Rhinelander Downtown Streetscape and Economic Development Planning

Vierbicher worked with the City of Rhinelander and Downtown Rhinelander Inc. (DRI) to complete a market study and develop a comprehensive streetscape plan for the City’s three main downtown corridors– Brown Street, Davenport Street, and Stevens Street. The goal of the project was twofold: to improve downtown Rhinelander’s economic position as the “Gateway to the North” while taking advantage of planned utility upgrades in much of the downtown.

The planning process included significant public outreach, as well as frequent coordination with a design committee, a steering committee and City engineering, planning and forestry staff. In this way both public and private, civic and business issues had a place at the table.

The outcome of the planning process is an economic development plan that will help Rhinelander take advantage of the many tourists in the region, a flexible new Brown Street configuration that can adapt to changing transportation needs, and a long-term improvement plan to guide future development of public open spaces, pedestrian connections, and redevelopment of underutilized sites.