Across Wisconsin, other cities Janesvilles size and larger have figured out, in some cases decades ago, that rejuvenating a historic downtown must include planning for a significant number of high-density infill apartments and condos.
Other communities have successfully drawn to their downtowns a critical mass of new residents.
In Janesville, theres great potential to remake upper stories of historic downtown buildings and empty floors of existing commercial buildings as condos and apartments. But that can only go so far.
Janesville also needs to consider more repurposing of underused parking lots and other vacant and blighted sites for high-density infill housing projects, either as stand-alone buildings or as a mix of housing and commercial space.
Janesville does have some large apartment buildings downtown, some built in recent decades and some longer ago.
The potential for good, by adding more, is high.
The city has such a project before it now: multi-family infill housing on E. Wall Street, proposed on the site of what is currently a municipal parking lot. The city would declare the parking lot surplus property and then sell it to developer Bear Development, which would put on the site a 5-story, 67-unit apartment complex, according to plans that were slated a couple of weeks ago to come before the citys Plan Commission.
Bear Development pulled the project from a Plan Commission agenda, saying it wanted to take more time to talk to adjacent business owners and others who had expressed concerns.
Were all for debating the merits of such a proposal.
Is there enough parking? Is five stories too high? How would this affect the ability of adjacent businesses to expand their footprint in the future?
How would traffic and the anticipated related increase in police and emergency calls be managed? What terms could the developer and adjacent business owners agree to, to ensure everyone is happy?
These are all legitimate questions and with a
good city-involved plan, all of the above can be managed. Other cities have done it.
Other cities have also, sometimes, determined that a particular project isnt suited for a particular site. And so after a thorough examination of the pros and cons, the city takes a pass, and considers the next project and the next proposed site, always seeking the best fit.
What we hope this pause of Bear Developments project isnt, is a death knell before the conversation even has a chance to get going.
Poke holes in the details but we urge those involved to keep, for now, an open mind.
Because for downtown Janesville, more high density housing at a wide range of price points, is the needed next step.
As downtown Janesville continues to reawaken, a carefully planned-for influx of new residents will help protect the significant public and private investment made here in recent decades.
An influx of new downtown residents who are present every day, for whom the coffee shops and riverfront and other amenities are a step outside their door, who take ownership in the neighborhood, will help the downtown continue to thrive.
They will be the ones to stoop and pick up the trash they see on the sidewalk. Because this will be their neighborhood.
Theyll learn the names of the homeless people they pass each day, and the ones who will join in the broader conversation about how best to serve downtowns most vulnerable. Because this will be their neighborhood.
Theyll get to know shopkeepers as they pass every morning and again every afternoon on their walk home. Because these will be their neighborhood retailers.
Theyll take the planned riverwalk extension to Traxler Park on Sunday and Wednesday nights to see Rock Aqua Jays shows and walk down to the Janesville Farmers Markets on Saturdays their neighborhood farmers market. Theyll walk over to Main Street to take in the Jolly Jingle parade their neighborhood holiday parade.
If housing downtown is offered along a gamut of price points, the result will also be a mix of youthful and senior, lower and higher-income and ethnically, professionally and ideologically diverse residents, which will only serve to improve the cultural beat of downtown.
If the E. Wall Street project goes forward and is managed well once its in place, those new neighborhood residents will be good for downtown, and good for Janesville overall.
And if this project is ultimately deemed not a good fit, we hope that the city, developers and those with a stake in the downtown will remain open to other projects, and other sites.
We urge those involved to hear this proposal out, and to remain open, for now, to it being the start of a critical conversation about reshaping downtown Janesville into the future.