The project would utilize $420,000 from TID #34 and construct a new Riverwalk section and dockwall.  The 80-foot section is comprised of two properties, and both owners, General Capital and Hoffman, have provided the city with appropriate easements to allow for the new Milwaukee RiverWalk segment. Further, a draft agreement with the Historic Third Ward Association was drawn up to handle maintenance of this section.  If approved the construction would start in April to be finished in August.

The project prompted questions and concerns from committee regarding the apparent change in city policy for this project.  Normally, the local property owner would fund 30% of a riverwalk segment’s construction, whereas in this case the city was planning to 100% fund the construction of the riverwalk segment.   Alderman Murphy asked “Why are we changing our practice?”  Remington answered that “we [the city] don’t want to wait for that development to take place.”  She also explained that there will be no direct connection to the property from the riverwalk, indicating that the adjacent property will received no direct benefit.  Alderman Witkowiak wondered if the city could assess the property owners much like the city does with sidewalks, and stated that this action would be “kinda sorta precedent setting.”  Alderman Bauman, explained that “I support this project,” but pushed to hold the project to work out details regarding a possible assessment or the possibility of requiring the property owners to buy the section if they choose in the future to connect to the system.  The file was held, and will be taken up at the next Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee meeting.

Streetscaping on Broadway

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.  But this was just that start of the redevelopment of the Historic Third Ward, and at the time the project didn’t complete the streetscaping of Broadway between St. Paul Ave. and Buffalo St., in part because of the operation of a wholesale food producer operating on Broadway.

Today, the gap of streetscaping between St. Paul Ave. and Buffalo St. on Broadway, as per the Historic Third Ward’s Neighborhood Plan, is being completed.   The design will finally tie the street together as one place with a unified design all the way from Catalano Square to the Milwaukee Public Market.  Additionally, the design will slow traffic as it has along the rest of Broadway, and create a more inviting pedestrian environment furthering retail business development in the Historic Third Ward.

A View from Underneath I-794

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.  At night, it’s worse, because the bridge creates a darkened tunnel that fosters the perception of danger and distance.  Quite simply, I-794 disconnects the Historic Third Ward from downtown Milwaukee.

Thankfully, there is an effort underway to resolve the issue.  The City of Milwaukee in collaboration with the Historic Third Ward and the Milwaukee Downtown BID will be launching a design competition, known as Brighten the Passage, with the goal of turning this unforgiving wasteland in to an asset.  This concept of turning a blighting freeway overpass into somewhat of amenity is not unheard of, in fact Toronto recently broke ground on a $4.7 million project, which will create an urban park.  The park will have landscaped walkways, sports playgrounds and even cafes under the overpass creating an inviting environment for pedestrians to traverse.  On a smaller, more affordable, scale this is what the Brighten the Passage effort is intending to do.

The competition is open to students and design practitioners of any discipline and experience.  Design solutions could include ideas such as lighting, public art, landscaping, various forms of programming, while being creative, cost effective, and requiring minimal maintenance.  The solution should create an inviting pedestrian experience that feels safe at all hours, and shortens the perceived distance between the neighborhoods.

Marquette University

Location: Avenues West, west of downtown.

Students: 8,012 (undergraduates), 3,587 (postgraduates)

Affect on Neighborhood: Marquette defines Avenues West. In addition to the buildings themselves, there are signs visible every which way you look, as well as students.

Recent Projects: The school has recently opened a new home for the Law School in Ray and Kay Eckstein Hall. The $85 million building is highly visible from the adjacent Marquette Interchange. Journal Sentinel art and architecture critic Mary Louise Schumacher details some of the challenges with the site. Under construction along Wisconsin Avenue, thanks to a $25 million anonymous donation, is the Discovery Learning Complex. The $35 million building will be five-stories tall and include 115,000 square feet of space for the College of Engineering.

On the Horizon: Marquette is working to enhance their existing investment in the Valley Fields athletic complex in the Menomonee Valley, a development that the school could have just as easily placed in a suburb. The school is planning to invest $1.2 million to add a 3,000 square-foot facility that includes dressing rooms for teams and officials, medical treatment areas, as well as public restrooms.

Grade: A. Marquette could have ran from Milwaukee like Concordia, but instead of fleeing they kept investing in their campus, and as a result have a great urban campus that keeps getting better.

Milwaukee Institute Art and Design

Location: Historic Third Ward

Students: 630

Affect on Neighborhood: Today MIAD has a minimal affect on the built environment of the Third Ward, though it does play a key role in the area’s art scene. Unlike Marquette and UWM, you can miss it as the college doesn’t possess a lot of public signage, with the exception of recently added sign on the school. It’s minimal affect also has a lot to do with how much else is going on in the Third Ward. If you placed it in the neighborhoods that the other schools call home, it would certainly have a much bigger impact.

On the Horizon: The college is seeking to build a new 250 bed residence hall. An RFP was issued and General Capital’s property was selected at 252 E. Menomonee Street . The school must now raise the funds to complete the residence hall.

Grade: B. MIAD students inject life into the neighborhood, without the town versus gown debate that makes UWM neighbors pack public meetings, and helped spur the art scene. At the same time the school hasn’t actually broke ground on the new residence hall yet. As the school continues to expand and improve its facility, increased visibility will follow.

Milwaukee School of Engineering

Location: East Town

Students: 2,438 (undergraduates), 210 (postgraduates)

Affect on Neighborhood: MSOE defines area around the few blocks it occupies, but with the exception of a couple way-finding signs you could miss it if you passed the campus only a block or two away.

Recent Projects: MSOE has added two new facilities to their campus in the past six years. The Kern Center, a large athletic and wellness facility paid for by Robert and Patricia Kern which is one of the few developments to actually happen in the Park East corridor. More recently the university opened the Grohmann Museum to house the General Studies Department and Man at Wok art collection. The rehabilitated building was paid for by Eckhart Grohmann, and operational costs are covered by revenue from the adjacent building, which Grohmann also owns. The buildings act as bookends for the campus along Broadway.

On the Horizon: Recently the school has proposed building a 500-stall parking garage in the Park East land immediately north of the Kern Center (to be funded by the Kern’s). The catch? A soccer field on top of the garage. The facility won’t be an architectural marvel, but being built into the hillside should help hide the garage (similar to how Juneau Village Towers and Yankee Hill Apartments work).

Grade: B-. MSOE has added two urban buildings since 2004, both of which help better define the campus and add to the attractiveness of the neighborhood. Unfortunately the university still possess a number of large surface parking lots on some of Milwaukee’s most valuable, and otherwise well developed, land. The proposed Park East parking garage should give the school flexibility to reduce or develop their parking lots into better assets for school and city.

University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee

Location: Upper East Side

Students: 25,239 (undergraduates), 5,216 (postgraduates)

Affect on Neighborhood: UWM currently dominates the Upper East Side, although much of that effect is achieved by the large amount of off-campus housing in the form of duplexes. The campus itself is well contained with a couple block area. You get the feeling you’re on a college campus many blocks from the school itself though as large numbers of students can be seen walking to and from class.

Recent Projects: The university, through the UWM Real Estate Foundation, has recently added three facilities along North Avenue, all of which include a sizable student housing component. The first UWM development in the North Avenue corridor was the Kenilworth Square Apartments, which includes apartments that can house approximately 330 students as well as street-level retail. The east side of the facility also includes facilities for the Peck School of the Arts. RiverView Residence Hall opened in January 2008 and is located along the Milwaukee River just off North Avenue in Riverwest it includes space for approximately 475 students. Most recently, the school opened the Cambridge Commons residence hall which includes space for up to 700 students and is expected to be LEED Gold certified.

On the Horizon: The university has plans to build three satellite campuses to house graduate-level schools. A School of Public Health is planned for the former Pabst Brewery on the northwest corner of downtown, thanks to a donation from the late Joseph Zilber. The university plans to expand upon their Freshwater Research Institute to build a new facility for the School of Freshwater Sciences. The water school was originally proposed for the lakefront, but plans for that location were ultimately dropped. The latest plan has split facilities between a Reed Street Yards site and the Great Lakes Research Facility on Greenfield Ave. Their most controversial plan is the one already underway, the construction of a new engineering school on the Milwaukee County Grounds in Wauwatosa. While we applaud the school’s efforts to build a new engineering school, we’ve written extensively that the location and proposed development style are misguided.

Grade: B. The university has a contract with Milwaukee County to purchase suburban land and develop it in a suburban fashion. That alone wouldn’t be so egregious, but as the school continues to invest in all kinds of “green” and urban developments across the city, the Engineering School in western Wauwatosa appears to be even more of a paradox. If the university follows through on plans to build the suburban engineering campus, it’s easy to believe that future grades on the schools urban qualities would be lower. On the upside, the school’s new residence halls have been successful in reducing pressure on non-student neighbors by reducing the number of students living in off-campus housing. They also, thanks to their good urban design, are part of what continues to make North Avenue vibrant. The Public Health and Freshwater Sciences Schools are certain to be assets to the city when they’re completed.

South Gate

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.

The first phase of this project includes the redesign of a significant portion grounds around the South Gate.  The most visible change will be the relocation of the South Gate and Box Office to a site west of the Hoan Bridge.  The first phase will also include the development of a new stage,  food and beverage buildings, restrooms, and viewing decks.  Another significant change will be the redevelopment of the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard Area, updating it from its mid-1980s design, and opening the area up to the lakefront.  This $17 million first phase of this project will be completed in time for the 2011 Summerfest season.

Car-stop

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.  The copper structures had been stored in a Department of Public Works facility, and then a Cargill facility since the 1990′s and have been in existence for over 100 years.  The project brought together the Department of Natural Resources, the City of Milwaukee, the Historic Third Ward Association, the Friends of the Hank Araon State Trail, We Energies, the local trades unions, and a long list of other firms to accomplish this effort.

These structures tie Milwaukee’s past to the its future by utilizing a historic structure, and updating it for continued service.  The changes made to the structure included removing sections of the copper wall, and replacing them with glass to open the structure up.

This re-use of something old is much like the neighborhoods they reside in, the The Third Ward, and the Menomonee Valley.  Just like the structures had been left in neglect, both of these areas had been decaying parts of Milwaukee.  And just like the car-stops these areas have returned to life today, the neighborhoods returned to life by building on their history and updating them for the future.

Erie Street Plaza

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.  Although this change takes away from what was a fanciful design it still looks to at least offer a comfortable space along the river.  At points the grass cuts into the boardwalk creating a blended edge between the walkway and plantings, and throughout the park lighted benches, offer a place to rest.  The original design offered to bring something truly unique to Milwaukee, but this at the very least brings more character to the area than the vacant lot that formerly occupied the site.

To see the park for yourself we’ve provided a photo gallery, but better yet stop at Erie Street Plaza and enjoy this new public space.

Please remember to tip your servers, as food heaven for you is frequently food hell for them.

Where will you eat?

Participating Restaurants

* denotes $30 dinner

• Benihana
• Bistro 333
• Buca di Beppo
• Butch’s Old Casino Steak House
• Cafe Calatrava
• Cafe at the Pfister
• Capital Grille*
• Charro Tacos & Tequila
• Club Charlies
• Coquette Cafe
• Eagan’s On Water
• Indulge
• Joey Buona’s Restaurant
• Karl Ratzsch’s
• Kil@wat
• Knick
• Libiamo
• Louise’s
• Mader’s*
• Mason Street Grill*
• Milwaukee ChopHouse*
• Mi•Key’s*
• Molly Cool’s Seafood Tavern*
• Osteria del Mondo*
• Palms Bistro*
• Red Accordion
• RipTide Seafood Bar & Grill
• Riverfront Pizzeria
• Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
• Sabor*
• Sake Tumi
• Swig
• Third Ward Caffe*
• Tulip
• Umami Moto*
• Ward’s House of Prime*
• Water Buffalo
• Zarletti

Streetcar

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.  Jeffery Boothe is a principal at Washington, D.C.-based Holland & Knight LLP., a Vice Chair of Reconnecting American, chairs the New Starts Working Group, is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association’s Legislative Committee and Light Rail Task Force, is the Executive Director of the Community Streetcar Coalition, and has a long history of working on transit projects in municipalities across the U.S.

The plan of bringing Jeffery Boothe in, is to facilitate moving the recently announced City of Milwaukee’s Streetcar proposal through the Federal Transportation Administration bureaucracy.  This help is of value because the FTA is unsure of how to handle Milwaukee’s project as it isn’t a typical New Starts Proposal, and his experience working with the FTA could speed up the process.  During the Common Council meeting Alderman Bauman explained that this hire is “simply enabling the city to negotiate the best possible deal with the FTA,” and that this is simply “committing money already budgeted.”  He later went on to add that “this individual will be advocating on our behalf,” and made clear that this contract isn’t about obtaining additional funds it is simply to assist in moving the current proposal forward.  Alderman Kovac added that “it really will help to have someone who knows their way around the hallways of that bureaucracy.”

This proposal was approved on a narrow vote, will now go before Mayor Barrett for approval, and should help move the Milwaukee Streetcar project forward.

The first issue, is this necessary, or more specifically does Summerfest truly have a need for more parking?  Last year 835,679 people attended Summerfest, and in 2001 1,039,794 people were able to attend Summerfest, so apparently people have been able to get to the event without these additional 460 parking spots.  Now of course there are the variety of ethnic festivals held on the Summerfest grounds as well, but its clear people have been able to find a way to the grounds without these spots.  As these spaces are only used a few days out of the year a better solution for the perceived need could be improved shuttle service which would have the additional benefit of not negatively impacting the Third Ward.

Secondly, what is Summerfest as an organization saying with a move such as this and is it wise?  When parking is added (or required by zoning) it becomes easier to drive, the net result of which is encouragement for attendees to drive to a facility that has a heavy emphasis on beer sales.  So when you put drinking and expanded parking together the message heard is “please drink and drive”.  Certainly, this is not the intention or goal of Summerfest, but it is the result.  Further, hoping event goers will use a designated driver or generally won’t drink isn’t a particularly responsible, realistic, or wise approach.  Understand that to some extent all liquor related facilities make this assumption, as America’s built environment demands it, and there will always be some who drive, but wouldn’t it be better to recognize this error? Instead of building parking, add transit service and population density to the Third Ward both of which would help to reduce this problem.

Thirdly, this is an area, that even today, is seeing ongoing development, and has in recent years become one of Milwaukee’s most urban neighborhoods.  Adding more surface lots could be detrimental to the continued development of the neighborhood.  The development of existing parking lots in the Third Ward is the logical next step for neighborhood growth, and a new surface lot is nothing more than a step in the wrong direction.  Simply, what the area needs is more population density, not autosprawl.  By adding more surface parking this area will become less walkable, more congested, and less desirable.

Finally, land in the Third Ward is some of the most valuable in the city (and state), and an additional surface parking lot could have a negative impact on nearby property values, as large lots can attract crime and trash.

Hopefully, Summerfest’s true goal is to develop this property as a year-round entertainment venue, as has been rumored in the past, or a mixed used facility which could serve both neighborhood and festival needs.

This connectivity, is useful for all of a users of the public right-of-way, including pedestrians, bicyclists, or automobile drivers.  For automobile traffic the grid allows for a variety of routes, which can alleviate bottlenecks when streets become congested, and even provides a measure of additional parking.  But pedestrians and bicyclists benefit even more than automobile drivers as the negative impacts of limited choices are greater in time, effort, and distance for these users.  Quite simply, by shortening travel distances biking and walking become more convenient, and in turn more likely.

Although the street grid is fairly well intact, to improve the connectivity and access for users the city should look to rebuild and preserve the grid system wherever possible.  One example of a section that should be considered for reacquisition is Jackson St. in the Third Ward.  The street ends before reaching Erie St. adding a couple of blocks to a pedestrians trip, which makes a quick trip to Riverfront Pizzeria or Riptide less likely for those who live, as the crow flies, just two blocks away.  There are likely numerous other street sections in Milwaukee that are worth considering, when reasonable, and of course these acquisitions couldn’t happen overnight, but each year attempts should be made to put street sections back on the grid.

Wangard Properties (Proposed)

The most recently announced of any of the projects.  Tom Daykin reported yesterday that Wangard Properties intends to build an apartment building next to the Highbridge Condominiums (developed by New Land Enterprises) on N. Water St/E. Kane St.  The proposed building would likely include no more than 88 units.

Latitude Apartments (Under Construction)

Originally a project of New Land Enterprises, the Latitude Apartments won full zoning approval from the Milwaukee Common Council in December 2008 and was sold to Dermond Property Investments for $2.1 million in January 2009.  The project is located at the intersection of Kenilworth Ave and Farwell Ave just across from the Kenilworth Square Apartments.  Construction is in full swing now.  When finished the $13 million project will feature 90 units, and 7,500 square feet of street-level retail.  The units are broken down into 71 one-bedroom units and 19 studios.  Units range in size from 650 to 1,000 square feet.  The project includes 90 underground parking spaces, with 13 reserved for retail tenants.  Direct access to the Oak Leaf Trail is a unique aspect of the project.

Jackson Square Apartments (Under Construction)

Under construction in the Third Ward is Robert Joseph’s 81-unit Jackson Square Apartments.  When finished the project will feature 100+ underground parking stalls, and 9,000 square feet of retail space.  Rents will range from $800 to $1,600 with units split between one and two bedrooms.

Corcoran Lofts (Under Construction)

The Corcoran Lofts are under construction on Corcoran Avenue in the Third Ward and are on pace to open in the spring of 2010.  A Mandel Group development, the six-story development will include 76 units and 3,400 square feet of retail space.  The building will connect to Mandel’s 138-unit Gaslight Lofts, which will allow Corcoran residents to take advantage of Gaslight Lofts amenities such as the fitness center.  It will also allow the operating staff at the Gaslight Lofts to serve the new building. Rents will range from about $900 to $1,500.  The first two floors of the building are largely all parking, with the apartments being confined to the upper four floors. Urban Milwaukee has extensively photographed the development of this project, visible in our Friday Photos feature.

• Official Website

The North End ONE (Open)

ONE, the first building in the “neighborhood by design” development has been a resounding success in terms of apartment occupancy so far.  Having opened in the late spring of this year, the 83-unit Mandel Group development is within a couple units of being completely leased.  On a positive note for Milwaukee, Richard Lincoln of the Mandel Group estimates that 75% of the residents have moved to the building from outside of the city.  Mandel has a letter of intent for 3,000 of the 12,000 square feet of first floor retail space.  The next building built in the North End is likely to feature apartments as opposed to condos as well.  Mandel hopes to break ground on that building in 2010. Urban Milwaukee took a tour of the building while construction was finishing.

• Official Website

Bridgeview (Open)

A former warehouse turned apartment building by Lighthouse Development, the 55-unit Bridgeview is part of the South Water Works development just south of the Third Ward in Walker’s Point.  One and two-bedroom units with prices ranging from $900 to $1,800.  The five-story building that was once home to Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) is 85% leased and over 75% occupied. Urban Milwaukee took a tour of the building when it was under construction.

• Official Website

Blue Ribbon Lofts (Open)

The former Pabst Brewing Keg House is now home to 95 units by way of Gorman and Company Inc.  A big piece of the conversion of the Pabst Brewing Complex into The Brewery.  Targeted towards the creative class, the building features a music studio, artists’ workspaces and galleries, a fully equipped business center and conference rooms, a theater/presentation space and a fitness center.  Of the 95 units, 69 are available under affordable rent tax credits thanks to tax credits from WHEDA to support the project’s development.  The total project cost was $16.2 million.

• Official Website