State of the Broadway event celebrates a bright future for the Broadway District

A full room and large virtual audience took in project updates and vision-casting for what’s next for the Broadway District at On Broadway’s annual, free ‘State of the Broadway’ event held at Gather this week.

On Broadway, Inc. staff and Board President Linda Bova reflected fondly on 2025, the organization’s 30th year.

The team shared that 2025 brought an astounding 725,000 individuals and 2.6 million total trips to the Broadway District, as provided by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
That visitor traffic gleamed an average time spent in the district of 92 minutes and 44% of the traffic having originated from their homes.

Vision casting for the future of the Broadway District, the west side of the Fox River in downtown Green Bay, was done by the organization’s president and CEO, Brian Johnson.

The event included much-anticipated updates on large-scale projects happening in the district including:

• Green Bay Public Market: Highlight what has been shared publicly as a result of the recent Green Bay Redevelopment Authority meeting, including notable dates and the anticipated timeline.

• Leicht Park: Phase one broke ground in late summer 2025, with phase two slated to begin in spring 2026. Phase three will begin upon completion of On Broadway’s capital campaign efforts. Donations for that capital campaign are now being accepted.

• ‘Unlocking Capital’ Grant Program: On Broadway is one of six programs in the nation selected to pilot the program, as announced at a press conference in September 2025. The grant program is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and administered by Main Street America. The objective of the grant is to find ways to deploy local investment into our community rather than seeing out-of-town interests come in and pursue a project just for a rate of return. In-field development is a huge priority for On Broadway. The approach to this grant program, is a 20-year vision plan. On Broadway is working with ISG, a local architecture and engineering firm, to do a massing study in order to identify ripe opportunities for that type of development within the Broadway District. The massing study will clearly articulate size, scale and use of the development.

• Shipyard: Phase two is breaking ground this summer and some programming in the park may begin as soon as this summer.

• Former Badger Sheet Metal site: The previous building has been razed to make way for two separate projects: a fire station and housing development. A recent positive development with this project, was the securing of $5 million in federal funding thanks to Senator Tammy

Baldwin and Congressman Tony Wied. Those funds will help close the funding gap to ensure this project breaks ground this year.

“This annual event is a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when businesses, residents, and community partners work together with a shared vision,” said Johnson. “This past year, as we highlighted 30 years of exciting progress, growth, and development in the district, it was humbling to see how far we’ve come. From infrastructure improvements to tens of millions in private investments and signature events that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors, the momentum is real. We’re proud of the work that’s been done — and even more excited about the opportunities ahead as we build a vibrant, inclusive district that serves as a cornerstone of Green Bay’s economic and cultural vitality.”

Each year, this event affords the opportunity to recognize those that have helped the organization thrive: Volunteer of the Year and the Paul Jadin Impact Award.

The Volunteer of the Year is awarded to a dedicated and exceptional On Broadway volunteer who consistently exceeds expectations and demonstrates unparalleled commitment to the organization.

The Paul Jadin Impact Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates exceptional commitment and drive in effecting meaningful change within the Broadway District.

It honors those who consistently go above and beyond in their contributions.

This year’s Volunteer of the Year was Mai Nu Vang. The Paul Jadin Impact Award went to Ben Cadman and Celeste Parins, co-owners of Voyageurs Bakehouse.