Leaders on a mission to elevate downtown Green Bay

GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Two downtown Green Bay leaders share a mission. Learn more about their stories and passion for the city as it builds a new downtown.

• The film highlights the history, present and future projects of downtown Green Bay.
• Jeff Mirkes and Brian Johnson have different backgrounds, but they share the same mission: building downtown Green Bay.
• Mirkes is executive director of Downtown Green Bay Inc. and Olde Main Street Inc.
• Johnson is executive director of On Broadway Inc. and chairman of the city council.
• Both companies appreciate the development and future of the region, as evidenced by numerous upcoming projects.

(Below is a transcript of the entire broadcast)

Some say downtown Green Bay remains in the shadow of Lambeau Field and the stadium district, but the two leaders and the teams they lead are finding ways to change that narrative.

“If we want to have a great city, we have to have a great downtown,” said Jeff Mirkes of Downtown Green Bay Inc. and Olde Main St. Inc.

Jeff Mirkes and Brian Johnson’s (On Broadway Inc.) stories begin outside Titletown.

“I was born and raised in Door County, so Green Bay was a big city for me growing up,” Mirkes said.

After graduating from Carrol University in Waukesha, Mirkes moved north again, this time to Green Bay.

“I had been working as a banker for about 15 years and was looking for something different,” Mirkes said.

Brian Johnson was born and raised in Manitowoc. After graduating from high school in Madison, he, too, returned to northeastern Wisconsin.

“I ran a small business for seven years and then got a job with the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce,” Johnson said.

Mirkes is currently executive director of Downtown Green Bay Inc. and Olde Main Street Inc., and Johnson is executive director of On Broadway Inc.

“I always like to find things that give me a chance in my career and things you can do that will make a big difference,” Johnson said.

On Broadway, the downtown district is made up of Downtown Green Bay and Olde Main Street Inc.

The video shows Mirkes showing me a before-and-after shot of downtown Green Bay from the top of the Bellin Building. The shot shows a sea of ​​parking lots.

Mirkes says the construction of City Deck was a huge boost to downtown development and entrepreneurship.

“Since City Deck was built and opened in 2009, the city has invested approximately $250 million,” Mirkes said.

The video shows Mirkes showing old photos of the Meyer Theatre and backstage at the Meyer Theatre.

“I was impressed that the designers and the artists were able to take this very unattractive painting and turn it into a gem associated with the Meyer Theatre,” Mirkes said.

In addition to leading On Broadway, Johnson serves as City Council president, which he says allows him to have an even greater impact on the community.

“It’s really important for us to hear from our business owners, from people who live in our community, from elected leaders, from community leaders who serve in a variety of capacities,” Johnson said.

Mirkes and Johnson, of course, don’t do it alone. Both lead what they call “small but mighty” teams.

On Broadway Inc. is currently working on projects like The Shipyard and Green Bay Public Market, and by 2025, Mirkes and his team plan to build an eight-story luxury apartment building at the corner of Adams St. and Cherry St.

“We had to motivate change,” Mirkes said. “People expect change, people expect progress.”

“We want to make sure we put our best foot forward in our downtown community,” Johnson said. “To make sure that when people leave Green Bay, they can say, ‘Hey, that was a really special place.’”

With the 2025 NFL Draft set to take place in Green Bay, a number of events are planned downtown.

There are many development projects that need to be completed urgently, but both Mirkes and Johnson say they plan to continue raising the profile of the area beyond 2025 in the coming years.