Appleton, WI Development News

[mgk920]

The demolition of Valley Fair Mall, believed to be the USA's first true enclosed mall shopping center (opened 1954-08-11), has begun.

:cry:

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070711/APC0101/707110602/1003/APCnews

Also see:
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=U0&Dato=20070710&Kategori=APCNEWS&Lopenr=707100810&Ref=PH
for images of VFM from the mid-1950s.

BTW, although not mentioned in the articles, the mall was built in Menasha township and was annexed into the City of Appleton in late 1983.

It really is too bad that this undesignated historical landmark has become so obsolete in recent years as I fondly remember the place from my childhood. Unfortunately, though, the winds of retail commerce have long since blown in other directions.

:cry:

Mike

[araman0]

I remember reading that they were going to demolish that mall a long time ago. What I never heard anything about is what might be taking it's place? That area of town could really use a boost in appearance and activity, so I hope it's something good. It has fairly easy acces to 441, which will be expanded to 6 lanes in a few years to the Oneida street exit.

[mgk920]

I remember reading that they were going to demolish that mall a long time ago. What I never heard anything about is what might be taking it's place? That area of town could really use a boost in appearance and activity, so I hope it's something good. It has fairly easy acces to 441, which will be expanded to 6 lanes in a few years to the Oneida street exit.
I'm not sure what is planned for it, either, but I suspect some lower-intensity neighborhood strip style center. The former Kohl's stores (plural, as they had both a department store and a grocery store side-by-side there) on the mall's east end are NOT being demolished, BTW.

The City of Appleton is also working on setting up a TIF district in the area around it, essentially covering the current City limits in Winnebago County from the site on southwestward.

We shall see.

Mike

[Paule]

This weekend I had a going away party to attend in Menasha. My cousin's son is leaving for Iraq in a month. Before I left for home back in Wausau this Sunday morning I thought I'd head to downtown Appleton and take some pics. I've never been in Appleton's downtown before so I was looking forward to it.

I was very impressed with the quality of what's down there. Small for a city of almost 80,000 and metro of over 300,000 but compact, there's alot there in that small area. I didn't do any walking around but drove from parking garage to parking garage. Next time that I make it I hope to do some walking around as what I did see, I liked. The quality of the architecture of the older buildings, 2 to 3 story storefronts, did impress me alot. Also what was impressive was the cleanliness of the whole downtown. I saw no boarded up buildings, weeds growing out from everywhere, and no garbage. Hopefully I can get back there and spend a day!

This Sunday morning turned out to be a beautiful day! Yet, perhaps too beautiful? No cloud in the sky and the sun was shining very bright and hot down upon us. My camera isn't nearly the best so I ended up junking alot of the pics that I took, I know, real bummer! but I did save some that I could doctor up by taking some of the brightness out. They're still not the best but I do want to post something...Yes I'm very disappointed but here they are.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple8.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple11.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple22.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple15.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple16.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple18.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple24.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple23.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple26.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple25.jpg

[mgk920]

This weekend I had a going away party to attend in Menasha. My cousin's son is leaving for Iraq in a month. Before I left for home back in Wausau this Sunday morning I thought I'd head to downtown Appleton and take some pics. I've never been in Appleton's downtown before so I was looking forward to it.

I was very impressed with the quality of what's down there. Small for a city of almost 80,000 and metro of over 300,000 but compact, there's alot there in that small area. I didn't do any walking around but drove from parking garage to parking garage. Next time that I make it I hope to do some walking around as what I did see, I liked. The quality of the architecture of the older buildings, 2 to 3 story storefronts, did impress me alot. Also what was impressive was the cleanliness of the whole downtown. I saw no boarded up buildings, weeds growing out from everywhere, and no garbage. Hopefully I can get back there and spend a day!

This Sunday morning turned out to be a beautiful day! Yet, perhaps too beautiful? No cloud in the sky and the sun was shining very bright and hot down upon us. My camera isn't nearly the best so I ended up junking alot of the pics that I took, I know, real bummer! but I did save some that I could doctor up by taking some of the brightness out. They're still not the best but I do want to post something...Yes I'm very disappointed but here they are.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple8.jpg
I like Appleton and it is a neat place (apologies for the crappy township sprawl area to the city's west, though).

That view of the skyline crossing the bridge into the downtown area from the south would make a NEAT banner for this website, wouldn't it?

:cheers1:

The DT Appleton area is a popular restaurant, entertainment and night life district, too.

So you paid the $1 to drive into each of those parking ramps? (hehehehe)

:nuts:

At least the toll machines do give change for up to $20s (using $1 coins). Yes, I know that they only say "$1, 5 and 10", but that was because city crews were too lazy to reprogram them when the colorful $20s came out about 4-5 years ago. Their banknote acceptors were recently replaced but the signs were never changed back.

Mike

[Paule]

Hi mgk. No I didn't have to pay a cent for the parking, like most cities I have visited parking is free on Sundays! :)

This site has already had an Appleton banner but I highly doubt they're going to use that pic of mine for one. :cheers:

[araman0]

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/Apple25.jpg

^^ My favorite picture from your set. Appleton's image can be quickly turned around with a tall modern building in the middle of downtown. Unfortunately, I don't see this happening anytime soon.

Downtown Appleton is extremely lively and clean for a city of only 70+k. I've always thought of Appleton as being a VERY small Minneapolis, in terms of look and feel. This continues to hold true throughout most of it's neighborhoods as well. There is also an amazing amount of wealth in Appleton, with that wealth decreasing out into its suburban areas. This is quite opposite from most other midwest cities (especially small ones) where the majority of the wealth can be found in the suburbs.

I'll be sad to leave Appleton at the end of this year; it's been a fun, unforgettable town with TONS of waterways. But I probably won't spend too much time looking back once in Milwaukee. I'll do a comprehensive photo thread before I leave here.

[Paule]

^^ My favorite picture from your set. Appleton's image can be quickly turned around with a tall modern building in the middle of downtown. Unfortunately, I don't see this happening anytime soon.

Downtown Appleton is extremely lively and clean for a city of only 70+k. I've always thought of Appleton as being a VERY small Minneapolis, in terms of look and feel. This continues to hold true throughout most of it's neighborhoods as well. There is also an amazing amount of wealth in Appleton, with that wealth decreasing out into its suburban areas. This is quite opposite from most other midwest cities (especially small ones) where the majority of the wealth can be found in the suburbs.

I'll be sad to leave Appleton at the end of this year; it's been a fun, unforgettable town with TONS of waterways. But I probably won't spend too much time looking back once in Milwaukee. I'll do a comprehensive photo thread before I leave here.
Hey there araman0, I see that you're a new school boy too. Course, you're at a real university where I'm taking the auto CAD 1 year course at the local tech college. Yeah, I wont be able to afford a new camera for a while.

I think I understand what you're saying about Appleton having that same type of look and feel as Minneapolis, of course on a much smaller scale. Both Appleton and Menasha have some very nice neighborhoods. My cousin lives in the Airport Rd/Woodland Dr. area in Menasha. The first thing I noticed was how everybody's lawn was the same height and very lush and very green. In Wausau there is always some odd guy out who always lets his lawn grow to shin height before he cuts it but with these people it is like they all go out on the same day, once a week to cut their lawns. And do those Menasha people know how to party, I'd tell you all the details but I know there are kids on this site. Let's just say I had a blast, always do when I'm in the Fox Cities!

[Paule]

Yeah, almost forgot. I agree, what Appleton needs is a Dick Dudley. Dick Dudley is the man in Wausau who put up $20,000,000 of his own money to build a highrise office tower in the downtown. Why? because he knew if he built it they would come. And they have, from what I heard, the building is almost 100% leased and if it isn't the only reason for that would be because he isn't willing to let any Tom, Dick, or Harry rent space in his building. He claims if he would the building would have been 100% leased before completion. And there's a rumor going around that he is serious about building that twin tower that he talked about when he came out with the plans for this first one!

I hope other cities in Wisconsin take notice of this because this isn't small news. I know the conditions for demand have to be right but sometimes the people with money in our cities have to start digging up those jars of money that they hide from the government and do something with it. Dick Dudley had the balls to do it so there is no reason why some of these others can't.

Speaking of jars of money, I heard Marquette U came into some money at the tune of $50,000,000! See, that's the spirit!

[araman0]

^^Yep, for the new law building. They got a similar donation a few months back as well.

I know some crazy people in Menasha and know exactly what you mean. But back to Appleton, I also love how all the neighborhood streets are almost perfect, regardless of age. Full grown trees lining almost every neighborhood street and not a flaw in sight. Just don't leave the city limits.

[Paule]

^^Yep, for the new law building. They got a similar donation a few months back as well.

I know some crazy people in Menasha and know exactly what you mean. But back to Appleton, I also love how all the neighborhood streets are almost perfect, regardless of age. Full grown trees lining almost every neighborhood street and not a flaw in sight. Just don't leave the city limits.
Yeah, it's like it's too perfect, I don't know if I ever been in a city where everyone took such care of their property. You said that there is alot of money in Appleton, what, do they all employ gardeners? Seriously?

[Paule]

One more observation :)

You mentioned how Appleton reminded you of Minneapolis. While I was on some of those parking garages downtown the first thing that struck me was how flat everything was. I was on top of a 6 or 7 story parking garage and could see for miles! Appleton has got to be the flatess city in the state. If it wasn't for all the trees I would've thought I was in a Plains State like Iowa or Kansas. On Wausau's tallest parking garage, which I believe is 5 stories, I can only see to the next hill or ridge.

[mgk920]

One more observation :)

You mentioned how Appleton reminded you of Minneapolis. While I was on some of those parking garages downtown the first thing that struck me was how flat everything was. I was on top of a 6 or 7 story parking garage and could see for miles! Appleton has got to be the flatess city in the state. If it wasn't for all the trees I would've thought I was in a Plains State like Iowa or Kansas. On Wausau's tallest parking garage, which I believe is 5 stories, I can only see to the next hill or ridge.
Yea, away from the river the city is pretty flat, although it does start getting hilly on the city's far north side, a section or two north of US 41. The city now extends about 4-5 km north of US 41 east of WI 47.

Mike

[araman0]

^^The city of Appleton's city boundaries extend that far north? I always thought it was just another township called Appleton up there, similar to the towns of Neenah, Menasha , and Kaukana. If Appleton's actual borders do extend that far, Appleton's population will continue to grow for quite some time since that land is almost completely empty, but also the fastest developing. And in the future they can keep extending North until they get to Freedom as well.

Appleton is completely land-locked on all other sides though by other municipalities.

[mgk920]

^^The city of Appleton's city boundaries extend that far north? I always thought it was just another township called Appleton up there, similar to the towns of Neenah, Menasha , and Kaukana. If Appleton's actual borders do extend that far, Appleton's population will continue to grow for quite some time since that land is almost completely empty, but also the fastest developing. And in the future they can keep extending North until they get to Freedom as well.

Appleton is completely land-locked on all other sides though by other municipalities.
Appleton annexed a large chunk from Freedom Township a few years ago, it is now being turned into the 'Apple Hill Farms' development, an upper-end residential area.

Appleton also annexed about half of a survey 'section' to the west across Ballard Rd from the Apple Hill Farms area from Center Township last year and it is now being platted (this is north of Plamann County Park).

The city limit line on the map in the latest (Sep-2007) AT&T phone book is accurate.

Yes, Appleton is mostly surrounded on its other sides, either by incorporated cities and villages or by townships with 'no annex' border agreements (a POX on the city councils from decades ago for letting Appleton get into that mess! :mad::bleep::mad2:).

Still, though, there is a lot of growing room left to the north and I am anticipating some more *massive* annexations in that area in coming years.

OTOH, the closest-in township to Appleton in Outagamie County (Grand Chute Township, which surrounds most of the city) is now the most populous township in the state (about 25K) and is having a LOT of problems reconciling its urban sprawl and its service needs with its township form of government and historically cheap tax rate. The fear is that should their tax rate approach Appleton's that the township could disappear into the city, despite their border agreement that 'protects' its developed 'sprawly' western parts from annexation.

It is a REAL mess and almost comical to follow.

BTW, there is no 'Appleton Township'. The original city was carved out of Grand Chute Township, which was named after the now dammed river rapids in the downtown area (the 'Grand Chute' of the Fox River and Grand Chute island).

Mike

[araman0]

Thanks Mike for the explanation, its good to know some of the history behind Appleton's developement. From the little bit of following I do of Grand Chute, I am always amazed at how backwards the place seems to be run. If it does get sucked into Appleton, Appleton would jump up to near 100k, putting it in line with Green Bay. I really hope that happens, although I doubt 25k residents will want to become part of Appleton, despite paying the same amount of taxes and using all of Appleton's services. Do you see this happening anytime in the near/distant future?

[mgk920]

Thanks Mike for the explanation, its good to know some of the history behind Appleton's developement. From the little bit of following I do of Grand Chute, I am always amazed at how backwards the place seems to be run. If it does get sucked into Appleton, Appleton would jump up to near 100k, putting it in line with Green Bay. I really hope that happens, although I doubt 25k residents will want to become part of Appleton, despite paying the same amount of taxes and using all of Appleton's services. Do you see this happening anytime in the near/distant future?
Y/W

Yes, I would love nothing more than to see Appleton and Grand Chute Township to merge into one municipality (for that matter, I'd like to see the entire metro area become one city). GC has kept their tax rate artificially low for many decades now, for no other reason than to prevent annexations to the city, this by cutting corners on EVERYTHING and by having others cover as much of the costs of as much as they have been able to get away with. For example, about ten years or so ago the Outagamie County Sheriff laid down the law to GC by saying that since they had their own police department they no longer needed his department's routine patrols - which are paid for by EVERYONE in the county, not just GC. Sheriff's Deputy cruisers are now only seen in GC when they are on their way to or from the rest of the county or when they respond in a 'back up' fashion.

Grand Chute Township's police and fire departments are dangerously weak and inadequate and I consider their streets to be an ugly and dangerous embarrassment to the entire metro area.

NOW, they are starting to have to face the music regarding the true costs of governing an urbanized area and it will be fascinating indeed to see how they respond to someday soon having to set their tax rate close to, or even HIGHER than the city's, to play 'catch up' and pay for it all.

Harking back to that old Chinese curse - 'Interesting times' are coming for them.

Mike

[mgk920]

Also, some demolition images from Valley Fair Mall, taken about two weeks ago (2007-08-14):

http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/560287396jrnnGu?mediaPosition=24

Mike

[gbgoose]

This is a huge deal for downtown Appleton - and a smart way to combat smoking ban (for those opposed to it)

courtesy the Post-Crescent:


Appleton bars set summer concert series

By Steve Wideman
Post-Crescent staff writer

APPLETON — When Appleton's workplace smoking ban took effect in 2005, city officials challenged bar owners to find ways to recoup any business lost to the ban.

Bar owners took the challenge to heart and have a plan.

Apple Jam, a series of summer concerts, will debut in 2008 with six concerts at Memorial Park, said Appleton Jam promoter Bill Maloney, who also owns the Xtreme Bar, 2611 N. Richmond St.

"We are going to get national acts like they do for Waterfest in Oshkosh," Maloney said.

"In 2009, we'd like to schedule 12 concerts at Memorial Park. By 2010, we'd like to find a more permanent place. We anticipate the city will build an amphitheater down by the riverfront and we'd like to move down there."

Maloney said Apple Jam is, in part, an attempt to rebuild bridges with the community following a sometimes stormy debate over the smoking ban.

"The council told us (at) one time to bring up creative ways to bring people to Appleton," Maloney said. "We figure these concerts will bring in 5,000 to 7,000 people each night."

Bars will operate shuttle service from the establishments to the concerts and back to the bars.

Maloney said the first year's concerts will be held in Memorial Park's amphitheater with concert goers, who will pay $5 for admission, sitting on the grass of a surrounding earth berm.

Proceeds from the concert will help fund the Saferide program, which gives free rides home to bar patrons in Appleton and several surrounding communities.

Currently the Saferide program is funded by area bars through an annual $2 donation for each person legally allowed per capacity limits for their establishment.

Apple Jam is a nonprofit management company that will run the Appleton Jam concerts, Maloney said.

Jennifer Stephany, executive director of Appleton Downtown Inc., which sponsors weekly concerts downtown on Thursdays through the summer, said there is room in Appleton for both concert series.

"The ADI board looked at what Apple Jam means to the Thursday night concerts and we decided to stick with our concerts, which will continue to be free and feature local acts. That's a big difference," Stephany said. "We feel the energy our concerts bring to downtown is vital."

Maloney said Apple Jam concerts will include bands on the level of REO Speedwagon and America and country performers like Sawyer Brown and Phil Vassar. Music will last from 6 p.m. to 10:45 p.m.

"We want to have something for everyone," Maloney said.

Apple Jam needs special event permits and special Class B beer licenses from the city to hold the concerts.

Concerts in 2008 are planned for June 20 and 27; July 18 and 25; and Aug. 15 and 22 and do not conflict with softball leagues in the park.

"Those are all Friday nights when our business is lowest. We need something (to increase business)," Maloney said.

[Paule]

Good news for Appleton!
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=672215

I just wish the building was going to be built downtown...

[araman0]

I like the idea of having 7 buildings on this site with parking in the back. Other than that, it it still a mystery to me exactly what will be going in here.

The Buzz
By Maureen Wallenfang
Post-Crescent staff writer

.......
Speaking of demolition and rebuilding, Valley Fair's redo continues to progress, with most of the main mall building now gone.


"Demolition will hopefully be competed by the end of the year," said Terry Bomier, one of the developers involved in the project. "We are assisting Marcus in redoing the face of their theater. We're trying to find a call center or financial backroom service for the Kohl's food and department stores."


A conceptual plan for the remainder of the property shows seven separate buildings along Memorial Drive and Calumet Street with parking moved to the center of the property.


"We're hoping for new construction to start next year," Bomier said. "The TIF (tax incremental financing) is in place and that should bolster new development on the site. The pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together."


Meanwhile, U.S. Oil is building a new state-of-the-art Express Convenience Center at 2175 S. Memorial Drive, the southwestern end of the property. It is investing more than $2.7 million for land, building and equipment, and should open the station Nov. 19.


It's a "premium store," said Jerry Smith, general manager of retail for the Combined Locks-based U.S. Oil. At the same time it will attract "a lot of people in pajamas."


Smith said two new drive-through lanes make nearly everything in the large convenience store available without getting out of the car. From 5 a.m. to midnight, window service offers a wide variety of products including espresso drinks, snacks, a dozen eggs, toilet paper and batteries. It even sells cigarettes and beer, according to legal guidelines.


Besides moms with kids in car seats and busy executives, he says the drive-throughs appeal to young drivers.


"We think it fits the future audience," he said. "It's taking convenience stores to the next level. This is the first time we've done this."


Inside, the store will offer DMV license renewal, DNR hunting licenses, charged cell phones, event tickets, a walk-in cigar humidor and a walk-in beer cooler. An additional 5,000 square feet of attached retail space will be leased to other businesses.

[mgk920]

Construction of the gas station/C-Store along with a small strip center are well underway at the west end of the site and will likely be done within 2-3 weeks.

Mike

[choyak]

Wow I use Time Warner, This building should be in downtown next to Zuelke or somewhere near there, if it is in suburbs it is just $20 million 2 story sprawley pentagon sized building. WhenI lived in Wausau we would visit Appleton twice a year, my uncle and aunt lived there. I would love to see like 10 story time warner in downtown.

[mgk920]

Wow I use Time Warner, This building should be in downtown next to Zuelke or somewhere near there, if it is in suburbs it is just $20 million 2 story sprawley pentagon sized building. WhenI lived in Wausau we would visit Appleton twice a year, my uncle and aunt lived there. I would love to see like 10 story time warner in downtown.
I kind of agree with you on your Time-Warner musings, even though their new site is in fact in the city, but on its developing fringe.

I would also like to see more 10-20 floor office tower work in the downtown Appleton area and there are several sites that are PERFECT for them (IIRC, Appleton's current zoning law limits buildings to 20 floors). One of the most perfect, IMHO, is where Chase Bank's current drive-up tellers and parking lot is at the SW corner of Appleton and Washington Sts, as well as much of the block directly across Washington St from that.

There is a lot of other under-utilized land between there and the CN railroad, too. For example, I've always thought that that oddly shaped block surrounded by Washington St, Division St and the railroad (just north of the PAC) would make a perfect site for a combination city hall/office tower and (future) Amtrak station. Appleton has *NEVER* had a building that was designed and built from scratch as a city hall, always using second-hand space for that purpose, and track level there is almost perfectly at second-floor skywalk level from the West Parking Ramp, located diagonally across the street and already skywalk-connected to the Paper Valley Hotel.

The possibilities are endless.

Mike

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071106/APC0101/711060495/1003/APCnews

"Posted November 6, 2007

Grand Chute weighs police options

Officials consider joining forces with Appleton

By Ed Lowe
Post-Crescent staff writer

GRAND CHUTE — Town Chairman Mike Marsden thinks the town should take a fresh look at options to consolidate its police department with one or more of its neighbors.

Marsden said Monday he broached the same basic idea a decade ago when Police Chief Paul Reque announced his retirement plans. Now, the town is seeking to replace Reque's replacement, Chief Ed Kopp, who announced his retirement last month.

"I think this just provides us with an opportunity to take a look at it again," Marsden said. "I think some of the problems that we had with our department, like forced overtime, would go away. You'd be able to spread those shifts over a lot more people.

"Would it work? Could it work? I don't know, but I have a list of criteria that would have to be met to make it palatable for me."

Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna said new Appleton Police Chief Dave Walsh thinks the merger can work to mutual advantage.

"Certainly, the fiscal landscape has changed (since 1998)," Hanna said. "There's a lot more pressure on all of us to make better use of our resources, so I think this is definitely worth looking at."

(see link for rest of article)

The township's police and fire departments are woefully weak and inadequate, this due to years of fiscal policy driven solely by a desire to keep their tax rate cheaper than the city's to prevent annexations.

Why don't they just merge the two governments and get it over with?

:mad2: :bleep:

--------------------------------

Also, an editorial regarding the township's desire to have Appleton annex Plamann County Park:

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071106/APC0602/711060494/1036/APCopinion

"Posted November 6, 2007

Editorial: Plamann Park an issue of responsibility

The Town of Grand Chute has placed the city of Appleton in a difficult situation with Plamann Park.

The park is owned by Outagamie County but, since it's in Grand Chute, the town has to provide services to it, such as emergency responses at athletic events in the park.

Since Grand Chute's nearest fire station is almost 11 miles away, and Appleton's nearest fire station is about two miles away, Grand Chute officials have asked the county to seek an annexation of the park into Appleton."

(see link for rest of article)

:ohno:

Mike

[araman0]

^^ What a backwards "town". Take a hint that you're already the biggest town in the state, and either become a self-sufficient city or merge with a city that can more suitably support your resources.

[choyak]

I am originally from Wausau area, and Grand Chute seems quite a bit like Kronenwetter!!! Alot of backwardsness

[araman0]

RiverHealth
Developement type: Mixed Use, including 75 high-end residential units
Cost: $25 Million
Size: 15 Acres
Construction timeline: Summer 2008 - 2010


Appleton's RiverHeath Project Examined in Lawrence University Environmental Series Lecture

Lawrence University News - Posted by Rick Peterson on October 19, 2007 11:57 AM

APPLETON, WIS. -- Appleton's RiverHeath project, a 15-acre mixed-use development valued at more than $25 million and located on the Fox River below the College Avenue bridge, will be the focus of the second installment of Lawrence University's 2007 three-part Spoerl environmental studies lecture series on "green" cities.

Mark Geall, founder and project development director of Denver-based Tanesay Development, which is building the RiverHeath project, presents "What's a Green Neighborhood? Challenges Faced by Green Developers in Appleton," Tuesday, Oct. 23. The presentation, at 7 p.m. in Science Hall, Room 102 on the Lawrence campus, is free and open to the public.

Geall will discuss the trade-offs developers face when trying to embrace sustainability while building profitable projects. He also will unveil some of RiverHeath's plans developed by Milwaukee-based architects Engberg Anderson Design Partnership.

Construction on the RiverHeath project is expected to begin next summer with completion of the first phase slated for the spring of 2010.

The U.S. Green Building Council recently named RiverHeath to a nationwide pilot program for green design that has expanded its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification beyond individual buildings to include entire neighborhoods. RiverHeath is one of 234 projects nationally selected for the new neighborhood program.

According to Geall, RiverHeath scores well in the LEED system because of its downtown location, short walking distances to jobs, schools, and restaurants, close access to public transit routes as well as parks and biking/hiking trails. The project also exceeds the requirements of the USGBC pilot program on several fronts as well, including plans to have nearly 100 percent of its energy needs provided by the Fox River.

Author and social critic James Howard Kunstler concludes the series Tuesday, Oct. 30 with the address "The Geography of Nowhere" at 7 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center auditorium.

The series is sponsored by the Spoerl Lectureship in Science in Society. Established in 1999 by Milwaukee-Downer College graduate Barbara Gray Spoerl and her husband, Edward, the lectureship promotes interest and discussion on the role of science and technology in societies worldwide.

Source (http://blogs.lawrence.edu/news/2007/10/appletons_riverheath_project_e.html)

[araman0]

Here is a link to the developement's website: http://www.riverheath.com/

Unfortunately there are no renderings, but there were several references made to making the project sililar to the types of riverfront projects recently developed in Milwaukee. There is also a picture showing a map of the area included in the project.

http://www.riverheath.com/images/siteplans_aerial.jpg

Does anyone know how flood-prone the river can be?

[mgk920]

Here is a link to the developement's website: http://www.riverheath.com/

Unfortunately there are no renderings, but there were several references made to making the project sililar to the types of riverfront projects recently developed in Milwaukee. There is also a picture showing a map of the area included in the project.

http://www.riverheath.com/images/siteplans_aerial.jpg

Does anyone know how flood-prone the river can be?
The Fox River in Appleton is not floodprone, it is controlled by a series of dams, one of which is visible in the image. That site was previously used by a paper/pulp mill.

The football field at the bottom, the Banta Bowl, is set in a ravine and is far and away the SWEETEST Div-III field in the NCAA, used by Lawrence University and occasionally as a practice field by NFL teams before they play road games at Green Bay.

Mike

[Puant]

^^I've eyeballed that football field from the College Ave bridge--It is very cool. The whole area within the above image is a really awesome setting. From what I saw on the RiverHealth website, the concept seems really good. This looks like it will open this nice area up to the public, more activity.

Mgk is right, this is not flood prone....unless one of the upstream dams breaks...And I read somewhere that these dams aren't being kept up as well as they should be....If the first dam at Lake Winnebago breaks, would it result in a domino effect? Well, that's all doomsday scenarios, it'll probably be OK. Don't let that highly improbable event stop the development.

[araman0]

Good to see Appleton on the banner again, although isn't this the second time in a year that Appleton has shown up? There are plenty of places globally that deserve more recognition than Appleton for it to be up twice in a year.

The picture does a good job of showing how clean the downtown is often viewed as being.

[DaiTengu]

Good to see Appleton on the banner again, although isn't this the second time in a year that Appleton has shown up? There are plenty of places globally that deserve more recognition than Appleton for it to be up twice in a year.

The picture does a good job of showing how clean the downtown is often viewed as being.

Odd that it was up there last February 13 as well... I mean, what could be so special about that day? Perhaps an admin at SSC has a birthday on the 13th, and he might live there. :dunno:

[Paule]

Good to see Appleton on the banner again, although isn't this the second time in a year that Appleton has shown up? There are plenty of places globally that deserve more recognition than Appleton for it to be up twice in a year.

The picture does a good job of showing how clean the downtown is often viewed as being.
Don't complain to loudly, just be proud...

[Puant]

APpleton looks good on the banner! .....So...How about some Green Bay up there some time...How about it? Feel free to grab pics from my photoalbum (http://picasaweb.google.com/gBayPacker)or from my blog (http://www.packerland.blogspot.com/)...OK, OK, I realize GB doesn't have THAT much to offer, but I would think a few pics coul;d be made into a nice banner on SSC....

[Geography Teacher]

Yeah, Darth Chicken, could we please have Green Bay on the banner sometime? Our thread is one of the most popular Midwestern threads on your site, as opposed to one message on this thread over the past 2-3 months until today. (and that one message was from one of our Green Bay guys!)

[Danillo]

^^ Oh well. It would be nice to have GB in the banner, but it's not biggie. It's all about who you know. So good on Appleton!

[titletown]

Since Appleton's thread is almost dead, here is an update on Riverhealth http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=8103031

[mgk920]

It's not really 'dead' here in the Appleton thread, it's just that we are in the midst of a bit of a lull in the activity. Most of what is going on around here is of the 'smaller project' variety (and quite a few of them, too), just no real single 'blockbuster' type projects.

(heheheh)

The redevelopment of that old pulp mill site is an interesting one, though.

Mike

[araman0]

Yeah nothing at all happened in downtown Appleton the whole time I was there, and then as soon as I leave this fantastic riverfront developement begins construction. The Condos that I saw in the news footage do look great though, and in a city that is truely starved of downtown residential options, they will do great. Can't wait to visit the riverfront in a year and see a lot of this under way.

In other news when I saw the Time Warner building a month ago, the steel frame seemed to be topped out. Any ongoing pictures of that project would be appreciated as well.

[Oshkosh49]

Okay, I'll add some very current Appleton development news, that I came across in the JSOnline Website.

THURSDAY, April 3, 2008, 11:26 a.m.
By Guy Boulton
Ambulatory care center planned in Appleton

ThedaCare and independent specialty physicians have formed a partnership to build a $34 million, multi-specialty ambulatory care center in Appleton.

The planned center would integrate primary care and specialty care through shared registration and scheduling as well as a shared electronic medical record system. It would be owned by ThedaCare, doctors employed by ThedaCare and independent physicians.

The 156,000-square-foot center, pending approval from the city, would be built at at E. Capital Drive and Roemer Road in Appleton's Northeast Business Park. The partnership hopes to begin construction in June and to open the new center in July 2009.

ThedaCare, a health care system based in the Fox Valley, employs nearly 5,400 people and includes Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, New London Family Medical Center and Riverside Medical Center.

[mgk920]

Grand Chute takes step toward police merger with Appleton

By Ed Lowe • Post-Crescent staff writer • April 16, 2008

GRAND CHUTE — The Town Board voted 3-2 Tuesday to pursue negotiations toward a consolidation of its police department with the Appleton Police Department.

The decision came with more than 100 spectators present and after comments by 10 town residents, seven of whom spoke against the need for an advisory referendum on the matter.

"We elected you to do the job, so do it," resident and referendum foe Tony Rosecky told the board."

(see link for rest of article)

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080416/APC0101/804160591/1979

-----------------------

As I have said before in MANY forvms, *ANYTHING* that works to reduce the stifling levels of local government balkanization in the State of Wisconsin can only be a GOOD thing. I hope that this leads to bigger and better things.

Mike

[araman0]

To make matters worse Grand Chute has some of the most backwards leadership as well. When will Appleton ever annex that town, or at the very least when will they ever become a village or a city?

(For those who don't know, Grand Chute is the largest "town" in the state of Wisconsin at over 20,000 people. They are also the retail center of the Fox Valley, and have may offices as well.)

[Bay2Bay]

^^
It always amazes me how the Appleton townships don't seem to be in any rush to incorporate to village status. In the Green Bay area, it seems as soon as the townships hit about 5,000 in population they're petitioning for village status. And in the case of Ledgeview, working outside of the state contstituition to achieve it.

And for the record, isn't the Town of Menasha actually larger in population than the City of Menasha?

[Oshkosh49]

And for the record, isn't the Town of Menasha actually larger in population than the City of Menasha?You're close, but no, barely. According to the Wisconsin Department of Administration's "January 1, 2007 Final Population Estimates Municipalities Ranked by 2007 Population" the Town of Menasha has a population of 17,180. While the City of Menasha has a population of 17,354. But by now, a year and a half later, you're probably correct.

[Oshkosh49]

To make matters worse Grand Chute has some of the most backwards leadership as well. When will Appleton ever annex that town, or at the very least when will they ever become a village or a city?

(For those who don't know, Grand Chute is the largest "town" in the state of Wisconsin at over 20,000 people. They are also the retail center of the Fox Valley, and have may offices as well.)Oh believe me, they've tried to annex large portions of Grand Chute in the past. Back when Dorothy Johnson was the mayor of Appleton, she was always trying to annex large parts of Grand Chute, especially the West College Avenue area all the way out to U.S. Highway 41 and beyond. And every time the Town of Grand Chute would successfully go to court to stop the annexation. After she left office and Timothy Hanna became mayor, he worked out an agreement with Grand Chute where Appleton would no longer pursue annexation of any township area west of Richmond Street. Basically, the new mayor and the city council got tired of the legal costs that were involved in trying to annex portions of Grand Chute.

Yes, the Town of Grand Chute had a January 1, 2007 population estimate of 20,465, according to my source shown in my post above.

[mgk920]

^^
It always amazes me how the Appleton townships don't seem to be in any rush to incorporate to village status. In the Green Bay area, it seems as soon as the townships hit about 5,000 in population they're petitioning for village status. And in the case of Ledgeview, working outside of the state contstituition to achieve it.

And for the record, isn't the Town of Menasha actually larger in population than the City of Menasha?
In the Appleton area, the townships are so geographically fragmented and irregular that incorporating them as separate villages and cities makes zero sense - and several have tried over the years. The only Appleton area townships that have any real cohesion are Freedom and Greenville - and for them just their older settled 'village' areas. Grand Chute Township wraps around the ENTIRE City of Appleton north of the river except for its far north side where Appleton has broken through into Center and Freedom townships and I won't even begin to describe the Menasha city-township border.

In the Green Bay area, the borders have more cohesion and they were thus able to develop more real identities. (This is not to say that IMHO, the Green Bay area would also be better off in the long term by being amalgamated into one city.)

Mike

[mgk920]

Oh believe me, they've tried to annex large portions of Grand Chute in the past. Back when Dorothy Johnson was the mayor of Appleton, she was always trying to annex large parts of Grand Chute, especially the West College Avenue area all the way out to U.S. Highway 41 and beyond. And every time the Town of Grand Chute would successfully go to court to stop the annexation. After she left office and Timothy Hanna became mayor, he worked out an agreement with Grand Chute where Appleton would no longer pursue annexation of any township area west of Richmond Street. Basically, the new mayor and the city council got tired of the legal costs that were involved in trying to annex portions of Grand Chute.

Yes, the Town of Grand Chute had a January 1, 2007 population estimate of 20,465, accord to my source shown in my post above.
It was actually Mayor Johnson whom negotiated the city-township border line. Unfortunately it was before the state legislature changed the law on that slightly to allow forced annexation of township lands on the 'city' side of a boundary agreement line as part of such an agreement.

That certainly does not preclude the potential, and perhaps even likelihood, of a future agreement to merge the entire city and township governments into one city.

One good thing that the Appleton/Grand Chute Township agreement did do was to force the township to address its west side service needs, which IMHO (and I fully agree with araman0 on this), they have failed miserably to do. The Fox River Mall area is a total embarrassment to the Fox Cities metro area.

Mike

[DaiTengu]

The Irony of this, and I think it was mentioned earlier in this thread, is that Grand Chute recently cried about how Plamann Park had to be annexed because Appleton's fire service was much closer.

I mean it makes sense, but I just found it hilarious after all the fighting Grand Chute did to keep Appleton from annexing anything.

[mgk920]

The Appleton City Council voted 15-1 Wednesday (2008-05-21) to approve the pending police merger with Grand Chute Township. The first visible changes should be starting within a couple of weeks with the assignment of an Appleton Deputy Chief to convert the township's former police headquarters, located in the town hall, into a city police substation for an 18 month trial period. I'm not sure when we'll start seeing repainted police cars and/or police cars marked from either department patrolling each others' streets, unified uniforms, etc, though.

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=8363105

May it lead to bigger and better things!

:cheers1:

Mike

[titletown]

Why is the Appleton thread always on the topic of townships and police mergers? Isn't there any other news going on there... such as building developments? :nuts:

[Paule]

Why is the Appleton thread always on the topic of townships and police mergers? Isn't there any other news going on there... such as building developments? :nuts:
Really, with as fast as the area is growing I would think something is happening.

[mgk920]

As I have mentioned upthread, there is a lot of development going on, just very few single 'blockbuster' type projects. We're in the midst of a kind of a lull in that area.

However, one interesting item in the hopper is this:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=745813

"Badger State Games to move
By TOM HELD
theld@journalsentinel.com
Posted: April 30, 2008

Cycling, running, gymnastics and the other sports that make up the Badger State Summer Games will move to the Fox Cities for 2009, 2010 and 2011, leaving the Madison locations where they started 23 years ago."

(see link for rest of article)

Also:
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080331/APC0101/803310418/1979/theme

It's not 'building a big new building' type of news item, though.

Mike

[mgk920]

Built and expanded in the pre-internet days, its usage numbers are skyrocketing.

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008805250540

"Appleton library plans set for unveiling
Residents can sound off on three options

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • May 25, 2008

APPLETON — Residents will find out this week whether expanding, relocating or building a branch to the Appleton Public Library are favored options to deal with several shortcomings in the downtown facility.

Library Director Terry Dawson said library consultants will present three options during a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the lower level of the library, 225 N. Oneida St."

(see link for rest of article)

Interesting. I remember this being built back in 1981 and am amazed that it is too small.

Mike

[Oshkosh49]

Yeah, I remember the original downtown Appleton Public Library. I believe it was located on west side of Oneida Street, in the block between College Avenue and Lawrence Street. I went there a lot when I was a kid. Frankly, I think it's wonderful that Appleton needs a larger public library. Despite the era of the Internet and High Definition televisions, people still love to read a good book.

[mgk920]

A $55 million riverfront development for the College Ave/Telulah Park/River Heath area - 198 units including a 10 story tower? We shall see.

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080619/APC0101/806190576/1003/

"Council backs Appleton river development

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • June 19, 2008

APPLETON — Work could begin within three months on the first phase of a $55 million commercial and residential project on the Fox River, a principal in the development firm said.

Mark Geall, principal partner of Tanesay Development, said Wednesday that the Boldt Co. is set to send out requests for bids on the project to be built on the river between the College Avenue bridge and Telulah Park.

"We are working to complete the design. We hope to break ground on the first of three phases of construction in late summer," Geall said.

Geall's comments followed a 16-0 vote by the Common Council to accept, in concept, terms of a development agreement in which Tanesay commits to a project worth $55 million over three phases.

In return, the city promises to form a tax incremental financing district to use new property taxes generated by the project to reimburse Tanesay up to $9.75 million."

(see link for rest of article)

There is a lot of skepticism in the responses. Let's hope for more success than what Green Bay has been experiencing lately.

Mike

[choyak]

I would love to see Appleton get more towers downtown. When I was young before moving to California, my uncle lived in Appleton (still does), and we would visit a couple times a year. I still remember when AAL built outside of DT. The 10 story on the river would be cool, Hopefully that will be built.

[mgk920]

Committee endorses new library
$41 million plan for Appleton goes to board

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • July 11, 2008


"APPLETON — A consultant's recommendation that Appleton build a new, 138,000-square-foot downtown library was endorsed Thursday by a 4-0 vote of the library board's building committee.

Building a library in the central business district at an estimated construction cost of $41 million could open the way for City Hall to relocate to the existing library, said Dean Gazza, the city's director of facilities management and construction.

The library board will consider the committee's recommendation in a meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the library."

(See link for rest of article)

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080711/APC0101/807110545/1003/APC01

I am still floored that the current one, which I saw being built in about 1980, is inadequate. I hope that they find good site and a good architect for the new one - assuming that it is approved.

An interesting aside, Appleton has NEVER in its history had a building that was designed and built from the ground up as a city hall. Also, the current Pvblic Library sits on the site of a previous city hall - so it would be a sort of homecoming for that.

Mike

[mgk920]

Study: Convention center feasible
Downtown Appleton sites best choice, consultant suggests

By Maureen Wallenfang • Post-Crescent staff writer • July 17, 2008

"The short answer is yes, it can work. But there are lots of ifs, ands and buts.

After decades of speculation, talk about putting a convention center in the Fox Cities now has a little to go on with the completion of a four-month, $75,000, 150-page study.

The Fox Cities can support a convention center, according to its results, but now needs to examine whether it wants to make an investment of between $25 million and $50 million.

"It seems like a significant opportunity in what this could generate for your community," said Bill Krueger, director of the consulting firm Convention, Sports & Leisure International, while presenting his findings to about 130 civic and business leaders in a series of meetings Wednesday.

He analyzed the existing market, competitors and potential business.

"I give the facts to the community so it can make up its mind. I don't say you need to do this," he said. In studies for other communities, he has recommended not moving forward about 30 percent of the time.

Here, he says, a convention center is financially viable, especially downtown.

A $25 million center will cost $1.9 million per year to run and will have an annual economic benefit of $8.4 million.

A $50 million center will cost up to $4.5 million to operate and generate $7.6 million in economic benefits."

(see link for rest of article)

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080717/APC0101/807170491/1003/APC01

------

I am very skeptical as to whether or not this can be pulled off, but of the two sites presented (SE corner of Elm and Lawrence and the west half of the block surrounded by Washington, Division, Franklin and Superior), I much prefer the latter. It can have an easy connection to both existing hotels (via a skywalk to and through the Washington St parking ramp) and if the Midwest Rail Initiative ever bears fruit, a quick skywalk connection across Division St from it would be at platform level for a potential station.

We shall see...

Mike

[mgk920]

Here is a quick photolog of the construction and early days of the College Av Fox River bridge, which goes down for replacement starting on Monday, 2008-08-11.

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=U0&Dato=20080710&Kategori=APCNEWS&Lopenr=807100805&Ref=PH

Enjoy!

Mike

[DaiTengu]

Here is a quick photolog of the construction and early days of the College Av Fox River bridge, which goes down for replacement starting on Monday, 2008-08-11.

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=U0&Dato=20080710&Kategori=APCNEWS&Lopenr=807100805&Ref=PH

Enjoy!

Mike

:nuts:

I need to keep up on what's going on around here. I had no idea they were replacing the college ave. bridge.

[mgk920]

The new bridge will be four lanes, follow the course of the existing one and should be complete sometime in mid-to-late 2010. The College/John/Walter intersection will be rebuilt as a two-lane roundabout as part of the project. Engineers reported that to redo it as a conventional signalized intersection would have required the acquisition of six additional houses and cost over a half million dollars more than the roundabout.

It should be interesting to follow and I do remember when the existing bridge was redecked in 1980.

Mike

[mgk920]

This one is planned to be built on the site of the former Foremost Dairy plant, at the west end of the former John St bridge - the one that the original College Ave bridge replaced in 1960. Throughout its history, Appleton has been relatively insulated from the ups and downs of the economy in general.

From Thursday, 2008-09-25:

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809250493

"More riverfront condominiums in works for Appleton
Developer eyes 'challenging site' near Lawrence

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • September 25, 2008

APPLETON — A growing nationwide credit and financial crisis isn't deterring a trio of local developers from proposing Appleton's newest riverfront development.

PHP Project Development LLC, based in Appleton, wants to build 20 condominium units on the site of the former Foremost Dairy at the end of John Street near Lawrence University.

The limited liability corporation includes Paul Hoffman, owner of the Hoffman Corp.; John Pfefferle, owner of the Pfefferle Cos. and Grubb, Ellis/Pfefferle; and Todd Platt, owner of Platt Development Corp.

"We've been looking at this project for some time. We first expressed interest in it in 2003, so it's been a long time coming," Platt said.

Platt said the country's current financial crisis is not stopping planning for the project, which is tentatively slated to have the first of five, four-unit buildings ready for occupancy by January 2010."

(see link for rest of article)

And today (Friday):

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080926/APC0101/809260508/1003/APC01

"RiverHeath developer praises new condo plans
Second project good news for riverfront business owners

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • September 26, 2008

APPLETON — The RiverHeath project developer said it's good news a second set of condominiums will be built across the Fox River from his proposed $55 million residential and commercial complex.

"Having more people living along the river helps to create a critical mass for all the restaurants, shops and walking trails along the river," said Mark Geall of Chicago-based Tanesay Development, the group that wants to build RiverHeath, which would comprise 198 condominiums and 114,500 square feet of commercial space on 15 acres at the east end of College Avenue bridge.

Geall said Thursday that Tanesay Development has secured financing from a private investment group and will break ground in the fall on RiverHeath."

(Financing IN PLACE!)

:dance:

(see link for rest of article)

He is also suggesting the possibility of a future pedestrian bridge over the river to connect the two developments (likely along the former course of John St). The area also has multitudes of potential public trail and other recreational opportunities, so this should be interesting.

See:
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=44.260253~-88.388668&style=h&lvl=16&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=15897162&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1
for a nice aerial image of the sites (note, the river is in a valley about 25-30 meters below 'street' grade in that area).

:cheers1:

Mike

[DaiTengu]

PHP Project Development LLC, based in Appleton,
Hmm, I wonder if I should hire them to work on SSC? They called PHP Development, they must be PHP experts! :lol:

[araman0]

This is great news for the Appleton area, and should be much more successful (given the location) than the building on Richmond Street was.

Hmm, I wonder if I should hire them to work on SSC? They called PHP Development, they must be PHP experts! :lol:

Dai, is this site hosted in the Appleton area? I could have leant a helping hand when I was back in A Town.

[DaiTengu]

This is great news for the Appleton area, and should be much more successful (given the location) than the building on Richmond Street was.



Dai, is this site hosted in the Appleton area? I could have leant a helping hand when I was back in A Town.

Nope, it's hosted in LA.

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081021/APC0101/810210485/1979

"$55M Appleton condo development bucks sliding economy
Construction work on RiverHeath begins this week

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • October 21, 2008

APPLETON — After months of delay, work on the $55 million RiverHeath condominium/commercial project starts this week on Appleton's riverfront.

The announcement Monday by developer Mark Geall, a Neenah native and principal in Chicago-based Tanesay Development, comes amid an ailing national housing market and economy.

"We are very lucky we're building right now," Geall said. "You have to look across the economic trough from what things are right now to what they will be 15 to 18 months from now.""

(see link for rest of article)

A time of 'recession' is the time to position one's self for the 'recovery'.

:dance:

Mike

[araman0]

:dance:

This is great news for downtown, and will give me a good reason to visit again next summer. A project like this can actually help the struggling Richmond Place as well, and may become a catalyst for future projects in dowtown.

What else (other than the College Ave Bridge) has been goin on up there lately?

[Jschmuck]

Wasn't ThedaCare or a hospital by that name supposed to start construction on a new medical facility in the northeast business park along hwy41?

[mgk920]

Time-Warner's new building on Appleton's southeast side is still under construction and should be completed within a couple of months.

I'm also keeping an eye on the Midwest Rail Initiative and the effect that that would have on DT Appleton. OTOH, although I don't have any recent articles on it handy, there are increasing grumbles regarding the quality and price of rail freight service in the Appleton area.

The fate of the former paper mill in suburban Kimberly continues to be an issue and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Mike

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081106/APC0101/81106085/1979

"Wisconsin to add new area codes to supplement 715, 920

By Todd Richmond • Associated Press writer • November 6, 2008


MADISON — New telephone customers in northern Wisconsin will be assigned to new area codes, state regulators decided Thursday.

The decision comes as the Wisconsin Public Service Commission grapples with a dwindling supply of numbers in the wireless world.

“Usable telephone numbers are a finite resource,” PSC chairman Eric Callisto said.

New customers in the 715 area code, which covers roughly the northern half of the state from Eau Claire to Marinette, could get a 534 number as soon as mid-2010. Current customers will keep 715.

New customers in the 920 area code, which includes the Fox Valley and Green Bay, will get a 274 number starting in late 2011. Existing customers will keep 920."

(see link for rest of article)

I suppose that it was inevitable and we did go though a split from 414 to 920 11 years ago.

Mike

[mgk920]

Wasn't ThedaCare or a hospital by that name supposed to start construction on a new medical facility in the northeast business park along hwy41?
It's already well under construction, a $30M+ project.

Mike

[araman0]

^^ Do you by chance have any renderings or specs for the hospital?

[Oshkosh49]

^^ Do you by chance have any renderings or specs for the hospital?It's primarily going to be a ThedaCare clinic. Here's a link to the Appleton Post-Crescent's Q & A section that has a rendering. http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081029/APC03/810290554/1979 The Q & A section also mentions that ThedaCare is building an 8 story, 112 bed tower addition to the Appleton Medical Center Hospital

[Paule]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081021/APC0101/810210485/1979

"$55M Appleton condo development bucks sliding economy
Construction work on RiverHeath begins this week

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • October 21, 2008

APPLETON — After months of delay, work on the $55 million RiverHeath condominium/commercial project starts this week on Appleton's riverfront.

The announcement Monday by developer Mark Geall, a Neenah native and principal in Chicago-based Tanesay Development, comes amid an ailing national housing market and economy.

"We are very lucky we're building right now," Geall said. "You have to look across the economic trough from what things are right now to what they will be 15 to 18 months from now.""

(see link for rest of article)

A time of 'recession' is the time to position one's self for the 'recovery'.

:dance:

Mike

Cool! Any renderings yet?

[mgk920]

Cool! Any renderings yet?
I'm not really sure, but there might be some buried somewhere in the City of Appleton's website, most likely in the reports of the City Plan Commission.

Mike

[Oshkosh49]

River Heath Condo renderings: http://www.riverheath.com/siteplans.php Just scroll down a little.

[Paule]

Oooh, nice Oshkosh49, thanks! Looks like a little bit of Milwaukee's Brewers Hill in downtown Appleton.

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081118/APC03/81118106/1028

Not a lot in that article, but they are adding an 8 floor tower to their facility at Appleton Medical Center, located on Meade St between Grant St and Glendale Ave on the city's northeast side. Expected completion of that entire project is in 2011.

Mike

[DaiTengu]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081118/APC03/81118106/1028

Not a lot in that article, but they are adding an 8 floor tower to their facility at Appleton Medical Center, located on Meade St between Grant St and Glendale Ave on the city's northeast side. Expected completion of that entire project is in 2011.

Mike

They add an expansion to AMC every few years, it seems. I lived near it almost my entire life, and it was cool to see it "grow".

[mgk920]

They add an expansion to AMC every few years, it seems. I lived near it almost my entire life, and it was cool to see it "grow".
It seems like most hospitals that I know of have been continual construction sites, adding wings and towers and reconfiguring parking lots and so on and so on and and so on for as long as I've been around and Saint E's on the city's south side is no different - they just got done with a huge expansion, including a multi-level parking ramp, too.

Mike

[mgk920]

The (posted at) 90 km/h (55 mph for the Luddites) 'S' curves on US 10/WI 441 in Menasha, WI (just south of Appleton) will be unkinked as a part of revised plans for the freeway's pending upgrade to six lanes. This revision will require ROW acquisition, displacing an apartment complex among other things, and will add at least $80M to the project's cost.

Previously, the plans had minor adjustments to the freeway's mainline course in order to remove a curve from its bridges over Midway Rd.

WisDOT is also now planning to replacing most or all of the side street interchange ramp intersections with roundabouts as part of this project.

See:
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090304/APC0101/903040543/1003/APC01

"Safety concerns drive design changes for U.S. 10-State 441

By Michael King - Post-Crescent staff writer - March 4, 2009

MENASHA — Safety concerns due to crash data have prompted design revisions to the U.S. 10-State 441 curves east of the Roland Kampo Bridge under a new plan unveiled Tuesday.

Local officials got their first look at the changes to the Tri-County Freeway expansion project that state Department of Transportation officials said will push the estimated project cost from $251 million previously to about $330 million in today's dollars.

In order to straighten the curves to accommodate a future 70 mph highway speed, the revisions include the need to acquire right-of-way that would displace a 48-unit apartment complex near the Racine Street intersection and a strip mall, storage business and a Winnebago County salt shed near the Midway Road intersection.

The proposed project, which would take about four years to complete, covers six miles from County CB in the Town of Menasha to Oneida Street in Appleton, including completion of the 10-41 interchange and the addition of a second bridge over Little Lake Butte des Morts just south of the existing span."

(See link for rest of article)


Also see:
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=44.225705~-88.444576&style=h&lvl=14&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=38913424&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1
for a very good aerial image of this section.

BTW, *NOBODY* locally calls it the 'Roland Kampo Bridge', named after a minor local politician, it's the 'Little Lake Butte des Morts Bridge' and ever since the freeway opened to traffic in 1991, it has never been referred to by the public as the 'Tri-County Freeway' (its working name when it was being planned) - it's 'Highway four-forty-one' or just 'Four-forty-one'.

Mike

[DaiTengu]

Are the plans for the 441 renovation online anywhere? I live literally 2 blocks away from the highway (about 1 mile east of the oneida street exit).

[araman0]

Although not updated frequently, the best place to get info and maps is here (http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/d3/wis441/index.htm).

[He Named Thor]

Wait, does this mean the freeway speeds in WI are being moved up to 70mph from 65?

[Oshkosh49]

Wait, does this mean the freeway speeds in WI are being moved up to 70mph from 65?
I haven't heard or read anything official about it. But, I would find that very hard to believe, because of the decrease in MPG at those higher speeds, and increase in fatality rates because of higher speed crashes. So, that would piss off the environmentalists, and the police. But hey, I could be very wrong about that. However, if U.S. Hwy. 41 and State Hwy. 441 are upgraded to Interstate Hwy. status, then maybe. Just a guess on my part.

[mgk920]

I haven't heard or read anything official about it. But, I would find that very hard to believe, because of the decrease in MPG at those higher speeds, and increase in fatality rates because of higher speed crashes. So, that would piss off the environmentalists, and the police. But hey, I could be very wrong about that. However, if U.S. Hwy. 41 and State Hwy. 441 are upgraded to Interstate Hwy. status, then maybe. Just a guess on my part.
And what is the normal 'free-flowing traffic' speed on US 41????

:|

:dunno:

:hilarious

:rofl:

:baeh3:

Mike

[He Named Thor]

I have to wonder how much actual freeway speeds would change if they bumped up the limit. I get the feeling that only a few people would actually speed up significantly.

[DaiTengu]

I have to wonder how much actual freeway speeds would change if they bumped up the limit. I get the feeling that only a few people would actually speed up significantly.

It'd probably be a bad idea to bump the speeds. On top of the fact that it's environmentally unfriendly and unsafe, I'm guessing ticket revenue would go down since people wouldn't speed up that much.

If I got 65 on the highway, there's plenty of people that pass me going 70 or 75.

[araman0]

Few years ago when they bumped Indiana from 65 to 70, the average speed went up 5 mph. So people who were traveling at 75mph (the reasonably-safe-from-police speed) before now travel at 80mph.

[Oshkosh49]

Few years ago when they bumped Indiana from 65 to 70, the average speed went up 5 mph. So people who were traveling at 75mph (the reasonably-safe-from-police speed) before now travel at 80mph.
And you can reasonably assume that is exactly what would happen on Hwy 41 if they raised the speed limit from 65 to 70 MPH.

Obviously then, the normal 'free-flowing traffic' speed as mgk920 puts it would creep up another 5 MPH. Bluntly put, people will drive as fast as they can just below the too fast and I'll get a ticket speed.

Which goes back to one of the reasons why I doubt the State of Wisconsin will raise the highway speed limit from 65 to 70 MPH.

[araman0]

I was in Appleton last weekend for a wedding, so I decided to see what had changed in my old city since I left last year.

The new Plexus headquarters is well underway in downtown Neenah:
http://arashakbar.com/scrap/app1.jpg

http://arashakbar.com/scrap/app2.jpg

A never-ending series of construction at the Appleton Medical Center:
http://arashakbar.com/scrap/app3.jpg

I couldn't figure out how to get to the River Heath project that was supposed to have started by now by College Avenue and the Fox River, as most of the roads seemed to be closed for the College Ave Bridge reconstruction.

[mgk920]

The City of Appleton and Outagamie County's most dangerous intersection may be getting a two-lane roundabout - and unlike in Green Bay, I'm not sensing any major opposition to it.

"Roundabout under consideration for Appleton intersection of Richmond Street and Northland Avenue

Site is most hazardous of 2,200 in Appleton

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • July 10, 2009

APPLETON — It's a roundabout that doesn't exist on paper, but shows up increasingly on vehicle crash reports.

Driveways and access roads leading to dozens of businesses ring the intersection of N. Richmond Street and Northland Avenue.

From a McDonald's restaurant and Northland Mall, motorists race traffic lights to cross Richmond on their way to Blockbuster Video, Gunderson's Cleaners, Taco Bell or an adjacent Kwik Trip convenience store.

South of Kwik Trip, a looping road draws motorists off Northland and Richmond for visits to Starbucks, Fazoli's, PDQ car wash, Play It Again Sports and the local Social Security Administration office.

Associated Bank and a soon-to-be-completed Walgreens drugstore complete the circle of commerce crisscrossed by no less than 46,000 vehicles each day.

A study is under way to improve safety at the intersection, deemed the worst as far as crashes both in the city and in the Outagamie County highway system."

(see link for rest of article and comments)

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090710/APC0101/907100500/1979

---------

I like the idea and can think of oodles of other intersections in and around the Appleton area that could use them, too.

Mike

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090723/APC0101/907230502/1003/APC01/Momentum-builds-for-downtown-Appleton-convention-center

"Momentum builds for downtown Appleton convention center
Advocates push partnership with Radisson hotel

By Steve Wideman • Post-Crescent staff writer • July 23, 2009

APPLETON — The numbers leave little doubt to downtown boosters. Building a convention center here — and partnering with the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel — is the most logical and cost effective option being studied.

...

One site under consideration for a convention center with 65,000 to 72,000 square feet of expo space is the former St. Joseph Middle School site on W. Lawrence St. The other is privately owned land adjacent to The Post-Crescent on Washington Avenue, Peters said.

Those two sites far outpace the next two on the list — near Trasino Park and Fox River Mall in Grand Chute (township)."

(see link for rest of article)

The article notes that the township sites would cost nearly twice as much ($25M vs $45M) to develop than the downtown ones. They would also not have the amenities within walking distance that the downtown sites would.

My strong preference is for the west 2/3rds of the block bounded by Franklin, Division, Superior and Washington.

See:
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=44.263173~-88.410319&style=h&lvl=17&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1
The building on the east 1/3 of that block is the Appleton Post-Crescent's offices, a very neat, ornate building.

This is an excellent, high-visibility site with easy access and parking. It is also an easy walk from downtown amenities and is right across the street from a couple of potential future Amtrak station sites.

The other potential downtown site, located across Lawrence Street behind the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel (just off the bottom of that image) is very hidden away from everything.

Mike

[DaiTengu]

As a former student of St. Joseph Middle School, I'd love to see them do something with that lot.

[Badgers77]

Appleton is really the crowning jewel in the Fox Cities way of life. It's a shame we've never been able to really put anything together here in Oshkosh...

[mgk920]

Appleton is really the crowning jewel in the Fox Cities way of life. It's a shame we've never been able to really put anything together here in Oshkosh...
Well, you *DO* have http://www.airventure.org running this week!

:okay:

Mike

[mgk920]

As a former student of St. Joseph Middle School, I'd love to see them do something with that lot.
I'm thinking that the best use for that site would be some sort of government office building, such as a place to gather all of the metro's far-flung state and federal offices. It would require a new parking ramp, though, as the one by the Paper Valley Hotel would be too small for that along with everything else that it currently serves.

Mike

[Oshkosh49]

Well, you *DO* have http://www.airventure.org running this week!

:okay:

Mike

Yes, not only does Oshkosh have the EAA's Airventure Show all this week, but it is also home to the big CountryUSA concert venue, and the smaller Life-Fest Christian Rock Festival. And at one time for a few years, it was also home to a Ducks Unlimited Festival. Not bad for a city of less than 70,000 people.

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090805/APC0101/908050508/1979

"Grand Chute puts police merger with Appleton on fast track
Town leader: Residents will vote on police deal with city

By Ed Lowe • Post-Crescent staff writer • August 5, 2009

GRAND CHUTE — Town Chairman Mike Marsden wants the merger of the town and Appleton police departments completed within five months — and with an advisory vote by town residents beforehand.
Advertisement

It's a confusing agenda to Jim Duncan, an outspoken critic of the ongoing merger plan.

Marsden appointed a task force whose goal is to get the combined police force formally approved by Jan. 1. The first meeting of the task force is yet to be scheduled. He and Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna will need to discuss "two things we have to resolve" first, Marsden says."

(see link for rest of article)

Interesting. Somehow I think that the fortunes of the township's westside commercial area, which at least to me is suffering a noticeable decline - approaching threadbareness - with a growing number of building vacancies (although the Fox River Mall itself appears to be holding its own), is having an effect on their government. The poorly designed and built streets with very few sidewalks and streetlights in the township aren't helping things, either.

Besides, the township's new 'black-and-white' police car design is UGLY, nearly as bad as the design that it's replacing!

Mike

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090806/APC0101/908060513/1979

This is part of the College Ave Fox River bridge replacement project. I was checking this out yesterday and crews were there painting the lines onto it. It will be partially open, connecting John St from the south with Walter Ave to the north, getting those two streets back into action and giving the locals a chance to get used to how these things work.

The bridge itself should be open in November.

Mike

[araman0]

I think that area of College is going to be amazing once the bridge is complete.

Mike, what's the status of the River Heath project?

Also what is the economic health of the Fox Cities like these days? I know that Kimberly Clark is going through another round of layoffs, but when I was up there a couple months ago I saw lots of single-store type construction going on in various places.

[mgk920]

I think that area of College is going to be amazing once the bridge is complete.

Mike, what's the status of the River Heath project?

Also what is the economic health of the Fox Cities like these days? I know that Kimberly Clark is going through another round of layoffs, but when I was up there a couple months ago I saw lots of single-store type construction going on in various places.
I'm curious as to what will eventually occupy the center of that roundabout - a couple of years ago it was suggested that the Civil War monument in Soldiers Square be relocated to it, but I don't see that happening. Whatever goes in, it will be a nice entrance to the central city from the east.

As for River Heath, I haven't heard much on it lately. OTOH, there was some City Plan Commission activity on the zoning for the former Foremost Dairy plant site across the river from it a few months ago. I believe that it is now zoned for multi-family-planned development.

Overall, the Appleton area seems to be hanging in there. Pierce appears to be going great guns and Oshkosh Truck (in Oshkosh) just got an über-huge truck order from the USA-DoD and is actively hiring.

Mike

[Jschmuck]

Wisconsin DNR gives Appleton's RiverHeath site clean bill of health

APPLETON — A decade after industrial toxins were discovered in riverfront property below the College Avenue bridge, the state Department of Natural Resources has given the site a clean bill of health.
The declaration clears one stumbling block from development of a proposed $55 million commercial and residential complex, known as RiverHeath, on 15 acres of land below the east end of the bridge.

The rest here;

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090825/APC0101/908250492/1979

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090902/APC0101/909020498/1003/APC01/Menasha-defaults-on-bond-payment

YOWSAH!

:shocked:

This is the FIRST time in STATE HISTORY that one of its munis has defaulted on a bonded debt payment. This not good news AT ALL for its residents, businesses and property owners and it may be doubtful if the city itself can survive it. :no: Might we soon be seeing it being consolidated into either the City of Appleton or City of Neenah, or split between the two?

Mike

[araman0]

I lived in downtown Menasha right on the river for a year or so, and it does have a nice little downtown area. But boy did that area reek sometimes!

I always thought that the stretch of Commercial Street between downtown Menasha and downtown Neenah could become one of the finest urban corridors in the state outside the Milwaukee area. Unfortunately there is simply not enough of a population to support that.

[mgk920]

I don't have any images nor good weblinks handy, but the Appleton Medical Center ('AMC') is majorly expanding their complex on Meade St on Appleton's northeast side. There is a tower crane at work there that is literally TOWERING over the surrounding residential neighborhoods (you can easily see it from the WI 441 freeway near its Fox River bridge, especially at night) and the steel for a building of at least ten floors is now mostly in place.

This is a very impressive project.

Mike

[DaiTengu]

I don't have any images nor good weblinks handy, but the Appleton Medical Center ('AMC') is majorly expanding their complex on Meade St on Appleton's northeast side. There is a tower crane at work there that is literally TOWERING over the surrounding residential neighborhoods (you can easily see it from the WI 441 freeway near its Fox River bridge, especially at night) and the steel for a building of at least ten floors is now mostly in place.

This is a very impressive project.

Mike

AMC is always expanding. I lived near it for 19 years, and don't ever remember a time that SOMETHING wasn't being remodeled or built.

[mgk920]

The last new section of Midway Rd, the part between Eisenhower Dr and just east of Teleluh Ave, opened a few days ago, completing that corridor. It includes a new roundabout intersection at Lake Park Rd.

Mike

[DaiTengu]

The last new section of Midway Rd, the part between Eisenhower Dr and just east of Teleluh Ave, opened a few days ago, completing that corridor. It includes a new roundabout intersection at Lake Park Rd.

Mike

this is right by my house :)


Now if only they'd fix stretch of midway road that starts after kernan. I'd be afraid to drive on it if I didn't have a truck :)

[zekompany]

Does anyone know if they have released any renderings for the proposed library downtown? Or is it too early in the planning/proposal stages....

[DaiTengu]

Does anyone know if they have released any renderings for the proposed library downtown? Or is it too early in the planning/proposal stages....

They haven't even decided if they need to build one or not yet, so no.

Honestly, I don't see the need for it.

[mgk920]

The planned RiverHeath development project has received a Federal grant of just under $1M to cover innovations in its heating and air conditioning system.

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009911030465

Mike

[mgk920]

AMC is always expanding. I lived near it for 19 years, and don't ever remember a time that SOMETHING wasn't being remodeled or built.
I don't have an article link handy, but crews held the 'topping off' ceremony for AMC's 8 story addition a couple of days ago.

Mike

[mgk920]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20091119/APC0101/911190505/1004/St.-Elizabeth-gets--65-million-facelift

"Menasha-based Affinity Health System to give Appleton's St. Elizabeth Hospital a $65 million expansion

By Larry Avila • Post-Crescent business editor • November 19, 2009

APPLETON — St. Elizabeth Hospital is getting a major makeover.

Hospital officials are planning a three-year, $65 million plan to renovate and expand several operations including the emergency and radiology departments, cancer center and campus power plant. The plan also relocates outpatient rehabilitation services from the hospital to another site in Appleton still to be determined."

(see link for rest of article)

WOW. The stereotype of the ever-expanding hospitals continues. No renderings of these planned upgrades, though.

Mike

[mgk920]

Among issues, they can't agree on the name of the department to be decaled onto the cars. 'Identity' (and 'what identity?' in the township) seems to trump 'efficiency' every time....

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20091115/APC0101/911150572/1003/APC01

:ohno:

Mike