Incourage

The City of Wisconsin Rapids and Incourage will work together, along with other funders, on a Market Square Project in downtown Wisconsin Rapids.

To secure the land needed for the Market Square Project, Incourage will revert ownership of its Tribune Building parking lot back to the City. The City will then combine the parking lot parcel with additional property made available by straightening 3rd Avenue South.

The Market Square Project is a collaborative effort between Incourage, City of Wisconsin Rapids, Mead Witter Foundation, Legacy Foundation and Wood County Health Department. Plans include four main elements:

• The straightening of 3rd Avenue between Johnson and Goggins Streets to increase parking and improve traffic flow
• A parking lot with an increased number of spaces downtown
• Green space in the Tribune Building’s Community Commons area, as designed by residents
• A permanent location for the local Farmers Market

In 2015, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) awarded a $472,000 grant to the City and Incourage to help fund the renovation of the Tribune Project.  Some WEDC grant funds will be used to straighten of 3rd Avenue South. Once the land is in place, the City will complete the Market Square Project using funding from the remaining WEDC Grant, Incourage, Legacy Foundation, and Mead Witter Foundation.

“This reversion allows us to use funding through Incourage’s 2015 WEDC grant for the Tribune Building Project to retain resources for community benefit,” said Kristopher Gasch, Incourage board chair. “The reversion doesn’t compromise the Tribune Building project and results in cost saving to the entire project.