Expanding  Industrial Opportunities

Winona Area Industrial Growth

Over the past twenty-five years Winona and Goodview have consumed approximately 250 acres for industrial growth.  The industrial base expansion for the area has solely been the result of new entrepreneurial startups and expansion of existing manufacturing within the area communities.  Thousands of jobs have been created from the initiation and/or growth of companies such as Fastenal, Knitcraft, Wenonah Canoe, Behrens Manufacturing, CPI, RTP, Riverside Electronics, Minnesota Drafting and Design, Technigraph, Benchmark Electronics (formerly EMD Associates), Watlow (formerly Wayneco), TRW (formerly Lake Center), Wincraft and the list goes on and on.

Where will the industrial growth of the future come from?  From local entrepreneurs and growth of existing businesses, if we provide essential services and opportunities.  Services and opportunities include many things, most of which we have in abundance – excellent employees with excellent work ethics, strong education systems, banking, power grid, transportation, and so forth.  We currently have one major shortcoming – industrial development space for Winona itself and industrial development plans for the Winona area.

Winona has only a few sites for industrial development, perhaps as little as fifty acres – much less if the recent dredge-fill area continues to be used for commercial expansion, i.e. Menard’s complex.

Winona Area Industrial Development Association

The Winona Area Industrial Development Association was formed fifty-one years ago by a group of civic Winona businessmen to provide an opportunity for a fledgling company to locate in Winona – Lake Center Switch Company.  This group of volunteers banded together in a non-profit association and raised $89,300 ($600,000 in today’s money)  as seed money to support their goals.  The seed money contributions had grown to $450,000 by 2000.  In recent years WAIDA’s vision has expanded to “promote industrial development for the Winona area”(WAIDA currently defines Winona area as Winona County).

The City of Winona in its 1995 Comprehensive Plan highlighted opportunities for city expansion towards I-90 along the highway US 43 connection and the Wilson area.  Politics got in the way however, and little progress was made. In 1995 WAIDA formed a Land Development Committee (LDC), which undertook efforts to become a facilitator of discussion for industrial development opportunities in the Winona Area.  A portion of the effort focused on developing relationships with Wilson Township residents and officials.  In October 2000 WAIDA purchased 210 acres of farmland one mile west of Wilson, on County Road 12, using $300,000 from its treasury and $300,000 of debt with local banks  which was paid off with contributions from Winona Area businesses and individuals. The farm has been christened “WAIDA Acres”.

WAIDA – Today and Tomorrow

The Executive Committee, to illustrate the value of a Corridor Master Plan for the I-90 corridor between US 43 South and US 43 North, has authorized the creation of a development plan for WAIDA Acres and two other properties in the immediate vicinity.  The development plan will prepare possible land use concepts including a layout for roads, waters and sewers, and lots.  Topography and drainage within the entire proposed development area will be necessary.  Much of the information collected about the entire corridor can be used as part of a larger planning effort for a Corridor Master Plan.  The initial development plan is meant to be primarily a tool for discussion with other entities and area landowners.