Visit the Historic Third Ward on June 19 when over 40 merchants will sell antiques, art, clothing, jewelry, collectibles, fresh produce and more! Enjoy jazz by local musicians; a fashion show and a fun kids’ corner! Great food and fun!

Location:
Commission Row in the Historic Third Ward
300 N Broadway (between St. Paul and Buffalo)
Milwaukee, WI

For more info:
http://www.historicthirdward.org/events/sizzlinsaturdays.php

All matters concerning county parks and parkways are the responsibility of this Committee. Members set policy for the parks department, organized recreation, cultural activities, the University Extension program, the Environmental Services Division of the Department of Public Works and Zoo park services. Members have jurisdiction over matters concerning the conservation of all uses of energy and make recommendations relating to conservation of air, water, energy and all other resources.

Meets at 9:00 A.M. on the 2nd Tuesday before the County Board Meeting

Agenda

The Milwaukee County Transit System unveiled one of the 90 buses set to join their fleet in 2010. The new buses will replace buses operating daily that are over 16 years old. Riders will welcome a more comfortable ride, with a relocated air conditioner, new stop buttons to signal the driver of your intended departure at the front of the bus, modern interior (no more quasi-wood paneling look), and LED lighting. The new fare boxes are not yet installed. All 90 buses (with 35 more in 2011) should be operating by late fall.

While it’s certainly exciting as a bus rider to have new buses in the fleet, it’s important to remember that this does not mean MCTS is standing on solid ground. Stimulus funding made this one-time shot in the arm possible. In the absence of a dedicated funding source, large cuts are coming to MCTS in the next year. To learn more about that visit the Coalition for Advancing Transit website.

Press Release

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced today that the first of the new fleet of 90 new Clean Diesel Nero Zero Emission vehicles has arrived. County officials will view this greener bus at the Milwaukee County Court House, 909 N 10th St at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 14.

The total cost of the 90 buses is $32,995,506 in which $16,396,889 are funds received from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. An additional 35 buses will arrive in 2011 and will be purchased through Milwaukee County.

More

Included below is a photo gallery of shots of the new bus.

Milwaukee’s first bicycle plan came out in 1993. Since that time the city has realized most of the plan’s major recommendations and has added over 115 miles of bicycle lanes and routes to the city. The new plan lays out a Vision for Milwaukee 2020. That would include adding over 170 miles of new on-street bike infrastructure and almost 7 miles of new paved trails.

Of note, within these new lane miles the addition of Bike Boulevards is a design feature that Milwaukee hasn’t utilized in the past.  Bike Boulevards makes residential streets safer for residents and bicyclist alike by slowly automobile traffic with traffic calming measures while allowing bicycle traffic to move quickly through the neighborhood.  In addition to new Bike Boulevards the city will also experiment with Raised Bike Lanes.  Raised Bike Lanes create an element of safety and separation by elevating the riding surface slightly from the automobile lane.  For more information here is a video of Bike Boulevard’s:

Bike Sharing

The plan is broken out into two areas of recommendations.  Facility Recommendations, which focuses on the physical infrastructure, and Program Recommendations which focuses on encouragement and safety efforts.  Some highlights from the Facility Recommendations include the previously mention Bike Boulevards and Raised Bike Lanes as well the testing of bicycle boxes, providing ample bicycle parking throughout Milwaukee, and even the creation of officially designated places for mountain biking and BMX riding.  Within Program Recommendations the suggestion of piloting a bike-sharing system stands out as does working towards better enforcement of existing traffic laws for both motorists and bicyclists.

The plan still needs to be approved by the Common Council and signed by the Mayor.  To learn more about the plan there is a a public information meeting Wednesday July 14 from 4pm-7pm, with a presentation at 5pm, in the first floor conference room of the Zeidler Municipal Bldg., at 841 N Broadway.  Additionally, Dave Schlabowske, City of Milwaukee Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, is running a great series of articles on the Bicycle Plan on his blog Over the Bars in Milwaukee.

This will be a casual event to discuss the future of high-speed rail in the Midwest. Bring your own lunch.
The event is free, but please consider a $5.00 donation at the door.

Please let us know that you are coming.

Click here to RSVP.

Where:

Milwaukee Public Market
400 N. Water Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202

In a blink of an eye the United States has turned its attention to the carbon footprint – the measure of our individual and collective impact on the environment. From electricity to heating to transportation we now have a number on how much carbon dioxide we produce. Should there not be parallel growth in something comparable for water, perhaps an effort called a Blue Footprint.

The Milwaukee Water Council’s Water Summit IV will be devoted to understanding and exploring the impact of the Blue Footprint on you as a business leader, research, environmentalist, elected official, student and as a person.

Where:

Harbor Lights Room at O’Donnell Park

For more information and to register click here.

The Milwaukee County Committee on Economic & Community Development oversees the administration of federal, state and local housing programs in the county, including the Urban Community Development Block Grant Program. Matters pertaining to economic development of Milwaukee County, including the best disposition of county properties, are decided by this Committee. It also makes decisions on the Research Park and the Airport Business Park.

Meets at 9:00 A.M. on the 2nd Monday before the County Board Meeting in room 203-R of the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

Agenda

Working Together - Photo By Todd Montgomery

Imagine bringing together a group of talented architects and designers with Milwaukee homeowners from “middle-market” neighborhoods to explore how the look of their basic homes can be transformed through quality design. That’s the idea behind the Milwaukee Makeover Project.

This unique effort aims to improve modest Milwaukee homes by connecting homeowners to the design community. These homes – many built in the 1950s and 1960s – provide solid housing, but often lack visual appeal. By encouraging strong design and high-quality standard setting improvements, the Milwaukee Makeover Project hopes to add beauty and stimulate greater reinvestment from adjacent homeowners.

The Makeover Project is organized by the Milwaukee Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative (MHNI), a partnership effort to strengthen Milwaukee’s middle-market neighborhoods. Currently the Initiative is operating in nine Milwaukee neighborhoods: Sherman Park, Thurston Woods, Layton Boulevard, Enderis Park, Martin Drive, Havenwoods, Johnson’s Park, Lincoln Village, and Capitol Heights. Key partners in the Initiative are the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the City of Milwaukee Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC). The Makeover Project has also been promoted by the Milwaukee Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Designs - Photo By Todd Montgomery

So here’s what happened….twelve architects and designers worked with nine homeowners on Saturday June 26th – first visiting their homes, and then participating in a design charrette at the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Each family worked with an architect to come up with an exterior makeover that would add substantial curb appeal and value to their home. The designs were all exciting – often small-scale, but nonetheless significant transformations.

But this was not simply an exercise in design. Staff from the HNI neighborhoods will work with the homeowners to implement their projects. NIDC is also helping advance the implementation by providing rebates based on homeowner’s income. And the HNI is also working with lenders to develop a pool of low interest loans to support this project. More charrettes will be planned for late summer and early fall.

If you are an architect and reading this blog and you would like to participate, please contact Dru Chapman at this email address: MKEover@gmail.com.

Designs - Photo By Todd Montgomery

Guest Post By: Michael Schubert

Michael Schubert is currently a consultant to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. He has over thirty five years of experience in community development, working for the last 18 years as a consultant to municipal governments, nonprofits, and foundations. He also served as the Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Housing during the first term of Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Green Drinks is a monthly event where you can meet people, network, do a business deal, learn something new or maybe even find a job! Check out green drinks to get an idea of the scope of this movement!

Join like-minded people in an informal and unstructured setting to talk about the latest sustainability happenings in Milwaukee and globally. Meet people in various green professions. Have a drink (alcoholic or not), order food (or not), but enjoy lively conversations and good ideas.

Anyone interested in green and sustainability is welcome. No RSVP is necessary and feel free to pass this notice on to others who might be interested.

Location:

Club Charlies (located between Milwaukee St. and Broadway St. – across from MIAD in the third ward).
320 E. Menomonee
Milwaukee, WI 53202.

The back area of the bar will be reserved for Milwaukee Green Drinks and there is lots of street parking out front.

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