On Broadway hears of mixed visions for its district Some say it's too upscale; others that it is succeeding By Ray Barrington News-Chronicle Ten years ago, Broadway was at a dead end. Now, it's at a crossroads. It was in 1995 that On Broadway Inc. - the state's first urban Main Street Program - was formed. The results that followed have been spectacular, as one of Green Bay's ugliest areas was transformed into a mix of historic rehabilitation and new construction. But with that success has come a variety of new problems, and the state's Main Street officers heard them in a two-day listening session that was summed up Tuesday night. They heard from businesses who wonder about future plans for OBI - which is seeking more funding - and from residents who say they feel the rehabbed streetscape and upscale businesses aren't helping them much. Todd Barman of the state program summed it up as three visions for the district: a "boutique destination," with upscale stores drawing a regional shopping crowd; a historic neighborhood with stores tending to community needs; and a mix of both, keeping the upscale stores while adding neighborhood requirements. "It's been done in other places, but it's harder," Barman said. The state officials heard from residents that they felt disconnected from the businesses and that they felt the stores may be too upscale for a neighborhood that is run down in some places, aging in others, with some new construction making inroads. Business owners wondered about speculation in the area, with developers going for high-end rents that could chase away the lower-profit but necessary businesses the neighbors want. Others said their high-end stores were successful and felt they would be forced to take on neighbors they didn't necessarily want. OBI drew mixed notices from those interviewed, being cited for its work in developing the area and creating events to draw visitors, but also suffering from its success as the urgency of the original redevelopment wore off. Success has brought other problems; a perception of a lack of parking, with suggestions being made for better signage. But Barman said Broadway had to look at building on what it had started. "The sky is now the limit on what On Broadway can be," he said. "That wasn't the case when you started." The group is in the process of a market analysis that will help determine its future moves, from what businesses to try to recruit to what kinds of promotion it needs to do. After that, the state program will come in for an assessment of OBI. But not everyone agreed that marketing should be a primary focus. Ald. Guy Zima, who represents the area on the City Council, said the city should look at redeveloping the areas outside the immediate Broadway business district. "This is still a fragile neighborhood," he said. "We should have a 10-year plan, each year doing one more block. Then you'll have a large enough district to support business here." The Main Street program is a state program originally designed to help business districts in small towns market themselves to draw and retain businesses. It now encompasses rural and urban areas.