Near West Side Partners, Elected and Community Leaders Cut Ribbon to Celebrate Opening of Concordia 27

MILWAUKEE  – Near West Side Partners (NWSP), joined by elected and community leaders and project supporters, on Tuesday afternoon, officially opened the doors to Concordia 27 with a ceremonial ribbon cutting – marking a complete transformation from vacant building to welcoming community center and resource hub.

NWSP partnered with Wiegand Enterprises to develop Concordia 27 based on the community’s vision – as identified during the 2021 Harley-Davidson Foundation Appreciative Inquiry Summit – with a goal to catalyze health, social and economic improvements for the Near West Side, City of Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin residents. The space represents the culmination of nearly a decade of collaboration between neighbors, business owners and NWSP and is the embodiment of neighbors’ vision for their community.

“What will make Concordia 27 a success for years to come is the collaboration inside the building, where we’ve brought together Near West Side tenants, partners, and neighbors to bring this vision to reality,” said Lindsey St Arnold Bell. “This has been a building that has been underutilized and vacant for upwards of 15 years, and seeing this project come to life with these storefronts open and active brings a new life to the health and wellness corridor on 27th Street in the Near West Side.”

Concordia 27 is part apartment building, part hub for resources and career development, and part gathering space. It includes a cafe, six retail spaces available for small business owners or local artisans, a community event and meeting space, and offices for NWSP, the Centers for Independence (CFI), Fruition MKE, and Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM). Onsite, neighbors can access health and wellness resources, engage with others in beautiful, creative spaces, and grow into new full-time job opportunities, and entrepreneurs and small businesses will be supported as they grow and generate additional jobs.

In addition to the community spaces and storefronts on Concordia 27’s ground level, the vision for the development includes 33 affordable housing units on levels two, three and four of the building. These one- and two-bedroom units, once complete, will be made available to individuals and families of those making about $15 per hour.

A true private-public partnership, Concordia 27 is supported with funding from the State of Wisconsin, Milwaukee County, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other generous partners.

About Near West Side Partners:
Near West Side Partners (NWSP) is a non-profit organization that works to revitalize the Near West Side of Milwaukee in four key focus areas: safety, housing, attracting and retaining businesses, and promoting the well-being of our neighbors. NWSP was founded through the support of business and civic leaders, including the organization’s five anchor institutions – Aurora Health Care, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, Molson Coors and Potawatomi Ventures.

About Centers for Independence
Founded in 1938 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Centers for Independence (CFI) serves more than 20,000 people annually across 72 Wisconsin counties. CFI’s mission is to strengthen communities by helping people overcome life challenges and advance their total health and well-being. The organization offers more than 30 programs and services including food and nutrition services, home health, crisis resource centers, adult day programs, employment, skills training and more, assisting people of all ages and abilities achieve their fullest level of independence in a hopeful, supportive environment. For more information visit www.cfihope.org.

About Fruition MKE
Fruition MKE is a co-working space, makerspace and cafe space designed to ignite creativity and productivity among entrepreneurs, artists and professionals. Their mission is to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive community of innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs by providing a dynamic space where collaboration, creativity, and community thrive in the Near West Side neighborhood.

About Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM)
Scaling Wellness In Milwaukee (SWIM) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, trauma-informed resource center that fosters community wellness. SWIM builds community-based collaborations to prevent, respond to, and treat trauma. Whether someone is an individual seeking services, an organization looking for training, or are just someone interested in addressing trauma and its impacts, SWIM can be a resource for them.

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NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.