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Click here to view an interactive flash presentation of the Downtown Green Bay design plan. This presentation requires installation of the Flash plug-in. If the presentation down not play, click here to download Flash.
Summary: Milwaukee architectural firm Vetter Denk, in conjunction with Boston landscape architecture firm StoSS Landscape Urbanism, has proposed a dramatic plan to reshape Downtown Green Bay. Under this plan, the east-side riverfront would become an urban park, with new mixed-use developments in vacant areas between the park and Washington Street. The west side of the river would be a more "environmental" area, with appropriate plantings. Further phases of the plan aim to restore the grid system to the downtown that has been broken by various developments.
Why it Works: Public spaces are the cornerstone of successful urban areas. This plan takes Downtown Green Bay's most valuable asset, the river, and transforms it into public "room" suitable for a variety of uses. Such public spaces also benefit their communities by raising the land values of surrounding properties.
Status: The Green Bay City Council has voted unanimously to add this plan to the city's comprehensive plan. The Green Bay Redevelopment Authority had previously recomended that the plan be added to the city's comprehensive plan.
Action: Write a letter to the editor of the Green Bay Press-Gazette or News Chronicle supporting this development. Call or write your local representatives and tell them that you support the downtown and this development in particular.
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Summary: The City of Green Bay has removed plans to restore the street grid through the site of the current Washington Commons. Development Associates, the owners of the Commons, have been at odds with the city over this provision in the downtown plan, saying that uncertainty about the Commons' future was discouraging potential tenants. This barrier has now been removed.
What This Means: Downtown malls have failed in cities all across the country, and Washington Commons is no exception. The current owners of the mall haven't been able to overcome the downward momentum they inherited, and occupancy in the mall has continued to fall (for a brief history of the mall with mall directories from 1977, 2000, and 2004, click here... note that the UWGB Downtown Learning Center is now added to the 2004 tenant list). This decision by the city gives mall owners a chance to prove that they can finally reverse the trend.
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Summary: Developer John Vetter has begun marketing condos in the proposed Astor Place building. The proposed building would be up to 17 stories tall, and feature a market and banquet facilities on the lower levels.
What This Means: This building would be a great compliment to the riverfront development plans... naturally enough since John Vetter is both the developer of this building and the catalyst behind the riverfront design plan.
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Summary: With developer Tom Juza's planning option expired, Green Bay is looking for new proposals for the former Younker's site. Differences over a few key issues, among those the amount of funding for the public space along the riverfront, stalled negotiations between the city and Juza. The city is now soliciting proposals for the space from local and national developers, and John Vetter has already stated his interest in the property. Developers have until October 1 to bring forward their proposals.
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Summary: The Downtown Design Plan calls for the Washington Street to be straightened between Washington Commons and Main Street. Doing so would open up the Admiral Flatley Park site for development, and as part of the agreement in which Vetter Denk gave the city the riverfront plan at no cost Vetter Denk is to get the first rights to develop this site. Recently, several developments have taken place that could potentially alter this course of action.
First, certain members of the City Council seem confused as to whether or not the Council in fact gave Vetter rights to develop the Admiral Flatley site when the Council approved the downtown plan. Additionally, developer Tom Juza, who has been working for some time on an as yet unfinished plan to redevelop the Younker's/Prange's site, has stated his desire for the Admiral Flatley site to remain undeveloped.
Finally, a group comprised of Mohammad Rashid, owner of the Day's Inn, along with Russ DeMille and Fred Fleck, from Development Associates, owners of the struggling Washington Commons, are now proposing a 12 to 14 story tower on the Day's Inn site. In an unusual step, this group plans to present their plan at the April 6 meeting of the City Council. Such a development could prevent the straightening of Washington Street, thus interfering with development of that site.
What This Means: When undertaking something has big as downtown redevelopment, disagreements will always be had, and obstacles will always pop-up. The key is to make sure that disagreement over this one site does not derail the entire riverfront development process, and that opposing sides on this issue do not become so entrenched that they cannot work together in the future.
Status: In an unusual step, the group proposing the tower on the Day's Inn site will present their plan initially in front of the City Council on April 6. Tom Juza plans to return to the Redevelopment Authority later this month with the latest updates for his plan to redevelop the Younker's/Pragne's site. Riverfront Lofts, the first of Vetter Denk's new developments along the river has had strong pre-sales and construction could begin next month.
Action: A strong presence by downtown supporters at the Aprill 6 meeting of the CIty Council is vital. If you can attend, the meeting begins at 7:00.
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Summary: The Downtown Design Plan calls for the restoration of the grid street pattern through the Washington Commons site, and Mayor Jim Schmitt seems committed to making this happen.
Why it Works: In terms of perception, the mall drives people's views of downtown. The mindset seems to exist that because the mall is failing, the downtown is failing, even in light of the progress that is being made. From a practical perspective, dispite the best effots of Wasington Commons' management, the mall is a great waste of real estate. The mall is not the best use for that site, and drastic action is necessary to redevelop this space.
Status: Washington Commons management has recenlty send letters to the Mayor and City Council claiming the Mayor is interfering with the Commons' ability to recruit tenants. Previously, a group from Green Bay, including the Mayor, visited with the Cordish Company in Baltimore and will meet with other developers regarding the site.
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Summary: The Green Bay city council unanimously apporved terms for the Riverfront Lofts condominium project being developed by Milwaukee firm Vetter Denk. If all goes well the project will begin construction this spring.
The council also approved a $97,500 contract with Boston landscape architecture firm StoSS to refine and determine the feasability of the riverfront plan.
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Summary: Builder Tom Juza, along with architect Dan Roarty, has presented a plan to the Green Bay Redevelopment Authority and the City Council to overhaul the site of the former Prange's/Younker's store on Washington St.
While many details of the plan are still to be determined, the concept calls for maintaining the historic protion of the Younker's building, while removing newer sections (the yellow brick portion facing the river, the the white brick portion on the north side of the building) to make way for new development. Plans for the site include an entertainment building, a botique hotel, apartments and/or condos, and ground-level space for retail.
Status: The exact nature of the project is still unknown, but the developer and city have been given approval to begin negotiating terms of an agreement to provide TIF funding for the project.
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