Economic Development
Google Earth
Thinking big
City residents are dreaming up ideas for the Oscar Mayer property, hoping to inspire and assist the property owner in making them happen. more
Eye of the beholder
Does a hotel proposal for the 100 block of State Street revive a neglected block or set a dangerous precedent on height limits? Opinions vary. more
David Michael Miller
Dear landlord
CUNA Mutual offers insurance to protect both landlords and tenants through hard times. more
The grid to nowhere
Between 2005 and 2016, $5.14 billion worth of electric transmission line projects were built or approved in Wisconsin. Opponents say the lines are not needed, are too expensive, and there’s a better way. more
David Michael Miller
Making connections, finding capital
Black-owned businesses are growing, but still lag behind their white counterparts. Several organizations in Madison are trying to help them make connections, get attention and raise money. more
The underdogs
Some stories fly under the radar, accomplishing important work and telling vital stories with little fanfare. Sometimes too little fanfare. more
David Michael Miller
Two ways to fuel Wisconsin's tech scene
Troy Vosseller, Madison’s startup wunderkind, argues two things would unleash entrepreneurs in Wisconsin: getting rid of non-compete clauses and beefing up the UW-Madison’s computer science program. more
David Michael Miller
Start me up
Wisconsin’s recovery from the Great Recession has been hopelessly incomplete. Dane County is flourishing while rural communities and Milwaukee languish. However, there are other ideas for jump starting the economy besides a $3 billion bet on Foxconn. more
David Michael Miller
The Two Wisconsins
Call it “the two Wisconsins.” While Dane County booms and the bigger cities in the Fox River Valley and western Wisconsin prosper, the rest of the state is largely mired in a downturn that is a recession in all but name. more
Thomas DeVillers
Blockbusters
Residents fear a Monopoly model — with developers accumulating several parcels in order to exchange green plastic houses for larger red “hotels” (in this case apartment buildings) — might become a prototype in Madison’s traditional neighborhoods. more
David Michael Miller
Worst deal in state history?
Walker’s wildly liberal giveaway of tax dollars suggests a desperation to wipe away his failed promise to create 250,000 new jobs and the state’s consistently below-average ranking in job creation. more
David Michael Miller
Beyond Foxconn
The iPhone maker’s plant in Wisconsin will reportedly generate 3,000 to 13,000 new jobs with an average salary of $53,000, plus benefits. But the company’s track record is troubling. more
Down by the river
On July 24, Monona approved an agreement with Galway Companies to redevelop the area along the Yahara River, just north of the Beltline. The 20-acre site is triangle bordered by Bridge Road, West Broadway and the river. more
David Michael Miller
Welcome to Monona
Our cover story this week is all about Monona. Staff writer Dylan Brogan talks to Mayor Mary O’Connor about what makes this small city tick. more
David Michael Miller
The cheese ain’t cutting it
What do out-of-staters think of when they are asked what comes to mind when they think of Wisconsin? Cheese. That’s not helping attract well-educated, long-term residents to the workforce. more
OPN Architects
King Street shuffle
Developers seeking to build a boutique hotel on the corner of King and South Webster Streets downtown “take a step back” after their desired site sells to another buyer. more
Opportunity to shine
Green energy could be Wisconsin’s next big industry, providing high-paying jobs. The field is experiencing a job boom that reflects economics, not any sort of liberal agenda. more
Sticker shock
Downtown hotels saw their property values double, even triple this year. Facing higher tax bills, one industry rep says they will cut labor costs. more
Does Madison need another street?
The city purchased land in the High Point-Raymond neighborhood and constructed a multi-purpose path connecting the Jeffy Trail dead-end to the Ice Age Junction Path. Now the city is intent on destroying that public space over neighborhood opposition. more
Janesville: An American Story
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Amy Goldstein spent several years in Janesville, documenting the fallout from GM's departure in 2008. This excerpt from her new book focuses on Mike Vaughn, whose family is one of three followed closely by Goldstein. more
