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February 4, 2009 |
Since being purchased by Tom Gialamas of Madison a little more than two years ago, the Satter Building property in Prairie du Chien has remained unchanged. There are plans for the property, however, and Gialamas said that he would like to get started as soon as possible.
Gialamas said that the plans are for two separate office buildings with a combined area of 60,000 square feet. The project would be done in phases and the completed project would cost approximately $8 million.
"We are looking to build quality office space," said Gialamas. "It would be a nice development for the city and would enhance revenue for the city."
Gialamas said that he has been looking for a tenant or tenants to occupy the buildings before construction can begin. He said that he has been talking to various potential tenants, but there has been no commitment yet.
"I’m not a firm believer in ‘build it and they will come,’" he said. "I need them to come first before I build it." Unfortunately, potential tenants may have become reluctant to expand their companies given the current economic situation and market, he said.
Tenants for 10,000 square feet of office space would be needed in order to get the project moving, said Gialamas, who noted that the plans can be changed depending upon a tenant’s needs. Once the project got started, it would take approximately nine months to complete, he said.
"Hopefully, we’ll draw new businesses to the city," said Gialamas. "This will be a class A facility that has high potential to lure companies."
The plans call for demolition of the Satter Building, but Gialamas said that there is the possibility of using part of the building as a facade.
"It really is a beautiful, old building," he said. "You can’t find brickwork like that anymore." He said that a facade would require some manipulation, but that it could be done.
The Satter Building has endured some deterioration over many years, and Gialamas said that it is not a safe environment due to lead, asbestos and other factors. Therefore, new facilities would need to be constructed.
Gialamas purchased the property for $350,000 from Crawford County on Dec. 29, 2006 with the intention of making it an office park. The county had built a new County Administrative Building in large part because the cost of renovating the Satter Building was prohibitive.
The Satter Building property is zoned residential and the zoning would need to be changed to commercial in order for it to be developed as an office park.
Gialamas said that city and county officials knew of his intentions when he purchased the property and the city has been working with him in regard to its possible development. He is not yet ready to present plans to the city, but said that he is looking forward to when he can.
"The city has been very good to work with," said Gialamas. "This project will be good for everyone."
Gialamas grew up in the business his father started in 1967 and has been in the brokerage and development business full-time for approximately 12 years, during which he has developed more than 1 million square feet throughout Wisconsin.
One of his developments is Blackhawk Junction Mall in Prairie du Chien. There are several businesses located at Blackhawk Junction, but Gialamas is still looking for a grocery store to occupy part of the mall.
"Prairie du Chien needs some of these fundamental things within the city limits," he said.
Gialamas is president of Blackhawk Junction LLC and also of Prairie River Investments, which owns the Satter Building property. He said that potential grocery store operators or potential tenants for the office park on the Satter Building property could contact him at (608) 836-8000.
Gialamas remains hopeful that he will be able to find tenants and that the office park project can move forward in the near future.
"I found this opportunity in Prairie du Chien and thought that there was significant potential," he said. "Prairie du Chien is a nice community, and hopefully, we will be able to help it grow."
Two long-term Prairie du Chien businessmen and Eagles Club members were presented the Danny Ruehlow Award at the 34th annual Eagles Club Heart & Cancer Telethon held Saturday night.
Paul White and Bob Sebastian were given the award by Don and Jeanne Ruehlow of Prairie du Chien in memory of their son. Danny, a popular public figure in Prairie du Chien and an emcee of the telethon, died in December 2000 at the age of 15 due to complications from a second bone marrow transplant. He battled lymphoma and leukemia for almost six years.
In announcing the award presentation, Don Ruehlow talked about White’s and Sebastian’s accomplishments.
"If every organization had a Paul White and a Bob Sebastian they would probably have better organizations," said Ruehlow. "These two individuals have unselfishly dedicated their time and effort to raising and collecting money for the telethon for 34 years."
Ruehlow said White started working with the telethon 34 years ago when he answered telephones as a member of the Jaycee Chapter. He later worked with the late Dick Kaufman and initiated contacts with Prairie du Chien area businesses to donate money to the telethon. That proved highly successful as White has raised more than $100,000 of the approximate $500,000 totally collected during 33 years of the telethon.
"Paul is now mostly retired and spends winters with his wife in Florida, but makes the trek back to Prairie du Chien for two weeks every winter just to raise money for the telethon," said Ruehlow. "Paul contacts businesses one week prior to the telethon, and these businesses know why he’s calling," Ruehlow continued. "The business owners just ask ‘How much do you want?’"
Ruehlow said Sebastian has served as the treasurer for every telethon for 34 years. "He has literally helped collect and record every cent raised by the telethon," he said. Sebastian starts one month prior to each telethon to get all recording materials and background work ready for the telethon. He then works two months after each telethon to collect all pledges.
"The amazing thing about Bob is that he collects more money every year than what was pledged," Ruehlow said. "Many times when Bob calls to collect pledges people forget what they pledged and ask how much. Bob tells them and usually they say ‘I’ll give more than that,’" Ruehlow said. "He’s truly a remarkable treasurer."
Jeanne Ruehlow said, "We are very pleased to have Paul and Bob honored in the name of our son. They are truly dedicated to the efforts of helping others, just as Danny did for so many years."
White and Sebastian were each given medallions on lanyards, and their names were added to the Danny Ruehlow Award plaque that is displayed at the Eagles Club.
Despite the struggling economy, the telethon raised $30,825 for heart and cancer research.
Reaffirming a decision to sign a jurisdictional transfer agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) and authorizing completion of a study of remodeling and renovation needs at Hoffman Hall were among the chief items of business at Tuesday evening’s meeting of the Prairie du Chien Common Council.
Although council had previously approved a jurisdictional transfer agreement with the DOT, Mayor Karl Steiner had vetoed that decision. Council revisited the issue last night, and with only one dissenting vote, re-approved the decision. Sharon Boylen cast the dissenting vote.
The jurisdictional transfer, required by the DOT before the Highway 18 bypass can be constructed, transfers responsibility for those sections of Wisconsin and Iowa Streets between Marquette Road and Main Street from the DOT to the city. This will take effect once the bypass is constructed. Construction is still scheduled to begin in 2010, but will be dependent upon available funds.
In making the motion to override the veto, council member Frank Pintz said, "If we don’t do it, we’re the ones breaking the contract."
Council also authorized completion of an assessment of needs for Hoffman Hall by HSR Architects. HSR was hired several years ago to do the assessment, but the second phase of the work had not been completed, and the city owed them $13,590 for work already completed. City Administrator Jim Gitz and Park and Rec Director Mike Ulrich met with HSR to review the work and solicit recommendations on solar and other ‘green’ building recommendations. The final part of the project, which would include these recommendations, was approved at an additional cost of $2,560. Gitz said this information would be useful in future discussions over solar energy. The bill is to be paid out of money already budgeted for Hoffman Hall improvements.
After Gitz reported that the Tourism Council is working out a funding agreement with the Fort Crawford Museum and the ballpark on St. Feriole Island, council approved a Tourism Council request to place both organizations on the city budget as line items at a $100 funding level. This would assure that, as the city’s financial situation improves in future years, the city could increase funding for them.
The Tourism Council also offered recommendations to both organizations for improving services and attaining additional funds.
Council member Joe Ruskey said he felt all parties should be commended for their work.
In other business council:
•Overrode the mayor’s veto of a decision to authorize bids on a police car to replace one destroyed in an accident several moths ago. The cost of a replacement car is not to exceed the amount collected from the insurance company following the accident.
•Authorized creation of a miscellaneous income account for LaRiviere Park. Money for the account would not come from the city budget but would be generated from grants, donations and other fundraisers. These funds would be used exclusively for La Riviere Park improvements. Gitz said that sometimes people want to give money to the park department, but the city has no way to keep it separate from the general fund. A separate account, he said, would assure the money is used for the intended purpose.
•Approved a Finance Committee recommendation that joint City/County Committee meetings should be resumed to keep informed. Gitz said he had learned that the city, as part of the Joint Law Enforcement Center, would be responsible for a share of the estimated $1.5 million cost to renovate the heating, ventilation and air conditions system in the Courthouse.
•Tabled action on whether the mayor or the city administrator has final authority for day-to-day decision making. Council requested the city attorney provide a written opinion.
•Approved moving the next council meeting to Feb. 24, since primary elections will be held in the building on the regular date, Feb. 17.
February 2, 2009 |
40 years and 40,000 miles on the job
A Prairie du Chien postal employee has recently reached a milestone of service. As of Feb. 1, mail carrier John Forst had been sorting and delivering mail for 40 years.
"He does a really great job," said Post Master Richard McQuillan. "You couldn’t ask to have a better employee. And, his customers love him."
Forst began as a substitute clerk-carrier on Feb. 1, 1969. Thirteen years later, he became a fulltime employee. In 1982, he was the Officer in Charge for six months at the Bloomington Post Office.
"I would work in the morning there and in the afternoon here," said Forst, who noted that he would also fill in for the Bloomington Post Master one full day per week.
Forst has seen four post masters in his 40 years at Prairie du Chien. They were Donald E. Kasparek, Clement R. Wachuta, Ted R. Lee and Richard P. McQuillan.
He has suffered 13 dog bites over the years, one of the worst being a bite on his left knee by a pit bull a couple of summers ago.
"That one got me pretty good," he said. "But, I kept on working."
From 1983 to 1992, Forst walked nine miles per day on his route. From 1992 until now, he has walked a 6-mile route. From 1969 to the present, Forst has walked an estimated 40,000 miles on the job.
He said that there have been a few odd moments during those 40,000 miles. One amusing moment came on a very cold winter day several years ago when the real temperature was about 20 below zero, and there was also a stiff wind.
"I delivered the mail to a business and they asked me if I wanted to come in and have a cup of coffee," said Forst. "I said, ‘sure’ and drank down a good, hot cup. Then when I went back outside, I was so hot I could have just peeled my clothes off." Forst then realized that the coffee had been heavily spiked with something, probably ginger brandy. "That coffee warmed me up so fast, I think I could almost melt the snow. I’ll tell ya," he said with a smile.
Upon his return the next day, Forst was offered another cup of coffee, but this time he politely declined.
Three or four times along his route, Forst has opened a mail box to find a "Happy Birthday" cupcake with a burning candle at its center.
"They were watching for me and when they knew I was coming, they would sneak out and put the cupcake and candle in the mailbox," he said.
"All in all, the people on my route have really been fantastic," said Forst.
Over the years, Forst, who has been working at the post office longer than any other current employee, has developed quite a good memory for names and addresses and also has become quite proficient at sorting mail.
"He can give the girls a hard time and still sort mail," said McQuillan, who noted that roughly 20,000 pieces of mail come through the Prairie du Chien Post Office each day.
"It’s just like learning how to use a typewriter," said Forst. "You take it one day at a time and over the years, it just becomes routine."
Forst said that in years past, carriers sorted much more mail than they do now. He said that 70 percent of the letters are pre-sorted by a machine and arrive at Prairie du Chien in delivery order. The carriers have to sort the remaining 30 percent by hand. They also have to sort magazines, newspapers and other miscellaneous mail.
"The two biggest improvements over the years have been DPS (the pre-sorting system) and the use of scanners," said Forst.
Forst, a lifelong Prairie du Chien resident, said that retirement from the Post Office will come some day, but he is just not sure when.
"I have worked with a lot of great people," he said.
New business, jobs needed
In a telephone interview following Gov. Jim Doyle’s State of the State speech last week, State Sen. Dan Kapanke echoed the Governor’s assessment of the state’s dismal financial situation, and also agreed with Doyle that Wisconsin can rise to the challenge.
Said Kapanke, "We are special in Wisconsin. We roll up our sleeves and do what we need to do. We’ll work out of this together."
The ‘this’ to which Kapanke refers is the loss of nearly 63,000 jobs in the state last year and a $5.4 billion budget deficit.
The stimulus package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week should bring two to three billion dollars to Wisconsin, Kapanke said, and he looks forward to having input on how that is spent.
The Governor is expected to present his budget in about two weeks, and Kapanke would like to see some of that money infused into the private sector in the form of tax incentives to allow businesses to maintain employees and maybe even expand.
Attracting new business to the state, and particularly to this area, Kapanke says, is one of his highest priorities. Wisconsin, he said is ranked 38th or 39th as far as having a good business climate. "We have to change that," he said. "We have to change the way we do business in terms of taxes and rules and regulations."
He feels one solution is to do more marketing to attract business. The state tourism bureau, he said, does an excellent job of marketing the state to tourists. "In the Department of Commerce," he added, "we should have someone marketing Wisconsin to business. I don’t think we’re aggressive enough in doing that." With the present state of the economy, he acknowledges that will be a long-term solution.
Increasing and maintaining the state’s population is another goal. "We have a tax structure that works against both people and businesses wanting to move here," he said. The state relies on property taxes for a disproportionate part of its income, he explained, and added, "we need to look at other sources of revenue."
Kapanke said Wisconsin has an excellent educational system, from kindergarten through higher education, and yet too many young people graduate and leave the state for better jobs elsewhere. At the other end of the age spectrum, he said, many people move out of the state once they retire. This is another issue, he believes, which needs to be addressed long-term.
For the more immediate future, Kapanke plans to have his say on how the state’s share of the stimulus package should be spent. He also has been promoting green technology and green technology jobs. "I will be very aggressive over that," he said.
Kapanke represents La Crosse, Monroe, Vernon and Crawford Counties in the state legislature.
Prairie du Chien Common Council will decide tomorrow night whether or not to override Mayor Karl Steiner’s veto of a decision to sign a jurisdictional transfer agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT).
The DOT has in place a policy that it will not maintain two highways in close proximity which run parallel to each other. In Prairie du Chien’s case, this policy would apply to the proposed Highway 18 (South Main) bypass, tentatively scheduled to begin construction in 2010. The city was asked to take responsibility for either that portion of Marquette Road between LaPointe and Wisconsin, currently part of Highway 35 (the Highway 18 bypass from LaPointe to Main Street, and Wisconsin and Iowa Streets from Main Street to Marquette Road would then also be designated as Highway 35) or assume responsibility for Iowa and Wisconsin, now considered part of Highway 18.
At the Jan. 20 meeting, council voted to keep Marquette Road as Highway 35 and accept transfer of responsibility for Iowa and Wisconsin streets.
On Jan. 26, Mayor Karl Steiner vetoed that decision, commenting, "I feel that the city should not take over responsibility of any roads that are WDOT, leaving the taxpayer paying the price of maintenance of said road. If the DOT wants a South Main program they should be doing it as a benefit to the city, not in detriment."
Contacted at the DOT La Crosse office, Ian Winger, head of the project, said the DOT will not proceed on the bypass construction without a jurisdictional transfer agreement. He said the project is still scheduled for 2010, but is dependent on available funding.
City Administrator Jim Gitz said he was sure the council would look carefully at the issue and that they would weigh the jurisdictional transfer carefully. "We all have been advised by the DOT that some type of jurisdictional transfer is necessary for the South Main bypass to proceed. Potentially millions of dollars in construction funds that would benefit the city hang in the balance." He added that passage of the stimulus package by Congress could provide funding for the project, and if the project is delayed that opportunity might be lost.
John Forst (left) smiles as he is presented with a certificate and a pin by Postmaster Richard McQuillan in honor of Forst’s 40 years of service as an employee of the Prairie du Chien Post Office. "Time flies," said Forst in accepting his awards.
