Walk Bay View Through Jane Jacobs’ Eyes

2600 Block of S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Join Urban Milwaukee for a walk down Bay View‘s main street on May 8th.

We’ll explore a one-mile stretch of S. Kinnickinnic Ave. through the eyes of urban activist and writer Jane Jacobs. The free walk is part of Jane’s Walk MKE, a series of walks that kicks off May 1st.

Reading Jacobs’ seminal work from 1961, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, is not a requirement to attend the walk, but we will discuss many of the guiding principles Jacobs advocated in her book to create great urban places.

Is there sufficient density to create a walkable neighborhood? Are there enough differing uses to activate the street throughout the day? Are the blocks short enough to make it easy to walk through the area? Is the building stock varied enough in age and quality to attract all types of businesses to locate on the street?

Does the built environment provide “eyes on the street,” a condition where residents, workers and visitors organically provide a safe, urban neighborhood by serving as mutual stakeholders in the condition of the area?

We will attempt to answer those questions, as well as exploring Jacobs’ idea of a “sidewalk ballet.”

We will also discuss what impact future development could have on the area and what forms should it take to benefit the street and neighborhood.

Jacobs, a resident of New York City’s East Village neighborhood at the time of her writing, was well known for discussing the issues of the day at the White Horse Tavern. And in that spirit, we will end the walk at The Backyard.

For more on Jane’s Walk, listen to our podcast from last week.

Details

Date: May 8th – 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Starting Location: Intersection of S. Kinnickinnic Ave. and S. Herman St. (approximately 2740 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.)
Ending Location: Intersection of S. Kinnickinnic Ave. and E. Archer Ave. (2155 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.)
Pace: Leisurely, many stops for discussion
Cost: Free

Registration is requested to aid in planning.