BreakWater Fiasco

My thoughtful criticism is that I don’t care for it and would not live there. But others are free to do as they please, some people like to eat at Denny’s and Applebee’s, I prefer something more unique for my food and architecture.

As far as the publications, I think both sides could use some restraint and professionalism. People can agree to disagree in civil manner. Let’s face it; none of these buildings are a Mies van der Rohe or a Robert Stern. Both Modernism and traditional design are pleasant when done well, even better when done in juxtaposition.

Obesity & Urbanism

I don’t think we are diminishing the importance of these other factors that lead to obesity, because they are numerous and important. But the scientific method really is to hold all other variables constant and vary one to see how it affects the equation. That is look at it with a totally analytical mind. There also is the whole eminent level of how the built environment depicts cultures priorities and how these things affect people physically and psychologically.

“We make our buildings and afterward they make us. They regulate the course of our lives.”
-Winston Churchill

Urban Husbandry is Alive and Well in Milwaukee

Incremental development gives a lot of freedom to the individuals in each neighborhood to create unique places of identity that reflects the character of the local population. This also incorporates all kind of things going on in Milwaukee like urban agricultural movement.

Great article!

An Urban Benefit to the Smoking Ban

Good point, I would just add that heating lamps can also extend the use of these outdoor patios by several months a year resulting in more pedestrian activity.

Downtown History Presents Opportunity in Milwaukee

Yes Wikipedia is a poor source, but is very convenient for people click when they are surfing this piece on the web. I first read about this in Daniel Burnham’s “Plan for Chicago” when I was in graduate school and did double check it with Wiki as I wrote this piece. After doing some extensive checking at the library the best book to look at is the Great Chicago Fire by Robert Cromie. There is a great map in there that shows the baseball stadium and buildings related to the railroad, in the park. If you are looking to see if it is the oldest part of Chicago, it is not, Fort Dearborn was north of this on the river. Montgomery Ward sued the City of Chicago in order make them remove the buildings that were built in this area after the fire, smart man. But I think you have taken us off the point of this piece.

I would argue, due to the street layout, that we have the opportunity to create a one of the greatest linear public spaces in America, if executed correctly. People like to be in pleasant pedestrian friendly spaces, the aesthetics of the buildings and how they affect the public spaces has a profound, even if not a conscious, effect on where people like to visit. It is common place in Europe but some American examples are State Street in Madison, Lincoln Road in Miami Beach and the San Antonio riverwalk. They have recently closed off Times Square in New York to traffic and we will see the same effect there. It would also connect almost all areas of downtown, including the Park East, via foot traffic.

William Whyte did a lot of work on studying these social phenomenons in his Project for Public Spaces in the 80’s. I read one of his books “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces” as research for my Master’s thesis. Very interesting please check it out.

Authentic Identity

Milwaukee’s buildings are a part of its context. The dialogue is how buildings evolve over time, so it requires buildings from the various time periods. Starting with the buildings from the late 1800’s early 1900’s all the way through contemporary buildings which point the way to the future. Their conversation gives the city character. Milwaukee has a great opportunity to enhance this character by infilling and creating a real core. When I go on vacation I want to go where all the action is in the center of whatever city I am going to. A stroll north down Milwaukee’s river walk could take tourists on a literal progression through time.

Downtown History Presents Opportunity in Milwaukee

Antonio,
It would be nice if the link to your map worked, I would like to see the map. If you zoom in on this map:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Chicago_Fire_map.jpg
You can clearly see that the streets extended to the east side of Michigan Avenue and that area was burned by the fire down to Congress Street.
It is also know by:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Park_(Chicago)
“The legal restrictions prohibiting any buildings in the park were ignored in the 1800’s, as various civic buildings were sited there.”

Perhaps if I knew what you are looking for I could be of more help to you. Why do you ask for the references?

No no no... No!

I think everyone wants development downtown. The question is how do we develop in a way that is sustainable and catalyzes people to live and work downtown? That is what will spur other development, and the benefits that come with it. So 40 years from now we don’t have to talk about tearing down a 6 story glass box that now is an “eye soar” because it is out of style and is not proper for one of our “best” streets.

Yes, at this point in time it might be better than what we have there. But is it the best we can do? I would have to say no. Right now, we need to get highest value out of everything we build and I don’t see tearing down buildings as the way to do that.

A Brand for Milwaukee?

@ Daron,
I think we all agree that sea’s of asphalt are hideous and should be in filled in some way. But I think the point is that Milwaukee, wither you like the city or not, needs to build on its strengths. One of the big ones we have is access to a large fresh water supply. So we should stay positive and focus on common solutions. For instance, Ancient Rome’s had very fresh water. Why? Because it traveled down aqueducts to the city and the tumbling of the water helped to purify it. There is no reason why water would need to go from a fountain into the sewer. Maybe a fountain can showcase a new method of water treatment. The city can partner with a university or company to design it and it can be a public example of cooperation and technology. Then we can sell that technology to Singapore so they can treat their water more efficiently.

Milwaukee To Become Little Madrid?

I like the idea and I like the fact that new businesses are coming to Milwaukee and Wisconsin. I do, however, believe in our innovative spirit and that spirit in the country as a whole. Madrid is a great city; we walked day and night there. It’s all is centered around their core, Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol close by, with nice walk able streets connecting outward to other public spaces. Milwaukee has the potential to become a great walk able city but we need to use our innovation to establish that continuous pedestrian core suited uniquely for our city.

Downtown History Presents Opportunity in Milwaukee

@ Joe,
I agree with the notion that there have been many squandered opportunities during the peak years of the boom and we should learn from them for the next time around. None of the points made in the write up are meant as absolutes. Part of Grant Park was formerly Lake Park, part is landfill and part was buildings and urban fabric. In Cleveland a good portion of the original city was razed to make way for Burnham’s Group Plan of 1903. I am not that familiar with Cincinnati but I will have to take a look.