The city’s economic backbone rests on its strategic location along the Fox River and Lake Michigan, where it has cultivated a thriving paper industry for generations.“Food manufacturing is also one of our primary industries,” Buchanan notes, highlighting the city’s diversified industrial base. While maintaining its blue-collar roots, Green Bay has invested heavily in enhancing its natural assets, particularly through an extensive cleanup of the Fox River - transforming what was once a polluted waterway into a prized environmental resource. The city’s appeal extends well beyond its industrial strengths and environmental revival. Economic Development Specialist Rebecca Finco points to a remarkable achievement: “We were ranked the number one Best Place to Live in America according to US World News in 2023.” This recognition stems largely from the city’s exceptional affordability, combined with its impressive array of outdoor recreation options, extensive park systems, and thriving wildlife habitats along the shoreline. TALE OF TWO RIVERFRONTS: DOWNTOWN’S RENAISSANCE Green Bay’s downtown revival centers on the Fox River, which splits the district into two distinct yet complementary areas. “We have an east side downtown on the east side of the water, and then our Broadway district is on the west side,” explains Buchanan.“With the Superfund cleanup of that river, it’s really transformed our downtown making that a destination.” The transformation gained momentum in 2012.“The city invested in our city deck, which is this great public space, really a downtown boardwalk along the Fox,” Buchanan says. “Opening that space up for public access to enjoy the water created a tremendous real estate opportunity.”The impact was immediate, spurring redevelopment of riverfront properties and attracting significant private investment, including the replacement of a struggling downtown mall with Schreiber’s new headquarters. In her role as Economic Development Specialist, Finco brings a unique perspective as both a professional and returning resident. “I have the perspective of somebody who was familiar with the downtown area 3 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 03 GREEN BAY, WI
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