City of Altoona, Wisconsin awarded $1.37 Million Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant

Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Mike Golat | City Administrator

Altoona, Wisconsin - Gov. Tony Evers today announced that the City of Altoona will receive a $1.37 million grant through the Neighborhood Investment Fund grant program. The $1.37 M Neighborhood Investment Grant represents an investment into the long-term health and vitality of Altoona. The funded project consists of redeveloping blighted property in Altoona's traditional downtown core to attract new businesses that would otherwise not have opportunity to realize their visions.

Restaurants, bars, small retailers, and nonprofits are among the entities that have been the hardest hit by COVID in Wisconsin. Many businesses have closed or scaled back their hours of operations and many continue to struggle as the pandemic lingers. Exasperating the problem are difficulties in hiring, lack of startup capital and rising construction costs that represent significant barriers to entry for these businesses.

The City of Altoona plans to partner with Containers Up, a Wisconsin based contractor hard-hit by the pandemic, that specializes in creating unique buildings from refurbished shipping containers. When the project is complete, businesses impacted by the pandemic will be provided a chance to make their dreams a reality. Residents and visitors will have the opportunity to visit a development that represents Chippewa Valley's entrepreneurial spirit in a one-of-a-kind public space setting that will be activated all year long.

The City of Altoona is grateful to the State of Wisconsin, Department of Administration and especially Governor Evers for his vision in establishing the Neighborhood Investment Fund Program and providing the City of Altoona with an unprecedented opportunity to change the complexion of Altoona's Downtown.