Legislature Approves Selling Key Bronzeville Site

A proposal to redevelop a significant Bronzeville property at the intersection of N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. and W. North Ave. cleared its first major hurdle Tuesday.

The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee approved selling the 3.4-acre property to the nonprofit Bronzeville Center for the Arts (BCA). The organization hopes to build a “world-class art and cultural center” on the site.

“We have a great opportunity to increase our collective knowledge about African American art, art history and artists,” said artist Mutope Johnson, who also serves as the BCA’s project manager, in early February when the proposal was unveiled. “The center will be a true destination, celebrating the past while making art of the African diaspora a central focus in the cultural consciousness of present and future generations.”

The conceptual plans call for a 50,000-square-foot facility, including an auditorium and exhibition space, that would be a showcase for Black artists. The organization said it would host community meetings as part of refining the vision for the site. Additional ideas considered for the complex include a sculpture garden, classrooms and gathering spaces. Wilson & Ford Design Studios produced a conceptual rendering of the plan.

The nonprofit, which is already moving forward on a smaller facility two blocks to the west, was the selected bidder from a request-for-proposals process. It would pay $1.6 million for the property, which includes a parking lot and two-story, 33,995-square-foot office building. Built for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in 1983, the agency relocated in 2021 to a renovated, state-owned building at 1001 W. St. Paul Ave. The Department of Administration declared the Bronzeville site as surplus property and listed it for sale in October. BCA’s plans call for clearing the site.

A third-party consultant valued the property, 2312 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., at $1.2 million.

“This is the first sale of its kind in four years, and we look forward to the impact that BCA will bring to Milwaukee residents and visitors,” said Department of Administration Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld in a statement. “Our goal is to continue to create a more sustainable, efficient, and modern government positioned to best serve the State of Wisconsin and Wisconsin taxpayers.”

BCA is also moving forward on a gallery space, workshop and office space development at 507 W. North Ave. Construction is expected to begin this spring, now that the organization has secured approval to buy a city-owned, vacant lot, at 517-519 W. North Ave., adjacent to the two-story building it previously acquired. A one-story addition would be constructed. The former duplex will become office space and will receive a new roof, siding, mechanical systems and other improvements. The addition will serve as gallery space with a full basement.

The 5th and North development is estimated to cost $1.5 million. Developer Melissa Allen of Maures Development Group has been hired to execute that project.

“We look at that as a whole campus,” said board chair Kristen D. Hardy of the potential for the DNR site and gallery space in an early February interview.

The BCA developments build on a number of other efforts underway in the area, including The Griot apartment building (which houses the soon-to-open America’s Black Holocaust Museum) and ThriveOn King development from the Medical College of Wisconsin and Greater Milwaukee Foundation. A number of other smaller projects are planned within the King Drive corridor.

“They all have a greater vision of raising the profile of Bronzeville and more importantly being something the community gets behind,” said Hardy.

BCA, which was formed in 2020, has not disclosed its funders. But property records indicate the 5th and North project is backed by entrepreneur, philanthropist and frequent arts supporter Deborah Kern.

“We are thankful to the Department of Administration, the Building Commission, the Committee on Joint Finance and Governor Tony Evers for helping us take this significant step forward, which will initiate BCA’s thorough and intentional planning process including critical community conversations as we develop project and programming plans,” said Hardy in a statement Tuesday.

MLK and North Site

507 W. North Ave.