Vel R. Phillips Plaza Takes Shape

Vel R. Phillips plaza construction in front of the Baird Center. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

It’s not hard to find a construction worker, or temporary road closure, in Westown.

There’s the $456 million Baird Center expansion, the $37 million Fiserv headquarters relocation, the new Kohl’s department store and the construction of Vel R. Phillips Plaza. All four projects meet at the corner of N. Vel R. Phillips and W. Wisconsin avenues, yielding a steady mix of badge-wearing convention attendees and PPE-donning construction workers.

The $16 million plaza project is the latest to break ground, with a June start, but it is the project intended to tie everything together in time for the July 2024 Republican National Convention. Named for Vel Phillips, a civil rights trailblazer from Milwaukee, the plaza will include a space to linger or host events, an art piece honoring Phillips and a 2,900-square-foot cafe.

The 30,000-square-foot plaza, currently subject to substantial earth moving and below-grade construction, is to include a manicured garden, flexible space for farmers markets and other events, an informational kiosk, public art installations and a station on Milwaukee County’s Connect bus-rapid transit line.

The plaza and cafe replace much of a city-owned surface parking at 401-441 W. Wisconsin Ave. The southern half of the site, which covers 55,626 square feet, is being marketed for sale for $3.34 million as part of an attempt to land a multi-building, high-density “landmark development” and continues to be privately operated as a parking lot in the interim. A 2016 request for proposals (RFP) drew two competing hotel proposals, but the city advanced neither.

A RFP for a “uniquely Milwaukee” cafe operator closed July 31 and the city has yet to announce a selected bidder. The city would provide up to $750,000 for the food and beverage vendor’s buildout depending on the lease structure and proposed tenant improvements. The building, otherwise, would be delivered to the tenant in “warm gray box condition” with safety lighting, a gravel floor and no wall finishes. Public, exterior-facing restrooms would be built by the city. The future tenant is responsible for any interior restrooms and cleaning of all restrooms. The RFP called for the “ideal” vendor to operate seven days a week with hours of operation most days from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A partnership of The Kubala Washatko Architects, HNTB and landscape architecture firm Saiki Design is designing the plaza. Selzer-Ornst Construction Company is listed as the project general contractor on a building permit. Walbec Group is partnering with the company on the project.

The plaza was first proposed in 2019 as part of a much larger proposal to extend the streetcar, but the council did not advance that proposal. The current proposal does not include funding for the streetcar extension to the plaza or beyond, but does include space for tracks to be installed in the future.

In April, the Common Council allocated $15.75 million from the Park East tax incremental financing (TIF) district to construct the plaza and cafe between N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue and N. 5th Street. It was previously estimated to cost $5 million, with the cost increase attributed by Department of City Development officials to previously unknown environmental contamination, inflation, design improvements and the plan to raise a portion of W. Wisconsin Avenue to better connect the plaza with the convention center for pedestrians.

It also previously allocated $750,000 from the tax incremental financing district used to support Fiserv’s move to downtown. Construction is well underway to relocate Fiserv’s headquarters and a planned 780 employees from Brookfield to the HUB640 building across from the plaza. Kohl’s is building out a smaller-format department store on the first floor of the building, directly across from the plaza. It will be the Menomonee Falls-based retailer’s first downtown Milwaukee store.

Art Piece Still Sought

The city is still seeking an artist or firm to create and install a work of art that honors Phillips. The budget for the art piece is $600,000 with an estimated installation date of 2025. A request for qualifications is open, with responses due Oct. 9.

Phillips was the first black woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School, and the first woman and first African American elected to the Common Council. She was also the first female judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court and the first African-American judge in Wisconsin. In 1978, Phillips became the first woman elected to the office of Secretary of State, becoming the first African American to ever win a statewide election. She passed away in 2018, with the council voting to rename N. 4th Street in her honor.

“It just makes sense to honor her every way we can,” said Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs at an April press conference. The alderwoman, who considered Phillips a mentor, led the charge to rename N. 4th St. after Phillips. The art piece is intended to be installed along W. Wisconsin Avenue and will be accompanied by informational kiosks.

Photos

12►

Site and Conceptual Renderings of Future Development

Vel R. Phillips Plaza Renderings