Wisconsin Main Street Award Winners Announced

For Immediate Release: April 26, 2010
Contact: Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608-267-9661

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Commerce (Commerce) recognized the best downtown revitalization projects of 2009 at the 20th Annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards on April 23 at Circus World Museum in Baraboo.

"We are excited to commemorate our 20th Annual Awards at a great historic site, such as Circus World Museum," said Commerce Secretary Aaron Olver. "Historic Preservation is one of the foundational elements of Main Street. Tonight we celebrate the great restorations of historic buildings, the best events and the incredible volunteers and board members who make them happen every day."

Since the program's inception in 1988, the state's Main Street communities have attracted 3,942 new businesses, 17,577 new jobs and more than a billion dollars in public and private reinvestment ($1.095 billion)

Also this year, Wisconsin Main Street is inducting three more members into its Hall of Fame. They include Peggy Miller of Tigerton, Tim McGettigan of Darlington and Rick Vesper of Rice Lake. They join previous inductees: Bev Anderson of Darlington, Fred Nelson of Viroqua, Frances Williams of Sharon, Steve Schmidt of Sheboygan Falls, Greg Larsen of Green Bay, Russ & Teddy Kostrzak of Tigerton, John Schroeder of Two Rivers, Trudy Wallin of Viroqua and Dorothy Schueffner of Sheboygan Falls.

The Hall of Fame indentifies individuals that have set themselves apart from the rest based on their contributions to their local Main Street Programs over a long period of time. 

Wisconsin Main Street is an economic development program targeting Wisconsin's historic commercial districts.  Staff members provide technical support and training to Wisconsin communities that have expressed a grass roots commitment to revitalizing their traditional business districts using a comprehensive strategy based on historic preservation and developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Wisconsin's 36 Main Street Communities range in size from Tigerton, population 750, to large neighborhoods in Green Bay and Milwaukee.

Main street communities include Algoma, Beloit, Chippewa Falls, Columbus, Darlington, De Pere, Eagle River, Fond du Lac, On Broadway (Green Bay), Lake Mills, Lincoln Village (Milwaukee), Manitowoc, Marshfield,  Monroe, Osceola, Pewaukee, Platteville, Portage, Port Washington, Prairie du Chien, Rhinelander, Rice Lake, Ripon, Sharon, Sheboygan Falls, Stevens Point, Sturgeon Bay, Tigerton, Tomahawk, Two Rivers, Viroqua, Watertown, Wausau, West Allis, West Bend and Whitewater.

For more information on Wisconsin's Main Street Program, contact Jim Engle, Commerce, at 608/267-0766.

The award recipients are as follows:

2009 Wisconsin Main Street Awards

Best Façade Rehabilitation Over $7,500
Winner
319 Watson Street
Del Tritt
Ripon

Honorable Mention
Mueller Investment Properties, LLC
Marshfield 

Honorable Mention
Northwest Square Project
Tim Schertz
Stevens Point

Best Façade Rehabilitation Under $7,500
Winner
Sequel's Fine Interiors Consignment
1024 17th Avenue
Rosemary Forcade
Monroe

Best Upper Story Rehabilitation Project
Winner
Bayley Group LLC
Adam Charles and Mark Ihm, Proprietors
Platteville

Best Downtown Image Campaign/Event
Winner
Downtown Whitewater, Inc. Promotion Committee

Honorable Mention
Promotions Committee
Sue Johnson, Event Chair
Manitowoc

Best Downtown Retail Event
Winner
"Kiss of Indulgence," Ladies Night Out
Port Washington

Honorable Mention
"Win the Window"
Promotions Committee
Tomahawk

Best Downtown Special Event
Winner
Dozynki Harvest Fest
Association of Downtown Businesses
Stevens Point

Honorable Mention
Hub City Days
Hub City Days Steering Committee
Marshfield

Honorable Mention
West Allis Ala Carte
Promotions Committee

Best Promotional Item
Winner
Lake Mills Main Street Program and Watertown Main Street Program
"What's Up Downtown"

Honorable Mention
Dr. John Patterson
Whitewater

Honorable Mention
Eagle River Revitalization Program Website
Eagle River

Best Design Committee Project
Winner
Tud Bowden, Platteville Arts Board, Platteville Main Street and Rollo Jamison Museum
Walking Mural Tour

Honorable Mention:
Sheboygan Falls Chamber-Main Street Design Committee
Holiday Planters 

Best Business Development Program/Project
Winner
Viroqua Partners

Best New Building Project
Winner
Café 27
Tom Wolf and Denise Brennecke
Stevens Point

Best Public Improvement: Beautification
Winner
City of Watertown
Street Department
Streetscape Project

Best Adaptive Reuse Project
Winner
Ephraim Pottery
Bob & Debbie Griggas, Brian & Brynne Nodolf, and Kevin Hicks
Lake Mills

Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown Revitalization
Winner
City of Marshfield & Marshfield Main Street Program
Downtown Façade Improvement Program

Honorable Mention
Darlington Development Corporation
Darlington Heights Senior Housing & Dental Clinic

Best Historic Restoration Project
Winner
City of Columbus
Clock Tower Project

Best Interior Renovation Project
Co-Winner
The Eclipse Gallery
Algoma

Co-Winner
Rock River Pizza Company
Randy Trella
Watertown

Best Creative Fund Raising Effort
Co-Winner
Lake Mills Main Street Organization & Economic Restructuring Committees
"Lake Mills Main Street Sponsorship Night"

Co-Winner
Hodags on Parade
Rhinelander

Honorable Mention
Main Street Marshfield
Imagine Marshfield Campaign

Best Volunteer Development Program/Project
Winner
"Viroqua Area Young Professionals"
Viroqua Partners

Best New Downtown Business
Winner
Chefusion Eclectic Cuisine & Lounge
Green Bay

Honorable Mention
Wardrobe Safari
Debra Neulreich
Port Washington

Best Public Improvement : Built Environment
Winner
Downtown Streetscape Project
Main Street Task Force and Block Captains
Monroe 

Honorable Mention
Tigerton School District
1906 Tigerton High School Building 

2009 Volunteer of the Year
Algoma – Kathy Colburn
Beloit – Jason Braun
Columbus – Michelle Martin
Darlington – Kate Bausch
Eagle River – Cindy & Ron Meinholz

            Honorary Captains
Lake Mills – Sarah FitzGibbon
Marshfield –Larry Haldeman
Monroe – Tom Miller
On Broadway   Michelle Schleis
Platteville – Kiley Harris
Port Washington – Maria Kiesow
Prairie du Chien – Bob and Diane Witt
Rhinelander – Kathy Brich
Ripon - Howard Hansen
Rice Lake- Harlan Dodge
Sheboygan Falls –Gary Thede
Stevens Point – Jeremy Slowinski
Tigerton – Tania Kerneen
Tomahawk – Jim Wise
Viroqua – Chris Rozeske
Watertown – Cindy Peters
Wausau – Bruce Bohlken
West Allis – Emily Eineichner
Whitewater – Dave Saalsaa

2009 Honorary Board of Directors
Algoma – Derin Bjugstad
Beloit – Betsy Schmiechen
Columbus – Lyle Sampson
Darlington – Steve Winslow
On Broadway – Kathy VanHemelryk
Lake Mills – Russ Roedl
Marshfield – Lois TeStrake
Monroe – Dan Henke
Platteville – Stacie Diesings
Port Washington – Ruth Lansing
Prairie du Chien – Lara Czajkowski-Higgins
Rhinelander – Pat LaPorte
Rice Lake – Taylor Page
Sheboygan Falls – Jacci O'Dwanny
Stevens Point  - Mary McComb
Tomahawk – Carol Swan
Viroqua – June Pedretti, Honorary Chair
Watertown – Melissa Lampe
West Allis – James Mejchar
Whitewater – Dr. John Patterson

Executive Director

Two Year
Sarah Robinson, Stevens Point
Cheryl Detrick, De Pere
Sue Bessert, Rhinelander

10 year
Nancy Verstrate, Sheboygan Falls

11 year
Rita Fritz, Eagle River
Virginia Kauffman, Tigerton

14 Year
Kathy Wellsandt, Rice Lake

18 Year
Craig Tebon, Ripon

Main Street Hall of Fame
Rick Vesper, Rice Lake
Tim McGettigan, Darlington
Peggy Miller, Tigerton

Completion of 5 Years of Downtown Revitalization Assistance
Monroe Main Street
Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization, Inc

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