This forum IS on a site called skyscraper city.... just sayin'.

For those of us young professionals who don't have children, having loads of playgrounds, no traffic, and the option to leave my doors unlocked is simply not enough to make this a "great" place to live. Some of us have been bashing our heads against the stagnant boards comprised of the same 20 people who seem to sit on every board who much prefer to "discuss" things than actually DO things.

More importantly, while great restaurants will be opening in the short term view, this city grossly lacks sustainable incomes. The Life Study shows that the AVERAGE income for women in this city is a paltry $23,000 even with advanced degrees factored in. I see proof of this embarrassing figure every day. Unless one owns a business here, earning an income that is sustainable is not likely. Statistics repeatedly show that importing talent from outside the area is where the "good" money comes from in many cases. Those two categories (business owners and imported talent) are the people who are supporting our new restaurant base in downtown because they are the ones who can afford high end dining.

I would agree that this city has far too many people who refuse willing, interested volunteers and prefer to do things the "right way" by doing it themselves than to allow others involvement (i.e. never get anything done because there is so much to do.)

With that said, there are good things beginning to happen here though it has taken more than a decade. The Neville, the entertainment lineup at the Resch, building development, restaurants, etc. It just took SO long that I, too, am in the process of throwing in the towel and looking to move to a state that pays better.

Danillo

February 21st, 2012, 01:15 AM

Danillo

February 21st, 2012, 01:23 AM

Puant

February 21st, 2012, 01:56 AM

We could go on & on here but in the end, it is true that we are about has happy about a situation as we choose to be.

If we decide we like big cities, then that's where we'll want to be.

If we decide we like a medium-sized city whose leaders 40 years ago felt the best chance to save the downtown was to suburbanize it, then we are happy in that medium-sized city.

For me, it's more about the people...this is where I've got most of my friends and relationships and connections. I didn't grow up here but after 11 years living here and raising 3 kids here, this is where I am happy to stay for now.

By the way, I'm with the camp who says that if we don't like something, we should work to change it. OK it is entertaining to make fun of things and complain once in a while, but don't be all serious about it for too long or it WILL be depressing.

If there's any time to be truly optimistic about the direction the downtown is finally going, NOW is the time. It's no longer just hear-say, talk or plans...things are ACTUALLY happening...LOTS of things.

No, not skyscrapers. I'm fine with that. I'd rather have a bunch of quality 3-5 story buildings that together make a good urban setting than a crappy tower that, if it fails, is another big albatross. I go back to Jane Jacobs and her famous book, "Death & Life of Great American Cities" on this. She was a New Yorker, but she would agree.

One other thing: Green Bay's geology has a lot to do with our lack of tall structures. The bedrock is quite deep, someone would have to be willing to spend A LOT on the foundation to go tall here.

Well, got to get back to my hillbillyin'. Aw shucks.

Fillmore

February 21st, 2012, 02:18 AM

So, Fillmore, I just want to be clear here. In your argument that the Packers are stopping tall buildings from being built (which you have never supported with a single fact), you claim Schreiber, a business that does $4 billion in annual sales, is changing their plans so that the Packers won't have even a hint of anything that gets in their way of seeming "small town." Do you really think that businesses like Schreiber grow that large by caving to the whim of some totally unrelated business just for appearance's sake? If that's what you believe, then you, sir, are an idiot, and the last person who should be telling all of us hicks how it really is.

That's exactly what I'm saying; the minute GB shows a hint of being metropolitan the Packers lose credibility. The name of the restaurant in the yonkers development will even be Packers related. Pathetic. Let me ask, how many of you out there put down a deposit for an Astor Place condo? I'm sure I was the only one. You can call me whatever you want, I didn't initiate the name calling and I've been on this forum along time providing positive feedback. Correct, I didn't build Washington, but I've tried to help build Green Bay and shared in the agony of witnessing myriad projects fall flat on their face. You guys can't convince me that the Packers don't have an interest in developments in Green Bay, especially if said projects draw people away from Lambeau? Sorry, Green Bay is owned by the Packers.

Puant

February 21st, 2012, 02:53 AM

I would say it's in the Packer's best interest to have a more developed downtown, because that may make it easier to bring guys in here. A lot of the Packer players and coaches do own or rent the condos that are downtown, and I think new downtown development would make the city just a little bit more attractive to some players & coaches.

Given the size relative to other NFL cities, of course you could say the Packers have more overall influence here. They probably do. I'd say most of us choose to think about other things (especially this time of year). End of Packer-related discussion, I hope. As it is the downtown has little to do with the Packers now. I'm just happy to see some momentum building.

Danillo

February 21st, 2012, 05:29 AM

I'm not saying the Packers don't have an interest (though probably not all that much) in downtown development, what I am saying is that companies that do $4 billion a year in business aren't dictated to by football teams. Their HQs aren't influenced remotely by the whims of football teams. You may have put a deposit down on a condo here, but that doesn't mean a company like Schreiber is listening to a football team while they are planning their headquarters, and you've yet to provide even one bit of evidence that the Packers have negatively influenced even one downtown project. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Your claims are not just lacking extraordinary proof, they are lacking proof of any kind and are furthermore self-evidently ridiculous when one considers the parties involved.

Milley29

February 21st, 2012, 05:58 AM

You guys can't convince me that the Packers don't have an interest in developments in Green Bay, especially if said projects draw people away from Lambeau? Sorry, Green Bay is owned by the Packers.

I don't believe this town is run by the Packers, nor do I believe that the Packers are intentionally trying to stymie development for their own gain. The Packers would likely be the largest beneficiary of development because it puts more money in people's pockets, who will in turn spend it on them. Plus they don't own all of Ashwaubenon; they still need cooperation and support from government and citizens to get their projects done. Green Bay is still a small town and by comparison always will be to all other NFL cities, and we are often reminded about how small market Buffalo and Jacksonville are.

Fillmore seems more annoyed by the fact that the Packers are the defining aspect of Green Bay and is blaming all of Green Bay's development failures on it. In fact, they are our greatest asset. The Packers are what differentiates us from Kenosha, and Duluth. I enjoy it, and so do a lot of other people, but not everyone, which is fine. There is plenty of exciting things happening in Downtown that have nothing to do with the Packers. Fine, the restaurant is named after the Packer's old stadium and there will be Packer's merchandise on the walls but there aren't many places in town that don't. I welcome the Packers and everything they bring to the city.

Tower Park

February 21st, 2012, 06:20 AM

KI Convention Center. County Board Chair Guy Zima is signaling he'll oppose the proposed agreement reached by city, county and tourism officials at City Hall last week for funding the KI Convention Center expansion, Resch Center improvements and increased tourism marketing. The County Board is expected to take up the issue next month. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/resolution-to-hotel-room-tax-debate

Brown County. Voters in Tuesday's primary will narrow the field in five contests for City Council. Fifteen candidates are running in council districts 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10. The top two finishers in each district will advance to the April 3 general election. Meanwhile, District 19 covering part of De Pere is the only County Board seat on the ballot Tuesday. There may be other, local elections Tuesday in different municipalities in the county. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120213/GPG010404/202130469/Primary-election-will-reduce-field-Green-Bay-City-Council-race and http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120212/GPG010404/120212018/Primary-required-Brown-Co-Board-seat-east-De-Pere

Northeast Wisconsin. Four of six regions in the state had growth in home sales in January 2012 compared to January 2011. The strongest growth was in the northeast region, where home sales rose 23%. Among major cities in the northeast region are Green Bay, Appleton, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. In the state overall, sales of existing homes rose 11% over January a year earlier, while the median price fell 7%. http://www.jsonline.com/business/home-sales-climb-but-prices-fall-in-january-cm48tjh-139704733.html

gbmphillips

February 21st, 2012, 06:40 AM

Beargb

February 21st, 2012, 07:41 AM

This is part of a post I found at a blog in Madison.

"It has been so amazing to hear those in Green Bay try to spin their city as a place students and parents want to stay for a weekend. I have spent time in Green Bay when working in radio in northeast Wisconsin. Unless one wants to hang out at the bars where one might spot a Packer player there is nothing to be offered for entertainment. Looking at Lambeau Field can not possible take in a whole weekend. And how many fish fries can one consume?

No one can say that Green Bay is a destination type city that anyone in March wants to head off to for a weekend.

Green Bay might be the place to tail-gate before a Packer game, and a city to drive through when heading to Door County, but it has nothing to offer the public who want to enjoy a truly fun-filled WIAA weekend."

If you would like to comment on his complete post the link is below

http://dekerivers.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/green-bay-not-an-exciting-city-for-wiaa-games/#comments

Just to clarify, because it confused me at first, gbmphillips didn't write this section, the author of the article did. Maybe I'm the only one dumb enough to have assumed that at first glance, but I thought it may help any others who made the same mistake as me.

GBObserver

February 21st, 2012, 04:06 PM

GBObserver: I'd argue there's a real need for expanding the are Colleges and Universities, so that we can produce a more educated workforce. That's something that was beginning to happen, but has slowed in recent years. Anyway, here's a link to the LIFE Study, which is interesting: http://www.lifestudy.info/

Danillo, are you unaware that there are in excess of 20+ colleges and universities in the Green Bay/Fox Valley area? Expand access? Don't you mean expand funding? Historically, during every single recession with factories laying off, the colleges fill up with laid off employees who then try to move on to white collar jobs instead of manufacturing. White collar jobs are few here. There are currently over 68,000 part time students enrolled at NWTC alone. These are people who are either out of work or who feel the need to get a better job (or fresh high school graduates). What is available to these people once they graduate? We don't HAVE 68,000 jobs, least of all white collar - for which at least 50% of 68,000 are being trained for. THIS is why the state is seeing brain drain.

Can any of you say that you can support a small home (which is cheaper than rent these days), car with a car payment, student loans, start a savings or 401(k), health insurance premium+ deductible, groceries and gas, AND afford to entertain yourself or enjoy a "normal" lifestyle on a $11.50 an hour? I challenge any of you to support yourself on a wage that is common here for those who have invested on themselves by getting educated yet don't share a household. This is WHY Humana is so big here. They know they have a non-stop supply of cheap labor who has dependable midwestern work ethics. Poor wages is the single biggest downfall of this city, I believe, and not the development. I subscribe to making your own fun... and I do that. I take advantage of the free things and I initiate social functions on less than a shoestring budget. However, I cannot afford to spend 2 days pay on dinner downtown very often. Until "those" people who live on Lost Dauphin and Fox River Drive cough up a more reasonable living wage for the educated employees, this city cannot sustain growth and development in the fashion that this forum's contributors would enjoy. If wages don't improve then the minority of people who DO earn a reasonable living will have to sustain downtown by itself because the rest of us are excluded and are unable to help. I am not bashing this city that I dedicated many hours to uplift. However, many here are mystified why business isn't booming for clientele downtown. I'm just stating that there are a pile of us that can't afford to because we are too busy trying to make it to the next paycheck. One final point. There are tens of thousands of people who attend parades and festivals downtown (because they are free), yet those tens of thousands don't convert to paying customers for the shops and restaurants downtown. Think about it. They are broke.

Danillo

February 21st, 2012, 08:20 PM

Funding... access... there's a relationship between the two. Overall, I think there's a pretty solid case to be made that the area would benefit from a more highly educated workforce. As an aside, I've never sat and counted the number of colleges and universities in the area, but I am aware that there's a lot, and your 20+ number doesn't surprise me. So I'd say, no, I am not unaware.

First off, there's a broad issue that's pretty much the foundation of your point to do with the income gap. That's hardly a trend unique to NE Wisconsin. Over 30 years we've as a country borrowed, what, $14 trillion, and put policies in place where almost all of that money has ended up in the hands of the wealthiest (as in, low and middle income people have the same or less as a % of the economy, while upper income people have much, much more). I'm not disagreeing with you on that. The question is, what do we do? Saying that the rich should "cough up a more reasonable living wage" isn't really a plan, nor is it promoting a policy to do anything about anything.

So this is an issue that extends across local, state, and federal levels. I think we'd agree that a more progressive tax structure would help, but you need to have a plan for what to do with the money. I think one of the big things do be done is to spend more on education to increase access to education and to have a more highly educated workforce (I'd also advocated for major reform of health care and improved transportation, both of which would address some part of what you are on about).

Nationally, unemployment is much lower the more highly educated one is, and income is higher ( http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm ). I'd add that when a region is looking to grow new business and/or expand existing business, a more highly educated workforce aids in that. If you look at NE Wisconsin, and I don't recall the exact number, but if we were a state we'd be like 48th in the percentage of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher. When looking at where new and high-paying jobs are going to go, my money is on regions with a more highly educated workforce than here.

You yourself wrote: "Statistics repeatedly show that importing talent from outside the area is where the "good" money comes from in many cases," which suggests to me that if companies need to import talent, they aren't finding the talent they need here. I don't have info for other schools, but as of '06 (when UWGB was pushing for the growth agenda) 75% of UWGB grads stayed in NE Wisconsin, and 90% stayed in the state. From everything I've seen and heard, local business wants more of what UWGB is producing, and when they don't find it they do as you suggest, and import talent.

Tech schools are also really important, but I'd argue you are misusing facts a bit to say that the entire part-time enrollment at NWTC is looking for a new, white collar job upon completion. Many people take classes there for enjoyment. Many people go to learn blue-collar skills. Many people go to seek training in their own profession, or to advance within their own company. So I think you are playing with numbers there. Nonetheless, I'd support greater access to the technical colleges, more bridges between a tech college degree and a bachelor's degree, and I think the tech colleges do a world of good for the region. Again, if I'm going to bet on what can help an economy grow in this global economy, my first bet is almost always going to be on more education.

As this relates to downtown. Obviously a more prosperous economy lifts a tide that raises all boats. I do think there are a lot of very successful business downtown, and I think they cater to a range of price points. I also think that things like the Holiday Parade and Celebrate Americafest result in some of the biggest business days for downtown businesses, so I'm not entirely sure what you are getting at there, but clearly, having more people with more money is good for business. The question is how to get there, and I'd advocate for education as one of the primary drivers.

Tower Park

February 22nd, 2012, 03:30 AM

Fox River. What's expected to be a nine-day trial is under way in federal court in Milwaukee to determine who's responsible and to what degree for polluting the Fox River with PCBs decades ago. Appleton Papers Inc. and NCR Corp. claim they can't be held solely responsible for the PCBs because other area paper companies bought scrap paper from them and used it to make recycled paper, a process that required discharges of PCBs into the river. Other area paper companies, including Georgia-Pacific in Green Bay, argue that Appleton Papers and NCR, by selling them the scrap in the first place, arranged for them to dispose of the PCBs and therefore should be solely responsible. At stake is what could total $1 billion that experts estimate will cost for cleaning the Fox River. NCR and API have spent about $300 million so far on the Superfund cleanup project while waiting for the court system to resolve who ultimately is responsible. Said the Press-Gazette in an earlier analysis: "The cleanup of toxic chemicals dumped during the production of carbonless copy paper in the 1950s and 1960s has been happening in the lower Fox River since 2009, but it's still unclear who is going to pick up the tab." Journal Sentinel graphic from last year shows the PCB cleanup area. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120221/GPG0101/202210482/PCB-trial-seeks-determine-liability?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/FOX24G1.jpg

Green Bay. The RDA has agreed to deed five properties to Habitat for Humanity to build new houses. Habitat currently owns lots at 1301 Harvey, 1315 Harvey and 515 Howard streets; the RDA agreed to deed to the group at no charge additional lots at 823 Oregon, 1163 Doty, 300 S. Clay, 1168 Stuart and 836 Kellogg streets. To date, Habitat has built 57 houses in Brown County and has had three foreclosures; its houses historically are assessed at $115,000 to $120,000. The city is working with Habitat on building height, affordability, design standards and improving exteriors. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120215/GPG03/202150551/Green-Bay-considers-roundabout-near-East-High-School

Green Bay Packers. About 17,000 shares of stock in the Green Bay Packers are still available. In December, the team had said it would offer 30,000 additional shares because its initial offering of 250,000 was nearly sold out. The remaining shares will be sold until Feb. 29 unless they sell out sooner. The stock can now be purchased in Canada. If the Packers sell 280,000 shares, they'll gross $70 million in sales. That money, minus expenses, will be used for the Packers’ $143 million expansion and upgrade of Lambeau Field. This is the fifth stock sale in the team's 92-year history. http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120220/PKR01/120220050/Green-Bay-Packers-stock-sale-Canada-online?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Packers Heritage Trail. More than 20 sponsors have been secured to help fund historical markers on the Packers Heritage Trail downtown and beyond. Design and locations are being approved, and the markers could go up this summer.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde4-1.jpg

Northeast Wisconsin. The Winter/Spring 2012 issue of Voyageur magazine is out. The cover story highlights the Vietnam War and LZ Lambeau. Among other articles are features on the demolition of the former Chancery in Allouez and the repair and restoration of the Grand Opera House in Oshkosh, historic barns, and the preservation of Sturgeon Bay's Michigan Street Bridge. First photo, by Steve Apps, shows the 1903 Chase Stone Barn in southern Oconto County. Second photo by Ellen Borowitz. Last two photos by Denise Dauplaise show the Chancery before and after.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-16at124729PM.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-02-16at11550PM.jpg

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Tower Park

February 22nd, 2012, 05:21 AM

From the Press-Gazette.

Green Bay City Council
Top 2 in all districts advance

District 4
X-Daniel Bins, 251
X-Timothy DeWane, 200
Gary Kriescher, 51

District 6
X-Joseph Moore, 98
X-Richard DeBroux, 98
Shae Sortwell, 71

District 7
X-David Boyce, 105
X-Jeanine Hammes, 68
Jeff Van Straten, 44

District 9
X-Guy Zima (I), 252
X-Jim Warner, 247
Brent Luther, 18

District 10
X-Steven Deneys (I), 320
X-Mark Steuer, 271
Robert Lenard, 233

Brown County Board, District 19
District 19 is located on the east side of De Pere.
Top 2 candidates advance

X-Mike Fleck (I), 297
X-Dan Robinson, 222
John Weninger, 146

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120221/GPG010404/120220101/Results-area-primary-races?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

Green Bay 4 Life

February 22nd, 2012, 02:56 PM

From the Press-Gazette.

Green Bay City Council
Top 2 in all districts advance

District 4
X-Daniel Bins, 251
X-Timothy DeWane, 200
Gary Kriescher, 51

District 6
X-Joseph Moore, 98
X-Richard DeBroux, 98
Shae Sortwell, 71

District 7
X-David Boyce, 105
X-Jeanine Hammes, 68
Jeff Van Straten, 44

District 9
X-Guy Zima (I), 252
X-Jim Warner, 247
Brent Luther, 18
District 10
X-Steven Deneys (I), 320
X-Mark Steuer, 271
Robert Lenard, 233

Brown County Board, District 19
District 19 is located on the east side of De Pere.
Top 2 candidates advance

X-Mike Fleck (I), 297
X-Dan Robinson, 222
John Weninger, 146

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120221/GPG010404/120220101/Results-area-primary-races?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

Looking at District 9. I'm hopeful that 30 years of trying to stop progress will come to an end in April. GO JIM WARNER!!!

GBObserver

February 22nd, 2012, 04:29 PM

Bay2Bay

February 22nd, 2012, 05:02 PM

Today's leaders here pay as low as possible simply because they can get away with it and keep the rest for themselves. This isn't a Green Bay thing, this is a midwestern thing.

That's not unique to GB or the midwest for that matter. That is a global thing. This is why we see so much offshoring of jobs.

Geography Teacher

February 22nd, 2012, 05:32 PM

Looking at District 9. I'm hopeful that 30 years of trying to stop progress will come to an end in April. GO JIM WARNER!!!

It was close, but I'm guessing that those people who are really motivated to kick Zima out showed up yesterday. There are probably a lot more Zima supporters who sat at home for the primary but will vote in the general election.

That being said, I'm hopeful too.

Danillo

February 22nd, 2012, 06:30 PM

Awesome.... so your solution to the existing problem is to dump more people into bachelor degree and master degree programs here....

Awesome... so your solution to the existing problem is to whine and complain a lot, then just sit back and wait until rich folks feel bad and start to pay employees more when they don't have to. Wow, how can I be so foolish... that's GREAT solution. The same people who created the income gap might now just decide to close it out of guilt!

All this time, I've been looking at facts like how our region has a low % of people with degrees, how people with degrees have lower unemployment and higher income, and thinking about how to compete in a global economy. A part of my solution was to increase access to education (which would include affordability) along with other things like transportation improvements and health care reform that benefit the middle and lower classes, and use those as tools to start to deal with the problem. However, you have now enlightened me. The one true solution is to be a whiner and blame someone else while promoting no plan to do anything about it!!! Awesome indeed!!!

While you wait for your brilliant strategy to play out, I've got a tip for how you can save money. Get a tent, "occupy" some park, and complain a lot without offering any alternatives! It's free, and you won't be alone! I'll just wait quietly and see how that works out for you, and if you have any actual ideas you'd like to discuss, let me know.

As for the downtown businesses. If you are in the business of selling sandwiches and drinks, then selling a lot of sandwiches and drinks is probably good for business. Then again, what do I know? Apparently if it doesn't fit in with your pre-exisitng belief that no businesses downtown are doing well, except for the ones that are, but they are only doing so because business owners and imported workers go there, then it must not be true, right? Your contradictions with yourself are so thick that my pea-brain is getting confused, so maybe it makes sense that a business selling their products in higher quantities isn't a good day of business.

...and yes, I realize exactly how condescending I'm being, but that seems to be a tone you know well.

Tower Park

February 22nd, 2012, 07:23 PM

Looking at District 9. I'm hopeful that 30 years of trying to stop progress will come to an end in April. GO JIM WARNER!!!

I think the right person could beat Guy Zima, but it would take a good plan, hard work, time, a lot of campaigning and . . . the right person. Even then, there's no guarantee. Zima has a 35-year history of votes, statements, incidents, and personal and political behavior. Below are some photos that his opponent, Jim Warner, 51, has posted of himself, family and Lambeau Field on his Facebook page. Says he’s a 20-year Navy veteran, led the 2010 decennial census for 11 counties, including Brown, and is a disabled veterans outreach program specialist for the State of Wisconsin. http://www.facebook.com/warnerforalderman?sk=wall

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/50287_261516083912553_1753843534_n.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/404919_292271284170366_261516083912553_755446_1137175974_n.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/400046_273331252731036_261516083912553_715036_309918934_n.jpg

mgk920

February 22nd, 2012, 08:55 PM

nowpc2

February 22nd, 2012, 10:06 PM

Just a quick note on this, the RDA also owns the lots accross the stret (133 S Maple, 512 Howard and 510 Howard). There are two houses still there, the 3rd was removed over a year ago. I wonder what the city has planned there?

Green Bay. The RDA has agreed to deed five properties to Habitat for Humanity to build new houses. Habitat currently owns lots at 1301 Harvey, 1315 Harvey and 515 Howard streets; the RDA agreed to deed to the group at no charge additional lots at 823 Oregon, 1163 Doty, 300 S. Clay, 1168 Stuart and 836 Kellogg streets. To date, Habitat has built 57 houses in Brown County and has had three foreclosures; its houses historically are assessed at $115,000 to $120,000. The city is working with Habitat on building height, affordability, design standards and improving exteriors.

titletown

February 22nd, 2012, 10:20 PM

Congrats Jim Warner. I have worked with him in the past and he is a really nice guy. Trying to think but I believe he is from Nebraska.

nowpc2

February 23rd, 2012, 03:27 AM

Mr. Warner stopped by the house today and we chatted for a while. He seems like a really nice guy who has some good ideas. One thing I really liked is he said he has no problem disagreeing with people, but he believes you gain much more by being respectful of all views and people.

I will be taking with him further about his views on development issues in the near future.

Congrats Jim Warner. I have worked with him in the past and he is a really nice guy. Trying to think but I believe he is from Nebraska.

Tower Park

February 23rd, 2012, 05:11 AM

Downtown. The Divine Temple Church of God in Christ with associated property is in the process of being nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. The church is the former Christ Episcopal Church and is located at 425 Cherry St. at Cherry and N. Madison streets. Next to the church are its former rectory/chapel at 421 Cherry St. and the former Christ Episcopal Church School at 217 N. Madison St. Christ Episcopal was built in 1898-99 and is Gothic Revival in style. Its exterior is limestone. Added to the church in 1924 was Fanny Joannes Memorial Hall. The rectory building was built in 1911, is Tudor Revival in style and its exterior is largely stucco. The school was built in 1956 and is two-story brick. It now houses offices and other functions. A church has stood at this Cherry and N. Madison site since 1838. If accepted, formal approval of the former Christ Episcopal site listing in the National Register is likely some weeks or months away. Historic black-and-white photo is from the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac. Contemporary photo is from the Press-Gazette. Church interior and rectory photos from the diocese via flickr. 2/13/2012 Historic Preservation Commission minutes at http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mins_agd/ and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090415/GPG04/904150685/Divine-Temple-s-exterior-illustrates-Gothic-Revival-style and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090429/GPG04/904290689/Design-blossoms-inside-Green-Bay-church

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/green_bay011.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde2000.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/interior.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/rectory.jpg

Downtown. Captain's Walk Winery is breaking ground on a 20-x-30-foot sun room/tasting room on what's being described as the south side of the winery. The one-story addition will be the winery's largest room and will become its main tasting room. It'll be available for private rentals. A historic bar from the T. Charles Saloon, established 1902 in Algoma, will be installed in the new space. A basement beneath the structure will be used for wine production and storage. The addition is expected to open by May. From the latest edition of What's Up Downtown. http://campaignbox.imagedistillery.com/t/ViewEmail/r/699251AB8EE60250/D6ED4EA4F8EE7430A2432AF2E34A2A5F and http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=9zlkb5bab&v=001VJlu5GGZPDQGbOub5X5zjbaoyUzzc4RTgcFQuWuqjanMJfI4UI870K8pvtNi_AaSHSC-Jxu0_-UaHtd_pVL5tsAtlvdA6rIDA0fDSRv_GjAGERCCb7neZg%3D%3D#LETTER.BLOCK6

Days Inn. According to recently posted minutes of the 2/13/2012 city Historic Preservation Commission, certain city employees "have been required to sign a confidentiality statement" requiring the former Days Inn property at 406 N. Washington St. That's part of the new Schreiber Foods Inc. office site. There was no elaboration in the minutes. http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mins_agd/

Downtown. The city Plan Commission has given its approval to make about five miles of the downtown area more bike-friendly. It's approved with some comment the Downtown and Navarino Neighborhood Bicycle Enhancements Plan. The plan calls for painting bicycle lanes on existing Broadway and Baird streets. Other areas - including Cherry, Crooks and Dousman streets and the Walnut St. Bridge - would have shared-use lanes for bicycles and cars. WBAY image. 2/13/2012 Plan Commission minutes at http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mins_agd/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bikes.png

Austin Straubel. The new De Pere-based air-service provider MetJet Inc. has sold all 500,000 shares of stock available to the public. The initial offering was available in 1,000-share increments at $1 per share. MetJet recently announced it'll begin offering direct weekend flights between Green Bay and Orlando and Green Bay and Minneapolis in late May. I've noticed the company is advertising on various Green Bay websites and in the Press-Gazette's print edition. http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=328784343840182&id=248380511880566 and http://www.metjet.net/index.asp

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/metjet2.jpg

De Pere. The De Pere Historical Society hopes to expand its White Pillars Museum at 403 N. Broadway downtown by looking to find someone willing to buy and move an adjacent two-story house at 409 N. Broadway. Offers will be accepted for the next 60 days. The house is worth $109,200 and had been the site of The Flower Gallery, which has relocated to George St. Not publicly said at this point what more specifically the additional museum property would be used for. Press-Gazette photo of White Pillars. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120220/GPG0101/202200440/-1/7daysarchives/White-Pillars-Museum-seeks-buyer-De-Pere-house

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde6-12.jpg

KI Convention Center. City Council scheduled to discuss the issue tonight but no news in by 10:15 p.m.

Jschmuck

February 23rd, 2012, 06:38 PM

11:14 AM, Feb. 23, 2012

MILWAUKEE - The U.S. Postal Service is shuffling mail processing operations in Wisconsin.

The Postal Service says it will move the Wausau processing and distribution facility operations to Green Bay. Processing and distribution in Eau Claire and La Crosse will be moved to St. Paul, Minn. Also, Kenosha mail processing will be moved to Milwaukee and Portage processing will go to Madison.

The retail operations at the facilities will remain open. The Postal Service said Thursday the moves are the result of a five-month-long study. Specific dates for the consolidations have not been announced. Although a moratorium on closures ends in mid-May. It's not immediately known how many jobs will be affected.

The Postal Service has previously said 252 processing sites might be closed in order to save money as mail volume declines.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120223/GPG0101/120223043/U-S-Postal-Service-mail-Milwaukee-Green-Bay-Wausau-Wisconsin?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Tower Park

February 24th, 2012, 03:23 AM

KI Convention Center. Tweet tonight from the Press-Gazette regarding the County Board's Administration Committee this evening considering the new room-tax funding proposal involving the KI Convention Center and the county: "BrownCo committee votes to send $12M KI Conv Ctr funding proposal forward. Next hurdle is a March 12 cmte meeting." Here's how the item was listed on the committee's agenda: "Communication from Supervisor Evans re: Brown County will commit to making the payments to retire a twelve million dollar borrowing by the City of Green Bay to finance the KI expansion project. These payments will be from the excess room tax stabilization fund until the existing bonds are retired on or about 2029. Furthermore, when the existing bonds are paid off, the room tax reverts to the local municipalities which the City of Green Bay will use to pay off the KI expansion borrowing. Upon approval of the above by the Brown County Board, all affected municipalities will approve a 2% room tax increase to be designated for the VCB." As for last night's City Council meeting, I'm not sure the KI matter was discussed. No word on it. https://twitter.com/#!/PGDougSchneider/status/172850472510701571 and http://www.co.brown.wi.us/i_brown/agendas/b3a81942972e/weeklyagendafeb20-24_2012.pdf

Broadway District. Latest edition of Broadway Beat, including news of additions at Body 360, 127 N. Broadway. The company will provide on-location massage services for area hotels and businesses. http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-On-Broadway-Inc-.html?soid=1102808930981&aid=6MP_S-aKlg8

Medical College of Wisconsin. Officials from the Medical College of Wisconsin are meeting with local colleges, universities and medical organizations as they consider expanding into Northeast Wisconsin. Green Bay is a potential site because it's near rural areas and has pockets of underserved urban areas. Doors for a small campus here could open in 2015 if the project moves forward. The program would work closely with Green Bay's four hospitals as well as local colleges and universities. Students would complete studies in Green Bay, including their medical residency or graduate medical training. The Medical College is conducting a feasibility study to determine if an expansion to NEW would work. Those conducting the study expect to give a report to the college board of trustees in mid-March. “The fact they are digging deep into Green Bay shouldn’t be seen as a sign they are coming to Green Bay,” a Medical College official says. “These things take time. This could serve as a model of how to do it in other areas.” http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120223/GPG0101/120223080/Medical-College-Wisconsin-considers-area-campus?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Great Lakes. The Obama administration will spend about $50 million this year to try and prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. The updated federal strategy includes more water sampling, stepped-up trapping and netting in rivers that could provide access to the lakes, and initial field tests of chemicals that could lure carp to where they could be captured. The federal government has already budgeted more than $100 million the past two years in the campaign against bighead and silver carp. They were imported from Asia decades ago and have migrated up the Mississippi River and its tributaries since escaping from fish farms and sewage lagoons in the deep South. The fish eat large amounts of plankton and have infested the Illinois River, which leads to Lake Michigan. Scientists differ about how widely they would spread in the Great Lakes, but under worst-case scenarios they could severely damage the $7 billion fishing industry. Several independent studies have called for placing barriers in the Chicago waterways to sever a manmade link between the two drainage basins. Environmentalists favor doing so, but Chicago business interests oppose it, saying it would damage the region's economy and cause flooding. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/feds-to-spend-50-million-on-carp-fight-0i4ablj-140133123.html

Green Bay Metro & Austin Straubel. Two passenger transportation systems serving Green Bay are going in opposite directions in ridership totals for now compared with 2011. Ridership on Green Bay Metro in January was 139,451, a 12.7% increase over 2011. Major route revisions inaugurated last September, new free Saturday service and an improving employment market in Brown County no doubt contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, the total arriving and departing passenger count at Austin Straubel airport in January fell from 50,377 last year to 44,331 this year. That's a drop of 12%. The loss of Frontier Airlines is likely the main reason for the decline. The addition in May of new carrier MetJet, though, could help airport numbers later in the year if the new service is successful. Metro totals from here http://www.facebook.com/GreenBayCity#!/pages/Green-Bay-Metro/112541541663 Airport numbers are not online but were reported in today's Press-Gazette.

Resch Center. Press-Gazette entertainment columnist and reporter Kendra Meinert says the crowd of 9,885 at the Feb. 16 Jason Aldean show was the third largest concert crowd in Resch Center history, behind Shania Twain with 10,019 in 2004 and Elton John with 10,414 in 2003. http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120223/GPG0502/120222148/Kendra-Meinert-column-GN-R-s-Dizzy-Reed-headline-own-Green-Bay-gig?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Pulaski. The future of a section of downtown Pulaski remains up in the air as owners of properties destroyed in a December fire decide what they want and can afford to do. What remains of the buildings will need to be torn down and removed and decisions made about whether lead and asbestos abatement is required. Structures could be rebuilt or empty lots sold to the village or someone else for redevelopment. Beyond that, plans call for reconstruction of Highways 32 and 160 in and around Pulaski, including the downtown, in 2013 and 2014. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120220/GPG0101/202200442/Pulaski-eager-move-after-December-fire-downtown

Bay2Bay

February 24th, 2012, 03:55 AM

Green Bay Metro & Austin Straubel. Two passenger transportation systems serving Green Bay are going in opposite directions in ridership totals for now compared with 2011. Ridership on Green Bay Metro in January was 139,451, a 12.7% increase over 2011. Major route revisions inaugurated last September, new free Saturday service and an improving employment market in Brown County no doubt contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, the total arriving and departing passenger count at Austin Straubel airport in January fell from 50,377 last year to 44,331 this year. That's a drop of 12%. The loss of Frontier Airlines is likely the main reason for the decline. The addition in May of new carrier MetJet, though, could help airport numbers later in the year if the new service is successful. Metro totals from here http://www.facebook.com/GreenBayCity#!/pages/Green-Bay-Metro/112541541663 Airport numbers are not online but were reported in today's Press-Gazette.

It should also be noted that the Packers had three road playoff games last year that probably helped drive airport traffic.

Tower Park

February 24th, 2012, 03:59 AM

It should also be noted that the Packers had three road playoff games last year that probably helped drive airport traffic.

Good point. They did have one home playoff game this year in January (New York), so that may have helped some in terms of incoming traffic.

Tower Park

February 25th, 2012, 04:51 AM

Great Lakes. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says if Asian carp ever entered Lake Michigan, Green Bay would be an attractive breeding ground for the fish because of its shallow and warmer water. So Green Bay is one of three areas on the Great Lakes where the agency plans to expand sampling for Asian carp - using eDNA tests, netting and what's called electrofishing. The other two are the Detroit River and western Lake Erie. Officials anticipate working with state natural resources officials this spring and hope to have a plan by summer or fall. While more than 180 nonnative species have been introduced into the Great Lakes since the beginning of the 19th century, officials say the potential arrival of Asian carp is one of the most serious invasive species threats facing the region today. AP photo. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120224/GPG0101/202240532/Agency-test-Green-Bay-waters-Asian-carp?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde2-5.jpg

Fox River. The proposed fiscal 2013 federal budget with funding for continued cleanup of the Great Lakes includes money for reducing high phosphorous levels in three Great Lakes watersheds: the Maumee River in Ohio, the Saginaw River in Michigan and the Fox River in Green Bay. Brown County's land conservation director says the proposal is a major step forward for the river and Lake Michigan. "If you've ever seen the water (in downtown Green Bay) in August, the color is pea green," he says. "There are so many nutients and you have little clarity. That impacts the whole ecosystem." The major source of the phosphorus is runoff from agricultural fields, a problem that the additional funding would be designed to address. The Press-Gazette says two Great Lakes Restoration grants awarded two years ago have proven successful here. One provided buffer strips along the Baird Creek waterway to reduce the amount of phosphorous getting into the water. The other was improvement of the west shore northern pike habitat that when completed should help produce 20,000 pike per year in just one acre. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120224/GPG0706/202240525/Tony-Walter-column-Grants-prove-beneficial-waterways

KI Convention Center. The Press-Gazette headlined its page-one coverage of the KI Convention Center issue today "KI Center Moves Closer Toward Expansion." The county Administration Committee yesterday signed off on a proposal to have the county make payments on $12 million in bonds toward the estimated $19.5 million cost of expanding KI. Money would come from excess funds in a room-tax stabilization fund and would be designed to pay off the bonds in about 17 years. The proposal now is slated to go before the County Board's Executive Committee in March. If approved there, the issue could come to the full board for a vote on March 21. On Wednesday night, the Green Bay City Council unanimously endorsed the proposal. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120224/GPG0101/202240536/KI-Convention-Center-moves-closer-toward-expansion?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Washington Commons. The first exterior pile of debris from demolition of the former Washington Commons is now visible behind the rubble that once was the Days Inn. Officials have said most of the initial mall demolition and demolition prep work, however, will be inside and not visible to the public. Photo from January from the website Green Bay Real Estate Journal. http://www.greenbayrealestatejournal.com/downtown-green-bay-foreclosures-have-potential/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/rubble2.jpg

Resch Center. A final decision by the WIAA on whether to stage future boys and girls state basketball tournaments in Madison or Ashwaubenon won't be made until late March. The WIAA says it wants to focus for now on the boys state tournament scheduled March 15-17 at the Kohl Center and the girls tournament following at the same venue March 22-24. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120224/GPG020510/202240579/WIAA-State-basketball-tournament-decision-will-come-March?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-Sports

Fox Valley. There's no mention here of Green Bay, but here's an article (first link) that talks about the former Left Guard/Left End chain of restaurants started in the 1960s in Menasha by Packers player Fuzzy Thurston and a former Neenah resident. A Left Guard was opened in Green Bay on W. Mason St. (at its intersection, I think, with Hinkle St. west of 41) that later (1976), if I've got this right, became the Carlton West/Carlton Celebrity Room, a dinner theater seating 1,000 at 2350 W. Mason St. The Carlton regularly brought to Green Bay top Hollywood/Vegas/Nashville entertainment and musical acts, including Andy Williams, Johnny Cash, Bill Cosby, Liberace, Buddy Rich, Rodney Dangerfield, Spyro Gyra, Loretta Lynn, Bobby Vinton, John Prine, Ronnie Milsap and Bob Newhart. The Carlton later closed down after a major fire. http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120215/APC0902/202150319/Left-Guard-brought-NFL-presence-Menasha and http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19830422&id=IKpRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SxIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6074,5020631

Danillo

February 26th, 2012, 02:49 AM

Just took a bit of a walk around the Watermark. The ramp looks finished, with stripes painted and signage up. Looks like they are doing HVAC work inside Hagemeister Park. Where Pine St comes through, there are large blocks of foam stacked, I've a few guesses what those are for, but really no idea. The Washington St. facing windows above Pine aren't in yet. On the river side, all but one or two of the windows are in, as are the sliding doors with the French balconies. I think it looks really nice.

Major things I'm curious to see done include the connection between the CityDeck and Pine St., including how they build the storefronts in there, the cladding around the parking ramp, the awnings, and whatever they do to the top of the water tower part of the old warehouse portion. The old brick needs a bath, too.

On the CityDeck, they are capping the footings for the new piers, and they are also driving new pilings, which I'm guessing the docks and ramps will be affixed to.

All told, it's a lot of fun to watch the progress, and it should look great this summer/fall when it's all done.

Tower Park

February 26th, 2012, 03:21 AM

Valley Transit & Green Bay Metro. Two Fox Cities lawmakers, one Republican and one Democrat, are proposing legislation that would allow for the creation of a regional transit authority in the Fox Cities that could raise local sales taxes to compensate for a looming loss in federal transit funds. Gov. Walker has opposed and vetoed similar proposals in the past. Meanwhile, Reps. Ribble and Petri are proposing legislation at the federal level that would prevent a large drop in federal funding next year for both Valley Transit and Green Bay Metro. The two systems stand to lose millions of dollars combined in federal funding next year unless changes in the federal transit-funding formula are made. The prospects for that legislation passing are unclear. If continued or replacement funding isn't found, both Valley Transit and Metro have the potential for major service cuts and/or fare increases and/or layoffs next year. http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120225/APC0101/202250471/Bill-seeks-Fox-Valley-transit-authority?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Green Bay Metro. Says route changes east of the Fox River are planned for later this year. No details. From a news report about Metro's increases in ridership and its major Monday-through-Saturday route changes inaugurated last September. When those changes first went into effect, there was “mass confusion” among riders, according to Transit Commission minutes at the time. This report says that since then, some riders have adjusted to the new routes while others would like to see changes made. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/ridership-on-busses-up-but-riders-vent-frustration-over-routes

Downtown. The Wisconsin Newspaper Association has named the Green Bay Press-Gazette the 2011 Daily Newspaper of the Year, the association's top honor for daily newspapers. The award was presented Friday at the WNA's annual meeting in Madison. Judging in the statewide competition was done by members of the Illinois Press Association. Wisconsin's largest newspaper, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, does not enter this awards program. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120225/GPG0101/202250591/Press-Gazette-named-state-s-best-newspaper?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120225/APC0101/202250460/Post-Crescent-earns-52-awards-annual-Wisconsin-Newspaper-Association-contest?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Downtown. Aster Park Floral Studio has been disqualified from the City of Green Bay Farmers' Market because it sells merchandise made by others. It's part of a new effort to enforce authenticity standards requiring merchandise or food at the market be made, grown or produced by the vendor selling it. Aster sells at the market home-and-garden accessories purchased from outside suppliers, with its sales there said to total some $10,000 annually. Located at 332 S. Monroe Ave., the store says the city should relax the market rules and be more supportive of local and downtown merchants. The GB farm market operates every Saturday morning between June and October in the large parking lot near Monroe Ave. and Cherry St. About 100 vendors display their food products, arts and crafts, and other wares. The city says another 150 vendors are on a waiting list for a spot at the market. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120225/GPG0101/202250584/Green-Bay-farmers-market-works-keep-homegrown-?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/FarmersMarket/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/banner1.jpg

Downtown. The last of six New Leaf Winter Farmers Markets of the season was today at the KI Convention Center. As many as 1,800 people have attended the event, now in its second season and featuring about 70 vendors. New Leaf Market currently has about 450 members - up from about 300 last summer - and could open a downtown food cooperative by late 2013. http://www.wbay.com/story/17017815/2012/02/25/indoor-farmers-market-wraps-up-winter-season and http://www.newleafmarket.org/

Downtown. Veteran Press-Gazette reporter and columnist Warren Gerds says he began noticing "a few years ago" more large birds downtown and mentions "flotillas of pelicans" plus bald eagles and what he thinks is red-tailed hawk. Gerds has been at the paper for more than 25 years, usually stationed in a corner spot in the newsroom with six large windows facing south and east. "Birds fly through my line of vision," he says. "It's clear to me that what is taking place is rare. Large predators are finding that downtown Green Bay has become clean enough to think about living there." In a reference to past air pollution (which downtown up to a couple decades ago often included an intense acidic smell from what I think were pulp-mill operations in the city), Gerds concludes, "Time was, humans could barely breathe there." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120225/GPG04/202250512/Warren-Gerds-column-From-corner-big-changes-air?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|GPG-Life&Style

Paule

February 26th, 2012, 10:26 PM

I did not write this I found it at a blog in Madison. This is only party of the whole article.

It has been so amazing to hear those in Green Bay try to spin their city as a place students and parents want to stay for a weekend. I have spent time in Green Bay when working in radio in northeast Wisconsin. Unless one wants to hang out at the bars where one might spot a Packer player there is nothing to be offered for entertainment. Looking at Lambeau Field can not possible take in a whole weekend. And how many fish fries can one consume?

No one can say that Green Bay is a destination type city that anyone in March wants to head off to for a weekend.

Green Bay might be the place to tail-gate before a Packer game, and a city to drive through when heading to Door County, but it has nothing to offer the public who want to enjoy a truly fun-filled WIAA weekend.

If you would like to comment on his complete post the link is below

http://dekerivers.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/green-bay-not-an-exciting-city-for-wiaa-games/#comments

I didn't come here today to reply to any posts but when I saw this I had to comment. First, when wanting to "get away" for the weekend I think Madisonians think more on the line of big city like a trip to the Twin Cities or Chicago, not a city the size of Green Bay. Second, I'm from Wausau and know plenty of people who have done weekend trips to Green bay. They go to the casino, Packer Hall of Fame, shopping, some museums like the National Railroad Museum, and even a tall sail boat fest. None of them have mentioned anything to me about bar hoping but all had said they had a great time in Green Bay.

Here's the reason why I posted today. I found this photo of a 1974 rendering of the Port Plaza Mall and if you hadn't ever seen it I thought you would find it very interesting. Sorry if this photo has already been posted.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13878970@N06/
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Stuff/ShopKoFan.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/

Tower Park

February 27th, 2012, 02:51 AM

Green Bay. The Green Bay Historic Preservation Commission is seeking nominations for its annual awards program. The commission will present awards for residential rehabilitation and adaptive reuse and for older structures with cultural, architectural, social or historical significance. Archaeological sites can be considered for cultural or historical significance. Nominations are due March 9 and can be submitted by visiting the city's website at http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/HistoricPreservation/nominationform.html

Broadway District. Evans Title Companies has moved into the Chamber of Commerce building at 300 N. Broadway. It previously was located at 205 Doty St. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120226/GPG03/202260603/Richard-Ryman-column-4-businesses-move-new-sites

Kewaunee County FYI. The Kewaunee Power Station, which provides some of the electrical power for Green Bay's Wisconsin Public Service Corp., is one of 11 nuclear plants nationwide being asked by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for more information about nuclear fuel rods. Depending on results of the NRC inquiry, the plant could face restrictions on future reactor operations. Meanwhile, the Journal Sentinel says the company that owns the Kewaunee station, Dominion Resources Inc., has operated the plant at a loss for at least the last two years and is offering it for sale. Dominion photo. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120218/GPG03/202180606/Kewaunee-power-plant-talks-safety-analysis and http://www.jsonline.com/business/nuclear-power-faces-headwinds-k748531-139564298.html

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Green Bay. The American Transmission Co. will begin what is being termed outreach, in northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, in upcoming weeks for a proposed transmission line from Green Bay north to Marquette. The company last year proposed $1 billion in new transmission lines to serve northern Wisconsin and the UP after a blackout in May left much of the peninsula in the dark for up to 10 hours. A variety of power-line alternatives has been proposed. Journal Sentinel map. http://www.jsonline.com/business/alternative-power-line-plans-proposed-for-up-5849ms0-139922833.html

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/UPLINES22G1.jpg

Marinette FYI. The parent company of Marinette Marine Corp. — Fincantieri-Cantieri Navali Italiani SpA — has invested more than $40 million so far of $73.5 million in planned upgrades at the Marinette Marine shipyard. Another $22 million is earmarked for this year. Marinette Marine is working on the future combat ships USS Fort Worth, Milwaukee and Detroit, and contracts for the future USS Little Rock and Sioux City are anticipated next month. Employment currently is at 1,200, with about 300 more employees expected in the next four months. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120226/GPG03/202260604/More-than-40M-invested-Marinette-shipyard

GarfieldPark

February 27th, 2012, 05:03 PM

From TowerPark's posting above: "Veteran Press-Gazette reporter and columnist Warren Gerds says he began noticing "a few years ago" more large birds downtown and mentions "flotillas of pelicans"...."

PELICANS!!?? Seriously? I thought pelicans only hung out down in the Gulf Coast areas - like around Tampa, Pensacola, Mobile and Louisiana. That would be pretty amazing to see pelicans in Green Bay.

GBguy

February 27th, 2012, 05:29 PM

[QUOTE=PELICANS!!?? Seriously? I thought pelicans only hung out down in the Gulf Coast areas - like around Tampa, Pensacola, Mobile and Louisiana. That would be pretty amazing to see pelicans in Green Bay.[/QUOTE]

Pelicans have been coming around these parts for a while now. They usually hang out around Renard Island in the bay and over by the De Pere Dam. If you see a group of bigger white birds flying at a pretty high altitude in the summer months, odds are they're pelicans.

I love seeing them. They are starting to become one of my favorite things I look forward to when the summer months slowly creep around.

GarfieldPark

February 27th, 2012, 05:48 PM

Hmmmmm. Interesting. Thanks for the info.

mgk920

February 27th, 2012, 06:20 PM

Don't knock it, pelicans ARE 'native' in Wisconsin and there is a 'Pelican Lake' in the northern part of the state, it is along US 45 a short distance south of US 8:

http://binged.it/za1ILT

Mike

GarfieldPark

February 27th, 2012, 09:09 PM

I definitely wasn't knocking pelicans. I think they are great and it is cool that they hang out in Green Bay during the Summers. My "hmmmmmm" was an interested hmmmmm, not a bored hmmmmmmm. :)

zinger423

February 27th, 2012, 11:56 PM

Pelicans have been coming around these parts for a while now. They usually hang out around Renard Island in the bay and over by the De Pere Dam. If you see a group of bigger white birds flying at a pretty high altitude in the summer months, odds are they're pelicans.

I love seeing them. They are starting to become one of my favorite things I look forward to when the summer months slowly creep around.
I was down at the mouth of the Fox River today and had my first sighting of the American White Pelican for the year. This is unusually early for their arrival to the bay, but with the unseasonable weather I don't put anything past them!

GBObserver

February 28th, 2012, 12:09 AM

... The one true solution is to be a whiner and blame someone else while promoting no plan to do anything about it!!! Awesome indeed!!!

While you wait for your brilliant strategy to play out, I've got a tip for how you can save money. Get a tent, "occupy" some park, and complain a lot without offering any alternatives! It's free, and you won't be alone! I'll just wait quietly and see how that works out for you, and if you have any actual ideas you'd like to discuss, let me know.

As for the downtown businesses. If you are in the business of selling sandwiches and drinks, then selling a lot of sandwiches and drinks is probably good for business. Then again, what do I know? Apparently if it doesn't fit in with your pre-exisitng belief that no businesses downtown are doing well, except for the ones that are, but they are only doing so because business owners and imported workers go there, then it must not be true, right? Your contradictions with yourself are so thick that my pea-brain is getting confused, so maybe it makes sense that a business selling their products in higher quantities isn't a good day of business.

...and yes, I realize exactly how condescending I'm being, but that seems to be a tone you know well.[/QUOTE]

Your emotional response to the facts that were presented clearly hit your nerve, Danillo. Your snotty reply was not helpful to, I suspect, anyone in this forum except to make yourself feel vindicated. I will refrain to stooping to an attack in reply. Good luck to you.

Tower Park

February 28th, 2012, 08:28 AM

Great Lakes. The U.S. Supreme Court will not order the closure of shipping locks on Chicago-area waterways to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. The court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from Michigan and other Great Lakes states looking for immediate shutdown of the locks and a quicker timetable for other efforts at carp control. The states have a pending lawsuit that calls for permanently severing a man-made link between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes drainage basins. They had wanted a court order to close the locks while the case was pending. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/140592763.html

Associated Bank. A regulatory order issued in 2010 by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago covering the operations of Associated Bank is expected to be lifted in March. The Federal Reserve has told Associated it has complied with terms of an April 2010 memorandum of understanding. The move ends special scrutiny of Associated by regulators stemming from the nation's financial crisis. An earlier order from the Officer of the Comptroller of the Currency was dropped last year, and Associated has repaid its $525 million TARP loan to the U.S. Treasury. Meanwhile, the Journal Sentinel reports Associated Banc-Corp CEO Philip Flynn was paid $5 million last year in salary, stock awards and other compensation, slightly less than he made in 2010. Flynn was brought in by Associated late in 2009 to help the bank recover from loan losses and other issues that arose when the economy went into recession. http://www.jsonline.com/business/bank-regulatory-order-set-to-be-lifted-oh4c00f-140639993.html and http://www.jsonline.com/business/bank-exec-was-paid-5-million-in-total-compensation-filing-shows-oh4c192-140651183.html

Green Bay Packers. The Green Bay Packers’ stock sale will end at midnight Wednesday. As of Feb. 14, the team had sold 263,000 shares at $250 each, raising $66 million for the $143 million expansion and upgrade of Lambeau Field now under way. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120227/GPG0101/120227088/Green-Bay-Packers-stock-shares-sale-end?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Downtown De Pere. A new hot dog and sausage restaurant called Wally Dogs has opened in downtown De Pere at 310 Main Ave. Meanwhile, the owner of Knights Pub & Club (formerly Knights on Main) at 401 Main Ave. has received a citation and admitted to refilling bottles of higher-end liquor with less expensive brands. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120220/GPG03/202200426/Sausages-reign-De-Pere-s-Wally-Dogs and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120226/GPG0101/202260650/-1/7daysarchives/De-Pere-bar-owner-accused-booze-swap

Welcome. To some brand new posters who have appeared in recent weeks: zinger423, 900, beerguru and lookingglass. Hope I didn’t miss anyone. And 900, thanks for everything you’re doing!

I was down at the mouth of the Fox River today and had my first sighting of the American White Pelican for the year. This is unusually early for their arrival to the bay, but with the unseasonable weather I don't put anything past them!

Here are two photos of pelicans in the area. The first was taken by the Press-Gazette in 2009 near the De Pere Dam and the Claude Allouez Bridge. The second is said to show pelicans on or near Grassy Island last year near the mouth of the Fox River and was taken by a passing boater. Second photo from www.thelighthousehunters.com

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-32.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/marinelife-pelican-flock.gif

GarfieldPark

February 28th, 2012, 07:30 PM

^^ WOW!! Very Cool! And here I thought they were just semi-tropical birds. What do you know.

Tower Park

February 29th, 2012, 05:40 AM

Central Library. Proposed bonding of $1.5 million to finance civil, structural, HVAC, plumbing and electrical engineering services for the Central Library Repair and Renovation Project is expected to be discussed and decided at three upcoming meetings. They are the County Board's Education & Recreation Committee this Thursday at 5 p.m, the County Board's Executive Committee on March 12, and the full County Board on March 21. This from the latest edition of "What's Up Downtown." Rendering of the proposed renovated Central Library. http://campaignbox.imagedistillery.com/t/ViewEmail/r/6F88B9BA57F3ADBB/AA9C952A5FFD74664936C359EC0425C0 and http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=g6aciodab&v=001bNszPz862Yz9RrVK9xQy3QE8YvMDHdkDTyl4TbIOSyZALA8QzCC-YWwI0xDDLI5u_6QOUdus3-aMELqBNr-fERfq15e5y7Nk98nsADqxPsOu6lJ71P3uqD4tfRoosRVdq-c3cnne27M%3D and http://www.co.brown.wi.us/departments/page_64ad5a0d1606/?department=58da4860ce85&subdepartment=72b7d6b798b9

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Artists20Rendering1.jpg

Broadway District. The parent company of BMO Harris Bank - Bank of Montreal - saw profits rise 34% in the quarter ending Jan. 31 following its purchase last July of Milwaukee-based M&I Bank. Net income rose to a record $1.11 billion U.S. Bank of Montreal is Canada's fourth-largest lender. BMO Harris Bank is headquarted in Chicago and has among its Green Bay branches a four-story office building at 310 W. Walnut St. downtown. http://www.jsonline.com/business/bank-of-montreal-earnings-up-34-boosted-by-mi-acquisition-n84c758-140730343.html

Wisconsin. Wisconsin's banking industry continued to recover in 2011, with only about 1 of 8 state banks finishing in the red, new data shows. That compares with about 1 of every 5 banks that were unprofitable in 2010. Total net income for 271 Wisconsin banks was $532 million last year, compared with a loss of $518 million in 2010. Among the highest 2011 earnings and losses for Wisconsin-based banks with branches in Brown County were the following. http://www.jsonline.com/business/fewer-wisconsin-banks-posted-losses-in-2011-fdic-reports-594c7tq-140754643.html

• Associated Bank, headquarted in Ashwaubenon: $162.5 million
• Bank First National, Manitowoc: $9.3 million
• North Shore Bank, Brookfield: -$10.5 million
• Johnson Bank, Racine: -$17.2 million
• Bank Mutual, Brown Deer: -$47.2 million

Downtown. A rooming house for men called Transformation House operated by Faith Tabernacle Outreach Ministries has opened downtown at 436 S. Jefferson St. near St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter. The facility is designed for men with financial problems, addiction or other issues. Residents pay $75 a week to live there and can get help with addiction counseling, skills training, financial guidance and job searching. The facility also assists unemployed men who can't afford the rent. Now able to accommodate about 30 residents, Transformation House includes double-occupancy rooms, a dining area, laundry room, classrooms, a basement sanctuary offering church services, and other amenities. It provides a free daily lunch. The building had been vacant since a similar rooming house at this location closed in 2009. WGBA image. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120228/GPG0101/202280478/Faith-based-facility-targets-great-need-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/male-only-transitional-shelter-opens and http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/140661003.html

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/transformation.jpg

Austin Straubel. A 44-year-old Green Bay man has been arrested in connection with recent bomb threats at Austin Straubel airport and the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Ashwaubenon. The Brown County Sheriff's Department and FBI arrested Daniel Larson on Monday. Investigators believe Larson called in a bomb threat to Austin Straubel on Feb. 18. He is also a person of interest in a bomb threat made to Walmart in Bellevue two days later. No bomb-making materials or devices were found and it is unclear why Larson allegedly made the threats. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/man-arrested-for-making-bomb-threats

Wausau FYI. A study into the possible opening of a $75 million medical school in Wausau has found that such a school is not feasible, one of the potential partners announced Tuesday. The school would have trained as many as 100 physicians per year. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120228/GPG0101/302290023/Wausau-medical-school-isn-t-feasible-Aspirus-says?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Tower Park

March 1st, 2012, 03:57 AM

Green Bay. Ice on Green Bay offshore from UWGB this week hosted nearly 75 iceboats competing in the DN Ice Yacht Racing Association's North American Championship. This year's races were supposed to be on Lake Champlain in Vermont, but a snowstorm there forced the change to lower Green Bay. With mostly glare ice a foot thick and a 25-mph wind Monday afternoon, boats easily topped 50 mph downwind on the marked course and some neared 60. But races were canceled Tuesday because of poor conditions. UWGB says a shallow area called University Bay offers an area roughly 3 miles long and 3 miles wide for iceboating, bounded by open water of the shipping channel on the west and open water of Point au Sable to the north. Press-Gazette photos. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120229/GPG0101/202290642/Poor-ice-conditions-sink-Green-Bay-iceboat-races?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde6-13.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde3-7.jpg

KI Convention Center. Miss America Laura Kaeppeler, Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby and Gov. Walker are among speakers scheduled Sunday through Tuesday at the annual Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism. The event will be held at the KI Convention Center, with nearly 1,000 tourism officials from around the state expected to attend. Featured educational topics include customer service, social media and economic forecasts. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/tourism-conference-starts-sunday-in-green-bay-084clsv-140850773.html

Meyer Theatre. The 2012 State of the City address will be given by Mayor Schmitt on Tuesday, March 27, at the Meyer Theatre at 4:30 p.m. A reception follows at the Children's Museum. http://www.facebook.com/events/249114301841983/

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Stadium District. The Green Bay Packers are one step closer to razing two houses near Lambeau Field to make room for media parking. The Ashwaubenon Village Board on Tuesday unanimously voted to rezone nine properties along Stadium Dr. and June and Barberry lanes. The properties will be considered public use rather than single-family residence. The move allows Lambeau Field Redevelopment LLC to raze houses at 930 and 936 Stadium Dr. to make room for a paved, landscaped parking lot for mobile broadcast trucks. Work on the lot could begin April 1 to be completed for the Packers' 2012 season. The Packers own 10 properties between Barberry and June lanes and along Stadium Dr. Five of the nine properties rezoned Tuesday are undeveloped, and the remaining two have single-family dwellings. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120229/GPG0101/202290644/Lambeau-Field-parking-lot-rezoning-approved?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|GPG-News

Highway 41. The intersection of W. Mason and Taylor streets closes by 5 a.m. Thursday until Aug. 1 for the construction of a roundabout. The work is part of the Highway 41 reconstrucion project. http://www.wbay.com/story/17049291/2012/02/29/major-intersection-closes-for-mason-streethighway-41-project

Tower Park

March 2nd, 2012, 08:32 PM

Washington Commons. Crews from Veit & Company will spend most of March gutting the interior of the former Washington Commons. Plans then call for knocking down the mall’s exterior walls by mid-April plus demolition work on the former J.C. Penney store. By mid-May, remaining work is expected to include removing Washington Commons’ concrete floor and underground support beams before backfilling the site and completing the mall demolition project by the end of June. The city says crews anticipate recycling about half of the mall’s building materials. Press-Gazette photos of the mall and former Days Inn sites. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120301/GPG0101/203010537/-1/7daysarchives/Walls-former-downtown-Green-Bay-mall-coming-down and http://www.wbay.com/story/17057163/2012/03/01/mall-demolition-crews-make-effort-to-recycle-materials

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-8-14.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-34.jpg

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-8-15.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/bilde-7-33.jpg

Central Library. The Brown County Clerk’s office says today the County Board’s Education & Recreation Committee last night approved as submitted an initial resolution authorizing general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $1.53 million. The bonding if approved by the County Board would be phase I of the Central Library Repair and Renovation Project and would fund civil, structural, HVAC, plumbing and electrical engineering services for the project.

Central Library. WLUK reports that if the Central Library Repair and Renovation Project is approved, the downtown library will need to find a temporary home during construction. Construction would be expected to last about 18 months. The cost to rebuild the library is projected at $32 million, while repairing and renovating the current building is put at $23 million, with $17 million of that work considered critical. “This plan is way past due,” says a spokesperson for the Brown County Central Library Repair and Renovation Task Force. “A lot of this work should have been done ten years ago.” Needs identified include electrical, plumbing and windows plus upgrades to meet disability codes. The task force says the library project would provide for 55% more public-use space, increased energy efficiency, expanding technology and a new drive-through pickup and drop-off window. The group also says it’s looking at naming rights, join ventures and available grants to help fund the project. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/repair-plans-for-brown-county-library

Law Enforcement Center. David Lasee on Thursday was named Brown County’s new district attorney by Gov. Walker. Lasee, 34, has been an assistant district attorney for the county for six years and replaces long-time DA John Zakowski, who recently was appointed a Brown County judge. Lasee is a 1999 graduate of UW-Madison and received his law degree from the UW Law School in 2002. The Brown County Law Enforcement Center is located on Courthouse Square. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120302/GPG0101/203020536/David-Lasee-appointed-Brown-County-district-attorney?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News|s and http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/141110913.html

Green Bay Police Department. Reported violent and property crimes in Green Bay totaled 2,864 in 2011. That compares with 2,986 in 2010, a four percent drop, and about 3,800 in 2002. Violent crimes include homicide and assault and property crimes include burglary. The statistics come from the FBI. The Green Bay Police Department is headquartered downtown at 307 S. Adams St. http://www.wbay.com/story/17061606/2012/03/01/green-bay-crime-rates-are-the-lowest-in-a-decade

Downtown. Twenty-nine pieces of art will be displayed this spring and summer downtown as part of the 10th year of the Einstein Project's Butterflies & Friends on Parade. New works will include bear, rabbit, deer, duck, fish, otter and pelican native to Wisconsin. Larger art pieces will be placed along and near the Fox River, including CityDeck, while smaller objects will be on display in nearby buildings. A panel of judges selected the 29 from about 50 submissions. The art will be displayed from early June through August and will be auctioned off Sept. 20. Last year's auction featured 32 pieces and raised more than $70,000, with the highest bid $8,000 for a pelican sculpture by Green Bay artist Michael Jakopovich. The nonprofit and Green Bay-based Einstein Project serves about 40 school districts statewide, providing science materials and training for some 85,000 students and teachers a year, pre-K through 8th grade. Einstein Project images of some of this year’s art. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120301/GPG0101/203010532/New-animals-join-Einstein-Project-s-Butterflies-Friends-Parade and http://www.einsteinproject.org/

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/pelicanfin1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/butterflynewbeginnings1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/fishhiroshi1.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/turtlecozyquirtle1.jpg

Downtown. The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade along the Fox River will be Saturday, March 17. Participants including Mayor Schmitt and Packers President Mark Murphy will gather at 9:30 a.m. at the new Admiral Flatley Park behind Breakthrough Fuel, 400 S. Washington St. The 12-unit parade starts at 10:30 and will proceed along the Fox River Trail to CityDeck, where there’ll be music, dance and a fireworks/smoke show. The parade includes the Shamrock Club of Green Bay, Heritage Academy of Irish Dance, Green Bay Notre Dame High School Band and miniature ponies. Three-hundred seats will be available for a non-perishable food donation to St. Patrick’s Food Pantry. Press-Gazette photo. http://www.stpatricksdaygreenbay.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU6P_e34VMI

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/Screenshot2012-03-01at124110PM.jpg

Green Bay Native

March 2nd, 2012, 09:24 PM

^^ More photos of the mall demolition (from the inside): http://interactives.fox11online.com/photomojo/gallery/2145/2/washington-commons-demolition/a-look-at-the-destruction/

Puant

March 3rd, 2012, 12:10 AM

Small-market label doesn't fit Green Bay Packers
Economics professor Kevin Quinn says team not only affects area economy, but also culture

(link to article) (http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120301/GPG03/203010556/Small-market-label-doesn-t-fit-Green-Bay-Packers)

By Richard Ryman, Green Bay Press-Gazette: rryman@greenbaypressgazette.com

The Green Bay Packers play in the smallest of professional sports cities, but they should not be confused with being a small-market team.

There are several reasons for that, says Kevin Quinn, professor of economics and associate academic dean at St. Norbert College, who spoke on the team's impact on the area Wednesday at the Neville Public Museum of Brown County in Green Bay.

A major factor is the National Football League's revenue sharing, which last year provided teams with $160 million in revenue. Another is the Packers' marketability beyond its hometown. As an example, Quinn said the Packers' $3.5 million broadcast contract with Milwaukee's WTMJ is more than either the Indianapolis Colts or Buffalo Bills receive from their local outlets.

And the most recent revenue report ranked the Packers 11th of 32 teams.

"That's evidence the Packers are not really a small-market team," he said.

Quinn said Forbes magazine values the Packers at $1.1 billion, a 130 percent increase since 2002.

The Packers are not Brown County's largest business, but they do account for about 2 percent of the county's economy.

Because Green Bay is the smallest of professional cities, the Packers' relative impact is significant. A much higher percentage of the money spent at Packers games comes from outside the area than does spending at other professional venues, he said.

"You could take the Bears, Cubs, White Sox and Bulls out of Chicago's economy and you couldn't find (the impact)," he said.

Quinn said the Packers make Green Bay a big-league city and positively impact quality of life. If they left town, Green Bay would be Omaha, Neb.

"Omaha isn't that bad. Schreiber Foods would probably sell as much cheese, but there would be something missing," he said. "There's a certain civic pride. It's defining. It would have a much bigger effect on our culture."

Quinn said costs are difficult to measure, but include social impacts such as game-day drinking and other behaviors, traffic congestion, the crowding out of other entertainment options and additional costs to government.

Quinn frequently cited a 2009 economic impact study conducted by AECOM Technical Services of Chicago for the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District. That study concluded the team's direct and indirect economic impact was $282 million per year.

"The Packers have defined this area in all sorts of good ways," he said. "Most of us think of it as a public utility … but it is a business."

— rryman@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter @pressgazetteBIZ.

Tower Park

March 3rd, 2012, 12:37 AM

Green Bay Packers. The Packers’ just-completed stock sale was a big success, as the team took in about three times more revenue than it anticipated. The Packers say the major difference from past stock sales was the ability to sell online, with more than 90% of sales made over the Internet. Beyond that, on the field the team went 15-1 during the season and was driving for another Super Bowl title. Preliminary figures show the Packers sold 268,000 shares valued at $67 million, with half the shares bought by Wisconsin residents. Illinois and California residents accounted for 8.5% each, and Minnesota and Texas for 5% each. Canadian fans, who only had a couple days to buy, bought 2,000 shares. In all, the franchise added 250,000 new shareholders, bringing its total number to 360,000. Raising $67 million for the expansion project means the Packers can borrow less than expected, which the team says gives it flexibility with other development plans. Street & Smith reports the Packers have the most visited website in the NFL, averaging 1.25 million unique visitors per month from last August through December. The next closest was Dallas with 1.17 million. WLUK photo of Lambeau Field construction to date at the stadium's south end, as seen from the inside. http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120301/PKR01/120301173/Green-Bay-Packers-stock-shares-sale-NFL-Lambeau-Field-Internet-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.wbay.com/story/17059788/2012/03/01/lambeau-expansion-project-progress and http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/sports/packers_and_nfl/green-bay-packers-sell-268000-shares-of-stock

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Shopko. Has completed its acquisition of Pamida and will consolidate headquarters in Ashwaubenon in upcoming months. Pamida's headquarters are in Omaha. Shopko plans to convert Pamida stores to Shopko Hometown stores by the end of the year. Six Pamida stores, none in Wisconsin, will not be converted and are scheduled to close. Changes are not expected to Shopko's current 149 stores. Completion of the merger creates a company with about $3 billion in annual revenue, 350 locations in 22 states, and more than 20,000 employees. The merger is expected to create about 120 new positions in Ashwaubenon. Shopko is led by W. Paul Jones, its president, chairman and CEO. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120302/GPG03/203020525/Shopko-completes-Pamida-acquisition

Stadium District. The Press-Gazette says Bass Pro Shops has rejected locating at Highway 41 and Lombardi Ave. because of the past wetlands controversy at the 21-acre site. WBAY had reported last September two sources telling the station the company "remains the frontrunner" to build a large store on the property. The DNR approved a permit that would have allowed the filling of 1.65 acres of wetlands and requiring enhancement of another 7.6 acres. The Packers say they continue to look at developing the site, which the team owns and includes 12 acres that are not wetlands. This from an article about new legislation signed this week by Gov. Walker potentially making it easier for developers to build on wetlands in the state if certain requirements are met. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120301/GPG0101/203010539/Gov-Scott-Walker-OKs-bill-easing-wetland-development

Highway 41. The first concrete abutments are going up at the big new Highway 41/29 interchange.

Green Bay. Below is a NOAA satellite image of ice on Green Bay on Monday. The Coast Guard says it’ll start breaking ice on the bay next week with the cutter Mobile Bay to help open shipping lanes. It’s been a warmer and less snowy winter this season, although right now we’re under a winter storm warning and expecting a half-foot of snow. Coast Guard photo of the Mobile Bay. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/sports/outdoors/ice-breaking-to-begin-on-green-bay-march-5-2012

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/MOBILE_BAY_04.jpg http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww339/goetscha/gb-satellite_20120302105506_320_240.jpg

Puant

March 3rd, 2012, 12:46 AM

Green Bay. Below is a NOAA satellite image of ice on Green Bay on Monday. The Coast Guard says it’lill start breaking ice on the bay next week with the cutter Mobile Bay to help open shipping lanes. It’s been a warmer and less snowy winter this season, although right now we’re under a winter storm warning and expecting a half-foot of snow. Coast Guard photo of the Mobile Bay. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/sports/outdoors/ice-breaking-to-begin-on-green-bay-march-5-2012

^^Next WEEK? Normally, the shipping season doesn't start until early to mid April. I realize part of it is the warm winter (and relatively ice-free waters) but it is also a good sign for the economy: If the port terminals are asking to get the shipping lanes clear, that has to indicate there is strong demand...another good sign that the economy is improving.

Tower Park

March 3rd, 2012, 12:55 AM

^^Next WEEK? Normally, the shipping season doesn't start until early to mid April. I realize part of it is the warm winter (and relatively ice-free waters) but it is also a good sign for the economy: If the port terminals are asking to get the shipping lanes clear, that has to indicate there is strong demand...another good sign that the economy is improving.

I read somewhere recently that the Port of Milwaukee is opening up earlier too for the shipping season.

Puant

March 3rd, 2012, 06:11 AM

http://www.portofgreenbay.com/uploadedImages/Home_Page/Website_Contents/Terminal_Operators/terminal_map_20100901.png

link to port terminals (http://www.portofgreenbay.com/Terminal_Operators/Terminal_Operators.aspx)

My guess as to the terminals looking to get moving this early in the season:

Noble Petro
US Venture
Fox River Dock

...maybe others....?/\

Tower Park

March 4th, 2012, 03:51 AM

Schreiber Foods. Mayor Schmitt says he's being kept up-to-date on Schreiber Foods' office plans. "We like the green space they have," he says. "And connectivity to KI and the Northland Hotel." At least some of the underground concrete at Washington Commons will be left intact for Schreiber to reuse. Schreiber hopes to break ground in July, after the city turns over the cleared mall and J.C. Penney properties by the end of June. Press-Gazette photos below of interior mall demolition and recycling work. Note, the media is now indicating 90% of the mall will be recycled, not 50%. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/green-bay-mayor-tours-downtown-port-plaza-mall-demolition and http://www.wbay.com/story/17067406/green-bay-recycles-washington-commons-mall and http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120303/GPG0101/203030600/Leaders-get-last-look-former-downtown-Green-Bay-mall?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

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St. Norbert College. Dedication was Friday at St. Norbert College for the $7.7 million Michels Commons, a remodeling of the former Sensenbrenner Memorial Union with space added. The new facility includes a ballroom, outdoor patios, dining areas and a two-level atrium. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/new-commons-dedicated-at-st-norbert

Meyer Theatre. The folk rock band America, most popular on the pop music scene in the 1970s and '80s, performed Thursday night at the Meyer Theatre. The group's top-sellings songs included "A Horse with No Name,” “Ventura Highway” “Tin Man” and “Sister Golden Hair.” http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120301/GPG0502/120229146/Still-Golden-after-40-years-America-arrives-Meyer-tonight

Arena. One of the mainstays of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena for about two decades is in town for seven shows through Sunday. It's the three-ring Beja Shrine Circus. Among the circus' acts are 20 aerialists, 10 tigers, a 5-ton elephant, horses, a ringmaster, jugglers and a family of trampolinists. Press-Gazette photo. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120301/GPG0101/120301178/Beja-Shrine-Circus-animals-Green-Bay-protest

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Port of Green Bay. The Port of Green Bay and Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau are hosting their annual contest of guessing when the first ship arrives in port. The person who comes the closest to the date and time of the first arrival earns a prize package that includes two round-trip tickets on the Lake Express ferry between Milwaukee and Muskegon. The winner also receives a Lake Michigan Travel Guide. Guesses can be submitted to the convention bureau at www.greenbay.com. Click on "Contest." http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120303/GPG03/203030636/Guess-ship-win-trip

Food. Some local food coverage of late. Smurawa’s Country Bakery in Pulaski and its Polish pastry. http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120219/GPG0504/120216123/Paczki-Day-offers-annual-sweet-treat-Smurawa-s-Country-Bakery-Pulaski And the Booyah Shed & Grill in Ledgeview. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120211/GPG0504/120210169/Booyah-Shed-Grill-Ledgeview-keeps-its-simmering-secret-closely-guarded

Morse

March 5th, 2012, 03:18 AM

Regarding Tower's mention of Bass Pro Shop in the Stadium District I am wondering about the current status of that. Several weeks ago Economic Director Greg Flisram mentioned that an announcement was to be made shortly regarding a site on Military Avenue. The past RDA minutes mentioned that this business would challenge the scope of Miltary Avenue plan. I listened to the most recent RDA audio and it was mentioned that the interested party decided that the Military Avenue Corridor didn't quite meet their needs and the city did not want to lose them and was trying find other parcels in the city. There was no mention of the name of this business other than it would be new to the area. This is purely speculation on my but I wonder if the business that was looking to locate on Military Avenue was Bass Pro Shops.

Also interesting with the green space on the mall site. I wonder if this changes the plan for green space next to APAC in which Danillo has alluded to many times on this board? Is the city marketing that parcel? I am also very curious if there will be another announcement for the 'waterfront office tenant' that Jeff Mirkes mentioned.

Tower Park

March 5th, 2012, 03:27 AM

Schreiber Foods. I went back and transcribed what Mayor Schmitt actually said in a television interview the other day about Schreiber Foods' new office plans. Here's the quote: "We like the green space that they have - it's both Schreiber, public space - (and) the connectivity (they) will have to KI as well as the Northland Hotel." So that means there'll be public green space (perhaps park space???) as well as Schreiber green space in the Schreiber project area. It's a distinction worth pointing out, I think. http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/green-bay-mayor-tours-downtown-port-plaza-mall-demolition

Green Bay Police Department. More details on Green Bay's crime report for 2011. Statistics released by the city show serious crime has declined nearly 25% in the past 10 years. In 2011, reported robberies dropped nearly 30%. The city for the year also recorded decreases in reported burglaries, thefts and sex crimes, while experiencing increases in aggravated assaults and arsons. Robberies dropped from 68 to 48, burglaries declined from 575 to 475, thefts fell from 1,920 to 1,898, and car thefts declined from 110 to 104. Aggravated assaults increased from 250 to 278, and the number of arsons went from 6 to 7. The city had 2 homicides last year, unchanged from the year before. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120304/GPG0101/203040636/Green-Bay-crime-continues-downward-trend-falling-4-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|GPG-News

Brown County Jail. The number of juveniles admitted into the Brown County Jail's juvenile detention center has decreased 57% over the past five years as officials seek more counseling and treatment services for youths and less detention. The juvenile center is inside the jail and houses young people between ages 10 and 17. In 2006, 795 juveniles were admitted into juvenile detention; that number dropped to 342 last year. "I think the county is offering more programming for juveniles and trying to exhaust all options before settling on juvenile detention," says a county official. "They try to use this as a last resort-type of placement." One county judge estimates 50% of youth offenders need treatment for alcohol or drug abuse. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120304/GPG0101/203040620/Juvenile-detention-offenders-becomes-last-resort-Brown-County?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Baird Creek Parkway. The Triangle Sports Area at Baird Creek Parkway on the city's northeast side opened on Saturday for the first time this winter, the latest winter opening in recent memory. The city requires a four-inch base of snow at the hill - used by sledders, snowboarders, tubers and skiers - and the total from Friday and Saturday's snowfall was seven inches. The snow could be short-lived, however, as temperatures later this week could hit 50. The Triangle Sports Area at one time was known as "Little Switzerland" because of its rolling hills. A ski area was opened to the public in 1953, and operations costs were shared among Brown County, what was then the Town of Preble, and Green Bay. Thus the name Triangle. Press-Gazette photo from Saturday. http://www.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/article/20120304/GPG0101/203040643/Snow-better-late-than-never-Green-Bay-sledders?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE and http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/parks/trianglerecreation/index.html

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Baird Creek Preservation Foundation. The 14th annual dinner meeting of the Baird Creek Preservation Foundation - “Memories of Baird Creek and Its Future as an Oasis in an Urban Landscape” - is tomorrow (Monday) at the Clarion Hotel downtown. Guest speaker is prairie ecologist Neal Diboll. Reception 5 p.m., dinner 6, program 7. Baird Creek Preservation Foundation photo. http://bairdcreek.org/ and http://www.facebook.com/BairdCreek

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Radisson Hotel & Conference Center. New York Times best-selling author Jodi Picoult will perform a reading from her new book, "Lone Wolf," on Saturday at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center. She also will hold a question-and-answer session with the audience and a book signing. Picoult has written 20 novels, including best-sellers "My Sisters Keeper" and "Sing You Home." A capacity audience of 700 is expected. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120304/GPG04/203040513/Author-Jodi-Picoult-puts-Green-Bay-map?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|GPG-Life&Style

Tower Park

March 5th, 2012, 03:49 AM

Tower Park

March 6th, 2012, 12:15 AM

Downtown. More on downtown-area bike lanes going up this year. The city plans by June to start painting new lane markings designating either bike lanes along the right-hand side of selected streets or sharrow lanes down the center, in which vehicles and bikes share the same lane. The sharrow traffic-lane concept was approved by the state in 2009. The new bike lanes will appear on parts of Washington, Crooks, Baird and Cherry streets plus part of Broadway and the Walnut St. and Nitschke bridges and bridge approaches. http://www.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/article/20120305/GPG0101/203050479/Downtown-Green-Bay-get-bike-friendly?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|GPG-News

Austin Straubel. Here’s a new television commercial promoting MetJet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyON35ITxZQ&feature=youtu.be Here are six 10-second television commercials promoting Austin Straubel. http://arketypeinc.com/campaign/austin-straubel-airport-flygrb-campaign Below is one of several billboard designs Austin Straubel is now using.

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Shopko Hall. An estimated 10,000 people attended the annual three-day Northeast Wisconsin Sport Fishin' Show this past weekend at Shopko Hall. Among features were 65 vendors with fishing equipment, boats, resort bookings and other offerings plus a trout pond where guests could catch a fish and keep it. http://www.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/article/20120305/GPG0101/203050489/Sport-show-lures-schools-fishing-fans?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE

Appleton FYI. The Post-Crescent says the new proposed regional transit bill is “all but dead in Madison.” The state legislation would have allowed for creation of a regional transit authority serving the Fox Cities. Valley Transit stands to lose as much as $1.5 million in federal transit aid next year. A new federal transportation bill could help but currently is tied up in Congress and its prospects of passing are unclear. http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120305/APC010401/203050462/Bus-service-Regional-transit-bill-all-dead-Madison?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE