Across the Midwest, many once-thriving downtown areas are in desperate need of revitalization.
In Antigo, there’s been a focus on development for the past few years.
Now, there’s a push to clean out empty buildings and sell them to new businesses.
In so many towns across Wisconsin, traditional central business districts are no longer the hub of activity they used to be.
That’s why downtown revitalization efforts are so popular.
Terry Brand is the Mayor of Antigo.
“We were in a real downward swing for several years, a lot of empty buildings. COVID hit and made it even worse,” he said.
In the city of Antigo, there’s a lot of interest in renewing the downtown business area.
Antigo invested more than $6 million to replace the infrastructure below 5th Avenue and revitalize its streetscape on the surface which included benches, flower planters, and more parking.
Brand says that they’re on an upswing now with some new businesses going in.
“We have a desire to clean up the downtown area as far as empty buildings, get them cleaned out, hopefully get them sold to new owners, new businesses and have all of our storefronts filled with thriving businesses,” explained Brand.
He explained that all the buildings in the downtown area are zoned for businesses.
Any that are being used as a warehouse are issued citations.
“I think that I have an obligation to protect the people who have invested in downtown area in the past couple of years and make sure that they have a safe and clean environment to continue running their business and flush out the the ownership that is not following that model of a new clean business to run in the downtown area,” he said.
Brand said that he met with a client who was using their building for warehousing last week and told them it was time to clean up and either put in a retail store or sell to someone else who will.
There is a desire for space.
Local entrepreneurs took advantage of theMain Street Bounceback Grant program, which offered $10,000 grants to move into empty storefronts.
Fifty-one businesses and nonprofits in Langlade County received Main Street Bounceback Grants to encourage them to move into empty storefronts.
Angie Close is the Executive Director of the Langlade County Economic Development Corporation.
“The dollars that have come in to help with that have really spurred the growth of our downtown,” she said.
Ultimately, Brand wants to develop a downtown community hub with retail stores on the first levels of buildings and residential space on second floors.
