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.

It has been more than a week since Wells Street was converted to two-ways, and it has indeed been Carmaggedon. Drivers have been confused by the unusual street configuration. Two-ways, really? The fear generated by being able to turn right and go East on to Wells St. has caused mass hysteria causing more than a few people to quickly park in available parking spots.

During the lunch hour on Wednesday, there will be a design charrette for the Brighten the Passage project. If you’re like to stop by to contribute, the group will be meeting on-street at the corner of Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue.

Wasting no time, the Department of Public Works has already began work on the conversion of Wells Street to a two-way street throughout downtown.

Walking from downtown to the Historic Third Ward can be an uncomfortable experience. I-794 and the sea of surface parking lots on Water St., Broadway, and Milwaukee St. create an isolated and intimidating dead spot that deters pedestrians from walking between the two districts.

Two small projects, one in East Town and the other on the East Side, are currently taking an existing poor design situation and attempting to activate the street through new designs.

Downtown Milwaukee is blessed with four full-service, affordable fitness centers. The Wisconsin Athletic Club, Downtown YMCA, Bally Total Fitness, and newcomer Gold’s Gym most of which are located along the Wisconsin Avenue corridor that is the heart of the central business district. They vary in size and services, but all are large gyms that provide personal training services. Given that downtown is well served by three full-service gyms, is there a market for a small, no-frills 24-hour gym?

Two controversial development projects received key approvals at the January 19th, 2011 meeting of the Common Council.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee Jackson Street Management LLC won an appeal of the Historic Preservation Commission’s ruling regarding their request to demolish five buildings within the East Side Commercial Historic District to make way for a new Marriott Hotel.

Godfrey & Kahn could soon anchor a 22-story class A office tower, known as Washington Square, in downtown Milwaukee.