7 Catalytic Projects For Downtown Milwaukee
New downtown plan calls for streetcar expansion, protected bike network, rethinking 794 and improved public spaces.
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New downtown plan calls for streetcar expansion, protected bike network, rethinking 794 and improved public spaces. Back to the full article.
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Wow, very flashy! I hope the Mayor and his administration is putting an equal amount of energy and resources into redeveloping our crumbling neighborhoods. Many of our formerly vibrant working class neighborhoods are falling apart- board-ups, vacant lots, crumbling streets, empty store fronts. Most of Milwaukeeans live in neighborhoods, not downtown. Spread the wealth!
@rubiomon@gmail.com
Truth. They do not care. They “spread the wealth” into the pockets
of those who keep them in power. Private businessmen who tell
the mayor what to do and live in the suburbs.
Unless the state changes its property tax sharing revenue to be more favorable to the City of Milwaukee, a visionary plan like this will be the only way to benefit all of the city’s needs. It looks to me that the mayor outlined some of the revenue realities. His report should additionally show which TIFs and which BIDs already do help the neighborhoods that are indeed in disrepair. This is a great start!
It’s exciting stuff…some old projects and some new.
What is most notable to me is that these new catalytic projects seem focused on public thoroughfares and property currently owned by the City or County (the Museum, the Marcus Center parking structure, parks, etc.). The success of the catalytic as outlined in the previous plan seemed to hinge more on getting owners of privately-owned property to do something. While the new renderings definitely show new development of private property, the projects *themselves* are more limited in scope. Almost like, let’s strive to achieve something in the public realms we control, and hope that the private owners come along.
I like that approach. Bold, yet sensible.
Ack, I practically quivered with delight when I saw the “City Hall square” rendering. 🙂 Definitely aspirational visioning a la Times Square in NYC. My reticence is that big public spaces like this need people, and that–beyond programming and streetscaping–it really means having a built-in audience ready to avail itself of the benefits of such a space. Downtown MIlwaukee was decimated decades ago by loss of the original streetcars, lack of mass transit use in general, surface parking lots, etc. Milwaukeans *in general* are simply not as socialized as others to walk beyond getting from the office to the car. How will downtown Milwaukee fill a big plaza like this, or even have decent usage day-in and day-out, when its sidewalks are practically empty most of the time? This is where the Mayor’s goals for many, many more downtown residents and jobs come in.
Love big vision and big goals–these are definitely stirring my heart!
I have the chance (very early) this morning to page through the draft plan and I would really encourage anyone interested in downtown to do so, too. While most all of yesterday’s coverage has focused on the seven Catalytic Projects–hey, they come with visuals and tend to incorporate the rest of what’s in the plan–the plan, itself is really impressive.
I would argue that the eight Goals and 40 Recommendations that span these Goals are really where the meat is. Visionary, thoughtful, detailed. For example, Goal 8 (Chapter 9) is Land Use & Development: Create more opportunities for public and private investment in the built environment. It digs into the values espoused by the plan (and recommended by citizens through a variety of venues. What’s notable and exciting is that it really “pounds” surface parking and other under-utilized spaces. As one of the writers said elsewhere, none of the Catalytic projects are guaranteed. However, if they don’t happen but policies are put in place to deal with surface parking, that would be a major win.
And, beyond the Catalytic Projects are other Priority Projects and Big Ideas, some of which have been previously teased.
Lastly, as with any good strategic plan, it is both flexible and also outlines short, medium, long and ongoing tasks, and which bodies are responsible addressing them.
This is is how things should happen in via public engagement in representative democracies–great job!
“this will be the only way to benefit all of the city’s needs” This plan shuts out most of the people in Milwaukee. Its champions believe the entire city begins and ends downtown. The people outside of downtown have been asking for help for years and they are ignored. Their only use to this elite is in being suckers who pay property taxes that fund projects downtown.
I love seeing the protected bike lanes. I hope they also plan bike routes such that a nice protected lane doesn’t abruptly end after a few blocks.
@LittleFrog17, while I can’t tell if they’re talking *protected* bike lanes, the plan does include a Bike Priority Network. The network would include the various trails within or near downtown (Hank Aaron, Oak Leaf, etc.) and then the following streets: 6th, Jefferson, and Van Buren running north-south, and Michigan and Kilbourn running east-west.
The plan (depicted in one of the renderings) to redevelop tiny Pere Marquette Park with yet-another downtown beer garden would require the removal of mature canopy trees. That’s in addition to being just one more outdoor bar within an “over-served” entertainment district.
https://shepherdexpress.com/news/features/a-beer-garden-in-pere-marquette-park/
Downtown Milwaukee is dramatically heating up through the heat-island effect. We need more trees. And then more trees. And seating under and near trees that is not reserved for those purchasing pricey beverages.