September/October 2024 Issue

Also in this issue: What’s All This About Chevron?     |     Public Dedications: When Municipal Property Rights Are Less Than Total     |     Welcome Aiyanah Simms

City of Eau Claire’s New Children’s Museum Shows How Public-Private Partnerships Bring About Innovation

Jamie Radabaugh | 10.16.24

In a bid to replace its original location, the Eau Claire Children’s Museum kicked off a fundraising campaign in 2019 with the slogan of Bolder. Better. Bigger. Five years of hard work and community support for the campaign culminated in the opening of a one-of-a-kind, award-winning facility located in the heart of revitalized downtown Eau Claire. The effort is a great example of how public-private partnerships can lead to innovation.

A longtime supporter of the Museum, the City helped to develop the project in several key ways. The museum is in one of the City’s tax increment finance districts. Because of this, the City was able to provide funding to support infrastructure needs for the museum. Additional support came from the City’s Redevelopment Authority’s (RDA) via its Phoenix Park redevelopment project. The RDA sold a premium site to the museum on a pad ready basis at a very gracious price.

The Museum also was the beneficiary of a generous investment from Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) through its Community Development Investment Grant. This program supports community development and redevelopment efforts, primarily in downtown areas based on the ability of applicants to demonstrate the economic impact of the proposed project and, including public and private partnership development, financial need, and use of sustainable downtown development practices. The Museum has proven to a strong community partner over many years, so it was a great fit for the grant profile.

Indeed, the museum benefited from a strong network of supporters who raised substantial private donations. The museum also worked with a variety of partners to raise additional funds in several different ways, including the sale of its former building; value engineering and financial support through its partnership with the general contractor; Xcel Energy’s Focus On Energy grant program; the Eau Claire Community Fund and various corporate funds; and utilization of New Market Tax Credit financing.

The Museum also sought and received an Energy Innovation Grant through the Public Service Commission (PSC). These PSC grants are awarded to organizations, including local governments, with projects that reduce energy consumption, increase the use of renewable energy and transportation technologies, bolster preparedness and resiliency in the energy system and create comprehensive energy plans. The museum’s carbon neutral building design made it an ideal candidate for the grant.

Specifically, the new facility is a 24,000 square foot two-story building, supported by a unique support structure of whole tree columns. It also features 16 geothermal wells, 308 solar panels, a specialized lighting system, high efficiency plumbing fixtures, large glass window walls intended to maximize natural light and heat, and no dedicated parking thanks to the museum’s proximity to the City’s parking ramp.

These features have garnered the attention of publications throughout the US and globally. In addition, the museum is the winner of the AIA Wisconsin’s 2024 Special Recognition Award and two awards from the National Council of Structural Engineers Association with one for Outstanding Structure Award for New Buildings < $30M and 2023 Structure of the Year Award.

The Eau Claire Children’s Museum is a one-of-a-kind treasure benefitting the entire Chippewa Valley region. Since the museum reopened last year it has hosted 160,000 visitors, from 47 states and six countries. Its success is a testament to the hard work and generous support of its many sponsors and public and private stakeholders. Although capital fundraising will be an ongoing effort, the museum’s strong foundation means it will be a big part of the Eau Claire community for generations to come.