Downtown Janesville has long held untapped potential—not just for businesses, but for housing.

From historic buildings with underutilized upper floors to growing interest in walkable, urban living, the opportunity is clear. But one persistent challenge that has stood in the way is the cost of bringing older buildings up to modern safety standards.

With the April 21 announcement from the City of Janesville, that barrier is starting to come down.

The City has introduced a new Downtown Fire Suppression Grant Program, making $250,000 in funding available to help property owners install fire suppression systems—an essential step in converting upper floors into usable residential or commercial space. Grants of up to $50,000 per project will help make these improvements more attainable.

Why This Matters for Housing in Janesville

Creating new housing doesn’t always mean building new structures. In a community like Janesville, it often means reimagining and reinvesting in the buildings we already have.

Downtown, that opportunity is especially significant.

Upper floors across the district have the potential to become:

• Apartments for young professionals
• Housing options for empty nesters looking to downsize
• Workforce housing that supports local employers

But without fire suppression systems, many of these spaces simply cannot be occupied.

This new grant program directly addresses that challenge by helping close financial gaps and making redevelopment projects more feasible. The result is not just more housing units, but a more vibrant downtown where people live, work and spend time.

READ THE FULL CITY OF JANESVILLE PRESS RELEASE

Housing and economic vitality go hand-in-hand. More residents downtown means more activity, stronger support for local businesses, and a more connected community overall.

Building on a Strong Foundation of Downtown Investment

This new program adds to a growing toolbox of resources designed to support downtown redevelopment.

Existing incentives include:

• Downtown Revolving Loan Fund support
• Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
• Historic preservation tax credits
• Business Improvement District (BID) programs

Together, these tools reflect a clear and consistent commitment from the City to invest in downtown Janesville—not just as a destination, but as a neighborhood.

Forward Janesville’s Role in Supporting Housing and Downtown Growth

At Forward Janesville, we believe that a strong community starts with a diverse range of housing options. Data from our recent Business Retention and Expansion Survey shows that housing is one of the top three challenges for businesses looking to expand, grow or move to Janesville.

That’s why housing is one of our top strategic priorities, and why efforts like this matter.

Our work in downtown development, including initiatives like ARISE and ARISENow, has focused on bringing partners together, supporting redevelopment, and helping remove barriers to progress. This new grant program is a natural extension of that collaborative approach.

By aligning public investment with private development, we can help create the kinds of spaces our community needs—whether that’s new housing, new businesses, or both.

What This Means for Property Owners and Developers

For those considering investing in downtown Janesville, this program creates new possibilities.

Projects that may not have penciled out before—particularly those involving upper-floor residential units—may now be within reach.

This includes:

• Mixed-use developments
• Upper-floor apartment conversions
• Rehabilitation of historic properties

Importantly, this grant can be combined with other available incentives, allowing developers and property owners to build more complete and financially viable projects.

Continuing the Conversation at CivicCon

Efforts like this highlight a bigger conversation happening in Janesville and communities across the country: How do we create more attainable, sustainable housing options?

That conversation will take center stage at our May 7 CivicCon event: The Affordable City.

REGISTER FOR OUR FREE, OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLIC CIVICCON EVENT HERE

CivicCon brings community members, business leaders and local stakeholders together to explore solutions to complex challenges like housing—examining how policy, investment and community priorities intersect.

Programs like the Downtown Fire Suppression Grant are one piece of the puzzle. Events like CivicCon help us look at the bigger picture and continue moving forward together.

Moving Janesville Forward

Downtown Janesville’s momentum continues to build through strong partnerships, thoughtful investment, and a shared vision for the future.

This latest announcement is more than a funding opportunity—it’s a step toward unlocking new housing, supporting redevelopment, and strengthening our community as a whole.

Forward Janesville remains committed to supporting our members and partners as they navigate these opportunities and bring new projects to life.