Contact: Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608-267-9661
MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Commerce recognized the best downtown revitalization projects of 2008 at the 19th Annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards on Friday, April 24, 2009 in Wausau, Wisconsin.
“These awards honor the many great Wisconsin Main Street Communities and the efforts of their volunteers, business and property owners to restore local economic vitality,” said Department Commerce Secretary Richard J. Leinenkugel.
Since the program’s inception in 1988, the state’s Main Street communities have attracted 3,652 new businesses, 14,633 new jobs and more than a billion dollars in public and private reinvestment ($1.046 billion)
Wisconsin Main Street is an economic development program targeting Wisconsin’s historic commercial districts. Staff members provide technical support and training to Wisconsin communities that have expressed a grass roots’ commitment to revitalizing their traditional business districts using a comprehensive strategy based on historic preservation and developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Wisconsin’s 36 Main Street Communities range in population from 750 to larger neighborhoods in Milwaukee and Green Bay.
Main Street communities include Algoma, Beloit, Chippewa Falls, Columbus, Darlington, De Pere, Eagle River, Fond du Lac, On Broadway (Green Bay), Lake Mills, Lincoln Village (Milwaukee), Manitowoc, Marshfield, Monroe, Osceola, Pewaukee, Platteville, Portage, Port Washington, Prairie du Chien, Rhinelander, Rice Lake, Ripon, Sharon, Sheboygan Falls, Stevens Point, Sturgeon Bay, Tigerton, Tomahawk, Two Rivers, Viroqua, Watertown, Wausau, West Allis, West Bend and Whitewater.
For more information on Wisconsin’s Main Street Program, contact Jim Engle, Commerce, at 608/267-0766.
The award recipients are as follows:
19th Annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards – Wausau
Best Public Private Partnership
Wausau Police Dept. And Wausau Area Events
Best Creative Fund raising Effort
Algoma’s New Vibe Raffle
Community Improvement of Algoma
Best Downtown Retail Event
Taste of Chocolate
Downtown Rhinelander, Inc.
Best Promotional Item
Historic Sheboygan Falls Rack Card
Sheboygan Falls Chamber/Main Street
Best New Business: Independent
Co-winners
Bushel and Peck’s Local Market – Beloit
Driftless Market – Platteville
Best New Business: Franchise/Chain
ShopKo Express – On Broadway, Green Bay
Honorable Mention – Lillian’s – Rice Lake
Best Downtown Special Event
2008 Maritime Heritage Festival
Maritime Heritage Festival Committee – Port Washington
Honorable Mention
Screen on the Green
Wausau Area Events, Inc.
Best Business Development Program
Co-winners
Business Recruitment Market Profile
Downtown Whitewater, Inc. Economic Restructuring Committee
Northwoods Entrepreneurial Boot Camp
Eagle River Revitalization Program
Best Downtown Image Campaign/Event
Downtown Whitewater Commercial Co-op
Downtown Whitewater, Inc.
Best Volunteer Development Program/Project
Lake Mills Main Street Ning Site
Lane Smith – Lake Mills
Honorable Mention
Gazebo Park
Tigerton Main Street and Tigerton Clinic
Best Historic Restoration Project
Ozaukee County Courthouse Restoration- Port Washington
Best Design Committee Project
CO-WINNERS
Streetscape Plan – Downtown West Bend Association
Sheboygan Falls Chamber Main Street
Main Street 20th Anniversary DVD – “Everything Old is New Again”
Best Façade Rehab Under $7500
Dr. Scott Patterson – Monroe
Best Façade Rehab Over $7500
Milwaukee Bicycle Co. Vince Hanoski – Lincoln Village, Milwaukee
HONORABLE MENTION
Boca Grande Capital, 303 Watson Street, Ripon
Sam Meyer, 28 N. Main St. (Fond du Lac)
Best Public Improvement – Built Environment
Franklin Street Streetscape
City of Port Washington
HONORABLE MENTION
Downtown Street and Utility Improvements
Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization & City of Prairie du Chien
Best Public Improvement – Beautification
Railroad Depot Landscaping Project
Community of Eagle River
HONORABLE MENTION
Lincoln Village Plaza/Tres Hermanos
Lincoln Village Business Association
Best Interior Renovation Project
Bemis Bath Shoppe – Sheboygan Falls
HONORABLE MENTION
John Boyle – 447 Main Street, Darlington
Best Adaptive Reuse Project
North Water Bakery & Deli
Dennis & Joann Schneider, Mike De Prez
Best Upper Story Rehabilitation Project
Boca Grande Capital 303- 305 Watson Street, Ripon
HONORABLE MENTION
Darrell Walsh, Watertown
Best New Building
CO-WINNERS
Stevens Point – Executive Place
Pewaukee – Village Hall/Police Department
2008 Volunteer of the Year
Algoma – James Rabas
Beloit – Mel Donny
Columbus – Deb Bevan
Darlington – Jason King
Eagle River – Kelly Haverkamp
Fond du Lac – Joan Pinch
Green Bay – Sandi Walch
Lake Mills – Troy Kloss
Marshfield – Tim Kraus
Monroe – Karen Stollenwerk
Pewaukee – Bruce Bennett, Hon. Captain
Platteville – Holly Kaiser
Port Washington – Scott Huebner
Prairie du Chien – Kay Wessling
Rhinelander – Sandy Buss
Rice Lake- Bill Zabel
Sheboygan Falls – Larschelby “Schel” Kidd
Stevens Point – Amanda Loomis
Tigerton – Hailey Kauffman
Tomahawk – Pat Haskin
Two Rivers – Nancy Hartfield
Viroqua – Niki Steele
Watertown – Darlene Roedl
Wausau – Janet Herring
West Allis – Justin Eineichner
West Bend – Lisa Wise
Whitewater – Harriet Kaluva
2008 Honorary Board of Directors
Algoma – Craig Peterman
Beloit – Aron Bussan
Columbus – Jorie Habenicht
Darlington – Becky Taylor
Eagle River – Barry McLeane
Fond du Lac – Tom Meiklejohn, III, Hon. Chair
On Broadway – Mary Walch
Lake Mills – Lane Smith
Monroe – Ryan Wilson
Pewaukee – Matt Hohner
Platteville – George Ohlendorf
Prairie du Chien – Michael Douglass
Rhinelander – Bob Berns
Rice Lake – Casey Allen
Ripon – Bill Neill
Sheboygan Falls – Michael Kennedy
Stevens Point – Debbie Werra
Two Rivers – Bonnie Timm
Viroqua – Kile Martz
Watertown – John Meyers
Wausau – Phil Valitchka
West Allis – Douglas Persich
Whitewater – Bill Bowen
Executive Director Years of Service Awards
Two Years
Barb Nelson, Monroe
Todd Trimberger – Sturgeon Bay
Amy Hansen – Fond du Lac
Tamara Brodnicki – Whitewater
Five Years
Kathleen Braatz, Beloit
Karen Kenney, Sharon
Ten years
Rita Fritz, Eagle River
Virginia Kauffman, Tigerton
Thirteen Years
Kathy Wellsandt, Rice Lake
Seventeen Years
Craig Tebon, Ripon
2008 Spirit Award
Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization, Inc.
“Recognition for completing 5 Years of Main Street Training”
Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership
Association of Downtown Businesses Stevens Point
2008 Hall of Fame Inductees
Dorothy Schueffner, Sheboygan Falls
Trudy Wallin, Viroqua
John Schroeder, Two Rivers