RACINE, Wis. (AP) — Dozens of job seekers streamed into a Foxconn Technology Group employment fair with hopes of getting one of the thousands of positions the Taiwanese company is offering at its new Wisconsin manufacturing complex.
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MADISON – Governor Scott Walker
signed bills into law expanding outdoor recreational activities across
the state, creating an interagency talent attraction campaign to bring
millennials, Wisconsin alumni, and transitioning veterans back to
Wisconsin, and a number of bills to help address medical assistance
needs in Wisconsin today at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Governor Walker
signed a total of 93 bills into law today....more
Ken Notes: READ THIS all 93 bills are summarized!
WAUSAU - Ginseng growers in Wisconsin are worried about the future of their business after a tariff went into effect overnight in China.
The tariff places an extra 15 percent charge on top of the price of American ginseng in China, in response to the Trump administration`s newly imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum entering the U.S.
China also is imposing tariffs on other products such as pork, fruit, nuts and wine.
The Chinese government suggested the tariff last month and originally planned to wait 60 days before it was enacted, but the process was accelerated and the tariff went into effect early Monday morning, said Bob Kaldunski, the president of the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin, based in Wausau. China is the largest consumer of American ginseng... ...moreKen Notes: One of the great flaws in any quick decision is the ripple effect it has on all the other businesses it touches. China clearly profits from exporting low cost tech and product to the US but the are also one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the world. The have 1.4 billion people who are just now emerging into a cohesive market with actual money to spend. Now does not seem the best time to close this door.
A developer is eyeing more hotel space in lieu of an office tower for the Madison Area Technical College Downtown campus after a partner on the project dropped out.
Drury Southwest, a Missouri-based hotel company, is revising a proposal that called for renovating the college’s Downtown Education Center, 211 N. Carroll St., into a hotel and constructing a 10-story office tower on the eastern half of the property that is currently a parking lot...
Ken Notes: Transit hub??
Booming Exact Sciences Corp. is seeking the remaining $2.6 million of capacity in a tax incremental financing (TIF) district to help pay for a parking garage at the $88.2 million second phase of its new campus along the Beltline on Madison’s West Side.
But the city is unsure if the next phase needs public financial support.
Exact Sciences — the Madison company whose Cologuard DNA stool test screens for colorectal cancer — is re-imagining the former Spectrum Brands property just off Schroeder Road...
Ken Notes: This is a bargain and I`m cheap...
Designs for two large Madison projects — a four-story apartment complex on East Johnson Street and a massive 14-acre development on the city`s west side — will be up before the city’s Urban Design Commission Wednesday night.
The East Johnson plans have faced neighborhood pushback for their size and style. The west side plans haven`t yet delved into specific building uses and style.
SG Hill Farms, LLC is the developer for a redevelopment on the Hill Farms property owned by the state. The project would sit next to the 600,000 square-foot Department of Transportation building currently under construction....
With Bon-Ton Stores Inc. headed for liquidation, employees, office building owners and business operators on downtown Milwaukee’s west side — and in malls throughout Wisconsin — are bracing for impact.
"There`s significant concerns about the individuals who could be affected by this," said Jeff Fleming, a Department of City Development spokesman.
A
liquidation would "impact a lot of people," said Claude Krawczyk, an
attorney and board chair of Westown Association, a nonprofit group that
promotes downtown`s west side...
SEE ALSO:
MADISON--Boston Store, Younkers and other Bon-Ton stores to close; big changes could come to East Towne and West Towne malls...
Ken Notes: I hope WEDC, local EDC`s, communities, and developers will start planning NOW. Think about using the spaces as entrepreneurial, co-working, educational/job training and popup spaces asap until a retailer can be found that fits (this may be a while). In Madison we are talking about a new public market place when we could start one for pennies on the dollar in our Malls and it would be a great fit!...
EBI takes the time to get to know you and your business. We’ll provide you with options so that together we can make the most of your space and stay within your budget.
...more
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MADISON, WI. March 27, 2018 –Construction-related
businesses looking for details on how to become vendors, subcontractors,
suppliers or professional service providers during the construction
phase of the Foxconn project in Racine County are invited to attend one
of 12 informational sessions scheduled throughout the state in April...- Tuesday, April 3: Fountain Hall, 8505 Durand Avenue, Sturtevant.
- Wednesday, April 4: University of Wisconsin-Platteville,
- Friday, April 6: Liberty Hall Banquet and Conference Center, 800 Eisenhower Drive, Kimberly.
- Thursdsay, April 12: Superior Government Center, 1316 N. 14th St., Superior
- Monday, April 16: Chippewa Valley Technical College – Energy Education Center, 4000 Campus Road, Eau Claire
- Tuesday, April 17. La Crosse Area Chamber Foundation, 601 7th St. N, La Crosse. Co-hosted by 7 Rivers Alliance
Gary Herzberg pumped his fists in the air in celebration Monday night after the Waunakee Village Board voted to accept bids for the new library construction and set a start date of May 1.
A village trustee, Herzberg has served on the library board as it has worked to plan a new facility for more than a decade.
The bids even came in with a silver lining – lower than the library and village board members have anticipated.
Village President Chris Zellner thanked the library board members for their work...
...more
Broadband Internet access in Northwestern Wisconsin has grown substantially since 2011, but it still has a long way to go. Although 99 percent of residents in the state’s urban areas receive data at 25 megabits per second, that speed is only available to 57 percent of people who reside in rural areas.
“That really does highlight the challenge we have here. It’s a roughly similar situation across the country. We’re not at the bottom of the list, but we’re not at the top. We definitely have room to grow,” Wisconsin Broadband Director Angie Dickison told a Feb. 27 panel at WITC in Ashland....
...moreKen Notes: This is currently a density / infrastructure issue. Next gen wireless sill go far to solve some of this. The government approval process also is not nearly fast enough for tech so we are often investing is outdated poor tech. Imagine a two to five year approval process for you to buy a current cellphone. We need to invest in the next generation ahead of the curve. 5G is coming and will need state support for infrastructure, I`d trade that support for blanket installation that covers rural Wisconsin. If we share the cost from the onset we do not have the haves and have nots based on density.
East Wash project would offer housing for women vets and families
Otis Winstead says one group of veterans has been particularly neglected when it comes to getting services: women.
Dryhootch Wisconsin, the peer-led veteran support organization that Winstead directs, hopes a new housing development on East Washington Avenue will help fill that gap.
Dryhootch is teaming up with Dane County and developer Gorman & Company for a proposed veteran housing and support service building, “Valor on Washington.”
“The most underserved veterans are the women veterans, so that is going to be our major focus,” Winstead says. “How can this facility serve women veterans and families?”...
...moreKen Notes: Good use -- but I really like the idea of rolling vet services into the private sector. This would be a great test of how we could provide basic health care to everyone. We could also merge all the vet hospitals into partnerships with other providers.
conference to examine future of rail in region
The West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition has been laying the tracks to revive passenger rail service from Eau Claire to the Twin Cities for decades, and now, Leadership Eau Claire is helping them pick up speed by organizing a conference to discuss the future of rail travel. “Get on Board: Future of Passenger Rail in Western Wisconsin” will take place 7:30am-noon on Thursday, April 26. The conference is open to anyone who supports or has questions about instituting passenger rail in the region...
...moreKen Notes: I served on the Thompson Rail Advisory Commission and strongly support upgraded rail in Wisconsin. Since the current administration has some "history", I suggest we focus on the infrastructure not the passenger service. For the record, and the admin can stop reading now, if we get the track right between Chicago and MSP passenger rail will follow and our potential product distribution network will improve exponentially. It is all about the track...
In a spotless, 10-acre factory in Mazomanie, Wisconsin, Loyal Burkhart II assembles gears for hoists that will raise screens and backdrops above a theater stage somewhere in the world.
The hoists being tested on the floor nearby are bound for a theater in Israel.
Stage rigging is a newish line of business for Electronic Theatre Controls, which was born in 1974. Way back then, microprocessors — still called “computers on a chip” — were just beginning to revolutionize industry, culture and commerce.
...moreKen Notes: ETC is one of my favorite companies in the State. The switch to LED ensures their leadership world wide for years to come. We should tap into their global knowledge and marketing skills...
Setup at the IKEA store in Oak Creek, which will be the furniture
retailer`s first store in Wisconsin, remains on track ahead of the May
16 grand opening.
Store manager Samantha Gravina showed TODAY`S TMJ4 around the more than 290,000 square foot facility Tuesday afternoon.
Once through the main entrance, shoppers will first notice a series of room displays showing what the furniture for sale looks like in different room settings.
"You can feel what it might look like in your home, and be inspired," Gravina said.
Gravina said many of the room displays are nearing completion.
Ken Notes: May 16th ohmmmmmmmmmmm.....
Findorff, builders of Wisconsin`s finest projects...and ...A sponsor of Wisconsin Development News
An area health care provider hopes to redevelop a long-empty, city-owned plot of land just south of Downtown Madison into what could become the area’s most expensive development...
Ken Notes: Details about both proposals are in the article at the link. Both developers have a proven track record and could get this done. Expedite the process.
As labor markets tighten across the nation, Wisconsin’s estimated unemployment rate dipped below 3.0% in February for the first time to a record low of 2.9%, while the state also set a record for the total number of people employed.
Thursday`s report from the state Department of Workforce Development amounts to the second bullish headline in recent days on Wisconsin employment prospects. Last week, ManpowerGroup Inc. released its latest outlook survey showing a sharp increase in the number of Wisconsin employers planning to increase hiring in the upcoming April-June quarter — and that Wisconsin`s employment outlook is tied with New Hampshire in leading the nation in its projected job-creation forecast...
...moreKen Notes: A mixed blessing, many are still looking for skilled or highly trainable workers and many of our best and brightest are leaving the state...
If you’re an aficionado of historical brewing in Wisconsin, this week should mark an exciting development for your refrigerator. Appleton’s Stone Arch Brewing, one of the oldest brewpubs in the state, has just started distribution in the Madison area. There’s a lot of history behind that label, even if the name “Stone Arch” has barely been gracing those labels since February of last year...
...moreKen Notes: We need a marketing and distribution network for all Wisconsin Craft Beer! We could distribute product both in the state and worldwide. What if we taxed beer sales jut a bit and then funded a Wisconsin Craft Marketing Board modeled after the Milk marketing Board. We would use Bud Light sales (made in St. Louis, Ohio, and China) to sell product made here in Wisconsin to the rest of the world...
Each year, birds fly south for the winter in a great migration before returning in spring. Tax migration in Wisconsin works much the same way. People leave for warmer weather and states like Texas and Florida, which have lower overall tax burdens.
Unlike the birds, however, those Wisconsinites might not return back north.
An analysis by Wisconsin’s MacIver Institute said $2.3 billion and 35,788 people left the state from 2011 to 2016, an average of $463 million and 7,158 tax filers annually.
...moreKen Notes: See......
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A Wisconsin department is surveying 3,000
landowners in 15 counties to gauge their thoughts on the state’s
Farmland Preservation Program as enrollment declines.The program gives farmers a range of tax break options for preserving land for future agricultural use and protecting it from development.
Wisconsin Public Radio reports that the number of claims has dropped by nearly 25 percent between 2010 and 2016, according to Alison Volk, the land management section chief for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Landowners are claiming tax breaks on less than half of the approximately 5.5 million acres that are eligible, she said.
About 13,000 people claimed about $18 million in tax credits through the program in 2015. But less than 12,000 received $16.6 million in tax credits in 2016....
...moreKen Notes: I just mentioned doing this a few months ago, Well done.
The Alpine Resort and Golf Course in Egg Harbor is up for sale.
The iconic resort has been in the Bertschinger family since it opened its doors in 1922.
“Resort ownership today includes siblings, cousins, uncles and aunts,” the family announced in a press release. “Because of the complexity of the ownership structure spread out over family members, along with changing interests, the family has decided to list the property for sale.”
The family said the resort and golf course will continue operations during the sales process and it will not impact reservations.
“As anyone who has started and maintained a family business knows, putting Alpine up for sale was a really hard decision to make,” said Emily Pitchford, member of the Bertschinger family and part owner of Alpine Resort & Golf Course. “The resort, this town and our guests are so intertwined with the Egg Harbor community. Alpine has been a part of our family and the community’s family for almost 100 years.”...
...The property is listed at $15 million with Newmark Grubb Pfefferle and is available to be subdivided or redeveloped. Alpine Resort & Golf Course features more than 250 acres, including a half mile of frontage on the Bay of Green Bay, a 36-hole golf course, tennis courts, a sandy beach, heated pool and many other highlights...
...moreKen Notes: If I only had fifteen million burning a hole in my pocket, this is among the coolest places in the state. I see someone picking the best 18 and developing the other land as a new golf mecca....
It`s a common refrain, whether coming from employers and government officials or Walker`s Point bartenders: Milwaukee needs more young people. For that matter, so does Wisconsin.
The young adult population in the Milwaukee area grew just 1.4% from 2010 to 2015. That makes it one of the lowest growth regions for young adults in the country, according to research published by the Brookings Institution in January. Nationwide, the young adult population grew 4.7%....
...more
When a leading West Coast “think tank” examined how well colleges and universities are turning research into patents, companies and products, a somewhat surprising name appeared on the list.
Ranked 125th in the nation, in a neighborhood with Texas Tech, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, San Diego State, UW-Milwaukee and Oklahoma, was the WiSys Technology Foundation.
Based on issued patents, licensing agreements, licensing income and startups, the rankings by the California-based Milken Institute showed that WiSys – which was created to manage intellectual property on University of Wisconsin campuses outside Madison and Milwaukee – is coming into its own...
...moreKen Notes: Now we need to KEEP the ideas in the state and develop them...
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Madison – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund has awarded the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) a Capital Magnet Fund grant of $5,238,656 for Fiscal Year 2017. A total of $120 million in grants were awarded to 40 organizations selected from 120 applicants that requested nearly $540 million.
According to the CDFI Fund the awards will finance the development of affordable housing and other community service facilities in low-income neighborhoods in 41 states and the District of Columbia...
...moreKen Notes: Congrats!!!!!
Construction-related businesses in the Madison area are being invited to come to informational meetings to find out how they can bid on portions of the Foxconn project.
Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn plans to build a $10 billion flat-screen factory in Racine County, but sessions are being held around the state to open the door to a wide range of potential participants in the project, said Paul Jadin, president of the Madison Region Economic Partnership.
A session also will be held in Janesville from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. April 9 at Blackhawk Technical College, 6004 S. Highway G....
...moreKen Notes: See several other locations below...
The Wisconsin-based Roundy`s division of The Kroger Co. plans to add 400 jobs across the state this year, part of an overall plan by Kroger to hire 11,000 people in 2018.
Cincinnati-based Kroger said in a statement Tuesday that the estimated 11,000 positions are in its supermarket divisions and include nearly 2,000 management jobs.
The company`s Roundy`s division operates
Pick `n Save, Metro Market and Copps stores in Wisconsin and the
Mariano`s stores in northern Illinois...
MADISON, Wis. – A pay-to-stay incentives proposal for consumer goods giant Kimberly-Clark remains in play and, consequently, so does the possibility that lawmakers will be called back in for a special session.
Gov. Scott Walker said as much Wednesday in a conference call with reporters...
See also:
Kimberly-Clark Expands Mobile, Alabama, Production Center
Kimberly-Clark to churn out more baby wipes
Kimberly-Clark to ramp up Tuas factory output
Kimberly-Clark announces $100 million investment in Mobile facility
Ken Notes: Would we be buying time not growth?? I also worry that we are fueling offers in other state. Can you match Wisconsin???
When Milton McPike, beloved former Madison East High School principal, passed away 10 years ago, his former students wanted to rename the school after him.
Instead of a high school, the city will officially rename Central Park after McPike on Wednesday, April 4. Mayor Paul Soglin will declare the day Milton McPike Day. And a dedication ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. at the park, 202 S. Ingersoll St...
Ken Notes: Mixed feelings here, he is very worthy -- but the Central Park designation better defined the intent of the project. I would love to see a Milton McPike permanent performance stage in central park, with an ETC lighting package....
While positive for homeowners and the city’s tax base, Mayor Paul Soglin said an increase in Madison property assessments is narrowing the market for home ownership.
The assessments, released Friday, show a 7.4 percent increase in real estate values, including a 5.8 percent increase in the value of the average single-family home to $284,868.
“The
Madison market continues to tighten and will continue to tighten in the
coming years,” Soglin said at a Friday press conference....
Ken Notes: He is right. We need to think outside the box a little here. Higher density smaller unit may provide millennials and others an affordable option. Also co-housing would work for some. We have plenty of traditional inventory, but as the mayor suggests, it is expensive. We need entry level properties that can help start the equity process.
I would be remiss if I did not mention transit options to more affordable communities, but alas I do not believe my transit dreams are even on the radar screen.
SCS - At the forefront of sustainable environmental solutions for over 40 years and ...A sponsor of Wisconsin Development News
DATCP Sends Out Surveys To Gauge Interest, Information About Program
...moreThe Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has sent out 3,000 surveys to landowners in 15 counties to gauge their thoughts on the state`s Farmland Preservation Program, something fewer farmers are participating in.
Under the program, farmers can receive a range of tax break options for preserving land for future agricultural use and protecting it from development. The amount of tax incentive farmers receive depends on whether they’re located in a farmland preservation zoning district or "agricultural enterprise areas" that have been designated by landowners and local governments. Landowners may claim a tax credit ranging from $5 to $10 per acre based on their location and willingness to sign 15-year agreements to preserve farmland....
Ken Notes: This is a huge issue with little knowledge on the part of the legislature as to what the farmers actually need, want or will subscribe to. Farmland close to metros can be worth millions while 10 miles away in can be worth little. Smart communities can actually buy options or land outright where they know they want future development but there is little state support for this practice. We need to work with the farmers to preserve farms and even share some of the wealth from development. This would involve a significant change in the current system.
Ten images and two videos by University of Wisconsin–Madison students, faculty and staff have been named winners of the 2018 Cool Science Image Contest.
A panel of eight experienced artists and scientists judged the scientific content and aesthetic and creative qualities of 171 images and videos, a record number of entries for the eighth annual competition.... ...moreKen Notes: Not development but these a just to interesting to pass up. I like the algae and water in Lake Monona rippling in the sunlight.
HOWARD - A Green Bay-area internet provider expects a pair of new fiber optic projects to help spur economic development in parts of Oconto Falls and Sheboygan County.
Nsight Telservices will install two miles of fiber optic cable through the Oconto Falls business park this year, and about eight miles of cable near Sheboygan Falls in 2019.
Nsight is one of dozens of companies and government bodies across the state chosen to help further build the state`s communication infrastructure in rural areas.
The Oconto Falls project, which last week received a $49,230 preliminary grant from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, is expected to replace aging 20th century “copper” communications infrastructure, said Mick O’Malley, Nsight’s senior director of internal controls and operations...
...moreKen Notes: Make deals now to share this fiber access with cell co`s in exchange for future G5 systems. Trust me -- stay ahead of the curve in thinking and behind the curve in spending.
The rooms in Madison’s newest hotel may not be for the old-school traveler.
There are no drawers to store clothing, or single-serve coffee pots. There are wood-looking laminate floors instead of carpeting, while USB ports dot each room to make charging phones, tablets and other devices more convenient. In each bathroom, wall dispensers above the sink and in the shower replace small bars of soap and travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash...
...moreKen Notes: This is a very interesting product. I hope the diversity here proves that you can try new things...
MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin`s new Interagency Council on Homelessness takes another step toward getting started this week, when its first-ever director takes the reins.
Michael Luckey had been a policy advisor for Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke of Kaukauna, and helped guide a number of bills addressing homelessness through the Legislature. One of those bills, Assembly Bill 234, created the Interagency Council on Homelessness.
It was backed by the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness, where Executive Director Joseph Volk said the added attention to this issue is sorely needed. "For the first time in probably 20 years, the issue of homelessness is being discussed in the State Legislature and in the Administration," Volk said. "And not only is it being discussed, it`s being discussed at really, the very highest levels of state government." Volk`s organization estimates about 27,000 Wisconsinites are homeless....
...moreKen Notes: Again we need to be creative here and remember we are working with a population of varying mental health issues. This is not a one solution problem!
On top of being known as the “City Of Festivals” and “Cream City,”
Milwaukee has been aptly called “A City Of Neighborhoods.” While
enclaves like Bay View, Walker’s Point, and Third Ward are well-known
neighborhoods, much of the city is reduced to broad regional
generalizations like the East Side, South Side, North Side, and
Downtown. In reality, Milwaukee has approximately 100 different
neighborhoods, each with their own landmarks, their own distinct style, a
unique history, and at least something to set it apart from its
community counterparts. ...moreKen Notes: Madison should do this - I`ll host...
“Founded in 1976 by George and Candy Gialamas, The Gialamas Company specializes in Class A Commercial Real Estate. Old Sauk Trails Park, is one of the most prestigious business parks in Wisconsin; containing numerous office buildings supplemented by restaurants, hotels, financial institutions, a childcare facility and a walking/jogging trail system....
...more
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When garbage disposal manufacturer InSinkErator opens its new headquarters and lab facility this July in Mount Pleasant, the company will bring together six separate labs under one roof.
Emerson Electric Co., InSinkErator’s St. Louis-based parent company, announced plans last year for the $34 million project at the southwest corner of Highway 20 and International Drive.
In addition, the company will spend $29 million to improve its existing Racine manufacturing facility. That project will improve workflow and make other changes to the facility. It will be complete in 2019...
...more
Ken Notes: We have such great stories to tell. WDNews will try to maintain our archives as long as the original articles stay on the web! Use our search engine to browse a topic. WDN is searchable at Search WDN.
—NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, which is seeking to become the first
U.S. company in decades to domestically produce a widely used medical
radioisotope, broke ground on a new 20,000-square-foot production
facility at its Beloit headquarters, the Janesville Gazette reported...—Staying in fintech, CUNA Mutual AdvantEdge Analytics acquired Finivation, a New York-based company that develops software and helps its banks and credit union customers integrate their IT systems. AdvantEdge Analytics’ corporate parent is Madison-based CUNA Mutual, which provides insurance and financial services to its member organizations, many of which are credit unions..
—Scale Up Milwaukee, an entrepreneurship program that helps businesses in southeastern Wisconsin that are seeking to grow quickly, announced a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee...
—Madison-based Healthfinch, which develops software applications to automate routine tasks performed by doctors and others who care for patients in clinics, raised $6 million in a funding round led by Chicago-based Adams Street Partners...
—GrocerKey, a Madison-based startup that has developed white-label software to help grocery stores create an online presence, raised $2.5 million from investors...
—Wauwatosa-based Cytegen raised $1 million in debt funding from four investors, according to a document filed with federal securities regulators...
—Artrility Medical, which is developing a medical device to diagnose and treat heart arrhythmias, raised $310,000 in debt funding from seven investors, according to an SEC filing...
...more
The Haribo gummy bear factory planned for Kenosha County will include a museum and a retail store, and eventually could employ 1,450 people.
Details on the plans, which were discussed this week by the Pleasant Prairie Plan Commission, indicate that the project could be more extensive than originally described.
Last August, when the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. announced an incentive agreement with Haribo, the candy-maker said it expected to employ 350 people at the plant it plans to build along I-94...
...moreKen Notes: I loveeee these things and if I were a dentist I would move to Kenosha.
Here`s a feather in Wisconsin`s cap in its attempt to woo millennials to the state. Wisconsin landed sixth in a WalletHub ranking of the best states for millennials released Tuesday.
Wisconsin came in behind the District of Columbia, North Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Iowa.
...moreNotes:
Six teams of entrepreneurial college students, including groups from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin-Parkside, have been selected to compete in the Wisconsin Big Idea Tournament.
The UW System’s nonprofit technology transfer office, WiSys Technology Foundation, is putting on the competition for early-stage companies at campuses statewide.
Light Fruit Co. and James Van Eerden will represent UW-Milwaukee. Light Fruit Co. makes dehydrated melon snacks. Van Eerden is a senior in geosciences at UWM. The company last week won second prize and $4,000 in the UWM New Ventures Business Plan Competition.... ...moreKen Notes: Great ideas come from the Wisconsin Systems! As developers we should get involved, reduced rent, seed funding, promotion, and mentorship comes to mind...
Drivers attempting to maneuver through the flood of students parading around campus might find it difficult to believe Wisconsin faces serious issues in recruiting young people to come live and work here.
But for permanent Madison residents and veteran Wisconsinites, it’s a commonly held axiom that these young people are just passing through, on their way to some other final destination...
...moreKen Notes: My plan:
STOUGHTON — Goodwill has opened a new store here, expanding its brand in Dane County and filling a prominent, vacant storefront.
The 18,000-square-foot store, located between a Tractor Supply Co. store and a Pick ’n Save on Stoughton’s north side, opened its doors March 16 in part of the space formerly occupied by Walmart. The new location adds to the growing list of Goodwill stores, many of which are being updated with new color schemes and designs...
...moreKen Notes: This is not bad. Goodwill bring jobs and product to a market that clearly exists...
Landscape Architecture, Planning, Architecture, Engineering...
Please see our blog here for updates... .
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When it comes to the general idea of
using eminent domain to seize someone`s private property in the name of
economic development, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan hasn’t minced words.He has called it an abuse of power and “wrong,” and twice has voted for bills — one of which he co-sponsored — to curb the practice...
...moreKen Notes: This process is very difficult and I will not weigh in. That said, I challenge every metro to draft a plan for a major plant in your community. Where is the land, what are the available utilities, who do you call, what communities will provide services, who will guide the process... This type of planning will give everyone a better understanding of the challenges. This is also a great way to explore milti-jurisdictional options, something Wisconsin is very very bad at...
When Thomas Boyle, principal in Transwestern’s Rosemont, Illinois office, suggested sites in southeastern Wisconsin to companies 10 years ago, clients would agree to look, but ultimately choose Lake County, Illinois.
About five years ago, the pendulum began to swing.
“Illinois companies looked at me and said, ‘Get me out of here,’” Boyle said. “Taxes are only going north (in Illinois). The one thing Kenosha County always lacked was critical mass for distribution and white-collar labor. But with all of the new companies moving up there – Haribo, Foxconn, Uline – I think Kenosha County is approaching that critical mass.”
In September, Boyle brokered the $14.5 million sale of the former Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha to California developer Majestic Realty Co., which is planning a massive industrial park that could reach up to 2.2 million square feet of development.
Boyle also recently sold 52 acres of vacant land just south of the Amazon fulfillment and distribution centers in Kenosha to an Illinois corporation planning to develop spec industrial buildings...
...moreKen Notes: We need to better network our development community, local ED professions and commercial broker with the State and it`s availabe resources.
The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) has awarded $1.8 million in low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs) that became available under the recently approved federal Consolidated Appropriations Act.
The housing credits will fund affordable housing developments in Little Chute and Madison to create 152 units of rental housing...
...moreKen Notes: I have a love hate relationship with this program. Low income housing is still a profit center for developers and they tend to cherry pick the tenants and so would I if I were in the business. We need to explore smaller non traditional unit for a segment of the market that is not a good fit for LIHTC properties...
JANESVILLE, Wis. (AP) - Construction crews are beginning demolition work at the former General Motors plant in southern Wisconsin.
Janesville officials tell Wisconsin Public Radio that workers finished asbestos abatement and waste removal in the main assembly building last week. Crews will next work on demolishing the exterior walls.
The 4.8-million-square-foot (446,000-square-meter) facility once employed thousands of autoworkers. The plant shuttered operations in 2008... ...more
Clearly, Louis Woo hasn’t devoted a large slice of his time to the study of Wisconsin’s political scene of the last several years.
Until recently, it wasn’t exactly in his orbit. He’s a tech executive, a graduate of Stanford University (bachelor’s, master’s and PhD) who grew up poor in Macau and Hong Kong, developed an appreciation for ancient Chinese poetry and went on to such work as the co-founding of a speech-recognition company and various management positions with Apple and other firms. ...moreKen Notes: This is a potential problem not only for Foxconn but for Wisconsin as other companies look at the State and see us airing our dirty laundry in public. We need to present a much better bipartisan face to business looking to enter the State. We also need to remind existing businesses we are here to serve them as well.
In a major surprise, the state is delivering another $13.4 million in federal tax credits for an affordable housing project on the East Side.
The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority announced that it will provide $13.4 million in low-income housing tax credits over 10 years to help MSP Real Estate build The Grove Apartments, 204 Cottage Grove Road, a $20 million, 112-unit project with 95 units for those who make less than 60 percent of the county’s median income, about $46,000 for a family of three...
Ken Notes: Here is and example, these units are north of 150,000 dollars. Reality suggests that a family just over the threshold for low income housing would have a tough time buying a 150K unit. So we create a disincentive. We need to create affordable housing that is affordable without the massive supplements. Habitat uses this model more effectively. Why not use the money to acquire property and make the land available for affordable development...
Innovative local employers, such as Jay Manufacturing in Oshkosh, are benefiting from Governor Walker`s Wisconsin Fast Forward grant program available through the Department of Workforce Development, providing employees with high-skill, in-demand job training to meet production demands and increase business.
Jay Manufacturing is among the eight regional manufacturers that are partnering with DWD, the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board and Fox Valley Technical College to train 60 incumbent manufacturing workers with help from two WFF grants.
...more
MILWAUKEE — A new analysis from a Wisconsin business group says Foxconn Technology Group’s manufacturing plant would add about $51 billion to the state’s gross domestic product over the 15 years the state pays the company incentives.
The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s estimates average out to an additional $3.4 billion in state gross domestic product annually, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. That would add 1 percent to the state’s current GDP of approximately $313 billion...
...moreKen Notes: So I will add this in support of helping businesses in the State...
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MADISON, Wis. – Amid the din of D.C. intrigue, President Donald Trump this week issued an executive order aimed at fighting poverty while protecting taxpayers.And the initiative appears to bode well for Wisconsin’s latest welfare reform package.
The president’s Order on Economic Mobility “takes the first steps toward welfare reform in America” and signals to states like Wisconsin that the White House is serious about fixing the nation’s troubled public assistance system.
“We can lift our citizens from welfare to work, from dependence to independence, and from poverty to prosperity,” Trump said....
...The initiative provides nine “Principles of Economic Mobility,” which are to guide federal agencies that administer public assistance programs, according to the executive order. They must:
- Improve employment outcomes and economic indepencence
- Promote marriage and family as a way of escaping poverty
- Address the challenges of hard-to-employ populations
- Provide more flexibility to states, while ensuring accountability for achieving outcomes
- Streamline services to more effectively use taxpayer resources
- Reserve benefits for those truly in need
- Consolidate duplicative programs
- Facilitate greater sharing of information between states and localities
- Empower the private sector to find solutions to poverty
While the reform order moves to empower state, local, and tribal governments to serve needy individuals and families, it emphasizes strengthening work requirements and assuring public assistance goes to those truly in need....
...moreKen Notes: Interesting and easily lost in the shuffling madness that is Madison and WDC.
The land a Foxconn-related company bought in Kenosha County in late December may be just the first of multiple acquisitions Foxconn Technology Group makes outside the site of its planned manufacturing campus.
In an interview last weekend, Louis Woo, special assistant to Foxconn Chairman and CEO Terry Gou, signaled that the electronics manufacturer wants to buy property beyond the site of its planned, $10 billion production campus on nearly 1,200 acres in Racine County...
...more
Wisconsin offers some of the highest-quality healthcare options in the
nation – a reputation built on clinical excellence and supported by a
well-trained and dedicated workforce. Thanks to the commitment of
healthcare facilities such as St. Elizabeth Hospital (SEH) in Appleton,
individuals and families across the state have access to world-class,
patient-centric care at state-of-the-art clinics and hospitals in their
local community......About WFF:
Under Governor Walker`s WFF initiative, OSD now offers two ongoing grant opportunities benefitting Small Business Occupations and All Sectors. For grant program requirements and application information, visit: http://www.wisconsinfastforward.com/...
...more
Epicurean is loving their new home in Superior, and Superior is loving them right back. Designer and manufacturer of kitchen cutting boards and tools, Epicurean made the move from Duluth at the beginning of 2017.
The city of Superior assembled an incentives package of $100,000 for site improvements to the property, according to Jason Serck, economic development, planning and port director for Superior...
...His office has a heavy focus on industrial recruitment, and sees the advantages of moving into Wisconsin to take advantage of new tax credits. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) awarded a $512,000 loan to Epicurean in 2016 as an incentive to set up shop in Wisconsin. Mark Maley, public affairs and communications director at WEDC, said Wisconsin is drawing many companies across its border, from just outside of the Twin Cities to companies crossing out of Illinois to southern Wisconsin, because of their manufacturer and agriculture tax credit.
...more
MILWAUKEE, WI. April 18, 2018— NEWaukee and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) today presented Eppstein Uhen Architects (EUA) with a 2018 Bubbler Award.
Every year, NEWaukee hosts the Bubbler Awards: Best Workplaces for Young Professionals in Wisconsin as part of YPWeek. The Bubbler Awards shine a light on the companies’ achievements in serving the interests and needs of younger workers.
“The world of talent attraction and retention has changed dramatically. The standard offering isn’t going to work with the next generation of talent,” said Angela Damiani, CEO of NEWaukee. “The Bubbler Awards recognize the Wisconsin companies that have made great advances in their ability to attract, keep and grow their young talent. We are proud to highlight companies like EUA that are truly among the best places to work for young professionals in Wisconsin.”
...moreNotes: Congrats.... Well deserved...
Scalerator changes name, format
Scale Up Milwaukee has changed the name of its Scalerator program to Scale Up Milwaukee Growth Accelerator and brought on University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee faculty to teach the course.
The format of the business growth training program has also been changed slightly in its fifth iteration, said Elmer Moore, executive director of Scale Up Milwaukee. The five-month program was previously offered in seven one-and-a-half day sessions, and will now be provided as five two-day sessions....
...more
Plans by Foxconn Technology Group for a massive manufacturing complex in Racine County would represent a major new source of air pollution in an area already struggling with summer smog problems.
Emissions from the company’s operations in Mount Pleasant would rank among the highest in southeastern Wisconsin for pollutants that create smog, also known as ozone pollution, state documents show.
Smog poses a health threat, especially for the elderly, children and people who suffer from respiratory problems like asthma. But it can also lead to reduced lung function for people working and exercising outdoors, and environmental groups are concerned about Foxconn`s impact on air quality...
...moreKen Notes: Now is the time to work WITH Foxconn on this issue.
As an affiliate of McMahon Associates, Inc., IPR provides Public/Private Partnership (P3) opportunities for a vast array of projects in small to medium-sized communities, as well as offering Municipal Administrator Services to local governments on an as-needed basis... and... A sponsor of Wisconsin Development News
STURTEVANT, Wis. (CBS 58) -- As Foxconn prepares to break ground on its massive manufacturing campus in Mount Pleasant, local businesses are anxious to get involved.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation held an informational session on Tuesday for those businesses.
The session gave construction-related companies a detailed briefing of how they can become a vendor, subcontractor, supplier, or professional service provider.
Businesses CBS 58 News talked to say it seems like there`s a lot of opportunity....
...more
The state of Wisconsin’s new $6.8 million talent-recruitment campaign will employ a $300,000 “mobile job center” for outreach to military personnel leaving active duty.
The vehicle will be designed by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and will be deployed to military bases where personnel participate in “transitioning summits” for their return to civilian life, said Kelly Lietz, vice president of marketing for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC)...
...more
JANESVILLE
Economic development officials will visit Blackhawk Technical College on Monday to discuss the first phase of Foxconn`s new manufacturing plant in Racine County with local construction-related businesses.
Hosted by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the meeting is intended to give local businesses information about the project, such as submitting bid proposals, standard terms and conditions, and a preliminary construction schedule.
The Taiwanese tech giant says it plans to build a 1,000-acre campus that will support up to 16,000 jobs annually during construction.
...more
State Grant Pushes Total Raised To Nearly Two-Thirds Of Target
Milwaukee County receives $250,000 state grant to support The Sherman Phoenix entrepreneurial hub
...moreA business development in one of the buildings set fire to during Milwaukee`s Sherman Park protests following the fatal police shooting of Sylville Smith in August 2016, is one step closer to opening.
On Tuesday, the state of Wisconsin awarded a $250,000 grant to a business re-development project called Sherman Phoenix.
The money from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. puts the developers of Sherman Phoenix about two-thirds of the way to their fundraising goal.
See Also:
Sherman Phoenix development project gets $250,000 from WEDC
Milwaukee County receives $250,000 state grant to support The Sherman Phoenix entrepreneurial hub
Ken Notes: I like this project -- cool design, entrepreneurial hub, public private partnership, mentorship, business coaching and networking.
Stay up to date by reading our MadREP Report, a bi-monthly newsletter that features regional economic development news, events and opportunities.Find older issues here.
...more
Fox Valley - Construction-related companies in northeastern Wisconsin that want to learn more about becoming a vendor, subcontractor, supplier or professional service provider during the construction phase of the Foxconn project in Racine County are invited to an informational session April 6 in the Fox Valley.
Hosted by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, The New North and M+W|Gilbane, the professional construction manager on the project, the meeting will begin with registration at 8 a.m. at the Liberty Hall Banquet and Conference Center, 800 Eisenhower Drive, Kimberly.
...more
The Foxconn construction management team wants 60 percent of the development project completed by Wisconsin companies with 70 percent of the job hours worked by Wisconsin residents.
General contractor Gilbane plans to call for 10 percent of the subcontractors to be based in Racine County and 10 percent to be women, minority or veteran-owned businesses, according to Mark Maley, a spokesman with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp...
...more
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Financial data from S&P shows the number of retailers filing for bankruptcy continues to grow.
40 stores have filed this year; that`s the highest amount that have filed since 2011.
That includes Bon-Ton stores, the chain that owns Younkers and as we reported recently locations in Green Bay and the Fox Cities will be closing.
"Everybody that`s shopping online, it`s hurting us, they`re hurting these businesses," says shopper Debbie Crooks...
See Also:
Bon-Ton preparing to close Wisconsin stores, Milwaukee headquarters if it doesn`t find a buyer
...morePROGRAMS
- Tax Incremental Finance
- SBA Loan Program
- WHEDA Business Lending
- Community Development Programs (from DOA Website)
BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
- Brownfields Grant Program
- Brownfield Site Assessment Grant
- Business Development Loan Program
- Business Development Tax Credit
- Capacity Building Grant
- Community Development Investment Grant
- Development Opportunity Zone Tax Credit
- Enterprise Zone Tax Credit
- Historic Preservation Tax Credit
- Industrial Revenue Bonding
- Idle Sites Redevelopment
- Main Street
- Connect Communities
- Minority Business Development
- Strategic Initiatives Fund
- Workforce Training Grant
- Certified Sites
- Electronics and Information Technology Manufacturing Zone
- Capital Catalyst
- Entrepreneurial Micro-Grant
- Qualified New Business Venture Certification
- SBIR/STTR Matching Grant
- Seed Accelerator
- Technology Development Loan
-
BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ATTRACTION
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
SECTOR STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
WEDC is poised to help companies grow their exports further
Wisconsin’s exports grew by 6 percent in 2017 compared to the prior year, reaching a total of $22.3 billion in goods and services exported to 202 countries around the world.
The state’s top trading partners are Canada, Mexico and China, and all three of these destinations saw significant increases of Wisconsin exports in 2017. Exports to Canada grew by 4.3 percent, to $6.9 billion, driven by increases in the export of miscellaneous mineral products and electrical machinery. Exports to Mexico were up 4.8 percent to a record $3.2 billion, mostly because of an increase in the export of electrical machinery and oil seeds (primarily soybeans). Exports to China jumped by 21.6 percent, to $1.7 billion, in 2017 – also a record for exports to that country. Driving the growth in exports to China were increases in the shipments of aircraft and parts; industrial machinery; dairy products; wood and wood products; and raw hides and skins....
...more
A session is being held in Rhinelander next week for contractors, vendors, suppliers and professional services interested in competing for Foxconn contracts in the upcoming construction of the huge plant being built in southeastern Wisconsin.
The first phase of Foxconn building will begin this spring, involving 1,000 acres of site work, with the vertical building phase to begin late this year or early next year...
...The meeting is set for Friday, April 13 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Lakeside Center Theatre at Nicolet College in Rhinelander. More information is available here.
...more
Nicolet to host session April 13Construction-related companies in northern Wisconsin that want to learn more about becoming a vendor, subcontractor, supplier or professional service provider during the construction phase of the Foxconn project in Racine County are invited to an informational session in Rhinelander on Friday, April 13.
Hosted by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Grow North and M+W|Gilbane, the professional construction manager on the project, the meeting will take place at the Nicolet College Lakeside Center Theater, 5364 College Drive, Rhinelander. Registration begins at 1 p.m., and the informational session will run from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
The meeting is designed to assist construction-related companies in understanding the nature of the project and the procurement process for work related to construction of Foxconn`s $10 billion advanced manufacturing campus in Racine County, according to a Nicolet press release.
For more information, and to register, visit wisconnvalley.wi.gov.
...more
KENOSHA -- What`s old is new again in downtown Kenosha.
The City of Kenosha received a $250,000 state grant to support the redevelopment of the Heritage House building into an 80-room downtown hotel. Construction on the hotel is expected to begin in August and be completed by December 2019....
...more
GENERAL CONTRACTING
Residential - Commercial - Retail - Controlled Environments
FIRE / WATER / STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION
DESIGN / BUILD & REMODELING
“Located in the Madison region for over 30 years, Engineered Construction is an industry leader in commercial construction and the restoration of commercial and residential fire and water damage.” See comments from our clients here. ...more
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Efforts to make Eau Claire County a desirable place to live appear to be working.
While anecdotal evidence abounds in Eau Claire’s recent spate of media attention as a destination worth checking out and one of the nation’s best small cities in which to put down roots, the latest census data offers numerical proof.
Eau Claire County’s population grew 4.8 percent — adding 4,786 residents — from 2010 to 2017, according to estimates released last week by the U.S. Census Bureau. That ranked as the sixth-highest growth rate of Wisconsin’s 72 counties...
...moreKen Notes: This is the lost coast in Wisconsin, yet so many great thing are happening out west. The Eau Claire and La Crosse Metros are both doing great things and since there is a election coming up they will actually see a politician or two, which may or may not be a good thing.
The company manages transportation services for more than 3,000 brands and more than 100 manufacturing business units of Foxconn...
Ken Notes: The article is locked but the firm they mention is JUSDA Logistics...
WISCONSIN (WAOW) - -
As Baby Boomers reach retirement, concerns are growing about the future of several industries in Wisconsin.
The demand for diesel mechanics is high, but not enough people want to apply for the position, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
As of now there are about 7,000 diesel mechanics in the Badger State.
"We don`t have as many people entering the workforce therefore that demand is going to grow until we can level out again," said job service director Miranda Lezcano...
...moreKen Notes: Apprenticeship???
After 38 years on East Washington Avenue, Rocky Rococo`s pan style pizza is saying goodbye.
Roger Brown, a Rocky`s founder who operates eight Rocky`s locations, is closing the 12,300-square-foot Rocky Rococo Party Pizzeria East, and instead focusing his attention on a newer Sun Prairie location close by.
Brown opened the Sun Prairie restaurant in April 2014 at 2828 Prairie Lakes Drive, across from Costco and near the Marcus Palace Cinema.
JSD provides complete services in Planning & Development, Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Water Resources, Landscape Architecture, Construction Services, Surveying & Mapping, and Environmental Services. Offices in Madison - Milwaukee - Kenosha - Fox Valley & Wausau.
Kenosha developer S.R. Mills has a handful of projects that could benefit from Wisconsin approving a new $42 million tax credit to support affordable housing, and he predicts others do as well.
...more
John Burrow came to the Registered Apprenticeship program because he was looking for a change. Having spent the early part of his professional life in a variety of jobs, John was ready for a career that would lead to stability. He knew that the trades would provide the benefits, wages and growth potential to support his family and took the initiative to get involved in an apprenticeship program.
Registered Apprenticeship is a program managed by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, in partnership with industry, combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction that allows participants to gain paid work experience while also obtaining the necessary training for their new careers.
...moreKen Notes: We need to expand these programs eve more!!
The Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin (www.wdbscw.org), the regional leader in workforce development, on March 29 announced the availability of Rapid Response services.
Rapid Response is a workforce service designed to directly help workers affected by company downsizing and closures.
The announcement occurred in response to the wave of retailer closures, including Babies“R”Us, Sam’s Club, and most recently, Toys“R”Us....
...more
The village of Wonewoc took its first step toward committing to Baraboo River improvements at its most recent village board meeting.
With over 40 supporters of the Baraboo River Recreational Corridor plan crammed into Wonewoc Village Hall, the board unanimously approved the allocation of $5,000 toward the plan during its meeting held on Wednesday, March 28.
Raine Gardner, a project engineer with MSA Professional Services, briefed the board on the Baraboo River Recreational Corridor plan and what has been accomplished with it up to this point...
The Wisconsin State Building
Commission has approved plans to overhaul the Center for Dairy Research
and Babcock Hall Dairy Plant at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
That`s after the UW System Board of Regents provided a green light for
the
project last week once it was discovered that the facilities have not
been renovated since the 1950s and that it could be shut down if
upgrades were not made.The size and scope of the project will cost nearly $47 million. Center Director John Lucey says the upgrades will help the facility reach its full potential, while giving students an opportunity to advance their skills in cheesemaking... ...more
Ken Notes: As long as they keep the ice cream flowing....
MOUNT PLEASANT — Racine County Economic Development Corp. on Wednesday celebrated its 2017 accomplishments with a few hundred friends during the organization’s 35th annual meeting, held at the Delta Hotel by Marriott Racine, 7111 Washington Ave.
Chief among those achievements, of course, was RCEDC’s critical role in attracting Foxconn Techology Group to Mount Pleasant...
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi hopes to expand the county’s influence over renewable energy by investing county dollars in private solar arrays and wind farm projects across the state.
The county would focus on projects that wouldn’t get off the ground without support from the county, Parisi said, but they would not be limited to those within the county’s borders.
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...more
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Appleton`s JumpStart Auto Repair Provides Low-Cost Services To Survivors
For some women, a working vehicle is the key to independence. It can be the difference between staying in an abusive relationship and leaving it.
That’s one of the ideas behind JumpStart Auto Repair in Appleton, an automotive shop run entirely by women.
The shop, a project from Harbor House Wisconsin and Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services, opened in January 2017, with a dual mission: to provide low- or no-cost car repair services to survivors of domestic abuse, and to provide a more transparent, comfortable car repair experience for the general public....
The state of Wisconsin could be just days away from launching legal action against One Aviation unit Kestrel Aircraft to recover an estimated $3.6 million in combined delinquent state, county, and local loan payments made to the company since 2012, when it agreed to develop and build the K-350 single-engine turboprop in Superior, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) spokesman Mark Maley told AIN this week that the state, county, and city finalized a “joint litigation agreement” last week to pursue Kestrel, and that legal action is imminent.
The Wisconsin package for Kestrel included a $2 million loan from WEDC in 2012 and another $2 million federally funded state small business credit incentive loan; Kestrel has repaid approximately $865,500 on the former. The company also owes the city of Superior $2.2 million and Douglas County $500,000....
...moreKen Notes: Blood -- turnip????
Tax credits recently awarded by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority will help Bear Development complete the Meadows of Mill Creek near Salem Grade School.
S.R. Mills, vice president of Bear Development, said he firm was awarded $669,635 of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit in support of the second phase of the project, which features a mix of ranch and townhome units...
...more
In Green Bay, Wisconsin, a development next to the
city’s football arena has an unexpected architectural feature: a giant,
two-story sledding hill that lets you slide from the top of a building
all the way down to the ground.
Designed by the architecture firm Rossetti, the hill was created to bring people to Titletown–a development around the Green Bay Packers’ football stadium Lambeau Field–even when the team isn’t playing. That’s a particularly difficult thing to do when half the year the weather is freezing and miserable...
Ken Notes: It is not miserable if you are having fun. Elvers park is pretty cool, we need more activity options in Madison. Thumbs up GB...
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two influential Republican senators said Wednesday that a proposal the Assembly passed quickly that would allow a Georgia mining company to destroy wetlands containing rare hardwoods in western Wisconsin is dead.
Republican Sen. Alberta Darling, co-chairwoman of the powerful budget-writing committee, and Sen. Rob Cowles, chairman of the Senate`s Natural Resources Committee, both told The Associated Press the votes aren`t there to pass the bill exempting Meteor Timber from environmental regulations for its $70 million frac sand processing plan...
Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of
Alliant Energy Corporation, submitted a Water Conservation Plan (WCP)
under the requirements of Wisconsin DNR.. ...more
Representatives from about 50 local contractors and resource programs were on hand at Thursday`s fair in Racine to help people either land a Foxconn job or get the training needed for a position, The Journal Times reported...
Starting tomorrow (Thursday, April 12) vetting of the massive Foxconn development will reach an intensive new level when the 54-page document An Overview of the Foxconn Technology Group and Plans for Wisconsin Operations (attached) is made public.
Alderman Robert J. Bauman, chair of the Public Works Committee, said the report – prepared by the Legislative Reference Bureau – looks in-depth at the history, financials and global operations of the Foxconn Technology Group, and its plans for development in Wisconsin.
“This detailed look at the Foxconn project by the Common Council is really the first time the public will see what is planned, the Foxconn record in several key areas, and how the company has operated during its history,” Alderman Bauman said. “Because the project was jammed through and there have been no real public hearings at the state or local levels, this is a first real dive into the Foxconn project details.”...
...more
DACA protections were set to expire march 5
Activists and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals discussed immigration policies and the issues facing undocumented students in Madison at a panel hosted by University of Wisconsin’s NextGen chapter Tuesday evening.
Legislators introduced the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act in 2001, but panelist and attorney for the Community Immigration Law Center Aissa Olivarez said even 18 years later undocumented youth still do not have a permanent fix. There are 8,000 DACA recipients in Wisconsin whose futures are left undetermined because of prolonged immigration debates....
...moreKen Notes: We need more that DACA, we need a farm / manufacturing plan as well. If ICE hits our farms like they did in a meatpacking plant in Tennessee we would have a disaster on our hands.
MADISON – Wisconsin Farm Bureau is pleased to announce the launch of a newly-redesigned website. The updated website was launched in mid-March and can be viewed at www.wfbf.com.
“One major goal with this redesign was to provide easy navigation for our visitors. We want them to quickly locate the information they need,” said WFBF’s Director of Communications Sarah Marketon...
...more
After months of anticipation, the sale was finalized on the old St. Croix Meadows dog track site. The land sat idle for more than a decade, and will now be redeveloped into a new project that will feature a baseball stadium, brewery, restaurants, office space and more.
Developer Klint Klaas said the Hudson Gateway project is moving forward as planned now that the sale is official...
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Hudson -- Gerrard Corporation has officially broken ground on a new mixed-use development called "The Maxwell," located at 2000 Maxwell Drive.
Project highlights include 36 senior housing units and more than 3,000 square feet of commercial space. The Maxwell is phase one of a multi-phase 17-acre housing community.
The building offers easy access to a walking and biking trail and is located off Carmichael Drive within walking distance of several shops and services.
One- and two-bedroom apartments will be available when the facility opens in October. Each unit will have its own stove, refrigerator, microwave, washer, dryer, and dishwasher. Rent includes in-floor heat, water, sewer, and trash. It also includes parking for each apartment unit, either underground or in a detached garage...
...more
An effort to rewrite Columbia County zoning codes related to pipeline installation stalled Tuesday.
Following an outpouring of opposition to the proposal from residents who showed up to the county committee meeting, Committee member Kevin Kessler of Lodi recommended the matter be postponed until next month, after a new County Board has been installed.
Newly retired Planning and Zoning Director John Bluemke said the portion of the county’s zoning code dealing with pipelines as written is overly broad and difficult to enforce.
WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW)- Wausau is the first location in Marathon County to become certified by the Wisconsin Economic Development Commission or WEDC.
This means the land in the Wausau Business Park is “shovel ready,” so once a business purchases the land and gets its plan approved by the city council, it can start building.
The goal is to allow faster development and bring more businesses into the area.
"This program will enhance Wausau`s ability to attract future development to Wausau`s business park because it provides companies and site selectors with independent verification that a site is ready for development,” WEDC Secretary Mark Hogan said....
...more
RACINE — A growing portion of taxes paid to the City of Racine is being spent to pay down debt, a newly released analysis shows.
Racine spent more than 30 percent of the taxes it collected in 2016 on its debt, according to the study titled “City of Racine’s Fiscal Condition: Living Within Its Means.” The analysis was released Wednesday by the Wisconsin Policy Forum. It analyzes the city’s financial status and strategies to determine how healthy Racine’s future looks.
When Thomas Boyle, principal in Transwestern’s Rosemont, Illinois office, suggested sites in southeastern Wisconsin to companies 10 years ago, clients would agree to look, but ultimately choose Lake County, Illinois.
About five years ago, the pendulum began to swing.
“Illinois companies looked at me and said, ‘Get me out of here,’” Boyle said. “Taxes are only going north (in Illinois). The one thing Kenosha County always lacked was critical mass for distribution and white-collar labor. But with all of the new companies moving up there – Haribo, Foxconn, Uline – I think Kenosha County is approaching that critical mass.”...
...more
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has confirmed that he`s considering another run for governor.
"I`m watching this like many others are watching it," Barrett told reporters Wednesday. "Clearly change is in the air."
The Journal Sentinel first reported Tuesday that the fourth-term mayor has been talking with his team of advisers about entering the Democratic primary for governor later this year. It would be Barrett`s fourth run for governor...
...moreKen Notes: I don`t to politics but I thought readers may be interested...
CAMBRIDGE — Major road construction projects in 1998 and 2004 did this village no favors.
The Great Recession from late 2007 to June 2009 didn’t help either.
Restaurants and retail shops have come and gone while bus tours haven’t been the norm here for well over 15 years...
Ken Notes: It could easily happen here. I wonder if they would be open to stick build mini homes so Madisonians cold have a low cost retreat destination...
According to company officials, this self-funded, multi-year expansion of approximately $95 million represents ATI’s fourth iso-thermal press which, along with the associated heat treating expansion, will be located at the company`s iso-thermal forging center of excellence in Cudahy, Wisconsin. The investment will take approximately 3 years to complete and fully qualify for aerospace-related production... ...more
WNC has closed a $135 million institutional low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) fund that will help finance 24 affordable housing developments in 18 states.
WNC Institutional Tax Credit Fund 44 (WNC Corp. 44) includes 2,098 units of urban, suburban, and rural affordable housing for families and seniors scheduled for new construction or rehabilitation. The properties are located in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.
...moreThe
Oneida County Economic Development Corporation/Northeast Wisconsin
Economic Development Corporation annual meeting and luncheon will be
held at noon Friday, April 20 at Holiday Acres in Rhinelander.This year`s speaker is Rob Ribbe, Ph.D., director of HoneyRock, The Outdoor Center for Leadership Development of Wheaton College.
He will be speaking on the topic of: "Working with & Developing Today`s Millennials." ...more
The Midwest continued to hold hotel investors’ attention last year, and that trend will likely continue this year, according to a new report from Marcus & Millichap.
The firm’s “2018 Hospitality North American Investment Forecast” broke down investment and development trends by region while providing forecasts for what investors can expect in the year ahead. Here are five important things to know from the report:
1. Investors Eye Major Cities in Central Midwest
2. News Projects in Central Midwest to Fuel Demand
3. Upper Midwest Investors Look Outside Major Cities
4. Events will Bring Demand to the Upper Midwest
5. In the North Central Region, Indianapolis is on the Map
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As the streetcar rolled off a truck onto the tracks on West St. Paul Avenue in downtown Milwaukee on March 26, onlookers scrambled to record the moment.
Bystanders watched the 40-ton, 67-foot articulated vehicle’s maiden voyage near the Milwaukee Intermodal Station to its parking spot in the streetcar maintenance facility at 450 N. Fifth St. in preparation for 621 miles of testing before passengers can ride...
...The streetcar is designed to allow users
to “park once” along the route and then take the streetcar to different
destinations downtown or in the Third Ward. Streetcar supporter Alderman
Bob Bauman, who represents the downtown area, described an example of a
user who wants to get dinner at the Calderone Club on North Old World
Third Street, see a show at the Skylight Theater in the Third Ward, and
grab a drink afterward at Victor’s on North Van Buren Street...
...more
Notes: I hope it is far more successful than anticipated because is is a cool idea!
Milwaukee
- 1/1/2020 Journal Sentinel business reporter Tom Daykin talks about
commercial real estate and development, including stores, hotels,
offices, condos, apartments and industrial buildings...
Land & Space Development Database
...more
Ken Notes: Tom Daykin is the source for ED news in MKE. This is a permanent link to articles in his blog which is updated daily...
Northwestern Mutual`s
corporate headquarters in downtown Milwaukee was named Project of the
Year Thursday as part of Milwaukee Business Journal`s 2018 Real Estate
Awards. Check out the attached slideshow to see photos of $450 million
Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons, along with the other 15
southeastern Wisconsin developments that were honored as part of the
awards program... ...more
The largest new upscale housing development in Milwaukee`s downtown area started with the abrupt shutdown of a tannery.
Nearly 20 years later, The North End, which is being developed by Mandel Group Inc., is finally finishing its last phase.
The $190 million project is bringing around 900 new residents to the neighborhood where downtown meets the east side — and has helped attract other developments...
...moreKen Notes: I may be Mandel`s biggest fan...
A Milwaukee alderman said Amtrak would be a faster, and more comfortable mode of public transportation......more
Madison came to Milwaukee Wednesday night and in this case it was the
Italian Community Center in the city`s 3rd Ward. Check out the attached
slideshow put together by Milwaukee Business Journal freelance
photographer Kenny Yoo to see which local business and elected leaders
attended the popular event... ...moreKen Notes: I can`t help but think what if... What if we had a mass transit corridor between Milwaukee and Madison... What if we promoted a distribution hub... What if we worked together as a region...
Northwestern Mutual laid out a vision showing the high potential for the 27 acres between West Drexel Avenue and Wisconsin’s first Ikea store that will open in a month....
...more
J.H. Findorff & Son Inc. is staying on as the lead contractor for the long-anticipated Couture apartment high-rise in downtown Milwaukee, which could start construction later this summer...
...more
Kahler Slater won the competition this week to lead architecture work for the up to $40 million renovation of the downtown Milwaukee Athletic Club building.
...more
Developer Josh Jeffers embraces the opportunity to acquire neglected properties and bring them back to life. He recently completed work on the Mackie Building downtown and continues work on the adjacent Mitchell Building, two of Milwaukee`s historic gems.
...more
Includes office space, retail and hotel
Cobalt Partners has an option to purchase four school district properties for the $87 million project that will result in the redevelopment of nearly 23 acres located on South 70th Street, north of West Madison Street and South 71st and West Washington streets.
“High-density, amenity-rich redevelopment will redefine and reactivate the 70th Street corridor and catalyze the new, emerging brand for the City of West Allis in a bold and tangible way,” said Scott Yauck, president and CEO of Cobalt...
...more
Milwaukee developer Josh Jeffers, who has spent recent years restoring the historic Mackie and Mitchell buildings in downtown Milwaukee, just bought another 19th century property around the corner from them...
...more
A historic, 128-year-old downtown building was purchased this week by prominent Milwaukee development firm J. Jeffers & Co. for $1.4 million, according to the firm`s president, Joshua Jeffers.
The building, at 518-22 N. Water St., was purchased from RAM Real Estate Holding LLC, which has owned the property since 2010. The building is valued at $1.12 million, according to the city assessor`s office....
...more
Industrial development continues along I-94 corridor in Kenosha County
Zilber Property Group purchased the vacant parcel at 128th Avenue and Burlington Road, on the west side of I-94, in the fall with plans for what is being dubbed Kenosha Corporate Park.
Zilber has submitted plans to the City of Kenosha to divide the land into two lots. On the first parcel, a 524,000-square-foot spec building will be constructed. Lot two will be another industrial use in the future.
Chad Navis, director of industrial investments for Zilber, said the second parcel could fit a 400,000-square-foot building....
...more
...A sponsor of Wisconsin Development News
Chicago contractor Pepper Construction Group recently opened its first Milwaukee office in the 3rd Ward, and expects enough work opportunity to have 20 people based there within two years...
...more
GERMANTOWN —
Although few details have been made public, Germantown officials
hinted a large-scale development could be coming to the village in
the near future.
During his routine report at a Village Board meeting Monday, Village President Dean Wolter handed the microphone to Village Administrator Steve Kreklow, who discussed “a potential development” from a “Milwaukee-area developer.”
All of the specifics — including the developer, the potential businesses and possible location of the site — remain under wraps at this point....
...more
The St. Croix Valley Business
Innovation Center will hold a grand opening this week in River Falls.
The facility--which has been a partnership between the River Falls
Economic Development Corporation, the University of Wisconsin-River
Falls, the City of
River Falls and Chippewa Valley Technical College--will welcome the
public on April 12 with an open house at 2:00 p.m. and a brief ceremony
and ribbon cutting at 3:00....more
APPLETON - The former Kmart property on West College Avenue could be redeveloped as indoor storage units in the back and as retail businesses in the front.
The city Plan Commission and Common Council will consider a special-use permit for the storage units before any redevelopment proceeds. A two-thirds vote of the council is necessary for approval of the permit.
"This is the first step in the process," Karen Harkness, Appleton`s director of community and economic development, told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. "We need to know how Plan Commission and our council feel about this. Do they think this is a good use of the land?"
...more
FINANCING & GRANTS
Brownfield Grants: Grants to local governments, businesses, non-profits and individuals for developing commercial and industrial sites that have been adversely affected by environmental contamination.
Brownfield Site Assessment Grant: Grant funds to approved projects to assist local governments with conducting initial environmental assessment and demolition activities on an eligible abandoned, idle or underutilized industrial or commercial site.
Business Opportunity Loan Fund: Financing options ranging from loans to loan guaranties for businesses making investments to expand in or relocate to Wisconsin.
Capacity Building Grants: Grants to assist local and regional economic development groups to create an advanced economic development network within Wisconsin.
Capital Catalyst: Matching grants to seed funds managed by local communities and other eligible entities to provide capital to high-growth startups and emerging growth companies.
Community Development Investment Grant: Financial support for shovel-ready projects with particular emphasis on downtown community driven efforts that deliver significant, measurable benefits in job opportunities, property values, and/or leveraged investment by local and private partners.
Global Business Development Grants: Grant funding to support the growth and expansion of exports by Wisconsin companies.
Idle Industrial Sites Redevelopment: Highly competitive program offering grants to Wisconsin communities for the implementation of redevelopment plans for large industrial sites that have been idle, abandoned or underutilized for at least five years.
Industrial Revenue Bonds: A unique type of revenue bond organized and issued by a state or local government, the proceeds of which are directed to a private, for-profit business.
Seed Accelerator: Provides grants to eligible communities and other organizations to support a pre-seed business model program that incorporates training, mentoring and financial assistance to entrepreneurs in their area. Grant funds may be used as seed capital for companies in the accelerator, as well as for costs associated with initiating the accelerator program.
Special Project Loan Fund: Loans or loan guarantees to eligible companies preparing for future growth; diversifying operations, markets or product lines to increase competitiveness; or preparing a project site for future commercial development.
Technology Development Loans: Flexible lending program designed to assist high-tech startup and emerging growth companies in financing the development and launch of innovative products and services.
TAX INCENTIVES
Business Development Tax Credit: Provides refundable income tax credits that can be earned based on jobs, capital investment, training and the location or retention of corporate headquarters.
Capital Gains Investment Incentives: Capital gains on funds invested in qualified Wisconsin businesses are completely exempt from the capital gains tax after the investment has been held for five years. Capital gains on existing investments which are sold in order to generate funds for investments in qualified Wisconsin businesses are deferred so that they are not taxed at the time they are invested in the Wisconsin businesses.
Development Opportunity Zones: Non-refundable tax credits for new and expanding businesses in the cities of Beloit, Janesville and Kenosha to assist with capital investment and the creation and retention of new, full-time jobs.
Enterprise Zone Tax Credit: Refundable tax credits for new and expanding businesses that can be earned based on job creation, job retention, training, investment and Wisconsin supply chain expenditures.
Historic Preservation Tax Credit: State income tax credit for 20% of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures for eligible buildings.
Job Creation Deduction: Companies can take an exclusion from income if they create jobs in Wisconsin of $4,000 per employee for small businesses and $2,000 per employee for larger businesses.
Manufacturing & Agriculture Credit: Available to individuals and entities for taxable years that begin on or after January 1, 2013, for manufacturing and agricultural activities in Wisconsin. The credit is a percentage of “eligible qualified production activities income.” The credit is calculated by multiplying eligible qualified production activities income by one of the following percentages.
- For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, and before January1, 2014, 1.875%
- For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2013, and before January 1, 2015, 3.75%
- For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2014, and before January1, 2016, 5.526%
- For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, 7.5%
For individuals, the credit is limited to the amount of income tax paid on the income from which the credit is based. For a corporation, eligible qualified production activities income is the lesser of:
- eligible qualified production activities income,
- income apportioned to Wisconsin, or
- income taxable to Wisconsin as determined by combined reporting law, if the corporation is a member of a Wisconsin combined group
Property Tax Exemptions: Machinery and equipment used in manufacturing is exempt from personal property taxes. Manufacturer and merchant inventories are exempt from personal property taxes. Certain waste treatment facilities owned by utilities, manufacturers, and commercial businesses used for the treatment of industrial waste materials are exempt from general property taxes.
Qualified New Business Venture (QNBV) Program: Helps drive investment to innovate early-stage Wisconsin companies by allowing investors to claim a 25% tax credit on the amount they invest into a QNBV-certified business.
Research and Development Tax Credit: An R&D credit is available to corporations, sole proprietorships and pass-through entities equal to 5% (10% in some cases) of the excess of qualified research expenses for the current year over a base amount.
Sales Tax Exemptions: Wisconsin sales tax does not have to be paid on the following:
- Machinery and equipment used by a manufacturer in producing tangible personal property.
- Tangible personal property that becomes an ingredient or component of another product in the manufacturing process.
- Tangible personal property that is consumed or loses its identity in the process of manufacturing tangible personal property.
- Machinery, equipment and tangible personal property used in research by companies that are engaged in manufacturing or biotechnology.
- Fuel and electricity used in manufacturing.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Apprenticeship Completion Award Program: Offers employers, adult apprentices and sponsors a 25% reimbursement (up to $1,000) for instruction costs, including tuition, books, materials and other course fees.
ExporTech: Export acceleration program to help Wisconsin companies expand their global market reach through targeted export strategy development and execution.
Industry Development: WEDC’s Division of Business and Industry Development delivers customized solutions—technical and financial—to established business associations, consortia and industry cluster organizations in order to create favorable conditions for expanding existing Wisconsin industries and attracting new companies to priority industry sectors in Wisconsin. The division also supports minority business development by working with and providing resources for revolving loan funds and technical assistance to minority business development groups.
Veteran Grant Program: Offers employers a state grant of up to $10,000 over four years for hiring and retaining eligible veterans.
Wisconsin Fast Forward: Makes $15 million in grants available to employers to develop and implement innovative and collaborative customized training solutions for skilled workers.
...moreKen Notes: I ran across this and thought I would add links as time permits. Hope it helps...
