SWOT ANALYSIS

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SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
A part of Iron County Strategic Planning in 2003
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Strengths

• County owned land with hardwooods
• Great two school systems
• Great highway and forestry building
• Newly remodeled Courthouse
• Beautiful senior housing
• Positive People

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Strengths

• Industrial Park
• Cary Road Park
• Bordered by Lake Superior
• Many inland lakes and rivers
• Abundant snow for winter activities
• Year round recreation

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Strengths

• Harbor on Lake Superior
• Strong religious community
• Four seasons
• The people
• Safe
• Cooperation between communities

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Strengths

• County agencies cooperate
• Close to three hospitals
• Nearby airport
• Three class A highways
• Libraries
• Tourism destination

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Strengths

• Rich heritage
• Active chambers, civic groups to sponsor events
• High volume natural gas supply
• Availability of retail space

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Weaknesses

• Short supply of housing
• No shopping
• Small town causes us to loose some business
• Lack of meeting facilities
• Lack of recreational parking
• Dependence on weather

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Weaknesses

• Regional high taxes
• Undesirable businesses
• Low wage scale
• Shabby appearance
• Perception that focus is on Hurley
• Lack of new youthful leadership in business
  community (entrepreneurial spirit)

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Weaknesses

• Business sector lacks diversity
• Lack of infrastructure to support high tech
• Railroads business has diminished
• Location is challenge to bring industry
• Seasonal tourism
• Lack of peak time lodging

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Opportunities

• Market and develop year round tourism
• Develop Entrepreneurial programs
• Development of Saxon Harbor
• Market ATV trials
• Improve local attitude on what tourism means for
  economy
• Develop and market silent sports

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Opportunities

• Opportunity for secondary wood product industries
• Develop downtown for retail
• Market south shore of Lake Superior
• Expansion of airport
• Become more aware of trends in marketplace
• Technology Zone program

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Threats

• High state taxes
• Lack of financing from state and federal funding
• Existing businesses thwart development of new
  businesses
• Changing weather patterns, snowfall
• Competition from Michigan on economic incentives
  for business
• Lack of access to capital resources

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Threats

• Change in recreational trends over long term
• Mandates with no funding

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City of Hurley
Proposed projects for a Department of Commerce
Pilot Program
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Improve the Downtown Business Climate

• Streetscape Renovations on Silver Street
• Install historic street lights
• Improve sidewalks
• Place benches along the street
• Incorporate landscaping

To improve the visual aspect of downtown and
encourage pedestrian traffic. This can be
accomplished by coordinating with planned
reconstruction of Silver Street.
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First Impressions of Hurley

• A visit by Crandon residents last summer gave
  Hurley an idea what visitors see when they first
  come into Hurley
• General appearance of buildings-Most good, some
  in need of cosmetic and cheep cleaning up
• The variety of shopping-Basic were there, but not
  on main street.
• Public amenities-no pay phones, drinking
  fountains or benches
• Public infrastructure-streets need upgrading,
  sidewalks are in dire need of repair, parking was
  limited on main street and very rough on back
  streets.
• Landscaping-none

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Improve the Downtown Business Climate

• Encourage Storefront Improvements
• Get technical assistance on design
• Incorporate a historic theme
• Establish a funding source through loans, grants
  or a combination.

This will further improve the visual aspect of
the downtown by encouraging more pedestrian
traffic and enticing new business development
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Cosmetic Improvements
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General Appearances
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Improve the Downtown Business Climate

• Link Silver Street activity to Historical Museum
• Continue streetscape design with sidewalks,
  street lights, benches and landscaping along
  third avenue to the Museum.

This will visually make the Museum standout and
incorporate another asset for downtown and
increase traffic for all businesses.
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Historical Museum
Streetscape connection to the museum
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Improve the Downtown Business Climate

• Develop a downtown park
• Establish a public area with a band shell,
  information kiosk and restrooms

This would further encourage pedestrian traffic
and entice new business development
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Improve the Downtown Business Climate

• Evaluate Business Needs
• Survey business owners and identify needs for
  marketing and promotion.
• Provide technical assistance on marketing for
  Silver Street

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Improve the Downtown Business Climate
Provide a loan program to rennovate second floor
apartments. This will keep activity in the
downtown area and provide an added customer base
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Improve the Downtown Business Climate
Reinvigorate the Hurley Downtown Development
Authority to provide input and oversee
developments.
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Improve Sewer and Water System

• Improve sanitary and storm sewer collection
  system
• Make improvements as outlined in the study
  completed by MSA Professional Services in January
  2005.
• A 6.2 million project to upgrade an old
  dilapidated system.
• Incorporate downtown sewer improvements with
  streetscape improvements.

This would put Hurley in compliance with a
regional wastewater authority and help entice new
business development.
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Improve Sewer and Water System

• Develop a water well in Hurley and make
  distribution system improvements.
• Make improvements according to the study
  completed by MSA Professional Services in
  February 2005.
• A 2.5 million project to develop Hurleys own
  well and make system improvements.

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Improve Sewer and Water System

• Reconstruct city streets.
• Incorporate street reconstruction with planned
  water and sewer improvements

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Extend County Road D

• Extend County Road D to Highway 77.
• This has been a community development effort for
  many years.
• This would open up over 200 acres for a mixed use
  development of light industrial, commercial and
  residential.
• This would take heavy truck and bus traffic off
  of Silver Street improving safety and traffic
  flow
• Enhance pedestrian traffic in a newly designed
  streetscape for Silver Street.

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County D Extension
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Expand Industrial Park

• Build an industrial spec building.
• Construct a building that would house smaller
  spaces for new and expanding businesses.
• Studies from northern Wisconsin show new job
  growth is coming from new and expanding
  businesses from the local area.

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Hurley Industrial Park
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Develop Recreational Opportunities

• Construct walking/biking trails.
• Develop non motorized trails around the Hurley
  School, to Cary Park, along the riverfront and
  connect them to the downtown area

Construct better parking areas for snowmobile and
ATV traffic in the downtown area.
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Evaluation and Documentation of Outcomes

• Baseline data through surveys and demographic
  information.
• Develop an evaluation and measurement tool
• Annual evaluation report
• Final evaluation report

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Project Management

• Create a Steering Committee. This committee would
  be made up of key stakeholders who would advise
  the City Council, work with the Department of
  Commerce and administer the program.
• Identify a single contact person who would manage
  the day to day operation of the project

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Whats Missing
These were projects that have been discussed for
Hurley in the past. Are there others?
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Prioritize
Many of these projects fit together. But where
do we start and where do we end?