The Milwaukee Common Council recently passed a resolution creating a branding task force for Milwaukee, and certainly there is a place for creating a brand for Milwaukee, but the key to creating this brand isn’t a marketing campaign, catch phrase or tag line. It is putting action and investment behind the vision, because part of building any brand, is in fact the product.

After today’s news, nationally 2010 might go down as the year of high-speed rail, but here in Milwaukee it just might be the year of the Park East. By looking at the economy and listening to all of the talk of doom and gloom one would think this isn’t very likely, but it sure seems that momentum is building in the Park East corridor.

First, up of course is The Moderne, which borders the Park East and is scheduled to break ground in February. This $56 million 30-story high-rise apartment project received city financing in late 2009 and when built out could serve as a catalyst to further development in the corridor.

Another significant project that appears to be advancing is the first phase of RSC & Associates’ Park East Square proposal. This first phase would include a 120-unit apartment building with 4,000 square feet of retail space. Recently it received assistance from the Redevelopment Authority of Milwaukee (RACM) which would issue $25 million in revenue bonds to help the project move forward with the intent of breaking ground in late spring. Although,RSC & Associates have failed to meet ground breaking goals in the past with RACM’s assistance it appears this project is likely to move forward.

At a Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development committee meeting in October, 2009 Department of City Development (DCD) Commissioner Rocky Marcoux stated that Mandel Group would be bringing forward the second phase of the North End shortly. As of yet this hasn’t occurred, but with the success of the first phase, combined with Mandel Group finishing up two major projects,Corcoran Lofts and Cambridge Commons, elsewhere in the city this year, they might look to continue their development within the Park East.

The $76 million Eco-Square at Park East proposal by Fair Market Development would build out 400 residential units and 10,000 square feet of retail space in Block 22 of the Park East if it were to move forward this year. Unfortunately, as there hasn’t been any recent news regarding this project it seems like the least likely of the projects to move forward in 2010.

Finally, Rainier Properties II LLC’s office and movie theater proposal looks promising as Marcus Corp., has formally committee to the $100 million project. The potential time line for this project probably will push it beyond 2010, as various approvals, financing, and a likely city fundedTIF will need to be worked out prior to ground breaking. If it is able to meet those requirements this project could dramatically change downtown Milwaukee for the better. Because, it is one of the key sites in the Park East corridor, would fulfill the long talked about downtown movie theater need, further extend theRiverwalk, and be a socially diverse meeting place that Milwaukee needs.

Certainly, there will be plenty of land in the corridor to develop post 2010 and only a couple of these projects will actually break ground this year, but with the addition of new density, new entertainment options, and new office space, it might just be that 2010 is remembered as the year of the Park East.

At Monday’s City Plan Commission meeting, Wangard Parnters Inc. will be requesting an amendment to the Detailed Planned Development known as HighBridge Condominiums, with the intent of moving the project forward, now redesigned as apartments and renamed as Metro Place.

At the January 6th, 2010 Public Works Committee meeting the first step was taken towards creating a special water rate that could be given to businesses in return for job creation within the City of Milwaukee. Specifically, the committee approved an application to the Public Service Commission requesting a rate category be created to accommodate this request.

At the December 1st, 2009 meeting of the Milwaukee Common Council the Cooperation and Development Agreement for the Bookends development was sent back to the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee. The agreement would of authorized a $3.45 million loan guarantee from the City of Milwaukee to the development team, of New Land Enterprises and Weichman Enterprises, for the Bookends apartment development.

The Moderne development received approval for $9.3 millions in loans from the City of Milwaukee that led developer Rick Barrett had been seeking. At last week’s Zoning, Neighborhood & Development Committee three significant concerns were expressed by committee members, all of which were worked out prior to today’s Common Council meeting.

New Land Enterprises and Wiechman Enterprises were seeking a change in zoning and a loan guarantee by the City of Milwaukee for the Bookends North project. The project would be located at 700 E. Kilbourn Ave., the former Edwardo’s Pizza location, and includes 224 luxury apartments, 294 parking spots, and 3,000 square feet of retail space.

The Moderne, if approved, would be located at 1141 N. Old World Third St. The high-rise project would include 203 rental units, 14 condominiums, 214 parking spots, and a retail component. The plan included expanding the Park East TID by $11 million to provide for $9.3 million in loans for the Moderne , $650,000 for the construction of a new park, and $850,000 for administrative costs. The majority of funding for the project, a $41.4 million loan, would be serviced through Capmark Financial Group, funded with AFL-CIO pension funds, and guaranteed by HUD.

The Bookends, proposed by New Land Enterprises, will go before the Milwaukee City Plan Commission on October 19th, 2009 to gain approval of a change in zoning to a detailed plan development. The project, which would be located at E. Kilbourn Avenue and N. Van Buren Street, consists of a 19-story mixed used apartment building with up to 224 dwelling units, a retail component, and five stories of structured parking

So says Jill Capicchioni, of the Historic Brewers Hill Association, in an email to the neighborhood mailing list. The “process” that Jill is intent on putting a wrench in is the proposed move of the State Department of Health Services from the Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center, 1220 W. Vliet St., to a remodeled space at 2151 N. King Drive.