The City of Jefferson aimed to capitalize on its assets, position, and small-town strengths

CLIENT: City of Jefferson, Wisconsin

NEED: The City of Jefferson’s Economic Recovery Plan was created in response to the mid-2016 closure of the Tyson Foods’ plant, a major Jefferson employer.

DATES: 2016

PROJECT ELEMENTS:

  • North Gateway
  • Community Image and Branding
  • Downtown Riverfront Gateway
  • Potential Business Parks and Medical Park
  • Highway Dept. Site Reuse
  • North Downtown Opportunities
  • Downtown Event Grounds Expansion
  • Downtown Housing and other Residential Opportunities
  • Riverfront (Former Tyson Plant) Reuse
  • Downtown Historic District Opportunities
  • Bike Enhancement and Wayfinding
  • South Main Street Commercial

V&A ROLE + SERVICES: V&A conducted downtown sites, riverfront, and building stock analysis, and synthesized market research and City data. The team analyzed area assets and emerging regional economic opportunities to uncover opportunities and prioritize revitalization projects with strategic implementation recommendations. The work included open community discussion to allow for feedback. A final document was prepared, along with visual Economic Recovery Framework graphic to give a quick one-page summary and general overview of the Economic Recovery Plan.

IMPACT: Multiple redevelopment projects have now been completed or are underway throughout the downtown including riverfront redevelopment and new housing.