Civil Municipal Magazine - Nov 2023

138 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 over 100 years old, underwent a significant upgrade in 2008. Thus, manufacturers moving in benefit from an upgraded site, ample parking, and shared amenities,” she notes. In essence, businesses experience the charm of historical spaces while enjoying the conveniences of contemporary infrastructure. Cultivating Entrepreneurship: A New Business Movement In a world where the entrepreneurial spirit is more alive than ever, cities must adapt and evolve to nurture this blossoming segment. With just a year under her belt working for South Milwaukee, Ericka Lang, Economic Development Project Manager, speaks of her relationship-building efforts with commercial property owners and business proprietors. These relationships have reaped results. “In the last 6 to 10 months, we’ve seen ten new businesses take root,” she shares, noting a marked decrease in long-standing vacancies. South Milwaukee is also putting its money where its mouth is. Through the Bucyrus Foundation, three grant programs were introduced at the year’s start to support new businesses. These grants range from a $5,000 new business grant to a facade improvement grant and even a store activation grant, focusing on converting unusable spaces into viable retail or commercial environments. “We have three applications in the pipeline,” Lang reveals, emphasizing the program’s promising start. South Milwaukee collaborates with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, tapping into resources to aid new business initiatives and aspiring entrepreneurs. Through such initiatives, the city’s relationship with the Bucyrus Foundation continues to thrive and shape the community. Despite Bucyrus’s acquisition by Caterpillar in 2011, its charitable section remains active, particularly in revitalizing downtown South Milwaukee. Brever recounts a key initiative, the Bucyrus Club & Event Center. Originally part of the manufacturing campus and later an employee club in the 1920s, this building was reimagined