Forward Janesville - TheReport - First Quarter 2020

Take a step back …way back! Back when ARISE and ARISE Nowwere not words that were familiar to you. This would take you to 2014 or earlier when the parking deck over the river existed, when River Street was not celebrated or when one-way traffic streets in downtown created a ‘circuit.’ Fast forward to 2020 and terms such as Festival Street, The Bubbler, Heritage Bridge, kiosks, river walks, Legacy Center, and public art are now common terms shared through regular conversations. Ideas such as activation, partnerships, placemaking, and connecting are goals held by many groups and visionaries. ARISE was adopted in 2015 by the Janesville City Council as a playbook for the action of redevelopment strategies. In 2016, the ARISE Now teamwas formed as a public-private partnership to ensure the ARISE goals were achieved. As we reflect on the last five years, we are reiminded that no one entity can create community success. It comes from everyone, collectively working together towards a shared vision. Below is just a few of the accomplishments/outcomes: •Marv Roth Pavilion • Demolish the parking deck over the river • The Venue comes to life by restoring a church •Milwaukee Street 2 way conversion • New downtown TIF District • Businesses that came to downtown: N1 Critical, Lark, The Bodacious Shops of Block 42, Velvet & Tulle Boutique, Cobblestone Hotel &Wissota Chophouse, drafthouse, Adorn Janesville • Court Street 2 way conversion • Carriage Works renovations • JP Cullen Memorial Pavilion • The Bubbler • Festival Street • The Great River Lawn • Fitness Court • The addition of Pop-Up Stores • Tour of America’s Dairyland • Doty Mill Alley improvements and the Janesville Mural • JPAC tech upgrades • Hedberg Public Library renovations • Hendrick's Family Foundation Educational Outreach Center • Creation of the Business Improvement District (BID) • Chief Blackhawk Mural • Activation of Festival Street: Night Street Fair, Vintage Markets, Flannel Fest, Wine Walks • Courthouse Hill Lighting Project • Trolley during events Even more exciting is a look to the future. Projects happening & ideas coming to life in 2020 & beyond: • Blain-Gilbertson Family Heritage Bridge • Donor Wall & other public art pieces • Town Square East Side improvements • Cope Ryan Pavilion •West Milwaukee Street reconstruction & streetscaping • East Milwaukee Street reconstruction • Blackhawk Community Credit Union Legacy Center •Mural Fest (fall 2020) • Festival Street Activation • Riverwalk extensions to JPAC & Traxler Park • Amphitheatre • Apartment complexes Measurements of success cannot solely rely on places and spaces, as we must also look to a data-driven approach. Reviewing the outcomes of the past five years via a performance dashboard serves as the road map for the next five years and beyond. 1. Community Involvement, as measured by the number of donors to ARISE Now and the total amount raised. 175+ donors and $5.982 million 2. Strong Economic Activity as measured by the equalized assessed property value in downtown TID 36 that was created in 2016 3. A beautiful riverfront as measured by the number of miles of walking paths (extensions made to the Ice Age Trail) and activation of 2 of the six catalyst sites 4. A culture of entrepreneurship as measured by the number of net new businesses and several business expansions. In 2018, Janesville had 17 new businesses/expansions (net) and 54 new jobs (net). 5. A shared vision of the public and private sector investment. 6. A vibrant place to visit measured by downtown event attendance. All of the following events had either sold out attendance or growth from previous years: Flannel Fest, Music at the Marv, Farmers Market, Meander Downtown, Jolly Jingle, Art Infusion, Wine Walks and Trick or Treat. 35 event permits in 2019 with over 90,000 in attendance! 14 • W W W . F O R W A R D J A N E S V I L L E . C O M JoLynn Burden • Director of Development & Community Engagement, ARISE Now • AriseNow@forwardjanesville.com 5-Year Reflection on Accomplishments & Outcomes