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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 9/26/07 |
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In
the News Archive - Year:
February 9, 2005 What's all the H.Y.P.E.? Downtown study group prepares for round two By Anna Krejci Through a survey program called Downtown H.Y.P.E., Downtown Green Bay
Inc., Young Professionals Network and the University of Wisconsin-Green
Bay Outreach and Extension hope to influence downtown development based
on what young people want.
"Companies now look for areas where there are young people and then
they (businesses) will come," said Kassie Van Remortel, government affairs
program manager for UWGB Outreach and Education.
More employers to downtown is just one possible outcome of encouraging
young people to congregate in Green Bay.
Participants will submit comments to Downtown H.Y.P.E. (Harnessing Young
Professionals' Energy) on how to make downtown attractive to young people,
participate in brainstorming sessions and rate the area's shopping, food,
cultural events and recreational activities after experiencing them. Organizers
likened the program to an "extended focus group."
"When you think 'downtown' it's not the mall," Van Remortel said.
H.Y.P.E. participants evaluate Broadway on Green Bay's West Side, as
well as the Olde Main Street area.
They comment on fitness, downtown living, culture and redevelopment,
said.
On Wednesday the program will select participants for the next evaluation
period. One group studied downtown in the fall and has already submitted
comments. The new group will evaluate downtown in the winter.
More than 20 people had signed up to participate in the second evaluation
group of Downtown H.Y.P.E. as of last week, Van Remortel said.
A total of 24 will participate in the program. If more people than needed
sign up, they could be selected as participants in the third and last
evaluation group in the summer, she said.
The group will include at least eight students from UWGB, St. Norbert
College in De Pere and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, as well
as eight people who work downtown.
Van Remortel said finding college students to participate is the most
difficult.
When asked if people of color have shown interest in the study she said
race is not a factor in selecting participants, and none of the participants
in the first group were of color. But she added that people of color would
be welcome.
The first group of Downtown H.Y.P.E. participants snapped 400 photographs
of what they liked or disliked about downtown. The pictures have been
incorporated into presentations by Downtown Green Bay Inc. executive director,
Jeff Mirkes.
Mirkes said the photographs and comments of all three groups will be
compiled and presented to the Downtown H.Y.P.E. coordinating organizations,
to Green Bay's mayor and city council and likely to the Green Bay Area
Chamber of Commerce.
Downtown H.Y.P.E. organizers want Green Bay to be attractive to the
area's youth.
"I think that companies are drawn to areas that have a draw for young
professionals," Mirkes said, and added that young people are drawn to
interesting places.
Comments from young people in the first evaluation group said they learned
the following things from being in H.Y.P.E.
— "It seems like there is a decent amount of specialty shops that
have a lot to offer if you are searching for specific items. Some shops
are not focused toward the working class which Green Bay is made up of.
Should they be?"
— "A lot more events/culture going on downtown than I thought.
A lot more housing is available."
— "Business is not the central method by which to reorganize the
outlook for our urban centers. Institutions that serve the communities
in other ways are more central to growth and must rise to the challenge
of altering the overall health of downtown Green Bay's community. Business
concerns are more or less the only consideration of change agents and
power wielders in this project."
— "Riverfront development is appealing and a selling point. It's
not as bad as I thought it was," and "None of the essential needs of residents
can be met downtown."
When asked how their perceptions of downtown had changed, participants
said:
— "Downtown needs more people living in it to draw in commercial
spaces that are currently ailing due to a lack of diversity attracting
various income levels."
— "There are more businesses that are prospering than I originally
thought. Advertising is needed to get the word out about the good things
downtown rather than all the negative press."
Downtown H.Y.P.E. is funded by a Continuing EDvantage economic development
grant from UW-Extension's Division of Outreach and E-Learning. College
students and young professionals interested in participating can sign
up at www.ypnetwork.com by Wednesday to be considered for the upcoming
evaluation group. For more information, call Kassie Van Remortel at the
UWGB Outreach and Extension office at 465-2468.
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