Downtown Mainstreet Inc.
Annual Report 2014 - 2015
“The mission of Downtown Mainstreet Inc. is the economic
redevelopment and revitalization of downtown La Crosse”
Board President Wayne Oliver
Downtown
Mainstreet Inc.
500 Main Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
608.784.0440
lacrossedowntown.com
Board of Directors
Wayne Oliver - State Bank
President
Deb Lash - The Wedding Tree
President Elect
Mike Keil - Doerflinger’s Second Century
Since our last annual
meeting, the landscape in our downtown area has evolved
greatly! New jobs,
new residents, new
businesses and from
my viewpoint, there is
a deeper sense of
community, one that I had not felt previously.
I believe we have reached a level of collaboration that will act as a springboard for
future growth in our downtown and our
region. As an organization we have been
proud to facilitate and support conversations
on our future as a vibrant downtown!
Thank you all for your part in supporting
these efforts.
Past President
As an organization, DMI too has evolved
over the last 25 years. Our presence on
Main Street for the last several years
has enabled us to serve our members, our visitors and numerous other groups efficiently and effectively.
DMI has benefitted from the expertise and
guidance from many of you over the years.
Many board and committee members have
played critical roles in helping DMI
achieve a high level of engagement, a
level of engagement and involvement
that will ensure our Downtown’s future
as the economic engine for our region.
As we celebrate our 25th birthday I would
like to thank all who have served and supported DMI and encourage those who
have not had the opportunity yet, to
please consider joining a committee, attend our events and be part of the future!
Jan Howes - Howes Diamond Jewelers
Vice President
Chris La Shorne - Architect
Secretary/ treasurer
Rick Artman - Viterbo University
Kevin Carlson - CenturyLink
James Cherf - by James Galleries
Eric Erickson - Mayo Health System
Brian Fukuda - La Crosse County
Jim Hill - LADCO
Audrey Kader
Don Mayer - Trust Point Inc.
Debi McKenney - Wells Fargo
Kim Pretasky - Touch of Class
Ed Przytarski - Xcel Energy
Michael Richards - Gundersen Health
John Satory - Satori Arts
Tom Walch - Logistics Health
Bill Weber - Kitchen Solvers
Dan Wettstein - Wettstein’s
Staff
Robin Moses
Executive Director
Executive Director Robin Moses
This year has been a
year of growth. Our
downtown campaign
is Great City . Growing
Greater!, and we are.
We are growing each
day with new businesses, new expansions, renovations and
developments.
As part of our membership in the Wisconsin Main Street program, we report monthly
on each new business, renovation and project in the district. We are very proud of the
growth that we have had this year in downtown La Crosse. Downtown La Crosse was
listed #1 out of the 30 Wisconsin Mainstreet
programs this year, with over 12 million in
completed private investment projects. We
were #2 in new business openings, with 21
new businesses in the past 12 months. We
are creating an environment for entrepreurship. As an organization we have grown
adding an additional 30 new members.
The growth and success that we are having
today does not happen overnight, it comes
from the groundwork that was laid over the
past 25 years. We must thank the individuals that founded Downtown Mainstreet,
Inc., the City of La Crosse and the business
and community members who drafted the
first City Vision plan in 1992. Along with
those who had the vision of what downtown La Crosse could be, we must thank
the private developers and businesses who
made and continue to make an investment
in the future of Downtown. Expect continued growth in the future with an additional
$200 million in public and private investment projects in the next two years.
La Crosse was named #10 in
the top ten small cities to start
a business in the United States!
-Entrepreneur magazine
marketing
The Four
Point
Approach
Organization and
Membership
Promotions and
Special Events
DMI increased merchant and public
participation in all of our DMI events:
The Trend Event, Spring Fling, Downtown
Walk-Around, Summer Days, Historic
Downtown Day, Trick or Treating, Holiday
Open House and Small Business Saturday.
DMI Introduced a new event “Downtown
Eat Week” this past winter to celebrate
the strength and diversity of our local
restaurants and cafes with good success!
Celebrating the 20th Anniversary
of Downtown Historic Day!
People Power
Logged 4,500
Volunteer Hours
for a value of
$100,000
We became an active member of the
Wisconsin Mainstreet Program. We
attended valuable workshops and training sessions to learn best practices and
network with other communities while
sharing the success of our community!
DMI continues to expand our membership and improve member benefits.
Introduction of a new project based
workgroup to develop placemaking and
assist our standing committees.
Goals for the coming year:
Increase membership. Improve our
website and social media. Collaborate
on training and leadership classes.
The Pearl an iconic 1930’s soda shoppe!
DMI continues to
collaborate with our
community partners,
area organizations,
and city and county
departments on
downtown issues,
initiatives and new
programs.
DMI collaborates with the City of La Crosse,
Rotary Clubs, La Crosse Arts Initiative,
Pump House Regional Arts Center, Coulee
Cap, UWL and Explore La Crosse to
support events and new initiatives such
as; Artspire, Moon Tunes, Plein Air Painting, Hear, Here project, La Crosse Soup,
Art in the Ally, Rotary Lights and more!
Goals for the coming year:
Another successful “Tour of Upper Living”
event. Interest in living downtown next
to unique stores, art galleries, coffee
shops, award winning restaurants and
Riverside Park is at an all time high!
Strengthen our “Shop Small - Buy Local”
marketing campaign and raise awareness
of the importance of supporting small
independent businesses.
Continued introduction of cooperative
events that match like businesses with
similar clientele base.
Gift Certificates
Over $30,000 in Downtown Gift
Certificates sales each year!
The top businesses redeeming them:
People’s Food Co-op - Fayze’s - Piggy’s
The Waterfront - 4 Sisters - Dublin Square
Design and
Beautification
Economic
Restructuring
Coordinated daily and weekly downtown
clean-up including picking up trash,
pulling weeds, and sweeping sidewalks.
New expansions, relocations and new
business openings in downtown:
Apothik Food Truck, Blu Group, Craft and
Vendor Marketplace, Creative Canvas, El
Rodeo, Elevate Media, Full Circle Supply,
Golden Tap, Grand Bluff Running, Grand
River Dental, Great River Popcorn and Ice
Cream, Kathy’s Cookies, La Crosse Planet
Soccer, La Crosse Segway Tours, Old Crow,
Prairie La Crosse, Seven, The Breakfast
Club, The Charmant, The Co-Mill workspace, The Court Above Main, The Hampton Inn, The Maids, The Toy Shop, Time
Was, Turtle Stack Brewery, VARC and more!
DMI continued the Adopt-a-Planter program with over 90 downtown planters.
Coordination with the City of La Crosse
on the progress of the City Vision 2020
streetscaping plan.
The implementation of new downtown
design standards in collaboration with
the La Crosse City Planning department.
The development of the new downtown
parklets program with the first parklet
presented in the spring of 2015.
The implementation of a comprehensive
cleaning and beautification program that
includes pigeon control, an improved
clean-up program and increased beautification utilizing planters and banners.
DMI supports the La Crosse City Vision
Foundation’s Safe-Cam project.
Goals for the coming year:
Re-energize the Facade grant program.
These small matching grants focus on
building improvements, painting, and
other upgrades to help revitalize facades.
Coordinate Wisconsin Mainstreet design
assistance with property owners.
Introduction of Community Response
Officers in the downtown district.
Coordination with the City of La Crosse
on the new Cameron Park playground.
Creation of a downtown wide spring
clean-up day with volunteers from
community organizations and businesses.
Downtown
Quick Facts
Number of Businesses
Number of Buildings
Number of Storefronts
Number of Vacant Storefronts
% of Vacant Storefronts 440
295
255
15
6%
Current and recent renovation projects:
Crossfire Ministries, Cindy Gerke and Associates, The Old Crow, Pischke Motors,
The Charmant Hotel, The Golden Tap,
The Fairfield Inn, The Hampton Inn, The
Court Above Main, Turtle Stack Brewery,
The Western Technical Campus, La Crosse
County Projects and many upper floor
renovations. Weber Holdings $68 million
project in the center of downtown with
255,000 square feet for proposed housing,
office and retail space.
The introduction of a new Downtown
Rental Assistance program for businesses
to open in available storefronts. Initiatives
with Coulee Co-Starters to launch new
businesses in our community and the new
Co-Mill Workspace.
$12 million
in Private Investment
in the past 12 months
$200 million
in Public and Private
Investment in the
next two years!
The Charmant Hotel Opening!
Goals for the coming year:
The completion of an updated Downtown
Market Analysis and the creation of a new
Small Business Resource Guide.
23 Property
Improvements
21 New
Businesses
Launched
Downtown Mainstreet Inc.
Members and Corporate Sponsors
Landmark Sponsors
$3000.00 or more
Associated Bank
CenturyLink
City of La Crosse
County of La Crosse
Gundersen Health System
Kwik Trip, Inc.
Logistics Health Inc.
Mayo Clinic Health System
People’s Food Co-op
State Bank Financial
US Bank
Don and Roxanne Weber
Wells Fargo
Western Technical College
Keystone Sponsors
$500.00 or more
Authenticom, Inc.
Brothers of Wisconsin
Citizens State Bank
Davy Engineering
Designing Jewelers
Elevate Media
Holiday Inn and Suites
Honda Motorwerks
ISG
La Crosse Radio Group
La Crosse Sign Company
Main Street Law Offices
Merchants Bank
Michaels Energy
Mid West Family Broadcasting
Northside Development
Pepsi Cola of La Crosse
Piggy’s
Reinhart Foods
Scenic Center
Trim Design
Wipfli, LLC
WKBT News Channel 8
WXOW TV 19
4 Sisters Wine Bar and Tapas
Advisors Management Group
Affordable Computer Services
All Glazed Up
AMEC Home Loans
American Family Insurance
Angie’s Skin and Bodycare
Antique Center
Anytime Fitness
Benson Management
Bently-Wheeler Bed & Breakfast
Bodega Brew Pub
Borton Construction, Inc.
Brown & Brown Insurance
Buster’s
Buzzard Billy’s/Starlite Lounge
Cabin Coffee Company
Cameron Park Farmer’s Market
Candlewood Suites
Charter Business
Children’s Museum
Choice Awards & Gifts
Chris La Shorne Architecture
Clearwater Insurance Agency
Cleary Management Corporation
Coalition Drum Shop
Coldwell Banker Realtors
Co-Mill Workspace
Cornerstone Community Church
Coulee Region Communications
Courtyard by Marriott
Craft and Vendor Marketplace
Credit Bureau Data Inc.
Crescent Jewelers
Crosse Stitchery/Main Street Framing
Crossfire
Dale’s Clothing for Men & Women
Deaf Ear Records
Digger’s Sting
Dim Sum Tea Shop
Dublin Square Irish Pub & Eatery
E- Spa and Make-up Studio
Express Printing
Fairway Outdoor Advertising
Explore La Crosse
Fat Sams Main Street Bistro
Fayze’s
Finnottes Nut & Chocolate Shop
Fox TV—Grant Media
Full Circle Supply
Gallery La Crosse
Games People Play
Garrison Counseling Inc.
Generous Earth Pottery
Gerrard Hoeschler
Governmental Employees C.U.
Grand Bluff Running
Grand River Dental
GrandStay Hotel
Great River Popcorn and Ice Cream
Grounded Specialty Coffee
Handmade Natural Beauty Boutique
Harris Law Office
H &R Block
International Bake Shoppe
Jordana Snyder Photography
Jules’ Coffeehouse and Drive Thru
Kates on State
Kathy’s Cookies
Kellogg Investments
King Street Kitchen
Kitchen Solvers Inc.
Kraus-Anderson
Kroner True Value Hardware
La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce
La Crosse Area Development Corporation
La Crosse Arts Initiative
La Crosse Area YMCA
La Crosse Center
La Crosse City Vision Foundation
La Crosse Community Theatre
La Crosse Co. Historical Society
La Crosse Co. Tavern League
La Crosse Glass & Overhead Doors
La Crosse Loggers
La Crosse Planet Soccer
Lamplight Sponsors
$1000.00 or more
Altra Federal Credit Union
BMO Harris Bank
CD Smith Construction
Community Credit Union/Verve
Coulee Bank
Dairyland Power
Dahl Automotive
Doerflinger’s Second Century
Festival Foods
Gelatt Corporation
Gensler
Hawkins, Ash, CPA’s
Howes Diamond Jewelers
Interior Systems International
Kaplan
Market & Johnson
Poellinger, Inc.
Radisson Hotel- La Crosse
River Architects, Inc.
River Bank
River Rocks Coffee
Riverside Center I & II
Stansfield Vending
Trust Point, Inc.
The Insurance Center
The Waterfront Restaurant
UW-La Crosse Foundation
Viterbo University
Wettstein’s
Xcel Energy
Carla Callies
Brian Carroll
James Cherf
Les Crocker
Earlamae Dahlby
Carol Ebert
Jolene Huiss
Audrey Kader
Scott Koenen
Bill Meir
Chuck Meir
Fred and Deb Wakeen
Bill Weber
I. Schilling
John Wettstein
John Young
La Crosse Public Library
La Crosse Segway Tours
La Crosse Symphony Orchestra
La Crosse Tribune
LARK
Law Exchange Building Partnership
Le Chateau
Leithold Music
LGBTQ Resource Center
Lillians
Lindy’s Subs
Live Well Chiropractic
Lush Salon
Markos Wholesale Apparel
Masonic Lodge
Metropolitan Salon & Day Spa
Mississippi Welders
Monet Flowers & Gifts
Morrison & Associates
Mueller Media
Noelke’s
North La Crosse Bus. Association
O’Flaherty Heim Egan & Birnbaum Ltd
Oktoberfest USA
Old School Variety Show
Orange Computer Solutions
Orange Pearl Salon, Inc.
Painted Porch
Pearl Street Books
Pickerman’s Soup & Sandwiches
Pizza Amore
Prairie La Crosse
Premier Fitness
Pump House Regional Arts Center
River City Gold and Silver Exchange
River City Hobbies
RLR Properties & Investments
Robertson, Ryan & Associates
Rocky Rococo
Rose Jewelers
Sandmire Insurance Agency
Satori Arts
Savory Creations
SEVEN Magazine
Seymour Law Office
Silver Hideout
Smith’s Cycling & Fitness
Stamp ‘n Hand
Kyle Visker State Farm Insurance
Stifel Nicolaus Investment Service
Tavern League of La Crosse County
Tease Salon
The BLÜ Group
The Board Store
The Breakfast Club & Pub
The Buzz on Main
The Charmant
The Court Above Main
The Golden Tap
The Hampton Inn
The Root Note
The Title Company
The Toy Shop
The Warehouse
The Wedding Tree
The Wine Guyz
The Yoga Place
Three Rivers Lodge
Three Rivers Outdoors
Three Sixty Real Estate Solutions
Time Was Estate Sales
TJ’s/Cheddarheads/The Pearl
Top Shots
Touch of Class
Travel Experts
Treasures on Main
Tree Huggers Co-op
Warren Loveland Real Estate
Weber Center for the Performing Arts
Weber Holdings
Weddings By Nancy
Welcome Celebrations
Wettstein Brothers Electric
Wieser Brothers
Winona Radio
Individual Members
Cornerstone members