Merrill - Great Opportunity

10/31/2015

Collin Lueck Roundabouts may or may not be part of the plan for reconstruction of Hwy. 64 between Pine Ridge Avenue and Hwy. 17 in Merrill. Representatives of the Wisconsin Department of Transportati...

06/21/2012

When a development is above a certain size, by Ordinance it becomes a city project. It becomes a city project because the development needs a Conditional Use Permit ("CUP") to proceed. The project contemplated is not therefore a Walmart project. It is not a Park City Credit Union project. It is not an M-GO project. It is a city project.
The city has written guidance, "the rules" (Ordinances), how, and if, to proceed with granting the CUP. In summary the rules DEMAND that the city looks at the big picture, long term planning. That DEMAND requires analysis and input well outside the footprint of the development itself. Understandably, large scale developments affect people, property, and planning well beyond it's boundary.
While there are those trying to distract otherwise, by Ordinance this is a city project.

06/14/2012

Click on "Merrill Foto News" link below, then on that page click the Icon (what you see below) which is in the upper left corner. Scroll to page 13.

"SPEAKING OUT"

06/06/2012

The biggest topic of discussion is not mentioned in this article. Not one resident spoke in favor of the "generic" look of the proposed building design. Every resident that spoke concerning the design is looking for something that "inspires" or generates excitment and community pride.
The analogy is this. The proposed design is like comparing a horse-n-buggy to the Model T. Compared to the old, the proposed seems...nice. But compared to what other communities are getting from Walmart, the proposed is sadly uninspiring.

MERRILL -- Plans for a new Wal-Mart Supercenter are on hold for another few weeks after the Merrill Plan Commission on Monday night demanded more answers on traffic concerns and utilities near the proposed store.

06/02/2012

Please consider attending the Public Hearing Monday, June 4th, 6pm in the Merrill City Hall. Obviously you don't have to speak, however your attendance will show our local government that citizens are very interested in how things are going to develop regarding Walmart super sizing.
There are basically three groups circulating ideas around the topic.
First is the "Walmart haters," the small group that can only see gloom and doom if Wamart supersizes. They don't want this type of development. They don't want Merrill consumers to have additional shopping opportunities. Their mantra is basically to stick with the status quo.
The second group is headed by city officials at the highest levels. While this group favors limited development, their basic mantra is to accept a mediocre, average development with short term vision for Merrill's future. They are willing to settle for Walmart a site plan that blocks any future development south of the Walmart store. In effect blocking future development means they are not interested in building the city's tax base to provide relief to the local property owners. They are not interested in the job growth that occurs with additional development. They don't want consumers to have additional shopping choices. A Walmart Superstore is enough, period. They are also willing to settle for the average Walmart big box looking proto-type store, the same store front you'll eventually find in every city in America that doesn't ask Walmart for a more beautiful design. They are willing to settle for the "seen one, seen them all" concept. Lastly they are willing to settle for a "good enough for now" approach to solving traffic issues relating to the Hwy 64/Pine Ridge Road intersection. Rather than proactively solving future problems now that traffic will create when the city eventually extends Pine Ridge Road south to Big Eddy and north to Hwy G, they are willing to postpone needed future solutions to a point when Merrill tax payers will get stuck with the paying for those costs.
The third group is M-GO! Merrill High School Principal Murray, in addressing the graduating class of 2012, encouraged this wonderful class to not settle for an average life, but to pursue whatever is great. In the spirit of this great wisdom M-GO! encourages their city leaders to pursue greatness, to not settle for average.
M-GO! asks the city to look with a vision into the future for more development, more tax growth, more jobs. This requires proper site design.
M-GO! asks the city to design a Hwy 64/Pine Ridge Road intersection with the vision to fix future traffic problems now that future development along the Pine Ridge extensions will create.
M-GO! wants a building design that inspires passion, excitement, and community pride! We want a design that so excites the emotions that people will want to take pictures of themselves with "their new Walmart" in the background and proudly post them on Facebook for all the world to see with captions like "Look at my Walmart!!!"
Please consider attending the Public Hearing on Monday evening and show your support for the group you feel has the best vision for the future of Merrill. We hope that group is M-GO!

06/02/2012

Please consider sharing this page with your friends who might be interested in the future of Merrill!

05/31/2012

Please read...and then make your voice heard down at City Hall

05/27/2012

Which Walmart do YOU like?

05/24/2012

Tune in to WJMT, AM 730, at 8:45am for a live interview regarding the Great Opportunity Merrrill has revolving around the gateway to our city.

05/18/2012

Our initial area of focus is the Wal-Mart Supercenter development anticipated on the SW corner of the I-39/Hwy 64 interchange, across Hwy 64 from the current location of Wal-Mart. This interchange is the gateway into Merrill from the highway and all points east. We have one chance to “Do It Right!” To accomplish this feat four foundational corners of our platform are established.
1. The Hwy 64 gateway must be grand leading into a Hwy 64/Pine Ridge Road intersection that must be scaled now with a vision 50 years into the future.
2. To protect the Pine Ridge Mall from the fear of “going dark” (largely vacant buildings) when Wal-Mart relocates, a solution should be established stronger than a-hope-and-a-prayer.
3. Wal-Mart’s building façade needs to be dramatic to establish the tone for this great city’s gateway. No standard building design shall be acceptable.
4. If the City wishes to promote tax base growth, job opportunities, and additional consumer choices, all the result future commercial development, Wal-Mart’s building and site design needs to facilitate, not block, that opportunity for future growth.

05/18/2012

Please share this Page with your contacts that are interested in Merrill's future. With 500 "Likes" a drawing of those first 500 will take place, winner to receive $100 Merrill Chamber Bucks that can be spent most anywhere in Merrill! Good luck!