2018 Mayor’s Design Award Recipients

2018 Mayor’s Design Awards Recipients. Photos by Jeramey Jannene.

Projects big and small were honored last week by the City of Milwaukee as Mayor Tom Barrett presented the annual Mayor’s Design Awards.

Award recipients ranged from Northwestern Mutual‘s gleaming new downtown skyscraper to a small staircase in Silver City. In between honorees included a host of projects that represent a changing city, from a brewery in a former church to apartments opening in former office buildings.

The city honored the 20 recipients in a ceremony at the UW-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning. The ceremony marked the 21st installment in the awards program started under former Mayor John Norquist.

The awards this year were broken into four categories, Spaces and Places, Test of Time, Small Gems and Design That Grabs You.

Spaces and Places Award Winners

The following projects have found unique opportunities to contribute to the character of their neighborhoods and have made their streets and public spaces more attractive by engaging the public, utilizing existing infrastructure, and creating meaningful community spaces for all to enjoy.

• Enderis Park Playground Renovation – 2938 N. 72nd St.
• Arlington Heights Mosaic Staircase – 3429 W. Pierce St.
• Sculpture Milwaukee – Wisconsin Ave. from N. 6th St. to O’Donnell Park – See our coverage
• Preservation Park – 925 W. Juneau Ave. – HILLworks – Read our profile
• Fondy Park – 2210 W. Fond du Lac Ave. – Community Design Solutions – Read our profile

Test of Time Award Winners

The following projects have added value to the city by restoring their properties in a way that enhances the character of their neighborhoods and reinforces the traditional neighborhood fabric. These projects will help to preserve the city’s built environment and architectural legacy for future generations.

• Historic Garfield Apartments – 2235 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave. – Engberg Anderson Architects – See our coverage
• Mitchell Street Library & Alexander Lofts – 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. – HGA – Read our profile
• Pabst Milwaukee Brewery & Taproom – 1037 W. Juneau Ave. – Engberg Anderson Architects – Read our profile
• Historic Mackie Building Redevelopment – 225 E. Michigan St. – Continuum Architects + Planners – Read our profile
• Historic Germania Building Redevelopment – 135 W. Wells St. – Korb + Associates Architects – See our coverage

Small Gems

The following projects have added value to the City by displaying design excellence with respecting the urban fabric and contributing ot the character of their surroundings.

• Farmhouse Paint & Sip – 4511 S. 6th St.
• Kinn Guesthouse & Kindred on KK – 2535 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
• Good City Brewing – 2108 N. Farwell Ave. – Rinka Chung Architecture – Read our profile
• Cesar Chavez Drive Facade Renovations – 1000–1032 S. Cesar Chavez Dr.
• BMO Harris Bank – Sherman Park Branch – 3637 W. Fond du Lac Ave. – GROTH Design Group – See our coverage

Design That Grabs You Award Winners

The following projects have added value to the City by displaying design excellence while respecting the urban fabric and contributing to the character of their surroundings.

• Mercantile Building Addition – 318 N. Water St. – Eppstein Uhen Architects – See our coverage
• DoMUS – 401 E. Erie St. – HGA – Read our profile
• 1433 Water / Bader Rutter – 1433 N. Water St. – Plunkett Raysich Architects – Read our profile
• Westin Hotel – 550 N. Van Buren St. – Kahler Slater Architects – Read our profile
• Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons – 800 E. Wisconsin Ave. – Pickard Chilton – Read our profile

If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits, all detailed here.