Melissa Kono presents on Conducting and Inventory of your Downtown at the Wisconsin Downtown Summit in La Crosse, WI.

1. Conducting an Inventory of
Your Downtown
Melissa Kono,
Community Development Educator
University of Wisconsin-Extension

2.  Population: 2,500
 2015 WEDC Connect Communities Recipient
 Historic homes and downtown
Neillsville, Wisconsin

3.  Historic Neillsville Walking Tour Map
 Historical Preservation (limited)
 Zoning
Available Information

4.  Downtown Organizations
 Chamber of Commerce
 Historical Preservation
 Realtors
 Planning and Zoning Departments
 Others? Who do you work with?
Partners

5.  Zoning Department, City Map is helpful
 Meet with partner organizations, find out what is
available and what is needed
 Grab a camera and take a walk
 Develop method that works for you to organize
buildings and pics
Conducting an Inventory

6. Downtown Neillsville

7. Downtown Neillsville

10.  Surveys
 Zoning Information
 Realtors
 Spreadsheet form
Data Collection

11. Vacant Rental Property

12. Properties Available for Rent
Inventory

13.  Database
 Searchable
 Public
 Cross-posted (Chamber, City, Realtors, Economic
Development)
Properties Available for Rent
Inventory—Phase 2

14.  Sunny day vs. overcast day
 Time of year, timing around festivals
 Traffic
Tips & Tricks

15. Sunny vs. overcast
Cloudy Sunny

16. Sunny vs. Overcast
Cloudy Sunny

17.  Interior pics for available properties and historical
preservation
 Privacy concerns
 Updating information
Other items to consider

18.  Comprehensive inventory of buildings and businesses
developed as a foundation for tracking trends in the
downtown economy.
 Survey
 Data-heavy and requires trust with business owners
 Supports the goals of the Missoula Economic
Partnership of: strengthen growth of existing
businesses by complementing business mix and
attract new businesses to diversify the local economic
base.
Case Study: Downtown Missoula

19.  Identify Downtown assets and weaknesses;
 identify potential locations for technical assistance;
 measure community achievements of recruitment and
retention goals;
 support Master Plan projects such as Front and Main
reconfiguration,
 development of a Retail Hot Spot and Cultural District,
 development of a comprehensive wayfinding system for
Downtown;
 market, retain, recruit, and track development trends
within the downtown commercial area.
Inventory used to:

22.  A day dedicated to learning more about local
businesses through face-to-face interviews
 Understand issues facing the business community
and build relationships with decision makers and local
business owners
 Survey and interviews
Business Walk: Business Retention
and Expansion

23.  For more information regarding “Business Walk”
please contact:
 Todd Johnson
 Land Use and Community Development Specialist
 University of Wisconsin River Falls (Extension)
 Todd.johnson@uwrf.edu
 715-425-3941
Business Walk

24.  Missoula Downtown Association, “Missoula
Downtown Building and Business Inventory.” 2012
 Johnson, Todd. “Business Walk: Business Retention &
Expansion.” January 19, 2016.
References

25.  Melissa Kono
 Community, Natural Resources and Economic
Development Agent
 University of Wisconsin-Extension Clark County
 Melissa.kono@ces.uwex.edu
 715-743-5121
Questions and Comments