JANESVILLE, Wis. -- Janesville city leaders are hoping a new plan will help get some residents back to work -- by building jobs from the ground up.

Economic leaders said rebuilding the economy starts slowly -- with a few jobs here and a few jobs there, WISC-TV reported.

However, over time, those jobs add up.

It's the reason the Rock County community is giving new businesses a place to start, hoping to help grow and revitalize the local economy.

"I decided to try it out on my own and, luckily, I was successful at it," said entrepreneur Terry Ross.

Fifteen years ago, Ross founded his own metal fabrication company, Quality Fab Incorporated.

"I got very fortunate. I contacted a couple customers and they kind of vaulted me into business. I kept growing and growing and finally I outgrew the incubator space," said Ross.

Ross is an example of success -- starting his business in an incubator program.

It's a path city officials hope others will follow.

"Janesville and the Rock County area has a long history of entrepreneurial activity. What we are lacking in the area right now is a facility that is designed to handle the needs for a growing small business," said Janesville Economic Development Director Doug Venable.

Janesville has several vacant industrial sites in the wake of General Motor's shutdown, but officials said they're too big for businesses just getting off the ground.

The city will apply for an economic development administration grant that would cover 75 percent of building a new facility.

"It's just not as efficient to take a large building and subdivide it down into smaller units as it is to design a building from the beginning that is meant to smaller scale tenants," said Venable.

Ross said he has experienced how the business incubator works, and hopes it can do the same for others.

"I think it will be a big one. The city needs it. Wisconsin needs it -- that's for sure. Bring some of those jobs back," said Ross.

City officials are anticipating a $1.5 million project to construct a 25,000-square-foot building.

2008's flooding along the Rock River may cut the city's match to the federal dollars in half to 25 percent , which then could be covered by tax increment financing.

The grant application process is expected to take a few months, according to city officials who hope to possibly break ground on construction next summer.

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