FOND DU LAC, Wis. — Sam Meyer has seen a lot of change in downtown Fond du Lac in the two decades that his State Farm agency has operated there.
What You Need To Know
- Fond du Lac is looking at revitalization plans for North Main Street and its Riverwalk on the west side of downtown
- The city recently held a public session to gather input from the community for the planning
- Plans may take years to bring to reality
“There have probably been tens of millions of dollars invested in downtown Fond du Lac with the Hotel Retlaw and various restaurants,” he said. “This is really turning down here, and this is really starting to be a place where people go. It’s a destination.”
In the past 15 years, there’s been about $130 million of private investment downtown, according to the Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership. Occupancy is a little more than 95%.
The city is in the early stages of formulating plans to build on that momentum.
It recently reached out to the community through a public meeting seeking ideas for what revitalization of the North Main Street and the Riverwalk area could look like.
Meyer said both projects hold the potential to bring more people from the wider community to live, work and visit.
“People attract people. More people downtown will help all the small businesses, the restaurants, the taverns, the hotel and the retail establishments,” he said. “We’re all in this together. A rising tide lifts all boats.”
City Manager Joe Moore said all ideas are on the table for the future. No costs have yet been attached to planning, and it may take years for any development to come to fruition.
“When you look across the Midwest, you see downtowns that have gone in a couple of different directions. Rarely are the same as they used to be,” he said. “They’ve either adapted to the changing times with retail and dining changes, or they haven’t. We want to be a city that’s continuing to adapt to those hanging times so that we attract people to the downtown.”
The North Main Street portion of the planning links Lakeside Park with the city’s downtown district. The area is currently a mix of residential, commercial and some retail businesses.
“The downtown… has done so well over the years, it’s incredibly vibrant,” Moore said. “We have occupancy in our downtown that’s fantastic and we really want to expand on that moving north on Main Street toward Lakeside Park.”
Meyer, who owns both the Sam Meyer Insurance Agency and 18 Hands Ale Haus, said the connection to the park could be an important part of the city’s future.
“If they can tie the downtown to Lakeside Park, I think it will be a synergy situation, where it will help everyone involved,” he said.