Talkin Waukesha Real Estate Weblog

Poor Old Wisconsin Avenue….. This IS “Talkin Waukesha”, so I AM referring to Wisconsin Avenue in Waukesha.  Did you realize – there are TWELVE properties for sale in a THREE block stretch of Wisconsin Avenue ????  This is not just ANY stretch of Wisconsin Avenue…. This stretch is the Gateway to Downtown Waukesha!!  It’s the main drag into our up-and-coming Downtown.

Where, oh where have all the investors gone?   Where, oh where have all the entrepreneurs gone?  Where, oh where have all the visionaries gone?  WAKE UP!!!  This is PRIME Real Estate.

Look at all the wonderful things happening in Downtown Waukesha – why not be a Gatekeeper to the buzz that’s been started down there.  There are new businesses opening almost weekly, fun places to shop, interesting places to eat, Friday Night Live, Art Crawls, galleries, antiques and more! In addition, did you realize that every year almost 1.5 Million products are checked out from the Waukesha Public Library?  Those people all go down Wisconsin Avenue to get to the Library.  There are almost 22,000 attendees to their Children’s Programs; which translates into at least that many moms or dads driving down Wisconsin Avenue.  And then, there’s Cutler Park.  Events are held at Cutler Park  every Wednesday, Thursday and almost every weekend all summer long!  I would venture to say,  there is a strong argument that Wisconsin Avenue provides great exposure to almost any business.

There are those who say this is a bad market for businesses to start up or relocate.  OK, let’s forget about a high-exposure business location on a main thoroughfare in an up-and-coming business district with motivated sellers.  Here’s another plan – create some NICE urban housing!  Think of this:  People could live along this stretch and walk to the Library, or the Tuesday and Saturday Farmer’s Markets, Wednesday Jazz in the Park, Thursday Night Symphonic Band Concerts, Friday Night Live, and Saturday night Art Crawls.  They could walk to the bank, the coffee shop, the restaurants, the grocery store, the drug store or any one of the retailers.  They could patronize (not terrorize) the businesses in the area.  Now here’s a paradigm shift:  let’s get the people down there first, then the businesses will come with a ready-made clientele.   Why can’t Waukesha be an Urban Suburb?  Why do we have to settle for vacant store fronts, hundreds of rooms-for-let and all these for sale signs?

The City of Waukesha is waiting for some positive development.  They have even designated this area as a “redevelopment district”.  There is “TIF” money available for someone with a little ingenuity.  It doesn’t have to be only those willing to do a “labor of love” and lose money for the sake of improving our City.  Wisconsin Avenue is a Main Corridor…. A Gateway to Downtown!  This is an opportunity for someone to make a huge impact in Waukesha that will leave a Legacy to for decades to come.

Right on, it is a golden opportunity for the right person or group. Some of those grand old buildings just need a little TLC.

Comment by Gerry June 9, 2009 @ 4:51 pm

Reply

[...] Just in time, Diane McGeen must be saying. [...]

Pingback by Saturday Opinions « Spring City Chronicle June 13, 2009 @ 7:15 am

Reply