Judith Ann Moriarty
Summer Scenes

Do It Yourself

By - Aug 17th, 2011 04:00 am

It’s Sunday, August 14, and for some a day of rest, preferably outside under a buttermilk sky. On floor two in Wisconsin Avenue’s historic and elegant 1916 Plankinton Building, ThirdCoast Digest staffers and assorted helpers are stripping striped wallpaper, patching, painting, and planning for their move scheduled to be sooner rather than later. Let’s say by the end of August.

Formerly occupied by Ravi Leather, much of the interior shelving will be recycled and/or given to those who will use it.

Mark Wenzel, a Lutheran pastor just returned from the Iowa Ragbrai bicycle event, is up on a tall ladder doing his DIY thing.

Jon Anne Willow – TCD’s fearless leader!

Jon Anne Willow, the online publication’s fuel behind the move, shows me the space, and it’s easy to envision how it will shape up when filled with staffers working at their computers. Their efforts signal signs of life where once there was none.

The view from up here is glorious. Plenty of sunlight streaming through the rotunda skylight to the south, or if you prefer, you can peer over the brass railing and see what the folks from the Milwaukee Public Theatre are up to. Inside of TCD’s about-to-be newly leased space, staff and visitors can gaze out through expanses of glass, and those passing by will also be able to see that changes are blowing in the wind behind the glass where TCD produces their daily.

Home, Sweet Home … almost.

There are signs of life on this floor and what could be luckier than having Dalys Pen Shop as a next-door neighbor? After all, words aren’t writ only via computer. The die-hards among us still use pens now and then. The rent is said to be quite reasonable, the reason being the Plankinton people are creating pockets of space for the creative among us. I have my eye on a 342 ft. space — perfect for a “writers’ camp.” In fact, I think it should be called “Writers’ Camp.” The more the merrier.

This is what really defines “growth” in our economy. Entrepreneurs who create jobs are every bit as valuable as corporations.

Categories: Life & Leisure

0 thoughts on “Summer Scenes: Do It Yourself”

  1. Anonymous says:

    great story Judith. i believe this will set a trend for others looking to make a move to investigate this location as an option. the rates are unbeatable at this time and other benefits of being in the heart of Downtown Milwaukee abound. hope to see more organizations as our neighbors soon 🙂

  2. Anonymous says:

    Welcome to the neighborhood…

  3. Anonymous says:

    Congrats on the new location! So very happy for you.

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us