The League of American Bicyclists named Schlitz Park today a Gold level Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB). The national award program recognizes businesses for their efforts to encourage a more welcoming atmosphere for bicycling employees, customers and the community. Schlitz Park becomes the first corporate office property in the country to receive the Gold level distinction.  

Schlitz Park joins a cutting-edge group of more than 1,090 bicycle friendly businesses, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies that are transforming the American workplace. Of Wisconsin’s 50 BFB locations, only six have earned the Gold level designation and only one other company besides Schlitz Park is in a non-bicycling related industry. 

"The business community’s investment in bicycling is playing a central role in making the country a safer, happier, and more sustainable place to live and work," said Amelia Neptune, League Bicycle Friendly Business program manager. "We applaud the latest round of businesses, including Schlitz Park, leading the charge to create a bicycle-friendly America for everyone."

Schlitz Park launched its extensive bike-to/at-work program in 2011 as part of an ongoing expanded array of tenant amenities. Schlitz Park provides parking for nearly 95 bicycles in more than a dozen locations including weather protected areas, facilities for showers and changing, and free monthly tenant bike tune-ups performed by non-profit Dream-Bikes. In 2015, nearly 100 tenant bike tune-ups were performed.

For those who don’t commute to and from work by bike, or don’t have one, Schlitz Park has offered tenants free daily bike rentals since 2012. Nearly 60 tenants rented bikes in 2015, some even daily. Schlitz Park was also one of first Bublr Bike Share Stations to open in 2014, and so far this year, more than 900 Bublr bikes have been checked out.  

Schlitz Park has worked closely with the Wisconsin Bike Fed since 2011 to develop and promote a bicycle-friendly workplace. This past summer, Schlitz Park engaged the Bike Fed to provide free Savvy City Guided Bike Tours that taught tenants how to ride safely in city traffic and the safest routes to ride. With its river front location, Schlitz Park is conveniently located near miles of bicycle trails and city streets with bike lanes.

"A bicycle-friendly workplace is good for our health and good for the environment," said Gary Grunau, Schlitz Park co-developer. "For Schlitz Park, it’s part of our broader goal to attract and retain tenants with a variety of sustainable transportation options and health and wellness amenities important to today’s employees, especially young professionals."  

Schlitz Park also announced today that for the fifth consecutive year the office complex will sponsor and host the Schlitz Park Criterium bike race. The June 21st criterium is part of the Tour of America’s Dairyland, the country’s largest multi-day bike race series.