Weekly Bookmarks – Monday, 02. February 2009
Hooves to gridlock: mass transit in Bay View : The Bay View Compass Gatehouse and Ruvin in nasty lawsuit over Palomar – JSOnline Move-in day at The Brewery – JSOnline An appeal to save Seminary Woods and adjoining grasslands for generations : The Bay View Compass County executives to unveil joint transit plan – BizTimes Development Doesn’t Always Pay: Economic Impacts of Proposed Cardinal Stritch South Campus on the City of St. Francis, Wisconsin : The Bay View Compass mid coast views: Is Milwaukee developer buying opposition to local hiring and fair wages? Milwaukee aldermen push community benefits ordinance – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: City won’t oppose injunction on paid sick leave measure – JSOnline What the loss of Schwartz Bookshops means – JSOnline OnMilwaukee.com Milwaukee Buzz: A bit of local history uncovered OnMilwaukee.com Politics: Bay Views solar village gains momentum State keeps working on Milwaukee-Madison railroad UWM seeks stimulus funds for two big construction projects (WTN News) New construction – BizTimes Gatehouse wanted $18 million in TIF for Palomar project – BizTimes Local retailers will get preference at The Brewery – BizTimes First Pabst brewery residents move in Friday – BizTimes Seven developers respond to RFP for “net zero energy” development in Bay View – BizTimes U.S. Bank working on redevelopment plan for parking structure – BizTimes First residents moving to Pabst apartments Friday – JSOnline Third Ward wine shop relocates, expands – JSOnline Oconomowoc backs high-speed rail proposal – JSOnline Panel wants limits on music at Bradford Beach – JSOnline KRM sales tax faces fresh opposition Change visible on Downer – JSOnline
Feb 1st, 2009 by Dave Reid
Milwaukee’s War on Fun
It was just a few years ago when Milwaukee was named the #2 Party City in America, and although that might seem like a funny or insignificant title it was actually a well deserved and beneficial honor.
Feb 1st, 2009 by Dave Reid
Opportunities to Voice Your Support for Transit Service in Milwaukee
The City of Milwaukee is offering two new ways for residents to support transit initiatives in Milwaukee. First the City of Milwaukee has rolled out an online petition and are asking residents to sign it if you agree with the four points laid out below: The Connector plan should enhance and expand existing public transit service in Milwaukee. Transit routes that are fixed in place are more likely to spur significant development. Thus, the Connector plan should include fixed transit. The design of the Connector plan should maximize the amount of federal transit investment attracted to Milwaukee. The Connector plan should be viewed as a significant, substantial beginning to major transit improvements in Milwaukee — with the expectation that our community will build upon these improvements over time. Additionally the Milwaukee Connector study group will be holding a series of meetings to allow residents to voice their opinion. The open houses will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the following dates: February 3, 2009 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union Wisconsin Room 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. February 4, 2009 Fritsche Middle School Cafeteria 2969 S. Howell Avenue February 5, 2009 Black Historical Society 2620 W. Center Street February 10, 2009 Northwestern Mutual Franklin Campus 1 Northwestern Mutual Way (S.27th Drexel and Rawson) February 11, 2009 Milwaukee County Research Park Technology Innovation Center – Room 162 10437 Innovation Dr. February 12, 2009 O’Donnell Park Harbor Lights Room 910 E. Michigan Street Sign the petition
Jan 31st, 2009 by Dave Reid
Big Decks, Little Decks
You show me yours. I’ll show you mine. Tom Bamberger’s feature article in the February issue of Milwaukee Magazine is posted online via the magazine. Titled “The Peter Principle,” it’s a review of architect Peter Renner’s BreakWater on North Franklin Place. It’s a fair enough article. Renner lost it completely when his office circulated a reply, which can best be described as trash. He lowered himself to actually sending someone out to take photos of Bamberger’s personal residence on National Avenue, then sunk ever deeper by adding snide remarks about Bamberger’s photographic skills (not suitable for The BreakWater!). The bottom of the pissy pit arrived when he added snide comments about Bamberger’s personal life, including his “finances.” Why did Renner sink to this level? Speaking of peters, Renner was responsible for erecting those horrible phallic things that mark various territories in the Third Ward. Maybe that was the first clue about things to come. Who knows why Peter became so unprincipled? It’s a jungle out there folks. Everyone in the building I live in (north of The Breakwater), is talking about the feature in Milwaukee Magazine, so you can bet it will be widely read and widely discussed. You show me your deck. I’ll show you mine. MJS architecture critic, what’s your take?
Jan 30th, 2009 by Stella Cretek
Committee Not Happy With Zoo Interchange Plan
The Wisconsin DOT presented the most recent plans for the reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange. The project team argued that because of the age of the interchange, number of accidents, and predicted congestion that the interchange needs to be rebuilt and widened. They presented multiple options, all of which included the relocation of at least 13 residential homes, one business and would cut the parking lot at State Fair in half. It was pointed out that the under the plans now being considered there will be no impact to the Honey Creek Business Park. The design includes additional lanes and new frontage roads, referred to as Texas U-Turns, that essentially double the footprint of the highway. Alderman Bob Bauman expressed that the Wisconsin DOT seems to always push for freeway expansion saying that “no one ever talks about the no build option” and that “this a stealth widening of the Milwaukee freeway system”. In response to a series of questions and comments regarding transit options, Ms. Brown, from the Wisconsin DOT, responded that “transit is not considered as part of the construction of the interchange”. Alderman Murphy expressed the committee’s belief that the Wisconsin DOT has ignored multi-modal options at the expense of the City of Milwaukee saying that “the way they (Wisconsin DOT) set up this planning they specifically excluded it”. Wisconsin DOT staff repeatedly pointed to SEWRPC’s planning as their guiding direction and Ms. Brown reiterated “that (rail) is not an option given the schedule and time frame”. Near the end of the meeting Alderman Bauman summed up the committee’s message to the Wisconsin DOT saying “carry back the message you don’t have any happy campers”.
Jan 30th, 2009 by Dave Reid
Friday Photos Friday, 30. January 2009
South Water Works South Water Works South Water Works South Water Works South Water Works
Jan 30th, 2009 by Dave Reid
BreakWater Fiasco
A column in Milwaukee Magazine criticizing the design of Renner Architect's soon-to-be completed BreakWater Condominiums spurred a response from Renner's firm that was in very poor form.
Jan 29th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
The Bay View Arts Guild wants your art!
The Bay View Arts Guild is looking for creators of fine art and crafts to exhibit and sell their work at the South Shore Frolics Festival of Art on Sunday, July 12, 2009. The well-received festival is held in scenic South Shore Park in Bay View (Milwaukee) with Lake Michigan as a backdrop. There is room for 70 exhibitors. 12’x12′ sites are available for $75, with an additional jurying fee of $5. Deadline for the first jurying is March 31, 2009. An application is available at www.bayviewarts.org/events, by calling 414- 482-1543, or by writing to BVAG, P.O. Box 070137, Milwaukee, WI 53207. This is the Arts Guild’s fifth year of collaboration with the Bay View Lions Club, and the 60th annual South Shore Frolics. Information about the rest of the three-day event can be obtained by contacting the Bay View Lions at 414-769-0855.
Jan 29th, 2009 by Vital Archives
Dragonfly Vintage Goods launches new Etsy site
In the dead of Winter, Dragonfly realizes that no one wants to leave their nice warm houses (and understandably so)so they’ve decided to try and bring Dragonfly to you with a new Etsy site! If you’re local and looking for something bigger; furniture-type things, you won’t find them there but you will see some of the Dragonfly collection on Milwaukee Craigslist. Just go to milwaukee.craigslist.org/ and search for East Side/Brady St. and you’ll see what Dragonfly has listed. Post holiday sales are going on for another week or so: vintage clothing 25% off, 20% off new books, 50% off 2009 calendars and all furniture is 10% off. Mention this email and get an additional 10% off your purchase. If you DO feel like getting out of the house, please remember to patronize your favorite local businesses so they’ll all still be here in the springtime! (No, seriously)
Jan 29th, 2009 by Vital Archives
VITAL Source makes NY Times, thanks to MJS
Sheesh. Say what you want about the declining importance of our nation’s foremost daily newspapers, but I bet if you made the New York Times you’d tell all your neighbors. I know I would… and so I am. This morning we were all in the office, just settling into our coffee and email, when the phone rang. It was a VITAL reader who saw in today’s Times that VITAL had gone out of business. The reader had called to express his condolences but was delighted to hear that the story was untrue. We all work in one giant open office, so there’s no such thing as privacy. Ryan had taken the call, and from one side the conversation had sounded unremarkable. But as soon as she hung up, she yelled “What the _____!” and ran to a computer where she looked up the article in question. We all gathered round and read in horror. Here it is: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/business/media/26gamer.html The thrust of the story is about how the owner of one magazine, Hardcore Gamer, faced with shutting the book down, put it up for sale on eBay and successfully sold it. The lead paragraph mentions Vital Source as being among over a dozen magazines to fold in January 2009 alone. Even though it’s just a passing mention, it’s still the New York Times and I felt the need (once again) to clarify our position. Through the website, I emailed Stephanie Clifford, the author: I read with interest this morning your story about Hardcore Gamer and its quest to stay in business by selling to the highest eBay bidder. I do urgently need to clarify, however, one item. As the editor in chief and co-publisher of Vital Source, which you mentioned in your opening paragraph, I feel compelled to let you know that we are not folding, but simply ceasing to print. We currently enjoy a very healthy web audience and will be launching a much-expanded portal in early March. This portal … will serve the hyper-local constituency of the Milwaukee-area population, and allow us to better meet the information, entertainment and news needs of our audience. Of particular note is the fact that we have not lost one single print advertiser to the change; ALL of them signed up with us online. Thanks in advance for any consideration in clarifying this. I’m sure you know that many people will read your article and simply take it at face value if no addendum is offered. I can be reached at 414-XXX-XXXX if you’re interested in speaking further about how one magazine is evolving rapidly to meet the changing demands of the marketplace. Best Regards, Jon Anne Willow To my surprise (just because you never know if people read their site-submitted messages), I received a prompt and courteous response with the assurance that a correction (which she had me verify) would be printed in the paper with an addendum added to the online story. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who contacted her. […]
Jan 29th, 2009 by Jon Anne Willow
BreakWater Controversy
This just in: Milwaukee Magazine has put the full text of The Peter Principle online. It can be found: http://www.milwaukeemagazine.com/currentIssue/full_feature_story.asp?NewMessageID=24464 Dear Dem Bones readers: Here’s Architect Peter Renner’s response to Tom Bamberger’s article (The Peter Principle/Milwaukee Magazine/February 2009). From Milwaukee Magazine, “The Peter Principle,” February 2009: The BreakWater doesn’t have a sense of itself. It’s a tall building that looks stout. The spacing, lines and volumes that define the four sides have no rhythm or reason. There is no pattern or any kind of visual gravity to hold it together. Its only defining visual feature is stacks of self- supported decks that look like house- boats docked to the building. None of its constituent parts add up, right down to the sign on the front, whose florid calligraphic font seems out of step with the building’s brutish flatness. On first viewing, The Break- Water is unmemorable; with repeated viewing, it sinks into incoherence. Quality is signified rather than realized. There are slabs of granite inside and out. The lobby is intended to create “the feel of a museum in Rome,” Renner’s Web site declares. The goal “is to build Mercedes quality units and sell them at a Chrysler price.” But even a Chrysler has an articulated exterior. Renner is selling high-class amenities in a vertical Wal- Mart box. Many of Renner’s customers come from the suburbs, and The BreakWater is the vertical urban equivalent to the suburban McMansion.These amorphous homes never look like anything in particular because they are turned inward and are merely containers of the requisite amenities. Similarly, Renner’s high-rise satisfies our needs for immense closets, enormous entertainment centers, vast open kitchens, huge master bedrooms, thick walls, spacious heated parking places and massive decks. The outside is an add-on, an afterthought. Renner isn’t even trying to create a beautiful building. He’s not guilty about leaving a void. And you shouldn’t be either. Don’t kid yourself, he’s saying. Well-designed exteriors are for sissies. And Renner’s response: Whether you have or haven’t read the bizarre and critical article in February’s Milwaukee Magazine, you will probably hear about it. The author is obviously being influenced and/or directed by the `intellectual architectural community’ that locally has a religious belief in the concept that any architecture that doesn’t mimic `modern architecture’ is immoral architecture. The concept of modern architecture was by and large created by two Germans, Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, who were instructors in the avant guarde Bauhaus School of Architecture located in Eastern Germany and operated in the 1920’s and 1930’s. This cult of modern architecture is like a religion – a religion I don’t subscribe to. I don’t want to live in a cold sterile building and I don’t think most other people want to either. … When we design buildings like the BreakWater our first priority is to design a living space and unit that best accommodates the needs and desires of the people that are going to live there. Our customers like acoustic privacy, they […]
Jan 29th, 2009 by Stella Cretek
HANDMADE NATION – Milw Premiere – Feb 5th @ The Oriental – BE THERE!
click here and peep Handmade Nation game. The February 5 screening of “Handmade Nation” will be its U.S. feature premiere. The screening takes place 7 p.m. Thursday, February 5, at Landmark’s Oriental Theatre, 2230 N. Farwell Ave. The film has had preview screenings as a work in progress in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Wisconsin. Just prior to the Milwaukee feature screening, it is being shown at the Kampnagel Theatre in Hamburg as part of “Viva La Craft.” February 5 will be the first time a U.S. audience will see the feature-length cut. “There are so many Milwaukee people who have helped make this film possible,” said FaytheLevine, co-owner of Paper Boat Boutique & Gallery and organizer of the yearly indie craft fair Art vs. Craft. “It was a very specific choice to screen it here first because I wanted to show it to the local community who supported if for the past three years.” “Handmade Nation” documents the new wave of craft that is capturing the attention of the nation. It’s the feature film debut of Levine who had been making her own art and was becoming increasingly active in the modern crafts scene when it occurred to her to document the trend. “I was going to all these fairs and I remember thinking: Something big is happening,” she told the New York Times in a Sept. 4 feature story. For the film project that ensued, she traveled to 15 cities and covered more than 19,000 miles to interview a new generation of stitchers, sewers, quilters, knitters and beaders – do-it-yourselfers who bring attitude and an independent edge to old-school techniques. In addition to the local talent involved behind the scenes, “Handmade Nation” features a slice of Milwaukee’s craft scene. The Little Friends of Printmaking, a world famous design duo, are among the featured artists, and some footage was filmed at Fasten Co-Op Clothing Gallery, located at 2224 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in Bay View, and an Art vs. Craft event. An accompanying book “Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design,” co-authored by Levine and assistant producer Cortney Heimerl, was published in October by Princeton Architectural Press. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase on the night of the screening. The postcard and movie posters for the Milwaukee screening were designed by Kate Bingaman-Burt, who is also responsible for the hand-drawn typography in the book. A limited run of 200 silk-screened movie posters will be printed by The Little Friends of Printmaking, www.thelittlefriendsofprintmaking.com. Tickets, $10 each, are available at the Oriental box office 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and noon-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday, or on the night of the show subject to availability. Interviews with Faythe Levine can be arranged by contacting Milwaukee Film. For more information on “Handmade Nation” visit www.handmadenationmovie.com More information about Milwaukee Film is available by visiting its group, Milwaukee Film, on Facebook.com.
Jan 29th, 2009 by Howie Goldklang
