The Image Preference Survey (IPS) is a planning technique that helps us understand how you would like your neighborhood to look and feel in the future. We will show about 75 neighborhood images (some from the Near North Side and some from other places). You will be asked to rate each image based on your preferences for the design of residential and commercial development, public space and parking areas. We will then have a discussion about the desirability of different types of development. Results from the IPS will be used in developing recommendations for the Near North Side Area Plan.

Space is limited, please RSVP to Robert Harris, 414.286.5654.

New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
2433 W. Roosevelt
Milwaukee, WI

More Information:
http://www.mkedcd.org/planning/plans/NearNorth/index.html

The Image Preference Survey (IPS) is a planning technique that helps us understand how you would like your neighborhood to look and feel in the future. We will show about 75 neighborhood images (some from the Near North Side and some from other places). You will be asked to rate each image based on your preferences for the design of residential and commercial development, public space and parking areas. We will then have a discussion about the desirability of different types of development. Results from the IPS will be used in developing recommendations for the Near North Side Area Plan.

Space is limited, please RSVP to Robert Harris, 414.286.5654.

Calvary Baptist Church
2959 N. Teutonia Ave.
Milwaukee, WI

More Information:
http://www.mkedcd.org/planning/plans/NearNorth/index.html

The Image Preference Survey (IPS) is a planning technique that helps us understand how you would like your neighborhood to look and feel in the future. We will show about 75 neighborhood images (some from the Near North Side and some from other places). You will be asked to rate each image based on your preferences for the design of residential and commercial development, public space and parking areas. We will then have a discussion about the desirability of different types of development. Results from the IPS will be used in developing recommendations for the Near North Side Area Plan.

Space is limited, please RSVP to Robert Harris, 414.286.5654.

Atkinson Library
1960 W. Atkinson
Milwaukee, WI

More Information:
http://www.mkedcd.org/planning/plans/NearNorth/index.html

Speaker: Rick Bernstein – Wisconsin Historical Society

SARUP is the acronym for School of Architecture & Urban Planning lecture Series are Free and Open to the Public. All presentations will take place at the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP) from 12:00 – 1:20 pm in Room 345. SARUP is located at 2131 E. Hartford Avenue, Milwaukee, WI.

Spring 2009 Schedule

Speaker: Lee DeBaillie – Energy Center of Wisconsin

SARUP is the acronym for School of Architecture & Urban Planning lecture Series are Free and Open to the Public. All presentations will take place at the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP) from 12:00 – 1:20 pm in Room 345. SARUP is located at 2131 E. Hartford Avenue, Milwaukee, WI.

Spring 2009 Schedule

Speaker: Maria Pandazi, AICP – City of Milwaukee, Department of City Development

SARUP is the acronym for School of Architecture & Urban Planning lecture Series are Free and Open to the Public.  All presentations will take place at the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP) from 12:00 – 1:20 pm in Room 345. SARUP is located at 2131 E. Hartford Avenue, Milwaukee, WI.

Spring 2009 Schedule

With the recent news of the federal approval allowing the City of Milwaukee to move forward on a modern streetcar system we thought it would be good to see what one of these systems might look like. A comparable system to what is being proposed in Milwaukee is Seattle’s 2.6 mile South Lake Union Line which launched in 2007. A key factor that plays a role in the ridership levels of a system is the level of population density. Milwaukee’s population density of 6,214.7/sq mi compares closely with Seattle’s population density of 6,717.0/sq mi, and this level of support has allowed Seattle’s new line to serve more than 500,000 riders in its first year of operation exceeding the initial estimates. Although the Seattle line is slightly shorter than Mayor Barrett’s proposed route it has similar features in that it connects undeveloped areas near downtown to downtown with the goal of spurring economic development. Specifically the Denny Triangle is in an area of Seattle that although more developed than the Park East is in need of economic development and has apparently already seen development occur along the line.

To learn more about what may soon be coming to Milwaukee check out the video below: (If you have trouble viewing this video you can also see it on streetfilms)

Maybe in a few years we could have events like TRAMix. Check out the video below:

We thought some signs of summer would be nice.

Bradford Beach

Bradford Beach

Jazz in the Park

Third Ward Riverwalk

East Side Path

Too often we, as Milwaukeeans, are too quick to assume all the good ideas in Milwaukee are trickling up from Chicago.  That Chicago gets the latest trends, fashions, fast food restaurants (see: Sonic), and other soon-to-be-passing fads before we do.

Of course that’s not always the case, with the Quadracci Pavilion being the best example.  You of course know that building better for the world renown architect that designed it, Santiago Calatrava.

There is something else in downtown Milwaukee that we beat Chicago to, the riverwalk.  Chicago has really only been building out a riverwalk system since just before the turn of the millenium, while Milwaukee has been working on such a system since the 1980s.

Chicago is working to expand their system this year, hoping to complete portions near Michigan Avenue by June.

Things aren’t finished in Milwaukee either, this year we should finally see the construction of the segment connecting the Brewer’s Point Apartments with Lakefront Brewery and Trostel Square and a segment with the new construction of The Edge.  The Aloft Hotel will include an accompanying RiverWalk segment as the building rises. With time, we’ll also see a large expansion of the RiverWalk as The North End “Neighborhood by Design” comes together.

Now let’s just get rid of this cold weather, so we can get back to using the RiverWalk.

Normally people oppose projects because it is in their backyard, I oppose UW-Milwaukee’s expansion in Wauwatosa because it isn’t in my backyard.  I know that’s a strange concept but the list of reasons to build the Engineering School in downtown Milwaukee, my backyard, are numerous.  It’s not just my backyard, but the backyard of 600,000 residents of the City of Milwaukee.  It is these very residents who’s elected officials just this year passed two separate resolutions stating it was the City of Milwaukee’s position that UW-Milwaukee should expand in our backyard.  So if and when the County Supervisors vote to support this land sale to UW-Milwaukee understand that it is a vote against the wishes of the residents of the City of Milwaukee.

Not only does voting for this project fly in the face of the citizens of Milwaukee, but it is also clearly a vote against the environment.  Because with it comes additional congestion, pollution, storm water retention needs, a loss of parkland, and low-density sprawl.  According to the most recent amendment to the proposed contract UW-Milwaukee intends to develop up to 853,271 square feet of the total 88.99 acres.  This is the definition of sprawl.  This style of design is inherently not green as it paves over large areas for parking, and requires the ability drive from place to place.  Following the Park East guidelines this square footage could fit on Blocks 2 and 4 with room to spare.  This would encourage people to commute by mass transit, bicycling or even walking, all of which would be better for our environment.

It will also be a vote against the students and employees of UW-Milwaukee, because it will add cost by requiring a car to access the new campus.  The idea of putting such a great distance between the campuses essentially creates two separate institutions.  This could hurt student retention by decreasing the number of undergraduates that continue on at UW-Milwaukee because it will require a complete life style change.

Despite these issues it appears likely that UW-Milwaukee will soon expand into Wauwatosa’s backyard, I wonder how soon we will realize this mistake as the fire pit so many install and never use.