On Broadway provides annual report
BY KRIS LEONHARDT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
GREEN BAY – During On Broadway’s annual “State of the Broadway District,” held Feb. 20 at Gather, the organization presented updates on district projects, new developments and district impact for 2023, through which On Broadway Executive Director Brian Johnson said, “collaboration is key.”
“Collaboration is key and having good community partners to work with is so important. We have so many partners that we’ve worked with probably none more important than Downtown Green Bay. When we think about downtown, we are one downtown but we are actually three separate districts, but we have to collaborate and work together,” he stated.
“Strategy is first and foremost with everything that we do. 2019 was when we created a strategic plan.
“So we worked with our board of directors to create a strategic plan; we’ve been committed to it. And even though it was designed to be a five-year strategic plan, we have achieved probably 75% of what’s in there despite the two-year bump from COVID. Because of that, we’ve accelerated our progress, and we’re going to work this year at a new strategic plan.
“We need all of you to participate in that process, and so we’re going to do a lot of roundtables with business owners, property owners, but we are also a downtown organization — that downtown belongs to you as a community. It is the one place in our city where that is truly the case. And so we need the entire community’s input on what that looks like the questions we’re going to ask.”
Johnson said that the organization had 547 volunteers logging in nearly 4,424 volunteer hours.
“For those who don’t work in this industry, they do calculate out the value of a nonprofit volunteer hour is $31.60,” he explained. This brought the value to nearly $140,000 for the organization.
“We are so grateful for every single [volunteer] who’s contributed in some way. We have so many different things that our volunteers do for this organization. I assure you that if you’re interested, we can find an opportunity for you,” he said.
Leicht Park
Johnson also provided an update on Leicht Park, located on the west bank of the Fox River downtown near the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Passenger Depot.
“This is a project that ISG has been working on — the city retained them to do this project. We had a TID that was set for closure downtown here, and there was some excess funding in there. So we started talking with the staff at the City Hall. They wanted to do a bathroom, and we kind of pitched back and said, ‘What if we combine the bathroom with a larger facility and we’ll help fundraise for that. So that way we get a better long-term permanent investment here. So the city increased their investment, which was great, and then we committed to raise a comparable amount. So, we’re in the process of that campaign right now,” he said.
“Our intent and hope is to break ground on this this year and have this complete in time for the Draft. “Most folks don’t realize this… this is only the southern end of the park. It’s because the city doesn’t own the northern end of the park — that’s privately owned. The city uses it. We’re allowed to use it for programming and stuff, but obviously we can’t put a permanent structure on it if you don’t own it.”
The Shipyard
Johnson said that The Shipyard — located on the west side of the Fox River north of the Mason Street bridge — would provide public space and programming a couple of days a week once completed.
“The shipyard is currently under construction, so that is exciting. We have phase one under construction (and) will be complete by July, is when it’s anticipated.
“Phase two is going to start probably in August and go through next year. That’s going to include some of your amenities. “And then phase three will be the ‘Container Park’ and that’s a plan that still evolving…
“One of the reasons this project was delayed — this is a really challenging site —it had contamination, was in the floodplain. You had to bring in fill and then it takes a year or two for that fill to settle. But the great news is we are seeing a lot of progress down there and Phase 1 is nearing completion.”
Green Bay Public Market
Johnson also said that a public announcement would be made in the upcoming month regarding the 45,000-square-foot community event space planned for the downtown area.
“This is a building that we did buy in April of 2022. So we’ve owned it for roughly two years. This is, I tell people this every chance I get this is hands-down the hardest project that I’ve ever worked on, and it is complex because you have tenants that occupied the space, you have to recruit new tenants. You have to raise money. You’ve got to work through architectural engineering design. You’re working through parking solutions,” he explained.
Johnson said that they were at over 50% of their $12.5 million fundraising goal.
“So we’ve made tremendous progress; that means we’re sliding down the hill. And we’re going to start some selective demo on this next month. And selective demo is like taking out certain pieces where you have to do a lot of disruption.
“Our goal is to have this space open and operating before the NFL Draft. So that is a year away a little more than a year away.”