Urban Living 2020

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TIPS FOR URBAN COMMUNIT Y BUILDING: 1. REACH OUT. This is a real “you can’t win if you don’t play” situation. Say hello, and introduce yourself to your hallway neighbors, if not to anyone you see in the building! Make sure to talk to new people and start things off on the right foot.

2. TAKE OWNERSHIP. If you have an idea for how to make your apartment building or neighborhood a better place, take matters into your own hands. Take a page out of Deb Marshall’s book and beautify a nook, or work with building managers to put art on the walls. Put up a bulletin board. Something not working? Be the person who says something.

3. BE REGULARS. Schedule regular meet-ups that are open to anyone. Try getting together in public spaces within walking distance – you’ll be supporting local businesses and strong communities in one fell swoop! Make sure to notify your neighbors in the way that works best for them: Some people are more comfortable with social media invitations, while others will appreciate an email notification or personal outreach.

4. BREAK THE ICE. Have a few games or projects planned out to get the conversation going. Try out games that encourage people to ask each other questions about their lives and work. And prizes never hurt.

5. KEEP TRYING. Even if the first event you try to plan doesn’t work out, don’t give up! Keep in touch with the people who are interested, and keep reaching out until you hit your stride. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

A LOCAL URBAN COMMUNITY

downtown apartment dwel lers form g rou p to get to know thei r neig hbors BY

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or the Phoenix Park Urbanites, there are no officers, no bylaws, no structure, really. And if there was, it just wouldn’t be right, says Deb Marshall, the founding member. This social group of people who live or have lived in the downtown Eau Claire apartments between Phoenix Park and Madison Street meets for brunch and bunco, kubb and coffee, often enough to keep the neighborly love percolating.

Through the group, Deb has engineered the easygoing, natural vibe of a neighborhood where people like each other and they do something about it.

Marshall moved into the first riverside apartment in downtown Eau Claire, right across the street from Phoenix Park, in June 2010, just after her son graduated from high school.

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With her “lawnmower” off at college, Marshall has invested in the character she wanted to live somewhere that was of her neighborhood by decorating low-maintenance and close to shops a public space in the hallway where and services. Almost immediately, she lives. In a once-bare nook on her she recognized that she also wanted floor, she placed a few wicker chairs, community, so she tried to form a a table, and a bookshelf, creating a social group. free library for her fellow residents.

“I just wanted to have fun,” Marshall She maintains the selection, making said. But at the time there was only one sure that the shelf is well-stocked and apartment building on the river, and never overfull. All it took was a vision she couldn’t get up much momentum. It and a quick chat with the building wasn’t until after the next supervisor to make it two Moeding Partners happen. “ For those complexes and then three Marshall also makes a Commonweal buildings concerted effort to reach who are were finished that there out to people as they move i nterested i n into the neighborhood. were enough interested residents to start the She keeps a flier on the plugg i ng i n , Urbanites. building’s bulletin board One of the people with information about the it ’s a chance who hopped on board social group, and always was Scott Rogers, introduces herself to to get to governmental affairs and people she hasn’t seen in workforce director for the the halls before. She wants know other Eau Claire Chamber of people to know that even people.”

Commerce. He moved into if they aren’t interested in 225 RIverfront Terrace throwing themselves into with his wife in 2014 – the community, she is still they were the first tenants to move into happy they are there. the building.

Last fall, the Phoenix Park Urbanites “For those who are interested scheduled a community potluck in the in plugging in, it’s a chance to get to courtyard between the 225 and 231 know other people,” Rogers said of the buildings. Marshall woke up to a drizzly Urbanites. Rogers is an administrator day and doubted that people would still for the group’s Facebook presence, show up to the event. To her surprise, where he and others post notices of more than 30 of her neighbors came, meet-ups, announcements about the dishes in hand, and the commiserating neighborhood, or lookout requests for commenced. Snacking and chatting package deliveries. took place under the cover of umbrellas, The community-building mentality and the guests played games and won of the Urbanites extends beyond door prizes. A happy community comes social media groups and gatherings. together, rain or shine.

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ANDREA PAULSETH

living DOWNTOWN DATA

a g lance at the nu mbers and figu res that defi ne Eau Clai re’s u rban core

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3,477 7.2% 49%

t’s no big secret that downtown Eau Claire has been evolving – mostly for the better – in recent years. Redevelopment has brought new dining,

POPUL ATION OF DOWNTOWN E AU CL AIRE (2018 ESTIMATE ).

entertainment, and recreation options, and these changes have gone

hand in hand with an increase in the downtown population. People have always lived downtown, of course, but the past decade’s growth has increased housing

POPUL ATION GROW TH DOWNTOWN SINCE THE 2010 CENSUS.

ESTIMATED SHARE OF DOWNTOWN POPUL ATION THAT IS 24 AND YOUNGER.

518 11,000+ 21%

options with the construction and renovation of numerous apartments, particularly in the Phoenix Park area. In the near future, we may even see condomini-

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN E AU CL AIRE.

ums in the mix. Here’s a rundown of enlightening downtown stats:

NUMBER OF WORKERS EMPLOYED BY THOSE BUSINESSES.

ESTIMATED SHARE OF CIT Y’S WORKFORCE THAT WORKS DOWNTOWN. SO U RCE : DOW NTOW N E AU CLA IRE INC.

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living BUILDING THE GUILD ANDREA PAULSETH

apartment complex will offer bird’s-eye river view BY

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f you’ve only ever glanced at it across the YMCA parking lot or viewed it from the other side of the Chippewa River, you probably never noticed that the large brick building at 816 Porter Ave. in downtown Eau Claire resembles a bird in flight – but it does. Viewed from above, it’s easy to envision mighty wings outstretched to the north and south and a beak pointed straight across the river toward Owen Park.

The structure’s avian aspect wasn’t overlooked by the team working to renovate the former Syverson Lutheran Home into an upscale apartment complex dubbed The Guild. In fact, the shape inspired the complex’s name: One definition of “guild” is a group of species – such as forest-dwelling birds – that use the same ecological resources. It also inspired the names of the apartments’ floor plans, which range from the Hummingbird (a 454-square-foot studio) to the Eagle (a 2,590-square-foot, fourthfloor penthouse). Those names were brainstormed by property manager Lisa Latterell and Julia Johnson, a partner in Pablo Group, the development and real estate firm behind the project.

The Guild features 49 units of various sizes, including three penthouses on the fourth floor, which was added as part of the year-long remodeling project. Construction is ongoing, but the units are expected to be ready to lease by June 1, Latterell said.

While hard hats and boots were necessary during a recent tour of the The Guild, it was clear that the rental units are beginning to take shape, complete with granite countertops, hardwood floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows that will give residents unrivaled views of the river, the city, and its many bridges.

From the fourth floor, for example, the panorama encompasses five bridges and a swath of the riverfront from the Pablo

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Center at the Confluence to the UW-Eau Claire campus.

“At night you can see the bridges and the lights,” Latterell said. “There’s something that draws people to the water – it’s peaceful.”

Many units will include private patios, allowing tenants to enjoy the river views, and some will have fireplaces as well. The first floor will feature a fitness center, a yoga room, a game room, and two enclosed parking garages.

As The Guild’s amenities, panoramic views, and location – smack-dab between the Third Ward and downtown – would suggest, the apartments will be priced above market rate. However, Latterell said, “I’m not getting any pushback on the rent.” While apartments are often seen as stepping stones on the way to homeownership, Latterell said people who are considering living in The Guild view these apartments differently. “They don’t feel like this is a rental,” she said, adding that amenities and services – from dog walking to car detailing – may eventually be offered.

Among the more than 50 people who have expressed interest in The Guild are snowbirds who intend to sell their homes in the Chippewa Valley but want to maintain a residence here; Third Ward homeowners looking to downsize but stay close to their old neighborhood; young professionals looking to settle into downtown; and even medical facilities hoping to rent units to house employees or new hires who are relocating to the area.

Wherever they come from, Latterell hopes residents find a true home at The Guild. “We plan to build a community within the property,” she said.

For now, until the application process is opened in the near future, potential tenants can fill out a form for more information and view floor plans online at theguildec.com.

VIE W FROM THE GUILD’S FOURTH FLOOR

SUBMITTED IMAGE

ARTIST ’S RENDERING OF THE GUILD

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The Renter toolbox a few tools wi l l make rental l ife much easier Toolbox: Duh. But a nice one with a handle is incredibly useful, because if you don’t know where your tools are, they aren’t helpful.

Set of screwdrivers: A good mixed set includes flat and Phillips head screwdrivers, maybe even a magnetic head.

Reversible drill with a bit set: Infinitely useful for fixing up furniture, tightening bolts, and getting to all those other projects you’ve been putting off.

Needle-nose pliers: If you can find a pair with a wire cutting blade, grab ’em.

Safety glasses: Don’t start a project without these.

Hammer: Look for one that’s heavy with a fiberglass shaft and a rip claw.

Utility knife: Look for replaceable blades and keep some on hand.

16-foot tape measure: Get one that locks and take it with you furniture shopping.

Duct tape: For quick repairs and emergencies.

Is This Pl ace Cool? consu lt this handy checkl ist before you sig n Turn on all light switches to see if they do, indeed, produce light.

Check each power outlet (use a small appliance like a hairdryer).

Turn on the sink and bathtub faucets (check for leaks or plugged drains).

Flush toilet, check for leaks.

Look for smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

Check ceiling and walls for cracks and water stains.

Check the locking mechanisms on doors and on all the windows.

How well sealed are the windows? (Will you pay a ton for heat/air?)

Inspect furnace and/or air conditioner. Are they well-maintained?

Check hot water: Is it the proper temperature?

Check for exit lights.

Is the exterior of the building well-lit and well-maintained?

Renters insurance here’s everythi ng you need to know • Policies usually start around $100 a year.

Not a month. Not a quarter. A YEAR!

place, you might have to be gone, too. In either case, it covers hotel/motel costs for those circumstances.

• It covers your personal property in circumstances like theft, fires, natural disasters, and more. Obviously there are exceptions and exclusions, but, in general, your stuff is covered when the crap hits the fan.

• If someone visits and they get injured, your policy may cover medical payments and liability in case they want to sue you. (Again, with limitations.)

• Policies cover “replacement equivalents.”

Meaning, if you have a big ol’ tube TV and it goes, you get the equivalent of what’s new – so you’re gettin’ a flatscreen, baby.

• It is basically a homeowners policy for renters. And homeowners policies often come with longevity discounts (so the longer you’re with a firm, the cheaper it gets).

In some cases the years you have renter’s insurance can count toward longevity discounts if you become a homeowner and stay with that firm.

• If your apartment has a fire, not only does it cover your “stuff,” but also where you will live for the immediate future. And even if your place doesn’t burn and it’s a neighbor’s URBAN LI VI N G

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