FOND DU LAC – Several Fond du Lac businesses and organizations are gearing up for a 2023 full of experiences.

Last year, Fond du Lac leaders leaned into an ever-growing focus on making Fond du Lac an inviting place to both visit and live, resulting in local entrepreneurs and national brands alike finding the area a viable place to put down business roots.

As for 2023, residents and guests alike should watch out for more engagement from Envision Greater Fond du Lac, more businesses and events in downtown Fond du Lac and new developments — including the construction of two new hospitals.

Envision Greater Fond du Lac works on workforce building, retention

Envision Greater Fond du Lac used 2022 to strengthen the identity of the Fond du Lac area and address the ongoing labor shortage it and other communities are experiencing.

Its Fond du Lac County Worker Relocation Incentive Program, which provides businesses with the ability to offer prospective hires an incentive of up to $15,000 at a 50% reimbursement for the employer, brought in 15 new employees from not only elsewhere in Wisconsin, but also Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. These employees contributed to $1.2 million in payroll.

For workforce retention, the Concierge Luncheon program welcomed 25 newcomers with information on resources on the area and its amenities, as well as networking platforms and philanthropic engagement opportunities.

Envision also launched the Fond du Lac County ROCK — retention, opportunity, community and knowledge — program, engaging students from three county high schools in career exploration, job shadows and countywide company tours for those whose post-school goals do not include higher education or the military.

This year, Envision will continue to lead and introduce programming and events aimed to address the labor shortage, including housing and child care, and engage with the county’s youth and future workforce.

Envision Greater Fond du Lac President and CEO Sadie Vander Velde said Envision is poised to positively and progressively lead the county by seeking and providing economic opportunities for anyone interested in any of the area’s thriving communities.

“Through collaboration, courage and steadfast optimism, we will be a partner to our members and investors to ensure Fond du Lac County remains a great place to live, play and work,” she said.

Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership welcomes 32 new businesses

Downtown Fond du Lac added 32 new businesses to the streets last year, as well as a new Winter Market, which will continue through February. Of the 62 businesses in the city awarded the statewide Main Street Bounceback Grant last year, 42 were downtown businesses.

The new businesses range between shops, salons, restaurants and business offices, including Craft City Bottleshop & Taproom, 103 S. Main St.; Hang 10 Poke, 74 S. Main St., Suite 104; Opal Studios, 104 S. Main St.; Fast Taco, 101 N. Main St.; Fondy Axe Company, 25A N. Main St.; and Lighthouse Wine Bar & Bistro, 213 S. Main St.

These and the rest of the 2022 new businesses are eligible for the Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership New Business Award, for which nominations are open until Jan. 25 on downtownfdl.com. Another award from the partnership is the Legacy Award for businesses that have been open downtown for 50 or more years. This year, 20 businesses are eligible for the Legacy Award.

Last year, The Cellar District won the New Business Award, while Joe's Fox Hut won the Legacy Award.

These are the other newly-opened businesses eligible for the New Business Award:

• Aesthete Nails, 82 N. Main St.

• Anahata Therapeutic Massage, 82 1/2 N. Main St., Suite 109

• Armon Empire Professional Services, 21 N. Portland St., Suite 2C

• Beauty Republic, 1 N. Main St.

• Benson & Houle, 20 N. Main St.

• Blue Culture Tees, 82 S. Macy St.

• Caldera A/C & Heating, 231 S. Main St.

• Carpe Diem Massage, 131 S. Main St., Suite M08

• Edward Jones: Matt & Maggie Moses, 201 S. Marr St.

• Greenspace Coworking, 21 N. Portland St., Suite 2A

• H&H Hobby, 79 S. Main St.

• Hair Habitat, 82 N. Main St.

• Nails by Kyra Mae, 82 1/2 N. Main St., Suite 111

• Neva Newhouse Massage Therapy, 21 N. Portland St., Suite 2C

• New Directions Chiropractic, 21 N. Portland St., Suite 2D

• OG Beauty, 82 1/2 N. Main St., Suite 106

• P.S. Beauty Lounge, 59 N. Main St.

• Precedent Architecture, 195 N. Main St.

• Rae of Light Dance Studio, 21 N. Portland St., Suite 2B

• Rise and Thrive, 21 N. Portland St., Suite 2D

• Sound Mind Mental Health Services, 131 S. Main St., Suite M09

• SRae.esthetics, 82 1/2 N. Main St., Suite 108

• The Twisted Warrior, 15 N. Main St., Suite 1

• Total Body Massage, 82 1/2 N. Main St.

• The Main Street Depot, 8 N. Main St.

• Vendetta Comics, 191 N. Main St.

For this year, Downtown Fond du Lac introduced three new grant programs. The Creative Sign Grant incentivizes business owners to be creative in sign projects to add to the character of the downtown sector, while the Downtown Fond du Lac Experience Generator Grant aims to attract businesses that contribute to the liveliness and experience of downtown and bring in visitors and tourists.

The businesses can include restaurants, retail shops or experience-based businesses, such as indoor archery, museums, ceramic art studios or cooking schools.

The third grant is the Downtown Fond du Lac New Business Grant, which is similar to the Main Street Bounceback Grant program that ended Dec. 31 in that it offers $2,500 in startup costs for new businesses.

There will be new events this year, including spring and summer Beer & Seltzer Walks, a Soup Walk on Jan. 21 and a Sweet Stroll on Feb. 11. All of last year's events will also return.

The partnership is also recruiting new restaurants to open in the upcoming Food Hall at 1 S. Main St., which is anticipated to open in 2024.

More:Mirrorball brings home decor in a vintage vibe to downtown Fond du Lac | Streetwise

Meijer is still coming, but has a long ways to go

Ever since it was first announced Meijer was eyeing Fond du Lac for a new location in 2019, much has changed on Johnson Street, from the demolition of the Forest Mall to new business openings to construction enhancing Johnson Street's safety at the mall intersections.

However, Frank Guglielmi, senior director of communications for Meijer, said while the company still owns the property, construction will not start yet this year. The projected constructed date is not available.

Watch the construction progress for two new hospitals this year

Construction has been underway for the 70,000-square-foot expansion of Aurora Health Center, 210 Wisconsin American Drive, which aims to accept patients in 2024 as Aurora Medical Center Fond du Lac in partnership with Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh.

The facility will include an emergency department and provide outpatient services, as well as surgical procedures that require overnight stays, such as hip or knee replacements. Sub-specialty procedures, including labor and delivery, cardiac catherization and stroke interventional procedures, will still be directed to the more advanced Oshkosh location.

On the west side of the city, Froedtert Health plans to start construction this spring on a micro-hospital on the former Younkers property, 755 W. Johnson St., which was announced in October.

When completed, it will offer outpatient care, an emergency department, inpatient beds, a pharmacy and operating rooms as well as primary care and specialty offices.

The project is part of a joint venture with ThedaCare, which will build a similar facility in Oshkosh. Both are expected to accept patients in 2024.

SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital, which will remain Fond du Lac's biggest healthcare provider, is also having work done, expanding the Dale Michels Heart & Vascular Care center, 420 E. Division St.

Additions will include a Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab, three new preparation and recovery rooms, a new private consultation room, renovated reception area, expanded employee spaces, a semi-private family waiting area and other aesthetic improvements.

The Michels family donated $3 million of the $8.5 million cost — their second donation to the center honoring the late Dale Michels, then-owner and president of Michels Pipeline Construction, Inc.

Contact Daphne Lemke at dlemke@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @daphlemke.

This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac's 2023 includes construction on 3 hospitals but not Meijer