Ixonia Bank Announces Community First® Accelerate Grant Recipient Maures Development Group Secures $25,000 Grant

February 2024: Ixonia Bank is elated to share it has secured a $25,000 Community First Accelerate Grant to Melissa Nicole Allen of Maures Development Group, LLC (MDG).

This grant, facilitated through a collaboration with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago), will mark a significant investment in an underserved and underdeveloped area of Milwaukee.

Dollars from this grant will be utilized for technological upgrades, and act as an investment in rehabbing a storefront business with a visible, front-facing location on Martin Luther King Drive, a Main Street in Milwaukee and adjacent to the Milwaukee’s historical Bronzeville Neighborhood.

“Partnerships are very important to success. I appreciate the support and relationships with both Ixonia Bank and FHLB of Chicago. The shared belief in people and community has created lasting impact and strides toward the vibrancy we all desire.”

MDG is one of the first for-profit, minority, and woman-owned real estate development firms in the State of Wisconsin. It has been serving urban communities for nearly 18 years, with over $100 million of intentional and transformational work invested in Milwaukee to create thriving spaces and places that generate beauty and pride.

Maures Development’s integrated approach to development is mindful of community needs, favorable to the environment, exhibits excellent craftsmanship, and sustainability. In identifying projects, sites are selected based on the ability to create critical mass. Critical mass is a means of stabilizing a community by undertaking multiple projects and/or completing a project where multiple projects are being fulfilled. The developments redefine traditional urban development and create a new model for renewal.

Ixonia Bank, inspired by MDG’s mission, has decided to contribute an additional $2,500 to MDG’s efforts in Bronzeville.

“Melissa has been a strong advocate and catalyst for development in the Bronzeville neighborhood for years. Her investment of time and resources will bring meaningful value to the community while providing an affordable housing option for families,” states Patrick Lubar, Vice President of Commercial Banking at Ixonia Bank. “We are proud to partner with Melissa on this, as well as many other projects that are making Milwaukee a better place to live.”

Ixonia Bank has been a strong champion of local economic development, playing a significant role in the grant application process, which demonstrates its dedication to nurturing a thriving and prosperous community. The bank acknowledges the vital role that businesses, especially minority-owned, play in enhancing and driving economic growth in the region.

While celebrating this milestone, Ixonia Bank continues to be committed to identifying and facilitating further opportunities for financial support and growth for businesses of all sizes throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.

About Maures Development Group – Maures Development Group, LLC is a woman and minority-owned business based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The firm specializes in urban real estate development with the goal of restoring ownership, wealth, health, safety, and pride to urban neighborhoods through holistic development. Maures’s projects include both commercial and residential development, and Maures’ President and Founder, Melissa Allen, strategically selects areas for redevelopment that continue to survive in spite of sluggish economies or ongoing neighborhood challenges. Maures has earned a reputation for identifying innovative urban development opportunities that incorporate industry advances, while emphasizing community. Successful integration of these characteristics has proven to be beneficial in enhancing economic, environmental and community sustainability. To learn more, please visit https://www.melissanicoleallen.com/. 

About Ixonia Bank – For 105 years, Ixonia Bank has been offering a full suite of commercial banking products and an array of financial services including personal checking, savings, loans, and wealth management services. Ixonia Bank was established in 1918 in Ixonia, Wisconsin; since then, the Bank has grown to over $700 million in assets and offers services at seven locations throughout Jefferson, Milwaukee, and Waukesha Counties. More information about Ixonia Bank can be found at www.ixoniabank.com. Member FDIC. Ixonia Bank NMLS#: 423065

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.