In 2013, MSA was asked to assist the City of Tomah with the creation of a new Comprehensive Plan for the community. The planning process identified a strong community desire to revitalize Downtown Tomah. In 2015, MSA helped the City create a new Tax Increment Finance District downtown to enable funding for public and private investments. The City then retained MSA to assist with the development of a detailed master plan for the area, including more stakeholder engagement to generate ideas and enthusiasm for action.

The Tomah Downtown Master Plan includes parking and retail market analyses; a vision statement and strategies to achieve a mix of commercial, residential and public uses in a pedestrian-friendly environment; a guide to honoring and preserving the unique historic look and feel of the downtown; streetscaping design recommendations (streetlights, benches, terrace improvements, crosswalks); wayfinding signage recommendations; conceptual redevelopment site plans and renderings to show what is possible; detailed site and building design standards and an Action Plan that assigns responsibility and preferred timing.

The Tomah Downtown Master Plan was adopted in April of 2017. As a companion, MSA also developed an interactive ArcGIS Online Story Map to summarize the content of the master plan, downtown design standards, project financing opportunities, past and current development projects, downtown amenities and zoning designations. It has become a useful tool for residents and City officials alike — to understand the value and impact the master plan has on community projects and development decision-making.

The City of Tomah Downtown Master Plan was awarded the 2019 Vernon Deines Honor Award for Outstanding Plan for a Small Jurisdiction, as recognized by the American Planning Association (APA) Small Town and Rural Planning (STaR) Division.