De Pere looks to community to learn about priorities for developing west downtown

Natalie Eilbert, Green Bay Press-Gazette
·3 min read
De Pere residents add dots to signal likes and dislikes to proposed plans for the development of a unified downtown.
De Pere residents add dots to signal likes and dislikes to proposed plans for the development of a unified downtown.

DE PERE - As the old Shopko lot in east De Pere languishes, some envision a retail and office space peppered with residential units, a community green space, or a riverfront eatery.

The impetus to take advantage of the old lot can be traced back to 2018, when the city came up with a cultural district master plan, which looked for opportunities to use space wisely in east De Pere in anticipation of the Mulva Cultural Center, set to open next year.

All the while, the west downtown area, with its traffic congestion daily outside West De Pere High, lack of pedestrian and biking pathways and its cars and trucks idling in narrow roundabouts, received little in the way of redevelopment efforts.

But the city is looking to change that. In fact, it was part of the thinking behind an interactive event on Thursday that centered on west De Pere's most ideal future downtown scene.

"Our whole goal, regardless of the process, is to have one downtown," said Dan Lindstrom, development services director for the city of De Pere.

A series of boards explain the new master plan for downtown west De Pere, which was last renovated in 2010.
A series of boards explain the new master plan for downtown west De Pere, which was last renovated in 2010.

The event, which took place at The Green Room at 365 Main Ave., wasn't taken up by speakers from the city promoting downtown redevelopment. Instead, attendees marked where they would like to see changes in downtown west De Pere on numerous signs.

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The signs included aspects of the city that administrators, with the help of consulting firm SmithGroup, believed needed to be kept, modified or done away with.

"The whole purpose of this project is to increase the viability of downtown," Lindstrom said. "Increasing businesses, increasing residences and increasing your opportunities for enjoyment."

The signs also listed the biggest opportunities in downtown redevelopment, incorporating sites on both sides of the Fox River.

There is the empty lot where the area Shopko once stood on the east side. There's the paper mill that, while a historic landmark, has land available for development. There are ample opportunities to build riverfront eateries along the river and broaden the bike and pedestrian paths.

And then there's the eventual benefit of having a second bridge in De Pere. Funding for the bridge was approved last year by the state joint finance committee meeting. The additional bridge would decongest much of the area's heaviest traffic gridlocks but such a structure is likely still a decade away.

The city illustrates where challenges in the downtown area exist, including traffic issues, school congestion and undeveloped lots.
The city illustrates where challenges in the downtown area exist, including traffic issues, school congestion and undeveloped lots.

Some of the recommendations that still require priority, according to event attendees, revolve around alley improvements — things like defining pedestrian paths along the north side, rear-facing parking areas and lighted paths between buildings — and the riverfront trail.

Six potential development opportunities were on offer at Thursday's downtown De Pere event.
Six potential development opportunities were on offer at Thursday's downtown De Pere event.

Many noted the Mulva Cultural Center, in the process of being built, will be a boon to the community as well.

"As we try to get more people to be more democratic, more active, find a great identity with their own community, that's what this whole process is," Lindstrom said. "We want to bring more people in on a constant basis."

More is planned in the months ahead. Lindstrom said that the steering committee met on Monday evening and its vision for west downtown aligned with Thursday's attendees' comments. Each side of De Pere's downtown should have different amenities, in an effort to represent one downtown. Arts and culture, each group agreed, should be a highlight on both sides of the river.

"It's reassuring to know that we're on the right path moving forward," Lindstrom said. "We're happy that we're actively reflecting with the public vision right now."

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Natalie Eilbert is a government watchdog reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com or view her Twitter profile at @natalie_eilbert.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: City to redevelop downtown west De Pere, seeks community input