At the February 22nd, 2012 meeting of the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee a previously held file was approved that will allow the City of Milwaukee to fund a short section of the riverwalk in the Historic Third Ward. The project will utilize $420,000 from TID #34, and construct 80 feet of new riverwalk and dockwall.

Most of Milwaukee’s riverwalk system has been built as a public-private partnership as new developments occurred, but a file before yesterday’s Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development committee proposed that the City of Milwaukee fund a short section of the system. City staff determined that an 80-foot stretch along Erie St., between River Renaissance and Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, is unlikely to see new development in the foreseeable future.

In 1992 the first portion of the Historic Third Ward’s streetscaping plans were completed. That $3.5 million project included the mid-block parks on Broadway, Catalano Square, 285 pedestrian light poles, and two arches that designate the gateways to the Historic Third Ward.

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.

Milwaukee is lucky to have a number of higher education institutions in its most urban neighborhoods. The four most premiere institutions are Marquette in Avenues West, MIAD in the Historic Third Ward, MSOE in East Town, and UWM on the Upper East Side. The schools vary drastically in size, but each help define the neighborhood they occupy. Despite any criticism that might be leveled against them, they each have made significant investments in the City of Milwaukee. They each generate a sizable amount of pedestrian traffic that makes the neighborhoods they call home more vibrant. Each in their own way, they serve as a key drivers in making Milwaukee an engaging and dynamic city. But as their respective students know, what matters at the end of the day is the grade you get. Given the resources available to each school, how well are they contributing to the neighborhoods they occupy and Milwaukee’s urban core?

Earlier this week the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee recommended the approval of a Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee financing agreement with Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. Specifically, the agreement authorizes the selling of up to $25 million in RACM revenue bonds to fund a loan that will be used to support Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.’s South End Capital Improvements Project on 22-acres at Henry Maier Festival Park.

On Wednesday September 29th, 2010 the Friends of the Hank Araon State Trail celebrated the return to service of two refurbished historic car-stops as functioning pieces of history. One is located in the Historic Third Ward’s Catalano Square, and will serve as a rest stop along the Hank Aaron State Trail, as well as fulfilling its original purpose as a transit stop. A second refurbished car-stop is located in the Menomonee Valley along the trail near 25th Street.

Much like the recently opened Zilber Park, the new Erie Street Plaza differs from a typical park in Milwaukee, as it isn’t a lot of grass and trees, but it is certainly a unique space. The design as implemented has changed significantly from originally planned, it was to have bamboo, but was built with quaking aspen trees due to budgetary concerns, neighborhood opposition, and failed test plantings.

The single greatest week of eating in Milwaukee starts tomorrow. The fifth edition of Downtown Dining Week will kick off on June 3rd and run through June 10th. Lunch meals are available for $10, and dinner is available for $20 (or $30 at a handful of places) at numerous downtown restaurants. If you’re looking to sample a lot downtown eateries, this is your week. All meals are three courses.

At the May 4th, 2010 meeting of the Common Council, Alderman Bauman brought forward an item that would allow the City of Milwaukee to enter into a contract with an expert consultant, Jeffery Boothe, for the purpose of facilitating the next steps of the Milwaukee Streetcar project.