City TIF Plan Will Expand Riverwalk
Pending council approval. Plus: A recap of the week's real estate news.
Foxtown Landing and the Downtown Dog Park. Rendering by Stephen Perry Smith Architects.
The City of Milwaukee is advancing a $4.23 million plan to build three riverwalk segments and make safety-focused improvements at two Walker’s Point intersections.
The riverwalk funds would pay to build new riverwalk segments in front of the proposed Downtown Dog Park under Interstate 794 and Foxtown Landing complex to the south, as well as a disconnected 352-foot riverwalk at the Boone & Crockett site, 818 S. Water St. in the Harbor District.
The intersection of S. Water Street and E. Pittsburgh Avenue would receive a traffic signal and other improvements related to its role as the northern terminus of the Kinnickinnic River Trail.
The unsignalized intersection of S. 1st and Florida streets would receive $200,000 for curb bump outs designed to reduce vehicle speeds and shorten the pedestrian crossing distance.
The funds would come from an amendment to Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) District #68 (Fifth Ward First Place), which was created in 2007 to fund the construction of riverwalk segments at the northern tip of Walker’s Point as development has occurred.
“This district has seen an incremental increase in development of approximately $56 million,” said riverwalk project manager Alyssa Remington to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee (RACM) board on Thursday. It is currently generating approximately $1.3 million in incremental revenue per year.
Using a cost-sharing formula, the city pays for up to 70% of riverwalk construction (a maximum of $3,100 per linear foot) and 50% of dockwall reconstruction. It fully funds the cost of any new connections to the street grid.
The dog park riverwalk is expected to cost the city approximately $1.5 million, in part because of complexities with building a new segment under the Clybourn Street Bridge to connect with the segment alongside the Regal Rexnord headquarters to the north.
The Foxtown Landing riverwalk would cost a maximum of $1.2 million, but Remington said the parties are still negotiating over specific components. New street connections would flank the north and south sides of the dog-friendly building, which would include a brewery, distillery, restaurant and event space.
The city previously endorsed using approximately $200,000 from the district to build the dog park riverwalk. “However, back in 2020, this was more of a placeholder at the time as we worked to refine the design of the riverwalk and the dog park improvements themselves and to give them some time to secure the funding for the park improvements,” said Remington.
The two projects continue to move toward a groundbreaking, once anticipated for this fall.
The design of the Boone & Crockett riverwalk was approved in 2022, but the $1.1 million TIF funding amendment now provides the resources to build it. It would include a walkway from S. Water Street down to the wooden riverwalk.
In addition to Boone & Crockett, there are several things happening at the property. The Cooperage event venue uses a portion of the building, Brew City Kayak operates from a shipping container in the parking lot, the Milwaukee Pedal Tavern has a small building facing S. Water St. and the Taco Moto food truck operates near the temporary outdoor bar along the water. The city approved design standards for a Harbor District riverwalk in 2020, with the expectation it would be built in segments as properties are redeveloped.
As part of a 2020 funding agreement for the planned development of the 11-story Admiral’s Wharf project at 234 S. Water St., the city previously allocated $225,000 for a traffic signal at S. Water Street and E. Pittsburgh Avenue. An additional $125,000 would support improvements related to the bike trail, which connects the neighborhoods to the south with the Historic Third Ward and Downtown.
Construction on the Admiral’s Wharf project has not started despite a 2022 claim that a closing on the building’s financing was imminent. Like Foxtown Landing, a portion of the site was used as a staging area last summer for a river cleanup project.
Under state law, TIF districts can pay for public infrastructure improvements within a half mile of their boundaries.
The RACM board unanimously endorsed the TIF amendment, which still must be approved by the Common Council.
Dog Park and Foxtown Renderings
2020 Site Photos
2022 Boone & Crockett Renderings
2022 Boone & Crockett Photos
TIF Map
Weekly Recap
Uncovering The Oriental Theatre’s Mysterious Tiles
New evidence shows the American Encaustic Tiling Company from Zanesville, Ohio, created the original faience tiles at the Oriental Theatre, 2230 N. Farwell Ave.
When The Milwaukee Sentinel featured the Oriental in the newspaper on the day it opened on July 2, 1927, many companies involved in the construction of the East-India-themed theater were featured. The handmade faience tiles and regal coalition of lion statues, however, were not given the same spotlight.
Since then, many stories have been covered about the architecture of the Oriental, but the manufacturer of the Arts & Crafts tiles has remained a mystery.
Faience art tiles were placed in virtually every movie theater in the mid-1920s, especially in southeastern Wisconsin. As for theaters designed by architects Dick & Bauer, tile installations were also at the entrances and lobbies in the National and Tower theaters in Milwaukee, the Capitol in Racine, and the Sprague in Elkhorn. The Oriental was the firm’s grandest showcase of faience tiles.
Brownfield Grant Will Help Get Walker’s Point Apartments Started
New Land Enterprises is moving towards an early 2024 groundbreaking for its proposed six-story Via apartment building at S. 5th Street and W. Mineral Street in Walker’s Point.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) will provide the company with a $150,000 grant to support an environmental assessment of the site, long used for industrial purposes. The City of Milwaukee, as required by the state program, is serving as the applicant and a pass-through entity.
On Thursday, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee unanimously endorsed the proposal.
“There are a number of different sources of potential contamination that have been identified at the site,” said RACM senior environmental project coordinator Mat Reimer. In addition to industrial uses, a portion of the site was used as a filling station.
December Groundbreaking Planned For Long-Awaited Apartment Development
Construction on a long-awaited apartment building is expected to begin next month.
Five Points Lofts, a 55-unit building proposed for a site at the northern end of N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, could be under construction by the end of the year. Forty-six of the units would be rented at below-market rates to qualifying households.
On Thursday, developer Anthony Kazee told the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee that his company, KG Development, hopes to close on the five-story development’s financing just after Thanksgiving.
“We are looking at a December 1 closing,” said Kazee of the $16.4 million financing package.
Kenosha Hard Rock Casino Plan Again Advancing
The Menominee tribe’s new attempt to open a casino in southeast Wisconsin is expected to come to a vote in Kenosha County this month.
The tribe has been working to open a casino in Kenosha County since the 1990s, its last effort ending in failure when it was rejected by then-Gov. Scott Walker despite support from local and federal officials.
In the latest proposal, the Menominee hope to open a gaming facility in conjunction with Florida-based Hard Rock International on a 60-acre site just west of Interstate 94 in the city of Kenosha.
The Kenosha County Board and the City of Kenosha Common Council are expected to vote this month on proposed agreements with the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, the Menominee Kenosha Gaming Authority and municipalities. The agreements outline the proposed casino’s operations in the community and the gaming authority’s financial obligations to the county and city.
Milwaukee’s Chief Building Inspector Takes New Job
The head of the Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) is taking a new job with the city’s IT department.
Erica Roberts will serve as the policy and administration manager in the Information Technology Management Division of the Department of Administration.
Roberts has served in her current role since 2019, having been appointed by prior mayor Tom Barrett. She is the longest-tenured commissioner.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced the news in a press release on Nov. 6.
The Streets of New Milwaukee Is Theme at Conference
The annual Urban Spaceship conference gathered more than 150 people for a day-long examination of what’s working and what’s not to help build a better Milwaukee.
A series of panel discussions delved into topics like street design, mass transit, cycling and pedestrian advocacy and how tax incremental financing works. Many panels tied back to the theme “The Streets of New Milwaukee,” a nod to the old Milwaukee museum exhibit.
Urbanism Speakeasy founder Andy Boenau gave a mid-day keynote presentation about how “Infrastructure is Crumbling Our Minds and Bodies.” Boenau, a built environment and transportation communications expert discussed the need for creating people-friendly environments to encourage walking and social interaction. The Richmond, Virginia-based storyteller also shared a clip of his upcoming documentary.
The Midtown Neighborhood Alliance community group won a micro-grant pitch contest, securing a $2,000 prize to fund its “Heart of the City” beautification effort. The group will use the funding as seed money to fund neighborhood identity signs, improve its community gardens and work to expand access to home maintenance efforts. The neighborhood, not to be confused with the Midtown Center, runs between W. North and W. Highland avenues from N. 20th Street to the 30th Street railroad corridor. The Better Streets MKE coalition moderated the pitch contest, known as SOUP (Support of Urban Projects). The prize was funded by $20 tickets purchased by individuals wanting to vote on the winner. Other proposals included a picnic area at Pulaski Park, a bus stop bench campaigned inspired by the late Bill Sell and a sound-focused public art installation by Mitchell Street Arts.
Marcus Corp Moving Headquarters
The Marcus Corp. is on the move. The company is relocating its corporate headquarters to the Associated Bank River Center tower at 111 E. Kilbourn Ave.
The company will lease 52,000 square feet of space in the 28-story tower. Approximately 200 employees will be based at the office.
“For more than 70 years, The Marcus Corporation has called downtown Milwaukee home,” said CEO Greg Marcus in a statement. “Through our businesses, our philanthropy, our community service, and our workplace, we remain deeply committed to contributing to the vibrancy of our hometown. We like to say we are in the ‘people getting together’ business. I’m thrilled our new offices will do just that for our associates as we work to build great careers and make a difference for those we serve.”
Marcus was expected to move following the outcome of a foreclosure suit against the prior owner of its current home, the 35-story 100 East tower. Alongside Gruber Law Offices, the company is one of the last remaining tenants in the mostly-vacant building. In late August, a partnership of developers Johnny Vassallo, Joe Klein and Klein Development purchased the building with plans to redevelop the tower into approximately 350 apartments.
Mount Pleasant Deal With Microsoft Has No Public Subsidies
Plans by Microsoft to purchase more than 1,000 acres in Mount Pleasant originally intended for Foxconn will come with no public financial incentives for the company and no new infrastructure from the village or Racine County.
The deal would also help the village close a tax incremental district created for Foxconn earlier than anticipated, according to local officials.
“No additional borrowing will be required of either the village or the county,” said Alan Marcuvitz, an attorney representing Mount Pleasant on the deal. “No new infrastructure will be required of either the village or the county. And finally, no additional financial incentives for Microsoft will be required by either the village or the county.”
Last week, Gov. Tony Evers and local officials announced Microsoft was expanding its plans for Mount Pleasant, intending to develop additional data centers on the property and to invest “billions of dollars” in the community over the next decade.
Revised Deer District Concert Venue Wins Key Approval
A scaled-down proposal to build a live music venue next to Fiserv Forum scored a key endorsement Monday, setting it up for final approval next week.
“‘I would propose we call this project our inflation-adjusted concert venue,” said Frank Productions CEO Joel Plant to the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.
The new plan from FPC Live, a partnership of Madison-based Frank Productions and national concert promoter Live Nation, calls for a 4,500-person concert venue targeted primarily at standing crowds atop the former Bradley Center site.
Gone is a prior plan, approved last November, to build two-venue complex with 800 and 4,000 person capacities. Plant blamed the fact that multiple expected groundbreaking dates for the venues came and went on rising construction costs and interest rates. The revised project is said to cost $60 million, still $10 million higher than the original project’s price tag of $50 million.
Could Brewers ‘Sea of Parking’ Lots Be Developed?
The aroma of grilled bratwursts and sound of baseballs hitting gloves over speakers playing “Beer Barrel Polka” are key to the pre-game experience for many Milwaukee Brewers fans, some of whom flood the parking lots hours before first pitch.
Although tailgating isn’t unique to the Brewers, it is a part of the team’s culture and identity. The 12,000 parking spaces and around 160 acres of parking lots at American Family Field are typically flooded with celebrating fans before games. But now – as part of discussions related to a bipartisan plan to fund stadium renovations – some, including Milwaukee’s mayor, are pushing the team to redevelop at least some of the property devoted to parking.
“American Family Field is surrounded by, and has been since 2001, a sea of parking,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. “I’d like to challenge the Brewers, to challenge that organization, to really consider, really push out, this idea of building a district around American Family Field and not to be surrounded by a sea of parking.”
Bucks, Jeffers Plan Deer District Apartments
A new five-story apartment building is planned for a vacant lot near Fiserv Forum.
The Milwaukee Bucks and J. Jeffers & Co. announced a partnership Monday morning that would see a 210-unit apartment building developed just northeast of the arena.
The building would contain a mix of studio, one and two bedroom units on its upper floors. A rooftop terrace with views of the arena is planned, as is an emphasis on a “live/work/play” experience.
The building would contain 27,000 square feet of commercial space on its first floor. “Information regarding the unique activation of the ground-level commercial space is expected in early 2024,” said the partners in a statement. At a press conference Monday morning, developer Joshua Jeffers said a deal is in place for a tenant to fill the space. “All I can say is that it will very much activate that ground floor space,” said the developer.
Brewers Buy Two-Acre Scrap Metal Site Near Ballpark
While a ballpark subsidy remains a hot topic of debate for legislators in Madison, the Milwaukee Brewers are expanding the organization’s property holdings back in Milwaukee.
An affiliate of the team purchased the National Salvage property for $2.1 million according to state real estate transfer records. A spokesperson for the team said the site would be used for storage, but didn’t provide additional information.
The oddly-shaped 1.8-acre property, 600 S. 44th St., includes two buildings used by the scrap metal recycling company that total approximately 15,000 square feet.
It sits between the former Komatsu Mining factory and the Ganter parking lot. The site is immediately east of on-off ramps serving Miller Park Way and Canal Street. American Family Field is located to the northwest.
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