DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

INTRODUCTION De Pere, with its traditional central district, owes its de- velopment to a strategic location at a falls along the Fox River, just ! ve miles from its mouth into Green Bay. Jean Nicolet, the region’s ! rst European explorer, camped here in 1637 during an expedition to ! nd a trade route to China. While these rapids stymied this quest, they also created an ideal location for a trading post between Na- tive American Tribes and French fur traders. Here, Father Jean-Claude Allouez founded the St. Francis Xavier Mis- sion in 1671, which became a military, spiritual, and eco- nomic outpost, and caused the area to be known as Les Rapides des Péres (The Rapids of the Fathers). Sixteen De Pere Historical Society / White Pillars Museum De Pere Historical Society / White Pillars Museum years later, the mission burned, temporarily ending set- tlement in the immediate region. The uni! ed De Pere is a vital and economically strong THE SUBAREAS community with a solid employment base, a growing Downtown De Pere’s two riverbanks have individual char- By 1830 the construction of two Military Roads along the population, and such educational and cultural resources acteristics and areas of specialization and are also made Fox River between Fort Howard at Green Bay and Fort as St. Norbert College, connected by the striking Claude up of connected subareas. The subareas, illustrated in Crawford on the Mississippi River again focused atten- Allouez Bridge, the third span over the Fox River at “Les 24 Map 2.1, provide a tool that helps describe the character tion on the Fox River rapids. They provided a source of Rapides des Péres.” The river, together with its rapids, re- of each riverbank. energy to power mills and marked the point of transition mains the city’s de! ning feature and greatest natural re- between ocean-going vessels and smaller steamers and source, and continues to present tremendous opportu- EAST BANK paddle wheelers that could traverse a system of inland nities. But it also creates a physical division that sepa- canals. In 1836, the De Pere Hydraulic Company built a rates Downtown De Pere into two distinct districts, each • Broadway/Wisconsin Core District dam at the rapids, and by 1850, the growing settlement with individual qualities, strengths, and challenges. This • George Street Corridor boasted several mills and a shipyard along the river. In chapter investigates the structure and physical charac- • East Shore 1857, the Village of De Pere was incorporated on the east teristics of De Pere’s dual downtown, providing the basis • City Campus bank, with its primary business district paralleling the riv- for a strategic program to create a unique, united central • Historic Neighborhoods er. Yet, the construction of the Chicago and Northwest- district for De Pere and the entire Green Bay Metropoli- ern Railroad on the west bank already threatened the pri- tan Area. WEST BANK macy of inland water transportation and eventually led to the development of the Village of West De Pere, incor- • Main Avenue porated in 1870, and its distinct business district along • Reid Street Redevelopment Areas Main Avenue. In 1890, the need to build a bridge across • St. Norbert Campus the river encouraged the uni! cation of the two towns, • Wilson Park which celebrate 120 years as a consolidated city in 2010. • Industrial Riverfront DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

Map 2.1 Development Character

EAST BANK Historic Neighborhoods WEST BANK

Fox River East Shore

Broadway/ Wisconsin Industrial Core George Riverfront Street Corridor 25 Connection Main Avenue - Reid Street Redeveopment City Areas Campus St. Norbert College Campus

Wilson Park DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

THE EAST BANK Distinguishing features of Downtown De Pere’s East Bank include:

• Substantial mainstream retail uses, some of which are destination retailers in the Green Bay metropolitan area. • ShopKo, Downtown’s only mass retailer. • A substantial core of sit-down restaurants, including ! ne-dining establishments. • Substantial housing development in both contempo- rary and adaptive reuse settings. Commercial blocks between Broadway and Wiscon- • The city government center. BROADWAY/WISCONSIN CORE • sin from the roundabout to James Street include inte- • The Fox River Trail, a 20-mile regional trail that con- Defining Characteristics rior parking and a number of rear business entrances. nects Downtown Green Bay, De Pere, and Greenleaf. • Traditional commercial core of the east shore, orient- Between George and James, this has the character of an internal business center, with supporting street fur- A major public riverfront, enhanced by two major ed to Broadway and Wisconsin Street from Cass Street • nishings. 26 parks, Voyageur and Wells, and the historic canal dis- (north) to Charles Street (south). trict, a conduit for boats around the rapids and dam. • Early commercial development focused at Broadway • Broadway con! gured as a four-lane arterial with paral- The planned RiverWalk will greatly expand public ac- and George Street intersection, at the eastern end of lel parking. Recent street improvements include the- cess and use of the riverfront and canal area. the previous Claude Allouez Bridge. With opening of matic lighting, street reconstruction, new sidewalks, and street furniture. • Limited private o" ces, largely in storefront settings. the new bridge in 2007, the former bridge landing is an open grass area at the Broadway grade, with sur- East-west cross streets include both diagonal and par- A multi-lane roundabout at the east bridge landing, • • face parking at the lower Front Street level. Reuse of allel parking. George and James Street are a one-way distributing tra" c to major north-south corridors. this strategic site is a high community priority. local pair between Wisconsin Street and Broadway, Broadway and George Street are traditional business coordinated with new tra" c patterns caused by the Its constituent subareas include: • district streets, lined by one and two-story buildings bridge and roundabout construction. • Broadway/Wisconsin Core District built to the property line. First # oors typically house re- Issues tail, service, hospitality, and o" ce uses, with commer- • George Street Corridor cial and residential uses on upper levels. • Utilization of the former George Street bridge landing. • East Shore • Automobile-oriented site con! guration along Wiscon- • Linkage between the riverfront and Fox River Trail and sin Street, with single-level commercial buildings set the East Bank commercial core. • City Campus back from the street by surface parking. • Perception of excessive tra" c speed on Broadway. • Historic Neighborhoods • Large-format retailing with ShopKo and associated Di" culty of pedestrian access across Broadway and shops north of James Street. Wisconsin Street contin- through the roundabout. ues on alignment as the drive in front of the ShopKo E" ciency and quantity of parking supply serving the building. Outlot development on the property along • commercial core, and way! nding to parking lots. Broadway includes a bank and gas station. DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

• Function and driveway connections of the interior of Issues terpretive features, parking, and pathways with the Broadway/Wisconsin block south of George to the trail access. Managing the transition between commercial and ad- Wisconsin Street roundabout leg, and utilization of • jacent residential uses along the corridor to prevent ○ The lock and canal, providing boat passage land on the south end of that block. encroachment of parking and non-residential uses around the dam and rapids, includes the historic • Bicycle connections from the Claude Allouez Bridge into neighborhoods. lock tender’s house and will be incorporated into bike lanes and paths to the Broadway corridor. the De Pere RiverWalk, beginning at Voyageur 27 • Enhancing the scale and character of George Street Park, continuing through the historic canal area, • Engagement of large retailers sited behind large park- with improved parking lot landscaping. and continuing to a new pier extending about ing lots to their fronting streets and the rest of the core 300 feet into the Fox River. district. EAST SHORE ○ The James Street walkway follows the bank of the boat canal south from the James Street Inn to the GEORGE STREET CORRIDOR Defining Characteristics Fox River Trail, and included overlooks and seat- Defining Characteristics • Fox River shore with about one mile of primarily public ing areas. riverfront, including Voyageur Park. • Diminished regional tra! c role with the relocation of ○ Wells Park is about a one-acre linear open space Primary transportation access provided by Front Street the Claude Allouez Bridge. • south of the Claude Allouez Bridge, bounded by and the parallel Fox River Trail. The 20-mile multi-use Broadway and Front Street. The parksite slopes • Secondary mixed use commercial corridor between trail is a major regional feature connecting Washing- from Broadway to the river, and provides parking Broadway and Huron Street, with a combination of ton Street in Downtown Green Bay with Greenleaf, and o# Front Street. “main street” and free-standing building types. Build- is paved through De Pere. ings take on a smaller, residential scale east of Michi- ○ Bomier Boat Ramp, accessible from Broadway by Major riverside public features include Voyageur Park, gan Street. • way of Bomier Street with frontage along the Fox the De Pere lock and canal; James Street walkway, River Trail. Recent public realm improvements include street re- Wells Park, and the Bomier Street boat ramp. • • Private land uses in the East Shore subarea include a construction, new sidewalks, lighting, and de" ned ○ Voyageur Park’s 21 acres, developed on a former condominium development with boat access south of crosswalks. land" ll site, include picnic areas and shelters, rest- Voyageur Park, the historic James Street Inn, and adap- rooms, public " shing, extensive green space, in- tive residential reuse of the historic Lawton Foundry. DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

Issues • Improved linkage of the riverfront and Fox River Trail to the Broadway business core. Critical to this is the re- utilization of the former bridge landing site at George Street In common with the Broadway core, the nucle- us of this necessary connectedness. • Using the RiverWalk to enhance the East Bank business environment. • Greater public use of and neighborhood access to Voyageur Park. • Increasing development intensity along the riverfront, consistent with market potential. The Downtown market analysis suggests a continued strong demand Issues • Major industrial riverfront dominated physically by the in Downtown De Pere for medium-rise housing with Thilmany paper plant. river views. • Completing o" ce redevelopment on south side of roundabout. • East-west one-way pair of major streets that moves • Promoting productive public use of Wells Park. This tra" c rapidly through the district. park is a sloped lawn between Broadway and Front • Improving comfortable pedestrian access through the 28 Street, but o! ers little public accommodation other roundabout. • No public park or property on the west shore of the than parking. river within the Downtown area proper. Public access THE WEST BANK is permitted through the St. Norbert campus. CITY CAMPUS Distinguishing features of Downtown De Pere’s West Its constituent subareas include: Defining Characteristics Bank include: • Main Avenue City Hall complex including facilities for administration • • Small-scale retail and restaurant/bar/entertainment and public safety services on block between Broad- Reid Street Redevelopment Areas uses, with some orientation to the campus commu- • way, Wisconsin, Lewis, and Merrill /Chicago Street. Re- nity. St. Norbert Campus cent construction has rebuilt city hall parking and im- • proved Chicago Street access to Broadway. • Major mixed use redevelopment, including substantial • Wilson Park o" ce, senior and condominium residential, hotel, and Redevelopment site, proposed for new dental o" c- • # rst $ oor commercial uses. • Industrial Riverfront es, on south side of the Claude Allouez Bridge round- about. • Contiguous St. Norbert College campus includes the entire area east of 3rd Street, with campus expansion Notre Dame Middle School on east side of Wisconsin • occurring to the west. Street. • Major tra" c pattern changes created when bridge and roundabout relocation tied the Claude Allouez bridge directly to Wisconsin Street. DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

MAIN AVENUE Issues • Nicolet Square (north side of Reid Street from 3rd to 4th). Least intensive of the Reid Street projects, con- Tra# c speeds along Main Avenue, making the district Defining Characteristics • sisting of a large surface parking lot and a free-stand- di# cult for motorists to “read” as they move along the ing commercial building on the east side of the site • Traditional “main street” district with one- and two-sto- street and degrade the pedestrian environment. ry commercial buildings built to the property line. with two restaurants spaces,. Some Main Avenue busi- • Improved local circulation and pedestrian access nesses maintain a second entrance oriented to the ad- 29 • “Main street” character is strongest on both sides of across the street. jacent alley and Nicolet Square parking lot. the street between 3rd and 4th Streets, and on south side between 4th and 5th Streets. Most buildings • Upgrading and revitalization of the downtown • Reid Street Crossing (north side of Reid Street west here date from late 19th and early 20th century, built streetscape. of 4th Street). Street-oriented, two-story mixed use in commercial vernacular styles. project de! ning the Reid Street frontage. First % oor is • Improved public connection between Main Avenue designed for retail and service uses, with o# ce occu- • Despite signi! cant retailing along the street, eating entrances and parking areas behind buildings. pancy on the upper % oor. Architecture re% ects tradi- and drinking places are dominant storefront occu- • Façade and building reinvestment and more readable tional business district forms, using brick facades and pants. business signage. historic details. Reid Street businesses and some Main Many south side storefronts also have back entranc- Avenue businesses have second entrances from an in- • • Improved utilization over time of properties on the es, opening out to o" -street parking lots. Parallel alley terior parking lot. north side of Main between 4th and 5th Streets. on the south side has some characteristics of a public • Marquette Centre (north side of Reid Street east of street. REID STREET REDEVELOPMENT AREAS 5th Street). Contemporary three-story o# ce building • Main Avenue section provides two west-bound with traditional architectural elements, including brick through lanes, a west-bound bike lane, and parallel Defining Characteristics facades and details with historic references. Surface parking is located on the balance of the site, extending parking on both sides. Tra# c tends to accelerate o" Major contemporary redevelopment projects have large- to Main Avenue. Site was designed to accommodate a the Claude Allouez Bridge, and moves through the dis- ly rebuilt the south part of the West Bank district. Uses in- second o# ce structure. trict relatively quickly. corporate street-level retailing, o# ce, hotel, and residen- • Streetscape shows some signs of age. tial uses. Speci! c project areas include: • Nicolet Professional Arts block (Reid to Grant Street from 3rd to 4th). Redevelopment site includes three- story contemporary o# ce building housing Humana DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

Dental; three-story Kress Inn Hotel, owned by St. Nor- Issues ST. NORBERT COLLEGE CAMPUS bert College; and a restaurant. O! ce building is set Enhancing the Main/Reid Alley as a local business back to the southwest part of the block, separated • Defining Characteristics street complementing the more heavily tra! cked from Reid Street by a large surface lot. Hotel shares Main and Reid corridors. • Primary campus of St. Norbert College, a leading Cath- a St. Norbert parking lot across Grant Street. Building olic liberal arts college founded in 1898, occupies a 30 design is consistent with other architecture in West • Improved local circulation and access across Reid contiguous site between 3rd Street and the Fox River Bank redevelopment areas, with brick facades and tra- Street. north of Stewart Street. ditional details. Large surface lot south of College Av- enue immediately east of the railroad tracks provides • Completing planned build-out of existing projects, in- • Campus sphere of in" uence, reinforced by substantial over" ow parking for Humana. cluding Marquette Centre and Joliet Apartments. property ownership, now extends west to 4th Street, emerging as the campus boundary. Substantial new • Maintaining necessary parking supply while reduc- • Residential Redevelopment Blocks (4th Street to campus construction is occurring along the west side ing the visual exposure of surface parking along Reid Thilmany spur, Reid to College Streets). Projects in- of 3rd Street. clude Nicolet Highlands, a three-story, senior apart- Street. Campus commands a substantial amount of the west ment project over parking in a street-oriented quad- • Continuing the precedent of street-oriented contem- • shore of the Fox River and has developed some fea- rangle con# guration between Reid and Grant Streets; porary development along Reid, established by the tures to increase public access to the riverfront. and Joliet Square Apartments between Grant and Col- Reid Street Crossing and Nicolet Highlands develop- lege Streets with two buildings, planned for # ve struc- ments. Issues tures at full build-out. Site immediately west of Ni- colet Highlands across 5th Street includes two free- • Accommodating the International School at its current • With campus expansion, de# ning the future tra! c role standing restaurants. Fourth Street frontage of the Jo- location. The school’s site is relatively small, parking is of 3rd Street in the city’s transportation system. liet Apartment block includes Wisconsin International inadequate, and students use adjacent Wilson Park for recreation, requiring them to cross 4th Street. • Expanded campus and public access to the west shore School and Crosspoint Church. of the Fox River. STRATEGIC PLANNING Chapter 3

• Improved physical connections and expanded inter- • Policy changes at St. Norbert College, requiring stu- • City ice rink, boat launch, and Brown County Fair- action, including business development, between the dents to live on campus, a" ecting the area’s rental grounds are located about 0.4 miles north of the US campus and Downtown De Pere. market. Paper plant along the river, separated by a residential area with private river access. • Campus parking as adjacent parking lots are devel- • Determining the location and character of the bound- oped with college facilities. ary between the neighborhood and the campus. Issues 31 • Implementation of projects envisioned by campus • Possible tra# c changes through the neighborhood if • Possible public riverfront access and utilization of master plan. 3rd Street is increasingly internal to the college. open land between 5th Street and beginning of pri- vate residential river access, with linkages north to the WILSON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD INDUSTRIAL RIVERFRONT Fairgrounds and Ashwaubonay Park. De! ning Characteristics Defining Characteristics • Long-term future of the Thilmany plant. Plant appears economically stable for the foreseeable future. • Residential neighborhood south of the commer- • Thilmany paper plant dominates the view of the west cial district with single-family houses and tree-lined bank of the Fox from the Claude Allouez Bridge, and is streets, with both owner- and renter-occupied units. De Pere’s primary waterfront industry. US Paper Mills Student rentals a" ected the neighborhood’s residen- also located along the river on Ft. Howard Avenue, tial character. north of the downtown area. • Wilson Park, a small but well-used neighborhood park • Thilmany complex is located behind Main Avenue at 4th and College. buildings from the river to 4th Street, and includes several additions, with historic wings overhanging the Issues river. Access is from 4th and 5th Streets. • Neighborhood stabilization, with some community • Much of the riverfront behind industries and houses residents perceiving neglect of rental houses by prop- along North 6th Street is open space with signi! cant erty owners. tree cover. However, these areas lack public access. DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

LAND AND BUILDING USE Table 2.1: Distribution of Space by Location then Category, Downtown De Pere Table 2.1 presents building use information for the Downtown study area, compiled individually for the East Location/ Category West Downtown East Downtown Total and West Banks. These calculations exclude St. Norbert Percent of Percent of Category Percent of Square Feet Square Feet Square Feet College and concentrate on buildings in commercial use. Category by Level by Level Category by Level Gross ! oor area in Downtown is about 773,000 square Street Level Space feet, with about 519,000 square feet at street level. Key Retail 128,818 67.2% 240,447 73.6% 369,265 71.2% " ndings include: Office 44,333 23.1% 66,565 20.4% 110,898 21.4% • A preponderance of retail space east of the Fox Riv- Vacant 18,674 9.7% 19,875 6.1% 38,549 7.4% er. The East Bank has about twice the retail space as Subtotal 191,824 100.0% 326,887 100.0% 518,711 100.0% the West Bank (about 240,000 square feet and 128,000 square feet respectively). ShopKo contributes sub- Upper Level Space stantially to the relative retail dominance of the east Retail 14,111 24.5% 12,713 16.6% 26,824 20.0% side of the river. Office 22,328 38.8% 29,467 38.6% 51,795 38.7% • A relatively even distribution of o! ce space on Vacant 21,075 36.6% 34,194 44.8% 55,269 41.3% both sides of the river. Contemporary redevelop- Subtotal 57,514 100.0% 76,374 100.0% 133,887 100.0% ment projects have given the west side slightly more 32 o# ce space than the east side (140,000 square feet Office Buildings against 125,000 square feet). Occupied 72,282 97.4% 30,000 64.5% 102,282 84.7% • Primary use of street level storefronts for retail Vacant 1,914 2.6% 16,500 35.5% 18,414 15.3% goods and services. About 70% of all street level Subtotal 74,196 100.0% 46,500 100.0% 120,696 100.0% space in the entire study area is in retail use. About

21% of street level space is used for o# ces. Total 323,534 449,761 773,294 • Vacancy rates are relatively manageable through Source: City of De Pere; AECOM, 2009 the study area. Street level vacancy averages 7.4%, with higher vacancy on the west side. On the other hand, vacancy in contemporary o# ce buildings on the West Bank is very low, less than 3%. Map 2.2 identify street-level building use, while GIS data- base includes upper story uses..

Table 2.1: Distribution of Space by Location then Catego- ry, Downtown De Pere

DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

Map 2.2 Building Use, Street Level, 2009 (subsequent levels in GIS)

33 DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

HISTORICAL AND • Julius Krause Store Building , 106 S. Broadway ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE • J. Baeten Building, 620 George Street De Pere’s rich community history is re! ected by a sig- • Hotel Ro# ers by Alfred Fleck, 500 Grant Street ni" cant number of historically signi" cant commercial • Shattuck & Babcock Co. Paper Mill by D.H. & A.B. Tower, and residential buildings and districts. Many of down- 200 Main Avenue town’s commercial buildings are excellent examples of late nineteenth and early twentieth century commercial HISTORIC ASSESSMENT vernacular architecture, many of which appear eligible individually for listing on the National Register of Histor- Map 2.3, the Historic Assessment Map classi" es down- ic Places. While some structures have undergone major town buildings in the following categories. alterations, continued investment, guided by the city’s Main Street Program, has produced a visually appealing • Landmarks. These are buildings judged to be of es- and pleasant district. sential historic signi" cance and are either listed on or eligible for individual listing on the National Register NATIONAL REGISTER LISTINGS AND of Historic Places. Examples include the Hotel Ro# ers ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES Building, Union House Hotel and State Bank of De Pere Building. The following inventory of Register and Register-eligible Strongly Contributing Buildings. These individual properties summarizes relevant material from the Inten- • 34 structures contribute to the character or fabric of the sive Survey Report prepared in 2001 by consultant Tim National Register district. Some may also be eligible Haggland for De Pere. for individual listing. Examples include 106 South Broadway and 371 Main Avenue. National Register Listings • Background Contributing Buildings. These build- Union House Hotel, 200 N. Broadway • ings were typically built before World War II and repre- • Lawton Foundry Apartments, 233 N. Broadway sent examples of vernacular commercial architecture. While probably not individually eligible for Register • Old De Pere Public Library by Foeller, Schober, and listing, they generally contribute to the character of • Negative. These are typically structures that detract Berners, 380 Main Avenue their overall context through having similar construc- from the fabric of a district because of deteriorating • Main Hall by W.C. Reynolds (St. Norbert College cam- tion materials and setbacks. condition or appearance. However, these structures pus), 3rd and College could be adaptive reuse candidates. • Signi! cant New Buildings. These are relatively con- temporary buildings that represent substantial capital • Major Modi! cation. These represent structures that National Register Eligible Buildings investments. Examples include Reid Street Crossing have undergone major modi" cations and do not con- • J. Steckart & J. Falck Double Block, 112-116 N. Broad- and the Nicolet Professional Arts Building. tribute to the integrity of the district in their current way form. Some of these buildings have been modi" ed • Not Contributing. These are structures that do not with a screen or façade treatment that may be re- • State Bank of De Pere Building by Henry Foeller, 127 contribute to the structure or fabric of a signi" cant his- versed. N. Broadway toric or design district. DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

Map 2.3 Historic Assessment, 2009

35 DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

HISTORIC DISTRICTS " uent families. Architectural styles within the district BUILDING CONDITIONS vary, but many buildings are attributed to the late Vic- Downtown De Pere and immediately surrounding areas torian style. Map 2.4 identi! es the condition of structures throughout include six historic districts, including: the downtown district, tabulated in a survey conducted • North Michigan Street/ North Superior Street Dis- during the summer of 2009. Structures were placed into trict (East Bank). • Fox River Lock and Dam (East Bank). These struc- This historic residential district is lo- one of ! ve categories, including: tures are an important link to the city’s heritage and cated to the north of downtown East De Pere, and is connection to the Fox River. Many local industries used comprised of small to medium-size homes. Examples • Excellent. New or rehabilitated structure with no dis- hydropower, and were built directly over the dam. The of nearly every architectural style and vernacular form cernible de! ciencies. lock was an important connection in the shipment of are present within the district, and were generally built goods between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi between 1860 and 1950. • Good. Well-maintained structure with three or fewer River via the Fox/Wisconsin canal system. While no minor non-structural de! ciencies. • Randall Avenue District (East Bank). Development longer used for the production or shipment of goods, patterns within the district were some of the ! rst to Fair. Structurally sound building with minor repair or the canal continues to accommodate small boats. The • be shaped by the introduction of the car as a part of rehabilitation needs. proposed RiverWalk will incorporate this unique dis- American culture. The majority of homes within the trict the riverfront park and recreational system. district date from the inter-war years of 1920 to 1940 • Poor. Structure with one major de! ciency and minor non-structural needs. Typically these buildings are de- • Main Avenue District (south side of the 300 block and the district include examples of Colonial, Geor- teriorating and show evidence of signi! cant rehabili- of Main Avenue, West Bank). When railroad service gian, and Tudor Revival styles. tation needs. came to the region, West De Pere quickly developed In addition, other multi-building districts that could pro- along Main Avenue as the primary route of access be- Dilapidated. 36 duce additional National Register listings include: • A structure that appears to be too dete- tween the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and De riorated for feasible rehabilitation. Pere. This eighteen building district contains the most The balance of the Broadway commercial district, from intact concentration of nineteenth and twentieth cen- • The evaluation considers the condition of the founda- the Bridge roundabout to James Street. tury commercial buildings on the west side of the riv- tion, exterior walls, facia and eaves, windows, and doors. er. These buildings range from one to two stories in • The balance of the Main Avenue commercial district, In general, the building stock within the traditional height, and all but one is faced with brick. Among its from 3rd to 5th Street, excluding the north side of the downtown is in good to moderate condition, although commercial vernacular styles, the district also includes 400 block. some buildings require rehabilitation. The survey is in- the neoclassical Bank of West De Pere building at 371 tended only to suggest patterns for rehabilitation needs. The St. Norbert College campus. Main Avenue. • Major ! ndings include: South Broadway District (east side of the 100 block • Importance of Historic Designation • West Bank. Structures ranked lower for the Main Av- of Broadway, East Bank). This district consists of six, enue corridor than other parts of the study area. Gen- one- and two-story brick buildings on the east side of The Lawton Foundry Apartments and James Street Inn erally, Main Avenue structures ranked in the middle of South Broadway’s 100 block, built rapidly after a dev- demonstrate the importance of historic preservation as the condition scale, with some variances. As discussed astating ! re in 1882. Because of their virtually simul- part of a downtown development strategy. Listing on earlier, much of the West Bank has experienced signi! - taneous construction with the same material, these the National and State Registers of Historic Places make cant redevelopment during the last 20 years, produc- building facades blend seamlessly with the one adja- substantial investment tax credits available to develop- ing a large number of structures in excellent condi- cent to it. ers and owners. Federal tax credits are typically directed tion. to income producing properties, while state credits are North Broadway District (East Bank). The district • • East Bank. Rehabilitation of the Lee Building, Lawton has long been home to some of De Pere’s most af- also available to individual owners, including owner-oc- cupants. Foundry and James Street Inn are major achievements for east side restoration. As a rule, older buildings on the East Bank appear to be in better condition than DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

Map 2.4 Building Conditions, 2009

37 DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

their counterparts across the river. Buildings imme- East Bank diately north of the roundabout had lower condition The East Bank is served by a modi" ed grid of ratings than buildings farther north. Some of these • streets. Its principal north-south streets are Broad- structures are pending grant approval for façade im- way and Wisconsin, which now converge at the multi- provements. lane roundabout at the east end of the Claude Allouez Bridge. George Street was the traditional east-west MOVING AROUND DOWNTOWN corridor through this part of the district, but its role has changed with new tra# c patterns created by the This section summarizes key patterns for motor vehicles, relocated bridge. Recent modi" cations to the grid in- transit, and pedestrian and bicycle transportation in and clude: around downtown De Pere. Map 2.5 illustrates these pat- terns and identi" es key areas for improvements. • A direct connection between Wisconsin Street and the bridge through the roundabout. This also links THE STREET NETWORK: KEY ELEMENTS the two major north-south corridors, but breaks Wis- consin Street continuity south to Chicago and Merrill Lande Street, and 3rd continues as Lost Dauphin Road Regional Circulation Streets. along the east shore to Wrightstown. Both streets are two-way collectors providing a single lane in each direc- The regional road network links De Pere to communities • Conversion of George and James Street to a single- tion. Other features and issues presented by the West in northern and southeastern Wisconsin. lane one-way pair between Wisconsin and Broad- way. Both streets provide diagonal parking on one Bank street network include: 38 • Interstate 43, US Highway 41, and Wisconsin 172. side and are generally not used by through tra# c. These routes provide regional access to De Pere and • Grant Street. Grant is a two-way collector serving the connect the city to Green Bay, Milwaukee, Appleton • Tra! c signals on Broadway at William Street, serv- south side of the district, and continues west with a and the Fox Cities. ing the ShopKo development and Merrill/Chicago grade crossing at the railroad, connecting Downtown Street, serving the City Hall area. Front Street, the to the community center. Grant Street also includes • Wisconsin Highway 57 (Broadway) is the main thor- local service street along the riverfront, also intersects painted bike lanes from 3rd Street to the community oughfare north/south for tra! c traveling to com- Broadway at this intersection. center. munities between Green Bay and Milwaukee east of the Fox River. Highway 57, as Broadway through • Continuation of Wisconsin Street north of James • Main Avenue and 6th Street/Fort Howard. This the East Bank of Downtown De Pere, is one of the dis- Street as a service drive within the ShopKo devel- intersection combines a free-$ ow movement at the trict’s main shopping streets and passes through the opment. Main/Reid divergence and an intersection with Fort roundabout on the east end of the new Claude Al- Howard Avenue, a regional minor arterial that serves louez Bridge. Broadway is a four-lane facility with par- West Bank the Fairgrounds and continues north as Broadway to allel parking through the business district north of the major destinations in Ashwaubenon and Green Bay. The West Bank of Downtown De Pere is oriented to the roundabout, with four lanes without parking south of This creates potential con$ icts between movements the bridge. Main/Reid one-way pair between 6th Street and the that present challenges for all modes. west approach of the Claude Allouez Bridge. Both streets • Wisconsin Highway 32 (Main Avenue/Reid Street) provide two one-way moving lanes with parallel parking • Third and Reid Streets. This signalized intersection connects the two banks of Downtown De Pere to (Main Avenue westbound, Reid Street eastbound). In ad- provides a double left-turn that directs eastbound travelers to the Fox River Bridge, and permits a return each other over the Claude Allouez Bridge, and dition, Main Avenue’s wider right-of-way also accommo- onto westbound Main Avenue. While relatively e# - continues west to an interchange with US 41. This dates a westbound bike lane. Third and Fourth Streets cient, the design creates some di# culties for pedestri- highway forms an important regional connection be- provide principal north-south access through the West tween northern Wisconsin, Ashwaubenon, and She- ans traveling between the St. Norbert campus and the Bank area. To the south, 3rd and 4th converge south of boygan along Lake Michigan. Main/Reid districts. DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

Map 2.5 Vehicle Circulation, 2009

39 DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

• Main/Reid Alley. The alley serves as a two-way local • Pedestrian access at the bridge approaches. The • Crossing Broadway. Broadway is unsignalized along circulator route to access businesses and parking. The west approach provides a pedestrian crossing near a the two-sided commercial blocks between the round- alley has some of the characteristics of a local street, chicane designed to calm tra$ c as it comes o" the about and William Street. As a result, pedestrians have including storefront entrances and some pedestrian bridge into the Main Avenue business environment. di$ culty crossing the four-lane arterial. The George access, and is used for counter! ow movements by The crossing is marked by a blinking pedestrian sign and James Street intersections provide well-de# ned motorists. For example, westbound customers bound and dedicated crosswalk. However, tra$ c tends to ac- crosswalks and have experimented with an orange for stores on the south side of Main Avenue may pass celerate both entering and exiting the bridge, and mo- ! ag system that pedestrians are encouraged to use to their destination on the one-way westbound street, torists do not expect pedestrians to cross Main Avenue increase their visibility to motorists. While state law re- returning via the eastbound alley. at this transition point so near the bridge throat. Traf- quires motorists to yield to pedestrians in the cross- # c is distributed at the east approach by a multi-lane walk, relying on this law and the visibility provided by PEDESTRIAN ACCESS roundabout, and this provides a smooth pedestrian the ! ags requires a leap of faith that most pedestrians Safe, pleasant, and seamless pedestrian access is vital in path from the north bridge pathway to northbound avoid. Broadway and the south pathway to southbound human-scaled business districts like Downtown De Pere. Negotiating the Roundabout. The multi-lane Broad- Broadway. Other pedestrian movements are much • Downtown o" ers signi# cant features to pedestrians, in- way/Wisconsin roundabout includes de# ned cross- more complex. The south pathway provides a switch- cluding: walks at its approaches. However, pedestrians cross- back loop to the Front Street/Fox River Trail level, con- ing at these points must contend with motorists who tinuing north under the bridge. Other movements re- • A complete sidewalk system in generally good condi- are concentrating on shooting gaps in a continuous quire pedestrians to negotiate the roundabout at sur- tion. tra$ c ! ow and # nding the lane that gets them to their face level. • The new Claude Allouez Bridge, providing generously destination. This uncomfortable condition causes all 40 scaled pedestrian and bicycle paths on both sides. • Crossing Main Avenue. On the West Bank, the most but fairly fearless and very able-bodied pedestrians to intensive two-sided business development occurs on avoid this crossing. • The Fox River Trail along the east bank of the river. the long 300 block. The 4th Street intersection is sig- • Parking and secondary pathways internal to key com- nalized, but the existing crossing at the bridge throat BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION mercial blocks, including the Main to Reid blocks from is uncomfortable for many users for the reasons men- tioned above. In addition, tra$ c ! ow tends to be rela- De Pere has developed a network of bicycle facilities 3rd to 5th Streets on the West Bank (Nicolet Square through the Downtown district that make bicycle trans- and Reid Street Crossing); and the Broadway to Wis- tively continuous with few gaps because of the e$ - portation a viable option. These facilities include: consin blocks between the bridge approach to James ciency of the roundabout at the east approach. As a Street on the East Bank (Mission Square). result, many pedestrians attempt to hurry across Main at midblock between the de# ned crosswalks, creating • The Fox River Trail, paralleling Broadway and pro- However, the combination of a wide river separating two a potentially hazardous situation. viding business access through east-west cross banks of the central district and tra$ c ! ow characteris- connections. Redevelopment of the George Street Access to Main Avenue businesses from parking tics also create signi# cant issues and potential obstacles • Landing and surrounding areas should include bicycle lots. While Main Avenue provides parallel parking, access between the trail and Broadway levels of the to smooth and comfortable pedestrian access. The dis- much of the parking supply serving these businesses tance between the two banks of Downtown De Pere, ap- East Bank. The Fox River Trail continues north to Green is located behind commercial buildings, either in the Bay’s Washington Street district north of the Mason proaching a half-mile between business areas, is a sig- alley between Thilmany and Main Avenue commercial Street Bridge. ni# cant factor that has been addressed as well as possi- businesses on the north side or in the Nicolet Square ble for pedestrians through a thoughtfully designed and and Reid Street Crossing blocks on the south side. Pe- • The Claude Allouez Bridge, providing both wide commodious bridge. However, it does discourage casual destrians use gaps in the building line to create infor- multi-purpose sidepaths on both sides of the travel between the two sides of the district. Other signi# - mal paths between parking areas and Main Avenue bridge and on-road bike lanes. The eastbound bike cant issues include: storefronts. lane provides a good transition to a southbound bike DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

Potential improvements to be considered in enhancing on one-hour headways. Its primary purpose is to con- lane on Broadway and a switchback ramp to the Fox this already very useful system include: nect residential neighborhoods with schools, commer- River Trail. The westbound bike lane continues along cial centers, and some employment concentrations in Main Avenue to Fort Howard Avenue. ○ Safely connecting the southbound Fort Howard De Pere. It interchanges along Broadview between Libal • Main Avenue/Fort Howard/Broadway (Green Bay) Avenue bike route into the Downtown De Pere and Webster with routes serving Downtown Green Bay. bike lanes and route. As mentioned above, the system and the Claude Allouez Bridge lanes and While the route provides useful local services, it does not 41 westbound bike lane of the Claude Allouez Bridge pathways. provide an e! ective shuttle service between the two continues along Main Avenue to Fort Howard Avenue ○ Improved connections between the Fox River banks of the river and other related features. Such a ser- (6th Street). This leads to a west shore bike route, using Trail and the Broadway/Wisconsin core business vice, called “De Bus” was attempted in the past, but did marked bike lanes along Fort Howard Avenue (or for a districts on the East Bank. not experience su" cient use to continue operation. short distance, a designated northbound bike route on ○ Improved eastbound bicycle access along Reid 6th Street) to Broadway in Ashwaubenon and Green Rail Transit. Downtown De Pere is served by a freight- Bay. This route connects Downtown De Pere with the Street. only Union Paci# c (ex Chicago and Northwestern) rail line De Pere Recreation Center, boat launch, Brown County ○ Bicycle connections between St. Norbert College on its western edge. The possibility of expanded passen- Fairgrounds, Ashwaubanay Park, National Railroad Mu- and the rest of the Downtown district. ger service in Wisconsin, speci# cally in the Fox Cities cor- seum, and other attractions; and continues north to ○ Expanded and more convenient bicycle parking. the Main Street bridge in Green Bay, with access into ridor between Milwaukee and Green Bay, could open the prospect of rail passenger service on this line. Downtown Green Bay. The southbound route termi- PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION nates at Main and Fort Howard, leaving the south- bound cyclist with the challenge of negotiating the Bus Transit. Green Bay Metro’s Route 17 currently serves Main to Reid Street divergence without a de# ned Downtown De Pere. This line is a service route that links path. four local service loops together. The route provides • Grant Street Bike Lanes. Grant Street features paint- bi-directional service over the Claude Allouez Bridge, ed bike lanes between the De Pere Community Center with loops on the East Bank that operate along George and 3rd Street. The lane continues north on 3rd Street Street and Broadway and on the West Bank along 3rd and merges into the eastbound path and bike lane on Street and westbound Main Avenue. Route 17 operates the Claude Allouez Bridge. DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

PARKING DOWNTOWN PARKING ISSUES Table 2.2: Overall Parking Supply & Demand The supply, and quality of parking is an important issue Speci" c parking issues for Downtown De Pere include: for Downtown De Pere, as well as comparable districts. East West Total Parking must be available, visible, and convenient with- West Bank On-Street 242 221 463 out dominating the district and compromising its scale • The 300 Block of Main Avenue has a relative balance Off-Street 1789 1484 3273 and pedestrian quality. Map 2.6 illustrates the study ar- between supply and demand. Main Avenue uses gen- Total Supply 2031 1705 3736 ea’s existing parking, and Table 2.2 summarizes the total erate the majority of this demand. On-street parking parking supply for the East and West Banks. The area has along Main is limited and somewhat hard to read be- Demand 2436 1626 4062 about 3,700 stalls and unusually, about 86% of these are cause of the geometry of the bridge exit. As a result, Source: RDG Planning & Design in o! -street facilities. Parking is relatively evenly distrib- a signi" cant amount of parking is provided on the Ni- uted between East and West Banks, a potential issue for colet Square block. the East Bank because of its larger retail base. The ma- Table 2.3: Parking Demand Ratios by Building Use The Nicolet Professional Arts (Humana Dental) block jority of o! -street parking within De Pere is provided by • generates a large demand for parking. The high em- Building Use Demand Per 1,000 Square Feet private owners. ployment density in this building generates a mini- Automotive 3.00 mum demand of 4 stalls for every 1,000 square feet, Parking Demand. Map 2.6 illustrates the parking demand resulting in a de" cit of 81 spaces. This is o! set by a Civic Uses 2.50 by block and identi" es blocks with de" ciencies and sur- remote surface lot adjacent to the railroad south of School 2.50 pluses. Calculations are based on demand generated by College between 4th and 5th Streets. Humana Dental Office 3.00-4.00 42 each 1,000 square feet of use. For example every 1,000 currently directs sta! to use this remote parking. square feet of retail space generates an estimated de- Public Facilities 2.00 Conventional calculations suggest a de" cit of about mand for 3 stalls. Table 2.3 summarizes the parking ratios • Multi-Family 1.50 used for calculating total parking demand by block. 80 stalls on the Nicolet Highlands Senior Apartments block, calculating on-street, o! -street surface lot, and Hospitality 3.00 Based on this methodology, the study area demands underground parking. However, senior housing re- Restaurant/ Entertainment 3.00 quires less parking per unit and " eld inspections do slightly more than 4,000 spaces, with an East Bank de- Retail 3.00 not suggest any over# owing into surrounding blocks. mand for about 2,400 spaces and a West Bank require- Services 2.50 ment for 1,600 spaces. Map 2.7 compiles this informa- • Future development at Joliet Square Apartments Industrial 1.00 tion by block and indicates areas with surpluses and de" - should provide adequate on-site parking to meet cur- cits between supply and demand. rent and projected needs. Source: RDG Planning & Design • Surface parking dominates the streetscape along Reid Street, and these lots provide opportunities for new development. Opening sites for new growth while maintaining required parking supply will require the use of structured parking. DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

Map 2.6 Parking Demand, 2009

43 DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

East Bank sityand demand could relieve parking de! ciencies, De Pere Community Center. An adjacent site, owned particularly for the 300 Block of Reid Street and the by St. Norbert College and used for surface parking, Some parking lots, such as those located along the • area near Broadway and George Street. may also be part of a larger development project. west side of Broadway, do not appear to meet the to- tal demand generated by area business. The lot at the 6. Humana Block. The Humana building is setback old George Street Bridge Landing is rarely at full capac- STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT SITES from the street and surrrounded by surface parking. ity as customers and employees tend to park in more Map 2.7 identi! es key development opportunities, which Improvements for this block should consider devel- convenient locations in the district and then walk from are explored in more detail in Chapter Four: opment opportunities that strengthen Reid Street’s store to store. Nevertheless, appropriate signage and urban feel and address the overall parking de! ciency a parking structure would help relieve some of de! - for the area. ciency. 1. The northeast corner of Main and Fort Howard. This site, across Fort Howard Avenue from a neighbor- 7. The former George Street Bridge Landing at More e" cient design of public parking in the “Mission • hood-scaled commercial group and across Main from the intersection of Broadway and George Street and Square” blocks can add some additional parking in the 555 West Main Condominiums, now has a com- Front Street from George Street to the Claude Allouez strategic demand areas. mercial building adapted to church uses. Topography Bridge. This critical and highly public site is an oppor- of the site and its strategic location suggests an ex- tunity for substantial civic and adjacent private devel- Overall District cellent opportunity for mixed-use development, in- opment, and is a focus for attention on the East Bank. • Concentrations of private and public o" ces in the cluding a signi! cant residential component with river Development of this site should also incorporate the overall plan area creates high parking demands in spe- views. adjacent public parking ramp that takes up the grade ci! c areas, including City Hall, St. Norbert College, and between Front Street and Broadway, and must pro- 2. Marquette Centre Parking Lot. Developing a por- 44 the Nicolet Professional Arts Building. vide adequate parking to accommodate existing and tion of the surface lot with new construction would proposed uses. • Directional information and public access to parking increase density in the urban environment. facilities is frequently unclear. While parking lots are 8. North corner of the Roundabout, at the junction evenly located throughout the district, it is not clear 3. The north side of Main Avenue from 4th to 5th of Wisconsin Street and Broadway. This site, with pre- whether they are available to the general public or are Streets. Land now in relatively low-intensity use mium exposure to motorists traveling to the east side restricted to speci! c users. A parking way! nding sys- should be upgraded, providing greater yield and con- of De Pere, provides a highly visible and strategic de- tem could direct visitors to publicly available spaces sistency with the more intensive commercial charac- velopment opportunity. The site is currently used for and help to utilize existing lots more e" ciently. ter of the south side of the street. parking, and may include assembly with some adja- cent buildings. A project here would complement • Lots located to the rear of businesses and on the pe- 4. Reid Street from 3rd Street to 4th Street. This the Mac Dental proposal and de! ne the roundabout riphery that visitors consider inconvenient become section of Reid Street is dominated by surface park- with high quality private investment. more acceptable if the routes between parking stalls ing serving Main Avenue businesses and the Nicolet and destinations feel pleasant, comfortable, and full of Professional Arts Building. Street-oriented mixed use 9. Wells Park. The open space slopes from Broadway activity. development with adequate parking for existing and to Front Street, providing public parking for the trail new uses would continue the land use precedent es- along Front Street. The land is conveniently located • Additional parking structures in areas of high den- tablished by the Reid Street Crossing project . in the City and presents excellent access to the Fox River, trail and the downtown core. 5. The Joliet Square project located on the south side of the 5th and Grant Streets intersection. Initial site 10. Mac Dental Project. This o" ce project, planned for plans for this site included the development of a three the south side of the Roundabout between Broadway building apartment complex with underground park- and Wisconsin, is designed as a multi-tenant LEED- ing and two retail structures. Completing this devel- certi! ed facility. An o" ce project of substantial scale opment also ! lls a gap between Downtown and the is a highly desirable use at this important site. DOWNTOWN DE PERE TODAY Chapter 2

Map 2.7: Opportunity Sites, 2009 Broadway Wisconsin Street 1 7 8 George Street 45 FortFo MainHoward Avenue 2 3 Reid Street 4 10 Street 9

th 5 6 5 Grant Street

Street Street

th rd

4 3 DE PERE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN | JULY 2010

46