Who Should Win A Mayor’s Design Award?

2018 Mayor’s Design Awards Recipients. Photos by Jeramey Jannene.

The city is looking for good-looking development projects big and small that happened in the last year.

Nominations are due March 31st for the annual Mayor’s Design Awards. An awards ceremony is planned for May.

Nominating a project is as simple as filling out a form online. To be eligible a project must have been completed by December 31st, 2018.

Award recipients in 2018 ranged from Northwestern Mutual‘s gleaming new downtown skyscraper to a small staircase in Silver City. A total of 20 projects were awarded. Collectively they represent an ever-changing city, from a brewery in a former church to apartments opening in former office buildings.

In 2018 the city awarded projects in four categories: Spaces and Places, Test of Time, Small Gems and Design That Grabs You.

The awards program was started under Mayor John Norquist and continued by Tom Barrett.

The 2018 winners are included below.

Spaces and Places Award Winners

The following projects have found unique opportunities to contribute to the character of their neighborhoods and have made their streets and public spaces more attractive by engaging the public, utilizing existing infrastructure, and creating meaningful community spaces for all to enjoy.

• Enderis Park Playground Renovation – 2938 N. 72nd St.
• Arlington Heights Mosaic Staircase – 3429 W. Pierce St.
• Sculpture Milwaukee – Wisconsin Ave. from N. 6th St. to O’Donnell Park – See our coverage
• Preservation Park – 925 W. Juneau Ave. – HILLworks – Read our profile
• Fondy Park – 2210 W. Fond du Lac Ave. – Community Design Solutions – Read our profile

Test of Time Award Winners

The following projects have added value to the city by restoring their properties in a way that enhances the character of their neighborhoods and reinforces the traditional neighborhood fabric. These projects will help to preserve the city’s built environment and architectural legacy for future generations.

• Historic Garfield Apartments – 2235 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave. – Engberg Anderson Architects – See our coverage
• Mitchell Street Library & Alexander Lofts – 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. – HGA – Read our profile
• Pabst Milwaukee Brewery & Taproom – 1037 W. Juneau Ave. – Engberg Anderson Architects – Read our profile
• Historic Mackie Building Redevelopment – 225 E. Michigan St. – Continuum Architects + Planners – Read our profile
• Historic Germania Building Redevelopment – 135 W. Wells St. – Korb + Associates Architects – See our coverage

Small Gems

The following projects have added value to the City by displaying design excellence with respecting the urban fabric and contributing ot the character of their surroundings.

• Farmhouse Paint & Sip – 4511 S. 6th St.
• Kinn Guesthouse & Kindred on KK – 2535 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
• Good City Brewing – 2108 N. Farwell Ave. – Rinka Chung Architecture – Read our profile
• Cesar Chavez Drive Facade Renovations – 1000–1032 S. Cesar Chavez Dr.
• BMO Harris Bank – Sherman Park Branch – 3637 W. Fond du Lac Ave. – GROTH Design Group – See our coverage

Design That Grabs You Award Winners

The following projects have added value to the City by displaying design excellence while respecting the urban fabric and contributing to the character of their surroundings.

• Mercantile Building Addition – 318 N. Water St. – Eppstein Uhen Architects – See our coverage
• DoMUS – 401 E. Erie St. – HGA – Read our profile
• 1433 Water / Bader Rutter – 1433 N. Water St. – Plunkett Raysich Architects – Read our profile
• Westin Hotel – 550 N. Van Buren St. – Kahler Slater Architects – Read our profile
• Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons – 800 E. Wisconsin Ave. – Pickard Chilton – Read our profile

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