Greenfire at YMCA MLK Day Celebration

Posted January 15, 2024 by Robert Boelter & filed under News.

Team Greenfire was honored to attend the annual YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee‘s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration Breakfast hosted by Potawatomi Casino | Hotel. It was wonderful to listen to inspirational speakers, community organizers and local leaders as they discussed great efforts in the Milwaukee area that follow in the pursuit of social justice and equality, inspired by the life and legacy of Dr. King.

The morning breakfast was emceed by Judge Derek Mosely & Dina Abercrombie and featured opening songs and prayers, as well as uplifting words and stories from local community organizers. The event also featured words from YMCA student leaders and essay contest winners. The floor was then given to local and State representatives Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Governor Tony Evers and Senator Tammy Baldwin. Closing remarks were made by Potawatomi Casino | Hotel’s CEO & General Manager Dominic Ortiz.

The temperatures outside were below zero, but inside was warmed with stories of compassion, kindness and betterment for the community which coincides with commemorating Dr. King and how he dedicated his life to achieving equality for all.

The Spark | January 2024

Posted December 29, 2023 by Robert Boelter & filed under News.

We were chock full of Holiday Cheer! We attended may Holiday soirees and hosted a few of our own. We received awards and recognitions as well. Here’s to another great year in 2024!

Take a break from your endless scrolling and get caught up here – the January 2024 edition of #TheSpark

#BuildersOfTheFuture

Merge Urbane Burlington Crew Celebrates With A Holiday Potluck

Posted December 20, 2023 by Robert Boelter & filed under News, Commercial, Multi-Family, Office.

Team Greenfire took a moment at the Merge Urbane Burlington 424 construction project to celebrate the Holiday Season with a festive potluck. It certainly warmed the atmosphere as the team contributed an array of treats and dishes. The potluck not only highlighted Team Greenfire’s seamless professional collaboration on the Urbane Burlington 424 project but also underscored the team’s knack for coming together amidst the construction hustle and bustle.

Progress at the 40,000-square-foot apartment and commercial building continues in downtown Burlington, IA. The site is where the former Burlington Police Department was located and developer Merge Urban Development is building 47 market-rate units of studio, one and two-bedroom apartments along with 3,300 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. The site is managed by Randal Navis – Project Manager and the site is overseen by Paul Kaare – Superintendent.

The final renovations will allow residents to live in Downtown Burlington, a walkable neighborhood steps away from the riverfront and in the middle of a lively cultural scene. The Mississippi River views and proximity to scenic parks and recreation make Urbane424 an ideal location to live. The Urbane424 apartment complex in Burlington, IA is a modern living space with in-unit features that include private balconies, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and in-unit washers and dryers.

Read more about the project and amenities on the properties’ official website here or on Merge Urban Development’s website as well.

Team Greenfire Cozies Up During National Hot Cocoa Day

Posted December 13, 2023 by Robert Boelter & filed under News, Office, Uncategorized.

Team Greenfire gathered for a National Hot Cocoa Day celebration, expertly organized by Cheryl Bousquet. Her meticulous planning transformed the Milwaukee office’s kitchen into a winter wonderland! Everyone had the chance to customize their velvety cocoa with a delightful array of toppings and ingredients. Alongside everyone’s cocoa were plenty of festive cookies, desserts and other treats.

Whether you prefer marshmallows, candy canes, a mystery cocoa bomb, or whether you prefer your cocoa milk based, water based, or a little mixture of both; everyone could agree that this was a very tasty way to celebrate the Holiday Season!

Historic Zuelke Apartments Earns Downtown Appleton Award

Posted December 5, 2023 by Robert Boelter & filed under News, Historic, Multi-Family.

Known as Appleton, Wisconsin’s first skyscraper, the Zuelke Apartment Building stands 12 stories and Greenfire completed a full renovation of the building in 2023. The Residence at Zuelke includes 66 luxury apartments, amenities such as a theatre room, a billiards room, golf simulator, pet spa and first floor commercial space. The project included historic restoration of features like the stone initials on the exterior and the pink marble on the interior. Tegethoff Development, the developer of the project, wanted to create a space that would capture the amazing views of downtown Appleton and the Fox River. With its central location and extensive amenities, it’s a desirable place to live and has garnered a lot of attention in Appleton.

The building was recognized by Appleton Downtown, Inc. in December 2023, with the Mike Pfefferle Dreamers and Doers Award. This award is presented to a business, group or individual that has significantly enhanced the physical and/or economic landscape of Downtown Appleton. This award is about vision and the ability to turn vision into reality.

Appleton Downtown, Inc. is a nonprofit community coalition dedicated to an economically strong, safe, attractive and exciting downtown. Their mission is to “Make Downtown Appleton a vibrant and accessible destination for business, learning, living and leisure.”

Holiday Cheer

Posted by Robert Boelter & filed under News, Office, Uncategorized.

Team Greenfire embraced the holiday cheer at our annual Ugly Sweater Contest & White Elephant Gift Exchange! Laughter filled the air as we picked swapped and stole gifts from the collection of White Elephant gifts, and the variety of quirky yet fun sweaters on display added to the festive atmosphere.

A wonderful variety of gifts we’re offered in the gift exchange. Gifts ranged from goofy, practical to downright silly. Everyone had a chance to pick their mystery gift and either keep it or swap n’ steal from someone else!

Special congratulations to Nate Brown, who claimed the victory at the Wausau office, and Rebecca Sadler, our champion in the Milwaukee office! Last year’s winner Brian Kraus was generous enough to bestow Rebecca the honors & trophy as this year’s winner at the Milwaukee office.

The day certainly let our creativity and festive spirit stand out, making the event even more memorable for Team Greenfire.

December 2023 Project Spotlight | Greeneway Infrastructure

Posted November 30, 2023 by Simmi Urbanek & filed under News, Commercial, Multi-Family, Tribal.

While the project spotlight is typically reserved for a project nearing completion with flashy photos, we are taking an alternative route this month to feature the Greeneway Infrastructure project in Kenosha, WI. This project may not be flashy, but it is impressive. The infrastructure project kicked off this month to help lay the groundwork for future development of the 240-acre site just off the freeway in Kenosha. The site is south of the Kenosha airport and is the former Dairyland Greyhound Park and was purchased by the Forest County Potawatomi Community in 2017.

Sagewind Development is the developer of the project, Greenfire is the construction manager and The Reesman Company is the excavation and grading subcontractor. Crews are actively hauling truckloads of dirt and debris to prep the site for sewer, roads and other infrastructure to get the site pad-ready for development. This site will be a mixed-use commercial and multi-family development that will bring jobs, housing and other amenities to Kenosha County. The infrastructure is expected to be completed late 2024.

Local officials spoke at the ground breaking ceremony on November 29, 2023 about how important this project is and how proud they are to work with the Forest County Potawatomi Community on this site. The Chairman of the FCPC, James Crawford, spoke about how the land used to be a Potawatomi village and how the Tribe intends to care for the land with respect and looks forward to providing the area with much needed resources.

Greenfire Donates to Local Non-Profits

Posted by Simmi Urbanek & filed under News.

Throughout the year, Greenfire contributes to several non-profit organizations. This year was no different, and this summer and fall we hosted campaigns for the American Heart Association, United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County, and the Center for Veterans Issues. Each campaign employees are encouraged to give what they can, whether it’s donations of goods or money. This year for the American Heart Association, we participated in the Heart Walk and made a corporate contribution. We hosted our first employee giving campaign for the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County and donated $1,000 to the organization. We collected warm clothing and non-perishable food donations to help the Veterans pantry at the Center for Veterans Issues in addition to making a monetary contribution to the organization that is in the Near West Side neighborhood near our corporate headquarters. At Greenfire, giving back is just part of what we do. Community is one of our core values and we live by it every year as we make positive contributions to the organizations around our communities.

Meier Receives Patriot Award

Posted by Simmi Urbanek & filed under News.

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month and Greenfire is proud to support our veteran team members. This past year, one of our own, Nate Brown, was deployed and during his time abroad, he nominated Jeb Meier, president of Greenfire, for a Patriot Award.

This award is given to an individual supervisor that was nominated by a Reservist or Guardsmen for supporting them and their family during service in the US Military. As noted on the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, “The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leave of absence if needed.”

Nate Brown, Chad Greuel, and Craig Bailey presented Jeb with the award and lapel pin during the annual Greenfire Holiday Party in January. Nate was deployed during the event and was able to connect via video conference. His wife, Jess was able to attend the event and both thanked the company for the ongoing support of their family during this deployment. Nate shared his sentiments during the event by saying, “Jeb, with your leadership I truly feel like I have a place to return to when I get home and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you and the team.”

Nate returned to Greenfire during the summer and is currently an assistant project manager with the team. He presented Jeb with the Patriot Award and a hand-crafted commemorative plaque dedicated to the support he received during his deployment.

Sagewind Development and Greenfire Management Services Break Ground on Potawatomi’s Greeneway Project in Kenosha

Posted November 29, 2023 by Simmi Urbanek & filed under News, Commercial, Multi-Family, Tribal.

The Forest County Potawatomi Community (FCPC), Sagewind Development, Potawatomi Business Development Corporation (PBDC) and Greenfire Management Services celebrated a groundbreaking today on the Greeneway project in Kenosha County, a community-oriented, mixed-use development with integrated design features across 240 acres. Located on the site formerly occupied by the Dairyland Greyhound Park, the development will include multi-family residential, light industrial and commercial space and is planned to maintain and establish natural sites including woodlands, wetlands and prairies.

The FCPC purchased the Greeneway property in 2017 as part of its commitment to invest in and support growth throughout southeastern Wisconsin. The groundbreaking took place following a blessing of the property by Tribal elders and representatives and included local business and political leaders.

“Today marks a significant milestone in our history,” said Forest County Potawatomi Chairman James Crawford. “We are breaking ground on land the Potawatomi called home for hundreds of years, improving our current footprint in southeastern Wisconsin through substantial investment, while also honoring our past. This is the next step in fulfilling our ongoing and long-term commitment to Kenosha.”

Sagewind Development and Greenfire Management Services are both subsidiary companies of PBDC, which was established in 2002 and works to diversify the Tribe’s business interests beyond gaming.

Sagewind and Greenfire’s work on the Greeneway begins with developing new public infrastructure to deliver pad ready sites for development of commercial and multi-family residential uses.

“This is a very exciting project for Sagewind Development,” said Andy Wiegman, Sagewind’s general manager. “The Greeneway site has tremendous highway access and is ideally located adjacent to I-94 along the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor. We see incredible potential here and look forward to collaborating with local leaders to continue to develop the sites within the project and bring its many amenities to Kenosha.”

Including the Greeneway property, FCPC have invested nearly $30 million to acquire and develop properties in their treaty homelands in Kenosha County. Earlier this year, the Tribe purchased 23 acres of land for future development on I-94 in Kenosha. In October, FCPC announced the acquisition of five parcels of vacant commercial real estate in the Lakeview Corporate Park in Pleasant Prairie for future development. The five parcels total 128 acres.