See the 2024 Mayor’s Design Awards Winners

The Trade hotel. Photos by Jeramey Jannene.

The City of Milwaukee is recognizing the best in design through its 27th annual Mayor’s Design Awards.

A total of 20 projects are being recognized, including one building that was previously described as “the quintessential definition of blight.”

An in-person ceremony to recognize the winners is being held Friday evening at the UW-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Mayor Cavalier Johnson is leading the ceremony.

Administered by the Department of City Development, the awards program began under Mayor John Norquist and was continued by Mayor Tom Barrett. The 2024 awards are the third under Johnson.

Neighborhood Renaissance

The following projects are Growing Milwaukee by providing a wide range of new opportunities for City living that strengthen neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life for residents

• Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity – Affordable Homeownership Initiative – Harambee and Midtown neighborhoods – Quorum Architects and Milwaukee Habitat – Prior Coverage
• Walnut Circle & Josey Heights – N. 20th and W. Walnut streets and N. 12th and W. Lloyd streets – Emem Group – Prior Coverage
• McKinley School Lofts – 1320 N. 21st St. – Quorum Architects and Gorman & Company – Prior Coverage
• Maple & Hickory at Westlawn Gardens – 6014 W. Sheridan Ave. and 6405 W. Sheridan Ave. – Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, Eppstein Uhen Architects, raSmith, Torti Gallas + Partners
• Nova – 1237 N. Van Buren St. – New Land Enterprises, Korb + Associates Architects and Catalyst Construction – Prior Coverage

Places & Spaces

The following projects have found unique opportunities to contribute to their neighborhoods by making our streets and public spaces more attractive and engaging, and creating meaningful community spaces for all to enjoy

• Cohort 5 Green and Healthy Schools – Frederick J. Gaenslen School, Milwaukee German Immersion School, Richard Kluge Creative Arts School, Alexander Mitchell Integrated Arts School, Riley Dual Language Montessori School – Reflo, Milwaukee Public Schools, SmithGroup, Aqualis, Community Design Solutions and Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District – Prior Coverage
• Lakefront Brewery Riverwalk Improvements – 1872 N. Commerce St. – The Kubala Washatko Architects, Spire Engineering and J.H. Findorff & Son – Prior Coverage
• Muskego Way Bollards – S. 24th and W. Mitchell streets – La Familia de Arte, Muskego Way Forward
• Garden Block Revitalization Project – S. 6th St. and W. Howard Ave. – Garden District Neighborhood Association

Vibrant Corridors

The following projects are revitalizing Milwaukee’s commercial corridors by constructing or restoring their properties in a pedestrian-friendly way that activates the public realm and adds to the vibrancy and diversity of the City’s commercial districts

• Who’s On Layton – 512 W. Layton Ave. – Cream City Concepts, ADK Design, RINKA, ConnecTech, Jimmy Cha Cha – Prior Coverage
• Ground 59 – 2159 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. – Dan Beyer Architects, JTT Commercial, Kelly Construction & Design – Prior Coverage
• Mitchell Street Arts (MiSA) – 710 W. Historic Mitchell St. – Rew Gordon, HGA – Prior Coverage
• Denizen MKE – 4227 W. Vliet St. – Amber Bricco, Rachael Flood, Vision Architects & Engineers, Sawfish General Contracting, Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation, Spring Bank – Prior Coverage
• Buffalo Boss – 540 N. 27th St. – Taj Pearsall, HGA, Near West Side Partners, Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation, Craftsman Restoration Guild – Prior Coverage
• The Connector Building – 274 E. Keefe Ave. – Riverworks Development Corporation, Stephen Perry Smith Architects, Jordan’s Construction Services – Prior Coverage

Urbanism Redefined

The following projects have made extraordinary contributions to the City’s built environment by constructing or restoring places that repair, restore, or enhance the urban fabric, expand opportunities for education or employment, and facilitate social connections; while raising the bar for major development and contemporary architecture in the City.

• UW-Milwaukee Student Union – 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. – J.H. Findorff & Son, HGA, Ring & DuChateu, OTIE, UW System Board of Regents, UWM Students, State Building Commission
• Marquette University O’Brien Hall – 1530 W. Wisconsin Ave. – BNIM, Workshop Architects, J.H. Findorff & Son – Prior Coverage
• Wgema Campus Plan + Renovation – 3215 W. State St. – Potawatomi Ventures, Quorum Architects, Greenfire Management Services, Ring & DuChateau, Pierce Engineers, Payne + Dolan
• Milwaukee Tool – 551 N. 5th St. – Stephen Perry Smith Architects, Mortenson Construction – Prior Coverage
• The Trade – 420 W. Juneau Ave. – North Central Group, Gary Brink & Associates, J.H. Findorff & Son, Pierce Engineers, Kapur & Associates – Prior Coverage

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