Another week, another Ald. Donovan anti-streetcar press conference. Plus: will the Bucks get a new owner and new arena? And: East Side zoning changes and the return of the Downtown Trolley loop.

Residents are still a little restive about it, but the East Side’s buildings are likely to get a little higher, to judge by the results of today’s City Plan Commission meeting.

Downtown block parties are coming, use of bike racks on MCTS buses doubles year-over-year, explore the Historic Concordia neighborhood with HMI, UWM gets a zoning change, The Moderne is meeting hiring requirements, and kids can ride free on the Amtrak Hiawatha this summer.

Back for a second time, Dermond Property Investments’ request for a change in zoning for the properties 1601 N. Jackson and 522 E. Pleasant, the former Joey’s Restaurant location, from Local Business (LB2) to a Detailed Planned Development (DPD) was once again in front of the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.

At the March 27th, 2012 meeting of the Public Works Committee, the committee briefly took up the purchase agreement between the City of Milwaukee and HSI Properties, LLC, which had it been approved, would have been the next step in the city’s effort redevelop the East Library site.

Dermond Property Investments’ request for a change in zoning for the properties 1601 N. Jackson and 522 E. Pleasant, the former Joey’s Restaurant location, from Local Business (LB2) to a Detailed Planned Development (DPD) was once again before the City Plan Commission. The proposal was required to go back before the City Plan Commission, because the number of rental units in the proposal had changed.

Last year, the UWM Student Association successfully lobbied UWM to make approximately 700 parking spots available for free use, by raising fees on all students $15 per semester.

Welcome to the third installment of Eyes on Milwaukee. This week we take a look at Milwaukee’s sales tax rate compared to other major cities, the Bradley Center’s new transportation option, UWM’s continued insistence on growing parking subsidies, and a whole lot of development news.

Following the model of the Villard Square Library redevelopment, The Board of Trustees of the Milwaukee Public Library selected HSI Properties, LLC proposal for a mixed-use building to replace the current East Library. The project took an important step forward yesterday as an associated land sale, and land vacation were recommend for approval at the City Plan Commission meeting.

A public meeting was held at Milwaukee Public Library’s East Library last night to present updates and answer questions on East Library redevelopment proposal. The accepted proposal from HSI Properties/WiRED Properties to redevelop the East Library into a mixed-use facility includes approximately 100 apartments, a first-floor retail stall, and a first-floor, white-box condominium for a new East Library.