As the US economy continued it slow recovery from the Great Recession, Milwaukee was left with a couple of failed development projects to complete or redefine, a changing real estate market, the opportunity to make small infrastructure changes, and questions about the future of transit.

Due in large part to a reduction in state aid starting in 2012, the Milwaukee County Transit System had planned for a massive reduction in service. Thanks to some last minute creative planning by those at MCTS, the vast majority of those cuts are on track to be avoided thanks to the use of CMAQ funds. The CMAQ funds, allocated out of a competitive bidding process, will provide funding to institute “express service” for two years along a number of key corridors which will replace segments of a number of routes. A public meeting, hosted by Supervisors Marina Dimitrijevic, Jason Haas, and Patricia Jursik, on the proposed Bayshore – Airport Express service was recently held to present the service to the community and answer any questions on the upcoming questions.

HKS Holdings LLC. proposal for a $12 million mixed-use apartment building in Bay View was recommend for approval at the December 6th, 2010 City Plan Commission meeting.

What apartment projects are currently proposed, under construction, or have recently opened in Milwaukee? A little over a year ago we did a similar exercise, so it will be good to take a look and see what has changed in the past year.

HKS Holdings, LLC is proposing a $12 million 5-story mixed-use building, which would be located on the southeast corner of Kinnickinnic Ave. and Conway St. in Bay View.

Alterra Coffee Roasters Inc. recently dropped plans to retrofit the Maritime Bank building, located between Kinnickinnic Ave. and Howell Ave., in Bay View, opting for new construction.

Alterra Coffee, through a partnership with Mars Drinks, will now be available worldwide for the Mars FLAVIA single-serve system. Mars purchased the global rights to the Alterra brand and will market and produce the single-serve coffee. Alterra will remain a local, independent company that Milwaukeeans have come to know and love and plans to continue to expand in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Milwaukee Alderman Tony Zielinski will announce his candidacy for the position of Lieutenant Governor on Friday. Zielinski had been rumored to be interested in the Attorney General position, but appears to have loftier goals with the announcement that Jim Doyle will not run again.

The $11 million Hide House project was the most hotly debated development project at the July 28th meeting of the Common Council, though the most significant action in terms of dollars was the approval of the Rivianna. Additionally, the $10 million mixed-use Villard Square project, which will include space for 47 rental units and the Villard Avenue library, was approved for construction.

At the Thursday July 23rd meeting of the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee the appeal of he interim historic designation of the Hide House complex in Bay View was heard. The Hide House complex is made up of a series of buildings constructed over decades with the earliest buildings dating to 1898. At earlier meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission Alderman Zielinski’s nomination of the complex for interim historic designation was approved