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Development News for the week 08/30/08 – 09/05/08

LAND SWAP OK'D, WOULD BRING HOMELESS SERVICES TO EAST SIDE SITE

Despite several financial and practical questions about the process, the City Council voted overwhelmingly to complete a land swap that would bring economic development opportunities to the city's south side and homeless services to the east side.

The Truman Olson Army Reserve Center, 1402 S. Park St., which is scheduled to close within the next four years, was earmarked for homeless services under federal government guidelines.

COUNCIL BACKS EAST SIDE SHELTER THE LOCATION ALLOWS A MADISON SOUTH SIDE SITE TO BE USED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Despite concerns about cost, Madison is backing a plan to put transitional housing for the homeless on the East Side rather than a surplus U.S. Army property on the South Side. The Army property would be used to spur economic development

THE HOLE STORY WHEN WILL WHOLE FOODS FINISH WHAT IT STARTED AT HILLDALE?

It's anybody's guess when developers might start filling that big hole in the ground behind the Hilldale Shopping Center. Officials with Joseph Freed and Associates, the Chicago-based firm heading Hilldale's redevelopment, are meeting Wednesday, Sept. 3, with Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and staff about where to go next.

WISCONSIN GIVES MILLIONS TO STARTUP COMPANIES. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF IT PAYS OFF?

The corporate press release made it sound like the business coup of the decade: "State Initiatives Yield Positive Results: Florida Pharmaceutical Company Moves to Wisconsin." But upon further review, it turned out that the Florida company has just one employee, no revenues and no product ready for market.

LIBRARY A PRIORITY FOR MAYOR HE WANTS NEW STRUCTURE AND WANTS TO LIMIT DEBT

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz wants to move forward on a new Downtown central library and push other projects while trying to limit new borrowing next year.

Cieslewicz on Tuesday proposed a $154.7 million capital budget for 2009, including $1.7 million for the central library and $28.3 million more in 2010 with costs split between the public and private sectors.

COGDELL SPENCER TOUTS 1ST PROJECT STEMMING FROM MARSHALL ERDMAN MERGER

Cogdell Spencer Inc. on Tuesday announced its first project stemming from its merger in March with Madison-based Marshall Erdman and Associates. The Charlotte, N.C.-based real estate investment trust said in a news release that it has signed a definitive agreement to develop and manage a $22.4 million, 75,985-square-foot medical office building and outpatient treatment center in Pensacola, Fla. The project will include design/build (architectural, engineering and construction), development and property management services.

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE WITH AN EYE TO THE PAST UW PROFESSOR, LOCAL ARCHITECT ASSISTING STATE TRIBES WITH HOUSING PLANS THAT COMBINE SUSTAINABILITY WITH FAMILY CUSTOMS

Imagine a house where an extended family could live comfortably - grandmother, parents, children and maybe an uncle or aunt. And try making that house "green" - one that would not harm the environment or waste energy.

Wisconsin 's First Nations are taking the lead in developing such houses for their members - with a lot of help from the University-Wisconsin Madison and a local architect

LABOR HAS SEEN BETTER YEARS LABOR DAY - THE YEAR IN WISCONSIN

There's little to cheer about this Labor Day for many Wisconsin workers. In the past year, from July 2007 to July 2008, the state has lost 12,000 non-farm jobs, with two of the mainstay manufacturing industries - paper and autos - suffering massive layoffs and plant closings. Construction employment over the past 12 months is down 3 percent from the previous 12-month period.

ECONOMY WATCH A DAILY DATA UPDATE ON KEY ECONOMIC REPORTS

MANUFACTURING: U.S. manufacturing activity slipped in August and construction spending dropped to the lowest level in seven years in July. The Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday its reading for the nation's manufacturers fell to 49.9 from 50 in July. A reading below 50 signals contraction. The index has hovered near the 50 "boom-bust" line all year.

INFLATION: The group's inflation index hit a six-month low, however. For the first time in months, there were many items on the list of commodity costs coming down, as prices for copper, corn, fuel oil, natural gas and soybean oil fell. Although inflation remained higher in August, at a reading of 77, it backed off further from its June high of 91.5, the highest since 1979.

BRAND NEW WEST SIDE SCHOOL FULFILLS WISHES

It was a warm late summer afternoon, and Sidney Helle was escorting her little sister, Lydia, through the bright hallways of Paul J. Olson Elementary School in search of Lydia's classroom and locker.

Lydia tentatively glanced in teacher Libby Mackman's kindergarten classroom - where she began class on Tuesday - but then beckoned her big sister back to the task of locating the locker.

CREAM OF THE CROP WHILE FORTUNES MELT FOR OTHER STATE ICE CREAM MANUFACTURERS, SCHOEP'S IS 80 AND GOING STRONG

The label says Walgreens, but the sweet, smooth product that hits the taste buds originates from Madison's East Side. After 80 years of production, Schoep's Ice Cream is showing no signs of brain freeze.

Around The State and Points Elsewhere
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Pabst complex owners want to create improvement district

The owners of buildings that make up the former Pabst brewery complex are seeking city permission to tax their properties, and use the money to create small parks, the hiring of security employees and other amenities in their neighborhood.

Delegation will head to Detroit to try to save Janesville GM plant

A delegation from Wisconsin will head to General Motors Corp.’s headquarters in Detroit by the end of this month to try to persuade the automaker to reverse its decision to shut its oldest factory.

Agency violated civil rights in I-94 project, group alleges

Agency violated civil rights in I-94 project, group alleges. The area’s central transportation planning agency violated federal civil rights rules when it added construction of an interchange to serve the Pabst Farms development off I-94 in Oconomowoc to its list of projects for 2007-’10, according to a complaint...

Marquette’s business college to house real estate center

Marquette’s business college to house real estate center. Marquette University has approved a new Center for Real Estate to be housed in the College of Business Administration, officials announced Wednesday

Marquette creates Center for Real Estate

Marquette University has approved the establishment of a Center for Real Estate. The center will be housed in the College of Business Administration under the direction of Mark Eppli, Ph.D., Bell Chair in Real Estate. "The CRE will focus on advancing real estate knowledge and enhancing business practices through education, research, and outreach to the Milwaukee and Wisconsin business communities, as well as regional and national audiences," Eppli said.

Shorter shoreline setback approved

Shorter shoreline setback approved. The Common Council on Tuesday approved a change in the ordinance regulating lakeshore setbacks in certain downtown areas to 45 feet, thus bringing existing buildings within the former 75 feet setback into compliance.. The Common Council on Tuesday approved...

McAleer may be in favor of local RedPrairie proposal - 'Could be great for the city,' says CARE founder

McAleer may be in favor of local RedPrairie proposal - 'Could be great for the city,' says CARE founder. Mayor Ed McAleer said he would be "thrilled" if one of the state's largest software companies decided to relocate its headquarters to an 11- to 12-acre site near Highway C and I-94.. Mayor Ed McAleer said he would be "thrilled" if one of the state's

Going gangbusters in tough economy

Going gangbusters in tough economy. Newcomers to list of state’s biggest private companies take different tacks but buck trend. Slowdown? What slowdown? Softness in the economy isn’t stopping some of the state’s largest privately held companies from continuing to expand...

Apartment development swells in Third Ward

Construction began this week for one apartment development project in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, and construction of another apartment complex in the neighborhood is expected to break ground next month. Site work began this week for developer Robert Joseph's Jackson Square project, an 81-unit apartment building with 9,000 square feet of retail space, which is being built at the northwest corner of East Menomonee and North Jackson streets. The five-story building is expected to be completed in 13 to 14 months, Joseph said.

WWBIC lands $1.1M federal grant for micro-financing

The Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corp. was awarded $1.1 million by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund late last week, which the organization will use to build its revolving loan fund, build capacity and expand programming.

Wausau Equipment Company to expand in Wisconsin

New Berlin-based Wausau Equipment Company Inc. plans to build a satellite facility for research and development, testing, final assembly and product installations in the Town of Fond du Lac. The firm plans to build a 22,050-square-foot facility.

Johnson Controls plans to trim its work force

Johnson Controls Inc. said Wednesday it will close factories and trim its work force in a restructuring taken to account for the dramatic slowdown in the auto industry and slowing economic growth in Europe.

Foreclosures in southeastern Wisconsin up 15% in August

After easing a bit in July, foreclosures rose 15% in southeastern Wisconsin in August, court records show.

Slowdown will prompt Johnson Controls to close plants

Johnson Controls Inc., the largest publicly held company in Wisconsin, announced today that it will close plants and eliminate jobs as it reacts to economic slowdowns in the automotive and construction sectors. The Glendale-based company said it plans to initiate restructuring activities which will result in an estimated pre-tax charge of $450 million to $500 million in its 2008 fourth quarter.

Not all banks doing poorly

Development News for the week 08/23/08 – 08/29/08
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PREPARED TO GUIDE THE REGION AS CHAIRMAN OF THRIVE, JOHN BIONDI HOPES TO HELP THE AREA GROW.

John Biondi, president of C5-6 Technologies in Middleton, recently was named board chairman of Thrive, the Madison Region Economic Development Enterprise. With the freshly minted organization's focus on nurturing local agriculture, health-care and biotechnology sectors, Biondi is considered well-suited for the task.

CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS COST OF HOMELESS HOUSING LAND SWAP

The city's financial committee kept the wheels going forward on a land swap that would move a housing project for the homeless from the Truman Olson Army Reserve Center building on the city's south side to a far east side location.

The Board of Estimates voted to approve the alternate location on Water Utility land at 4002 Nakoosa Trail for a plan from Porchlight, Inc., to create 24 permanent and 14 transitional housing units for the homeless, but not without a discussion of the cost to the city for the swap. The controversial plan will be on the agenda for the next City Council meeting on Sept. 2.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALL ABOUT IT, UW PROF SAYS

When it comes to economic development in Wisconsin, biotechnology has been grabbing all the headlines. That's understandable in one sense because the state largely missed out on the silicon revolution of the 1980s and has been a Midwest leader in the life sciences.

Yet when it comes to actual job creation and income generation, computers still rule, says a top UW-Madison professor, "Epic Systems hires more people every month than all the biotech companies in Wisconsin combined," said Guri Sohi, past chairman of the UW-Madison computer science department.

ELDERLY HOUSING PROJECT

Construction is expected to begin next month on Heritage of Monona, a 232-unit elderly housing development near Owen Road west of Monona Drive in Monona.

The $11.5 million development by MSP Real Estate of St. Louis Park, Minn., will include independent-living units as well as assisted-living and memory-care housing.

SECOND MEETING ON OLBRICH PLAN TUESDAY NIGHT

The revamping of Olbrich Park and surrounding open space could include expansion of the botanical gardens, improving bike and pedestrian trails and possibly siting a dog park in the area -- ideas that will be discussed Tuesday night along with many others at a second public meeting looking at the master plan for the park and environs.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in Evjue Commons at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave.

SHELTER PLAN MOVING AHEAD

A plan to put a homeless shelter on the Far East Side rather than at a surplus U.S. Army property on the South Side that the city wants to redevelop for a different use has taken another step forward.

On Monday, Madison's Board of Estimates approved submitting the city's proposal for the Truman Olson Army Reserve Center on Park Street and other needed documents to the federal government.

FDA OKS TOMOTHERAPY'S NEW RADIATION THERAPY TECHNOLOGY

Madison-based TomoTherapy Inc. announced Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its "TomoDirect" technology, which modifies its Hi-Art radiation therapy system.

The agency granted FDA 510(k) clearance for TomoDirect late Tuesday. TomoTherapy plans to unveil the technology at industry meetings in September.

COTTAGE GROVE WORKS TO PRESERVE VILLAGE, TOWN WORKING ON JOINT PURCHASE OF FORMER GOLF COURSE, ONCE SLATED FOR DEVELOPMENT

Walking through grass as high as my head, craning to look at giant oak trees and then enjoying a peaceful meadow, it was hard to imagine that three years ago this scene was a typical golf course.

But it got a lot easier to imagine the former nine-hole course, The Farm, as a recreation and relaxation area where people could hike, bike or just enjoy nature.

A WELL-ROUNDED UNIVERSITY SQUARE - ALMOST ECONOMIC JITTERS HAVE RESULTED IN SOME VACANCIES, BUT GRAND PROJECT MOSTLY READY FOR STUDENTS' ARRIVAL

Greg Rice is scurrying about like the owner of a brand-new home, checking all the details and looking for any signs of shoddy workmanship.

"I wonder what happened here?" asked Rice, noting a small chip in the corner of a concrete planter on the massive, fourth-floor rain garden that captures stormwater from the new University Square.

A DEAD-END DEBATE? RAIL OFFICIALS SAY CENTRAL PARK'S ADDED PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC MIGHT FORCE STREET CLOSURES

Development of the long-anticipated Central Park along Madison's east isthmus rail corridor could mean closing streets to safeguard parkgoers, rail officials say.

Closing streets would mean fewer train whistle blasts, which many residents detest, but closures would also lead to more traffic congestion in the already constricted isthmus. The issue is sure to strain the historically testy lines of communication between residents and rail officials.

MAKING LESS ON THE TAXPAYERS' DIME LOWER PUBLIC WORKER SALARIES A TRADE-OFF FOR JOB SECURITY

As the City Council prepares to dive into budget talks this year, one item in particular will, as always, stand out as the costliest in the entire budget: employees' salaries.

Up to 80 percent of some departments' budgets are spent on salaries. Overall, the city's 2,700 full-time salaries cost the city more than $144 million in 2007, or 68 percent of its 210.8 million operating budget.

POWER LINE MAY THREATEN WOOD TURTLES

Wildlife experts say some turtles on the state's threatened species list could be killed during construction of an electrical transmission line in northern Wisconsin.

But the Department of Natural Resources says construction of the line in Vilas, Forest and Florence counties probably won't jeopardize the existence or recovery of the wood turtle.

FACULTY BUILDING PLANNED

Construction of another building near UW Hospital is expected to begin next month. The Faculty Office Building, a seven-story, $42 million project, will be south of the American Family Children's Hospital along University Bay Drive. Expected to be finished by April 2010, the facility will house about 500 workers, providing office space for clinical faculty of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. It will not have clinical space for patients.

THIS IS 'THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE' THE FIRST BUILDING OF THREE PLANNED FOR UW-MADISON'S WISCONSIN INSTITUTES FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH WILL OPEN SOON.

Some 500 scientists from a variety of fields - medicine, physics, biology, chemistry, engineering and more, but most focusing on cancer - will work in a medical research building to open next week near UW Hospital.

The seven-story, $185 million facility is the beginning of the planned Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, which is one of the largest projects ever in Madison.

HOME PRICES DROP BY RECORD AMOUNT IN 2ND QUARTER

A widely watched housing index released Tuesday showed home prices dropping by the sharpest rate ever in the second quarter.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index tumbled a record 15.4 percent during the quarter from the same period a year ago.

LIST OF TROUBLED BANKS GROWING

The number of troubled U.S. banks leaped to the highest level in about five years and bank profits plunged by 86 percent in the second quarter, as slumps in the housing and credit markets continued.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data released Tuesday show 117 banks and thrifts were considered to be in trouble in the second quarter, up from 90 in the prior quarter and the biggest tally since mid-2003.

Around The State and Points Elsewhere
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Projects struggle to meet demand
Service providers seek alternative loan sources

The housing foreclosure crisis is creating a larger need for low-income housing.

As more people need rental support or a roof over their heads, it is becoming increasingly difficult for service providers to get bank loans to pay for projects.

But groups that support Wisconsin¹s low-income and homeless residents are finding new sources for money. Forward Community Investments, Madison, surpassed its 2008 goal of providing $4 million to nonprofits, said President Salli Martyniak. She expects to lend $6 million to projects and equipment purchases by the end of the year.

Neighbors support Percheron Square development

Neighbors support Percheron Square development. Council approves tweaked plans to Ruby Farms plan. While Brookfield’s Common Council on Aug. 19 approved a general plan for the Percheron Square development on the former Ruby Farms site, the project also received the support of an equally important...

Biotech firm wins state financing

Biotech firm wins state financing. $630,000 package for MPP Group announced at panel discussion. A Wauwatosa pharmaceutical development company landed a $630,000 package from the state Department of Commerce, Gov. Jim Doyle’s office said Wednesday...

Developer asks for more time to consider zoning

Developer asks for more time to consider zoning. Board prefers classification requiring stricter guidelines. In an effort to control a proposed subdivision development near Christman and Maple roads, the Menomonee Falls Village Board is favoring a planned-residential development district...

Judge urges merger of justice facilities into new downtown complex

Judge urges merger of justice facilities into new downtown complex. County officials, developer involved in discussions. Milwaukee County’s outgoing chief judge called Tuesday for replacing several aging county justice facilities with a new downtown complex that would combine courts and correctional programs to rehabilitate...

2nd quarter punishes banks

2nd quarter punishes banks. Profits dissipated in economic turmoil, FDIC finds. The stubborn housing slump, tighter credit and economic slowdown continued to put pressure on the banking industry in the second quarter, with 30 Wisconsin banks unable to make a profit, a report released...

City has nation’s 7th highest poverty rate

City has nation’s 7th highest poverty rate. Waukesha County among lowest, Census Bureau says. Poverty in Wisconsin isn’t just about the economy — it’s also about geography...

Madison looks primed for IT boom

Madison looks primed for IT boom. More information technology companies could be joining Google and Microsoft in opening offices in Madison...

Software-maker RedPrairie considers Lake Country sites

Software-maker RedPrairie considers Lake Country sites. Software-maker RedPrairie is considering three new locations to move the company's global headquarters, two of which are in Lake Country.. Software-maker RedPrairie is considering three new locations to move the company’s global headquarters, two of...

UW System regents back $51 million for Growth Agenda

UW System regents back $51 million for Growth Agenda. Request includes $10 million for UWM research effort. The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents on Friday approved a budget request for 2009-’11 that asks for $37.5 million in tax money and $13.4 million in student fees to support the Growth...

Rainbow Springs property awaiting governor’s approval

Rainbow Springs property awaiting governor’s approval. The Department of Natural Resources Board approved the purchase of a 970-acre parcel Aug. 13, but now must wait for Gov. Jim Doyle's approval to borrow the $10.8 million needed from the land stewardship fund.. The Department of Natural Resources Board...

New housing law needs banks’ help

New housing law needs banks’ help. Lenders would have    to    accept    less on some loans. First-time homebuyers, veterans, senior citizens and delinquent mortgage holders may benefit from the newly enacted housing bill. How well it will work may depend on regulators and your bank...

Vacation homes stuck on market

Vacation homes stuck on market. Sales of mid-price northern sites slump. This has been an unkind year for real estate sales in vacation home markets. The spring selling season opened with the prolonged credit crunch, foot-dragging buyers and tense sellers — and then came June, with...

Manufacturer to build new plant in Fond du Lac

Wausau Equipment Company Inc. plans to build a new 22,050-square-foot testing, assembly and research and development plant in Fond du Lac. The company manufactures heavy-duty snowplows and airport ice-control equipment.
The new plant will cost $2.4 million and will enable the company to create 34 new jobs. Wausau Equipment will receive $221,000 in Enterprise Development Zone tax credits from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce to accommodate the new plant.

Construction to begin soon on new Zilber building at Marquette

Marquette University announced that a new office building on the corner of 12th Street and Wisconsin Avenue will be named in honor of Milwaukee real estate developer and philanthropist Joe Zilber and his wife, Vera. Joe Zilber graduated from Marquette's College of Business Administration in 1939 and received his law degree from the Marquette University Law School in 1941. A university-owned building on the site has been razed, and construction of a new four-story structure will begin soon.

Lauterbach Group building new HQ in Sussex

Waukesha-based Lauterbach Group, a provider of printing, packaging and converting products will move its corporate headquarters from a 35,000-square-foot facility at 1450 S. West Ave., in Waukesha, to a new 55,760-square-foot facility that is under construction at W222 N5710 Miller Way in Sussex.

Development News for the week 08/16/08 – 08/22/08
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DRY FIELDS MEAN CROPS MIGHT NOT MATURE

Crops in Wisconsin are behind normal development rates this summer, so some farmers are concerned there might not be enough time for crops to mature. The latest Wisconsin Crop Progress report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service said later planting dates and cool evening temperatures are causing the slow crop development.

NEIGHBORS CRY 'FLIP-FLOP' AFTER PANEL OKS 2 SEQUOYA COMMONS ENTRANCES

Upon further review, the Madison Plan Commission has approved a dual-entrance plan for a new 100-unit apartment building at Sequoya Commons -- a move that earned west side Ald. Tim Gruber a rubber "flip-flop" sandal from an angry constituent. Two weeks ago, the panel had voted unanimously to put the entrance on busy Midvale Boulevard rather than on Caromar Drive, a narrow residential street.

PLANT DISCOVERY COULD SPUR BIOFUEL PRODUCTION

Michigan State University scientists have identified a protein required for photosynthesis that could ultimately lead to plants designed for biofuel production. Professor Christoph Benning and other MSU researchers discovered the protein that is necessary for development of chloroplasts - the machinery of photosynthesis, which uses light and energy to convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates for plant food and oxygen.

PRESSURE TO INFLATE VALUES SEEN IN STATE APPRAISERS IN WISCONSIN

Appraisers in Wisconsin say they've been pressured by mortgage brokers and lenders to inflate appraisals. Gene DeYoung of DeYoung Appraisal Service of Madison said he frequently gets mortgage broker requests by mail or fax to provide "expected value" or a relative value for a property before he's hired or looks at the property.

BUILDING JITTERS

Except for projects related to the health-care industry and UW-Madison, local commercial construction starts over the past 12 months have lagged behind the past few years, according to figures from local municipalities and perceptions of several developers and contractors. Three UW-Madison buildings alone - the Interdisciplinary Research Complex, the Microbial Sciences Building and the Biochemistry II building - account for a total construction cost of nearly $400 million.

UW BLAMES LOW FORBES RANKING ON METHODOLOGY OF LIST

UW-Madison's typical place in college rankings is near the top of lists (and not just when it comes to partying). But in a recently released list of America's Best Colleges by Forbes, it found itself at number 335.

FIELD LEARNING UW CLASS OFFERS ENERGY-SAVING TIPS FOR MONROE STREET LIBRARY AND OTHER LOCAL PROJECTS

In response to the city of Madison's latest budget crunch, library officials recently floated a plan to close the Monroe Street branch library or, at the least, cut back hours and services. But maybe there's a "green" way to save some dollars there instead. A study by students in Mike Oliva's sustainable design engineering class at University of Wisconsin-Madison last year found that the 47-year-old library could shave energy costs by using high-performance fluorescent light bulbs, natural lighting, double-pane windows, occupancy sensors for bathroom lights and fans and additional insulation. The students found, incredibly enough, that there was no insulation in the walls.

COUNTY SEEKS NEW BIDS FOR BADGER PRAIRIE HEALTH CENTER

Higher costs for construction materials and fuel are forcing Dane County to go through a second round of bids for the new Badger Prairie Health Care Center in Verona because the first set of bids from a half-dozen contractors all came in over budget, which is projected to be close to $21 million. The new facility is scheduled to be constructed just north of the old nursing home, which has been on the same site on Verona's far east side since before the Civil War, starting out as the county insane asylum.

PLANS FOR HEALTH CENTER GET CUT DANE COUNTY WANTS TO REDUCE THE COST FOR BADGER PRAIRIE.

Dane County is scaling back designs for the $21 million Badger Prairie Health Care Center in the town of Verona after initial construction bids came in over budget. Changes include installing steel siding instead of a brick veneer on the outside of the center, removing a stage from the auditorium and swapping new beds and closet space for used beds and wardrobes, Dane County Human Services Director Lynn Green said.

$14 MILLION LAKES BUDGET PROPOSED\ $1 MILLION WOULD COME FROM PROPERTY TAXES

Dane County would spend more than $14 million - four times this year's amount - to clean its lakes, restore wetlands and mitigate flooding under a 2009 budget proposal before the Lakes and Watershed Commission on Thursday. The commission will hear public testimony and forward its recommendations to Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, who has asked county departments to cut staff and spending in what is expected to be a difficult budget season.

COMPETING FOR YOUR WAREHOUSE DOLLARS

Chris and Maggie Nelson have a new house and maybe a different place to shop. The Madison couple have been members of Sam's Club for the past three years but signed up last week for membership at the 153,000-square-foot Costco, scheduled to open here today near the intersection of Highway 14 and the Beltline.

QDOBA, BD MONGOLIAN TO OPEN NEAR EAST TOWNE

A pair of national chain restaurants -- Qdoba Mexican Grill and BD Mongolian Grill -- are taking over a vacant commercial building in the parking lot in front of East Towne Mall. The Redmond Company of Waukesha is overseeing the project that will convert the former Carlos O'Kelly's restaurant at 4718 E. Towne Boulevard into two new spaces. Carlos O'Kelly's closed earlier this summer.

UPDATE: MADISON SUPERINTENDENT WANTS REFERENDUM TO HELP CLOSE $8.1M GAP

Superintendent Dan Nerad outlined a two-pronged commitment Monday night to balance the needs of Madison Metropolitan School District students and city taxpayers. Nerad proposed a three-year recurring referendum asking to exceed revenue limits by $5 million during the 2009-10 school year, $4 million for 2010-11 and $4 million for 2011-12. With a recurring referendum, the authority afforded by the community continues into future years. Since the implementation of revenue caps in 1993, 33 percent of recurring referendums have passed at the state level.

HOSPITAL RANKING: MERITER AMONG BEST PERFORMING IN U.S.

Meriter Hospital has been named one of the top performing hospitals in the country.

The 448-bed, nonprofit community hospital, the fifth largest hospital in the state, is included in the Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals: Performance Improvement Leaders study for having demonstrated the fastest, most consistent improvement over five consecutive years.

ECONOMY WATCH: A DAILY DATA UPDATE ON KEY ECONOMIC REPORTS

INFLATION: The Labor Department reported Tuesday that wholesale prices shot up 1.2 percent in July, pushed higher by rising costs for energy, motor vehicles and other products. The increase was more than twice the 0.5 percent gain that economists expected. Core prices, which exclude food and energy, rose 0.7 percent. That increase was the biggest since November 2006 and more than triple the 0.2 percent rise in core prices that had been expected.

HOUSING STARTS: The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that housing construction fell in July to the lowest pace in more than 17 years. Builders broke ground on 965,000 housing units at a seasonally adjusted annual rate last month - the weakest showing since March 1991 - as the housing industry continues to struggle with falling sales and rising mortgage foreclosures.

DEMANDING A GOOD APPRAISAL CRITICS SAY QUESTIONABLE PRACTICES, LAX OVERSIGHT CAN UNDERMINE SYSTEM

As soaring home prices set the stage for America's great housing meltdown, a critical step in making sure those home sales were a fair deal - the real estate appraisal - was undermined from within. After the nation's last major banking disaster, Congress set up a system to catch rogue appraisers. Their game: inflating the value of homes at the direction of equally unscrupulous real estate agents and mortgage brokers, whose commissions are determined by the size of the deals.

OCTOPUS BANKS SHOULD LOSE SOME ARMS, CRITICS SAY THE CURRENT CREDIT CRISIS HAS HURT THE BIGGEST BANKS HARD, SO DIVERSITY DOESN'T SHIELD THE MANY-FACETED OPERATIONS.

America 's biggest banks have suffered unprecedented losses from the ongoing credit crisis, and that's made some investors question whether the big financial conglomerates should be broken up in order to survive. Break-up advocates, who for months have been clamoring for Citigroup Inc. to be dismantled, got some validation of their viewpoint this past week. Europe's UBS AG - created through the combination of Swiss Bank Corp. and Union Bank of Switzerland in 1997 - on Wednesday laid the groundwork to tear up its business model after another quarter of steep losses.

'LIAR LOANS' MAY DRAG OUT MORTGAGE CRISIS

In the mortgage industry, they are called "liar loans" - mortgages approved without requiring proof of the borrower's income or assets. The worst of them earn the nickname "ninja loans," short for "no income, no job, and (no) assets." The nation's struggling housing market, already awash in subprime foreclosures, is now getting hit with a second wave of losses as homeowners with liar loans default in record numbers. In some parts of the country, the loans are threatening to drag out the mortgage crisis for another two years.

Around The State and Points Elsewhere
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MARQUETTE INTERCHANGE IN MILWAUKEE REOPENS, FAR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

The largest road construction project in Wisconsin history is ready for traffic. Gov. Jim Doyle was cutting the ribbon Tuesday morning for the opening of the new Marquette Interchange in downtown Milwaukee, a project that's been snarling traffic on two interstate highways since 2004, costing about $800 million.

234-MEGAWATT WIND FARM PROPOSED IN COLUMBIA COUNTY

Milwaukee-based WE Energies wants to build a 90-turbine, 234-megawatt wind farm located between the Columbia County villages of Cambria and Friesland. In an application filed Monday with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, WE Energies proposes to locate the turbines with a hub height of up to 262 feet generally north and west of Friesland and northeast of Cambria in the towns of Randolph and Scott.

WIND FARM PROJECT OUTLINED 90 TURBINES PROPOSED FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY

We Energies of Milwaukee wants to build a wind farm with 90 turbines and a capacity of up to 234 megawatts in Columbia County near Randolph, according to an application filed with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. Each turbine planned for the towns of Randolph and Scott would be mounted on a steel tower 262.5 feet above the ground. Blade lengths would be 126 to 152 feet.

Developer lobbies for high-end hotels

Developer lobbies for high-end hotels. Planners intrigued by possible work at Layton, Hwy. 100. Greenfield could soon see a trucking terminal in one of its busiest commercial districts transformed into two high-end hotels...

State's unemployment rate goes down

State's unemployment rate goes down. Some are too discouraged to continue job search. Unemployment rates around Wisconsin continued to trend downward, counter to national increases, as only two of the state’s 12 metropolitan areas had higher rates last month than in July 2007...

Luxury hotel developer wants $2 million from city

Luxury hotel developer wants $2 million from city. In return, employees should get good health benefits, union backers says. A developer that wants to build a luxury hotel in downtown Milwaukee’s Park East area hopes to get $2 million in city financial help, according to a group of labor union supporters...

Software company considers Delafield

Software company considers Delafield. RedPrairie had once planned to relocate in Park East area. Software maker RedPrairie Corp., which had once planned to move its corporate headquarters from the Town of Brookfield to downtown Milwaukee, is now focusing on a Delafield site that had been...

Mortgage application level lowest in nearly eight years

Mortgage application level lowest in nearly eight years. Mortgage applications nationwide dropped last week to their lowest levels in almost eight years, a slump industry experts said Wednesday isn’t likely to improve significantly until the economy picks up and potential buyers are convinced home prices have..

Water, rural land use to be debated in Delafield; Issues to be part of 'Smart Growth' Plan

Water, rural land use to be debated in Delafield; Issues to be part of 'Smart Growth' Plan. Two longstanding and volatile key city issues - rural land use and municipal water - will be debated during the next year by the Plan Commission and the Common Council as part of the development of a state-mandated "Smart Growth" plan to be implemented...

UWM seeks another $10 million to boost research

UWM seeks another $10 million to boost research. Regents to consider UW System budget this week. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee plans to ask the state this week to devote $10 million more in taxpayer funding and fees to fuel Chancellor Carlos Santiago’s $300 million effort to transform the university..

Proposed brew pub goes flat without TIF money

Proposed brew pub goes flat without TIF money. Would-be owners give up on Cudahy, have interest elsewhere. The prospect of a brew pub opening in Cudahy has fizzled...

Health club plans major expansion in Mt. Pleasant

The owners of Razor Sharp Fitness, a health club in Mt. Pleasant, are planning two major building projects. The first project is a 40,000-square-foot family fitness facility, tentatively called Razor Family, that would be built next to Razor Fitness’ current facility at 7300 Washington Ave.

Oshkosh Corp. to cut 10% of work force

Oshkosh Corp. to cut 10% of work force. Oshkosh Corp. said Thursday it is cutting its global work force by 10%, just two weeks after slowing construction activity caused the heavy equipment maker to reduce its earnings forecast...

Development News for the week 8/9/08 to 8/15/08
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PUSH ECONOMIC PLAN INTO ACTION

Madison finally has an economic development plan to help it keep and grow good jobs.  The City Council accepted a final draft of the plan last week following a unanimous recommendation from the city's Economic Development Commission.

ENTERTAINMENT CENTER IN THE WORKS

A bowling entertainment center proposed on Madison's Southeast Side could speed up development in the Stoughton Road corridor.  Brunswick Bowling & Billiards has applied to the city's Urban Design Commission to build a 49,580-square-foot Brunswick Zone XL southeast of the Beltline and Stoughton Road.

DOYLE RESTATES SUPPORT FOR STUDYING NUCLEAR POWER

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle said Friday that his support for exploring nuclear power is in line with the position of presidential candidate Barack Obama and not a reversal from his previous stance.  But state Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said Doyle told him in 2003 he would veto any bill that lifted a moratorium on building new power plants. Huebsch said Doyle's position had "thawed" by 2007, when the governor said he'd be open to studying nuclear power as an option.

BIG PROJECTS JUST FINISHED

Capitol West condominiums and Lucky apartments are two major residential construction projects completed this summer.  These developments are not included in the past year's group of residential projects because they received building permits before July 1, 2007.

PRAIRIE RESTORATION BEGAN IN ARBORETUM UW ARBORETUM LEGACY

On hillsides and in fields and along rural roads all across Wisconsin can be found pieces of a landscape that once was. These are restored prairies and they are a legacy of a worldwide movement that had its beginnings within the confines of the UW Arboretum.  There, in the 1930s, researchers such as wildlife ecologist Aldo Leopold and botanist John Curtis came up with the idea of bringing back the lost beauty of native prairies. They planted what became the first restored landscapes in the world and you can still walk through them today.

TWO NEW CENTERS TO GIVE BOOST TO NEIGHBORHOODS

The hundreds of east siders, young and old, who use the Goodman Atwood Community Center's many activities are just going to have to do without for the rest of the month.  But it's a small price to pay for what lies ahead. Come Tuesday, Sept. 2, the popular community center will re-open in one of Madison's most ambitious building restoration projects, which has turned a clunky abandoned factory into an architecturally pleasing community gathering place.

DANE COUNTY NEEDS ATC'S HIGH-VOLTAGE LINE

Dear Editor: The American Transmission Co. has proposed building a high-voltage transmission line in Dane County to help meet our region's growing appetite for reliable electricity. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission recently determined ATC's application to construct this line is "complete," meaning that the PSC will soon begin an in-depth analysis regarding whether this transmission line is needed and, if so, how to pay for it and where it should be built. The PSC's analysis will include expert testimony as well as public hearings. The study could take up to 360 days.

FOR BICYCLITS, AN EASIER, BRIGHTER WAY

Bicyclists traveling from the West Side to the UW-Madison campus now have an easier and brighter passage.  The new Campus Drive Pedestrian and Bicycle Path, which runs along Campus Drive from University Bay Drive to a network of sidewalks on Linden Drive, officially opened Friday.

POSSIBLE SITE OF LAB QUESTIONED\ A MISSISSIPPI SITE IS A FINALIST FOR A $451 MILLION BIOSECURITY LAB EVEN THOUGH IT RANKED LOWER THAN UW AND OTHER SITES.

The Homeland Security Department swept aside evaluations by government experts and named Mississippi - home to powerful U.S. lawmakers with sway over the agency - as a top location for a new $451 million national laboratory to study some of the world's most virulent biological threats, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press. UW-Madison was one of the sites passed over.

DEVELOPERS FOCUS ON APARTMENTS RENTAL PROJECTS POPULAR AS CONDO AND HOME SALES SLOW CONSTRUCTION UPDATE 2008

Rental projects have become a popular choice for area developers as the struggling economy and housing market troubles continue to make some prospective home and condominium buyers wary of making purchases.  Three of the five most expensive Dane County residential projects that received building permits over the past year were apartments and the other two were assisted living centers for the elderly. The highest-priced condo project was Capitol West Townhomes, which is part of the Capitol West condominiums and ranked 10th.

Around the State and Points Elsewhere
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Wisconsin State Journal.

Wisconsin existing home sales drop 22.2 percent.

PICKING COMMERCE SECRETARY IS TRICKY FOR SEVERAL REASONS, THE JOB IS IMPORTANT AND CHALLENGING NOW.

With the abrupt resignation of Secretary Jack Fischer last month, the state Department of Commerce is looking for its fourth leader in four years - and at a critical time for the state.

The state is seeing thousands of layoffs in the auto, paper, airline and other industries amid a flagging economy.

SBA APPROVES 906 LOANS IN WISCONSIN

Almost $21 million in U.S. Small Business Administration disaster assistance loans have been approved for residents and business owners in Wisconsin affected by severe weather in June and July. The SBA approved 906 loans, the agency said this week.  Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

FANNIE MAE ACTIONS MAY JOLT INDUSTRY

Fannie Mae is making bold cutbacks that will send shock waves through the mortgage market, after posting a quarterly loss Friday that was three-times larger than Wall Street expected.

To slow its financial decline, the mortgage finance giant slashed its dividend to 5 cents a share from 35 cents a share and said it will eliminate loans for borrowers with solid credit scores, but little proof of income or small or no down payments.

Florida drug developer moves headquarters to Wisconsin

Florida drug developer moves headquarters to Wisconsin. A Florida company with a technology for reformulating oily drugs so they can be delivered intravenously is moving its headquarters and research lab to Wisconsin.

Duck farm sells 570 acres

Duck farm sells 570 acres. Land near Racine brings $3.4 million. Land surrounding a former duck processing plant in the Racine area has been sold at auction for $3.4 million.

School expansions one step away from reality

School expansions are one step away from reality. Central neighbors concerned with runoff. Brookfield’s Plan Commission on Aug. 11 recommended approval of conditional-use permits for building additions and parking lot alterations at Brookfield Central and Brookfield East high schools.

Taxing entities cash in on closure of TIF

Taxing entities cash in on closure of TIF. School district gets 46 percent of payout. With the early closing of Shorewood’s second tax-incremental financing district, more than $250,000 will be disbursed to the village’s various taxing entities.

Is the city’s grocery bag full?

Is the city’s grocery bag full?. It’s redevelopment vs. traffic headaches for proposed Mayfair Road site. The former Renner auto dealership might be the epitome of a blighted property — abandoned buildings, grass sneaking through cracks in the blacktop.

Joint venture to study hybrids

Joint venture to study hybrids. Johnson Controls-Saft wins U.S. grant to research plug-in cars. Johnson Controls-Saft will research the commercial viability of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles under an $8.2 million federal grant announced Tuesday.

Tyson Foods cuts 200 Jefferson jobs

Tyson Foods cuts 200 Jefferson jobs. Company cites flood damage at plant. Citing flood damage to equipment, Tyson Foods said more than 200 jobs at its Jefferson plant would be eliminated.  

Local housing market may have hit bottom

The bad news is that southeastern Wisconsin residential real estate market is still slumping. The good news is that the market's rate of decline is slowing.

Wisconsin Banking News 

National City Corp. will move its Wisconsin headquarters to 411 E. Wisconsin Ave. later this year, and will also open a bank branch there.

Development News for the week 08/02/08 to 08/08/08
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EAST SIDE SITE FOR START-UPS\ UW-OWNED INCUBATOR SEEN AS CATALYST ON E. WASHINGTON

The University Research Park, a 260-acre suburban oasis for start-ups on Madison's West Side, will be trying to attract young student and faculty entrepreneurs with an edgy new urban incubator in an abandoned industrial building on the near East Side.   The 6,000-square-foot incubator in the former Marquip Inc. offices and factory building at 1245 E. Washington Ave. will offer 10 suites to high-tech entrepreneurs in a Downtown setting, UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley said.

HEARING ON $7.25 MINIMUM WAGE PUBLIC HEARING SET FOR WEDNESDAY ON RAISING THE RATE.

Wisconsin 's minimum wage would increase to $7.25 per hour in July 2009 to match the federal rate under a proposal subject to a public hearing this week.  The state Department of Workforce Development wants to raise the state's minimum wage from the current $6.50 per hour.

Around the State and Points Elsewhere
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Pending home sales rise in June

Pending home sales rise in June. Tax credits might be influencing buyers in U.S.. The weak real estate market received a dose of good news Thursday when a report showed pending sales of homes in the U.S. took an unexpected jump...

Harris Bank to lay off about 100 employees

Harris Bank to lay off about 100 employees. Cuts to come from suburban Milwaukee acquisitions. Harris Bank said it intends to lay off nearly 100 employees of two suburban Milwaukee banks it acquired this year...

Exchange will track biomass

Exchange will track biomass. Firm hopes record of trades will develop energy market. A Wisconsin nonprofit is looking to put the state at the forefront of the renewable energies market...

State makes new bid for Rainbow Springs

State makes new bid for Rainbow Springs. The state is offering to buy the long-failed recreation resort Rainbow Springs for $10.8 million, making it potentially one of the state’s most expensive conservation land purchases in southeastern Wisconsin, a state Department of Natural Resources official...

Southwest study could begin within the month; Study will cover nearly 3,000 acres of land

Southwest study could begin within the month; Study will cover nearly 3,000 acres of land. A study of nearly 3,000 acres in the Oconomowoc area that could help with the approval of several prospective developments into the city could begin as soon as the end of this month.. A study of nearly 3,000 acres in the Oconomowoc area that could help...

Old school site has development prospect

Old school site has development prospect. Buyer would turn Prospect Hill into campus for seniors. The New Berlin School District has a $1,225,000 prospect for its old Prospect Hill School...

Former Northridge property sold

Former Northridge property sold. Group of U.S., Chinese investors may attempt quick resale. The former Northridge Mall, which closed five years ago, has been sold to a group of U.S. and Chinese investors who may try to flip the property for a quick profit...

Drexel freeway interchange doesn’t come free

Drexel freeway interchange doesn’t come free. City must soon figure out how to share the costs. After a recent threat by state transportation officials to pull the plug on an Interstate 94/Drexel Avenue interchange, the pressure is on Oak Creek to come up with a funding plan to save the project...

Brookfield mayor, visitors bureau debate hotel tax revenue

Brookfield mayor, visitors bureau debate hotel tax revenue. The mayor said Tuesday the city needs to change the way it handles hotel room tax revenue so that the Common Council - and not the local convention and visitors bureau - controls how tourism dollars are spent...

Doyle’s goal for job cuts is unmet

Doyle’s goal for job cuts is unmet. Modest dent made in state work force. When he first ran for governor in 2002, Jim Doyle said his goal would be to shrink the size of the state work force to 1987 levels over the course of four budgets - amounting to about 10,000 jobs in eight years...

Johnson Controls gets 2 U.S. contracts

Johnson Controls gets 2 U.S. contracts. $100 million work aims to pare labs’ energy use. Johnson Controls Inc. has won two contracts valued at $100 million to cut energy use at federal energy laboratories in Tennessee and California...

Feingold will propose economic development bills

Feingold will propose economic development bills. Plans would help Milwaukee and Wisconsin, senator says. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) said Monday that he planned to introduce a package of economic development legislation that would benefit Wisconsin and particularly the Milwaukee area...

Housing market: Treating the disease

Housing market: Treating the disease. Foreclosed properties are the most visible sign in Milwaukee neighborhoods of an ailing housing market that is infecting homeowners, city neighborhoods and, more broadly, the economy...

Closures & Layoffs (Aug. 3-9): Six Months of Shrinking Employment

CoStar Group, MD - 5 hours ago
NewPage Corp. will close its Kimberly, WI, mill at 433 Main St. by the end of next month. The Kimberly mill produces approximately 500000 tons annually of ...

National City to move Wisconsin HQ to downtown Milwaukee

Cleveland, Ohio-based National City Corp. plans to move its Wisconsin headquarters from Brookfield to the 411 East Wisconsin Center building in downtown Milwaukee.

Germantown Sendik's opening in September

Devo Properties announced that the 52,000-square-foot Sendik's store it is developing in Germantown will open just after Labor Day.

Mukwonago medical center will become hospital

ProHealth Care plans to invest $75 million to $90 million to expand its Mukwonago outpatient center into a full-service hospital with 56 inpatient rooms and an emergency department.

Milwaukee's residential market may have bottomed out

Milwaukee was the only major metropolitan area in the country that had a year-over-year increase in the value of its residential real estate, according to a report.

July foreclosures down in Milwaukee

Milwaukee County and Racine County had a decrease in the number of foreclosures in July, compared with July of 2007.

UWM unveils eight possible sites for new dorm

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Real Estate Foundation this week unveiled a list of eight locations that have been proposed by developers for a new 500- to 700-student residence building.

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