Our Work
WIndicators Volume 1, Number 4: Housing Issues Affecting Wisconsin
Housing is becoming an issue in Wisconsin. Housing prices are growing while new additions to the housing stock appear to be lagging. As other parts of the U.S. have serious issues related to housing stress (defined as income to housing cost ratios), Wisconsin may also be starting to show signs as well. December 2017 — […]
Retail at the End of 2017 (Issue 185, December 2017)
Consumer Market Segments December 2017 — Overall, consumer demand and behavior have changed significantly over the past decade. At the end of 2017, those changes are having a lasting impact on the industry. Deliberate Consumers. These consumers are cautious about spending. They now expect and search for bargains, an expectation that retailers have unhappily fostered […]
Design Wisconsin: Princeton
November 2017 — On September 14, 2017, a group of 20 planning and design professionals found their way to Princeton, Wisconsin to dedicate their time and expertise in hopes of helping the community discover their shared vision for the future. The following report documents the outcomes of the Design Wisconsin visit, a community design program […]
WIndicators Volume 1, Number 3: Wisconsin Entrepreneurship and Population Dynamics
October 2017 — Economists have long known that entrepreneurship in the form of business start-ups is vital to a vibrant and strong economy (Conroy and Deller, 2015). Wisconsin, however, tends to compare unfavorably to other states in terms of entrepreneurship. The Kauffman Foundation has been monitoring entrepreneurial activity for a number of years and their […]
WIndicator Volume 1, Number 2: Occupation and Employment Trends in the Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing Industry
August 2017 — Electronic component manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group (Foxconn) recently announced its intention to build a $10 billion manufacturing campus. As the facility initially expects to employ 3,000 workers, with the potential to expand up to 13,000 employees, its magnitude generates both intense excitement and uncertainty. For instance, a number of questions surround the […]
WIndicator Volume 1, Number 1: Rising Income Inequality and Wisconsin
July 2017 — Between the end of WWII and the 1970s, a growing middle class narrowed the income gap. But over the past 30 years, economists have become increasingly aware of and concerned about rising income inequality. The causes and consequences of this trend have been the focus of countless academic studies, but rising income […]
Design Wisconsin: Reedsburg
July 2017 — Assisted by the Community Vitality & Placemaking Signature Effort, on May 4, 2017, a group of 21 planning and design professionals found their way to Reedsburg, Wisconsin. These planning and design professionals worked with community members to help the community discover their shared vision for the future.
Five Keys to Downtown Success (Issue 183, December 2015)
December 2015 — The gut reaction most civic leaders have to a loss of business or population is to focus on growth strategies. It may be a better strategy to first focus on resilience rather than growth strategies. Resilience is how we maintain vitality in the face of adversity such as population decline, loss of […]
Design Wisconsin: Baileys Harbor
November 2015 — On November 5, 2015, a group of 20 volunteers found their way to Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin to donate their time and expertise in hopes of helping the community discover their shared vision for the future. Assisted by the Community Vitality & Placemaking Signature Effort, community members and volunteers came together to identify […]
Measuring Success in Small City Downtown Revitalization Efforts (Issue 182, September 2015)
September 2015 — Various words are commonly used to describe successful downtown revitalization efforts. Three words that are often used, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, are: Vitality – the capacity to live and develop Vibrancy – having or showing great life, activity, and energy Resiliency – the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful […]
Businesses that Open or Expand After the Opening of Walmart Supercenters (Issue 181, June 2015)
(Image Source: Caique Morais / Unsplash) June 2015 — The University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality recently studied the retail market of 13 Greater Minnesota cities where a Walmart Supercenter opened between 2000 and 2008. Their research explores which types of retail and consumer services businesses have coexisted with the retail giant, as identified […]
Downtown Storefront Improvements Analyzing Return on Investment (Issue 180, March 2015)
March 2015 — Do downtown storefront improvement projects provide an adequate return to the property owners, outside investors, or public funding entities? If so, what are the returns in both economic and other terms? This article summarizes findings from 24 case studies of storefront improvement projects in Wisconsin over the past 15 years. While not […]
