Kilbourn Town

Downtown janitors today unanimously ratified a new contract agreement with the companies that clean the vast majority of Milwaukee’s large-scale commercial office buildings.

Aug 4th, 2012 by SEIU Local 1

New Building On Tap For Brewery

Gorman & Company's third building at the former Pabst Brewery will target law firms as tenants.

Aug 2nd, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Press Release

Downtown janitors reach tentative agreement on new contract

Milwaukee’s 500 downtown janitors, represented by Service Employees International Union - Local 1, on Tuesday evening reached a tentative agreement on a new 3-year contract with the companies that clean Milwaukee’s major commercial office buildings.

Aug 1st, 2012 by Press Release

This is the End, Beautiful Friend

Some thoughts on the bitter end of Sydney Hih.

Jul 28th, 2012 by Dave Reid

Press Release

Downtown Employee Appreciation Week kicks off Monday

Monday marks the start of the 7th Annual Downtown Employee Appreciation Week, July 30 – August 3.

Jul 26th, 2012 by Milwaukee Downtown, BID 21

Press Release

Milwaukee Downtown names Steven Looft new Economic Development Director

Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 has hired Steven Looft as its first Economic Development Director.

Jul 25th, 2012 by Milwaukee Downtown, BID 21

Press Release

Saying Bye – to Sydney Hih

With today’s vote by the Common Council to not reconsider the vote we took earlier this month to lift the interim historic designation for Sydney Hih, I am hopeful that we can move forward to entertain possible new development projects at and near that location.

Jul 24th, 2012 by Ald. Milele Coggs

Don’t Wreck Sidney Hih

The troubled history of municipal land clearance and why it’s a very bad idea to demolish Sidney Hih.

Jul 23rd, 2012 by John Norquist

Friday Photos

The Brewery Construction

Friday Photos this week features photography of three projects at The Brewery.

Jul 20th, 2012 by Dave Reid

Press Release

Mayor Barrett and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chu call for renewed Clean Energy Tax Credits as Milwaukee joins the Better Buildings Challenge

Milwaukee commits to reduce energy use by 20% by 2020

Jul 12th, 2012 by Tom Barrett

One More Chance for the Sydney HIH

Parliamentary procedure buys the Sydney HIH a few more days.

Jul 6th, 2012 by Dave Reid

Downtown Milwaukee Farmers’ Markets

Milwaukee is blessed with not one, but two weekly farmers' markets that add to the vibrancy of downtown.

Jul 5th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Eyes on Milwaukee

Transit System Facing Nearly 30% Service Reduction

Challenges ahead for MCTS, but good news in Westown, Lake Park, Silver City, and the Menomonee Valley

Jul 3rd, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Potential Sydney HIH Savior Comes Forward with Proposal

Preliminary renderings of what a restored Sydney HIH complex surface.

Jul 2nd, 2012 by Dave Reid

Eyes on Milwaukee

Amtrak Accidents and Customer Service

Also discussion of Downtown Dining Week, some development news, and new tv commercials from MCTS.

Jun 28th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Last Days for the Sydney Hih

Unless a savior comes along before July 6th, it truly will have been the last days for the Sydney Hih.

Jun 28th, 2012 by Dave Reid

Friday Photos

Sydney Hih No More

The famous Sydney Hih sign came down, letter by letter, this past week.

Jun 8th, 2012 by Dave Reid

Commission Recommends Historic Designation for Sydney Hih Building, Fuse Still Lit

The Historic Preservation Commission recommended approval of interim historic designation for the Sydney Hih building, though the future of the building remains very much in doubt.

Jun 7th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Eyes on Milwaukee

The Slow Demise of Sydney Hih

Sydney Hih could be saved, a witch hunt on North Ave, UWM has a baseball team (?), and Alderman Jose Perez wins a game for the Brewers.

Jun 6th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Eyes on Milwaukee

Tour the Talgo Trains You Might Never Ride

Downtown block parties are coming, use of bike racks on MCTS buses doubles year-over-year, explore the Historic Concordia neighborhood with HMI, UWM gets a zoning change, The Moderne is meeting hiring requirements, and kids can ride free on the Amtrak Hiawatha this summer.

May 17th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Has the Clock Run Out for the Sydney Hih?

The historic Sydney Hih building, which city officials had intended to tear down, may have been saved for another day, due to a legalistic maneuver by alderman and attorney Bob Baumann at a Tuesday meeting of the Common Council’s Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.

May 15th, 2012 by Dave Reid

Eyes on Milwaukee

Talgos being Mothballed, Bike Corrals Return, YP Week, and More

Welcome to the fifth installment of Eyes on Milwaukee. This week we take a look at mothballing the new Talgo trainsets for the Amtrak Hiawatha line, the return of the bike corrals, Young Professional Week, free music from the Milwaukee Public Library, and more.

Mar 21st, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Eyes on Milwaukee

Sales Tax, Bradley Center Transportation, The Moderne, and More

Welcome to the third installment of Eyes on Milwaukee. This week we take a look at Milwaukee's sales tax rate compared to other major cities, the Bradley Center's new transportation option, UWM's continued insistence on growing parking subsidies, and a whole lot of development news.

Mar 7th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Kohl’s, The Moral of the Story

For over a year the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, and various regional entities worked together in attempt to bring Kohl's corporate headquarters to downtown Milwaukee. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. Some have been quick to judge saying the moral of the story is, the city is a failure, and Mayor Barrett can't get the job done. Now, it is true the city didn't win, this time, but is the moral of the story, failure?

Feb 21st, 2012 by Dave Reid

Alderman Bauman’s Milwaukee Police Department – MacArthur Square Plan Worth Exploring

Alderman Bob Bauman, who represents downtown and the near west side, has put forth a proposal to relocate the Milwaukee Police Department headquarters and municipal courts to southeast corner of 27th Street and Wisconsin Avenue. As part of that proposal the MPD District 1 station would be relocated to W. Wisconsin Avenue between 6th Street and the Milwaukee River and the former MPD headquarters would be redeveloped.

Feb 15th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene

Important Hoan Bridge and Milwaukee Streetcar Meetings this Week

This week there are two important public meetings regarding the future of Milwaukee's built environment.

Nov 14th, 2011 by Dave Reid

A Spectacular Green Neighborhood is Brewing in Milwaukee

Milwaukee’s newest trendy neighborhood is likely to become one of its best, and almost certainly its greenest.

Sep 30th, 2011 by Kaid Benfield

Wells Street Two-Way Conversion Work Has Begun

Wasting no time, the Department of Public Works has already began work on the conversion of Wells Street to a two-way street throughout downtown.

Aug 4th, 2011 by Dave Reid

Wells St. Two-way Street Conversion is Long Overdue

At Thursday’s Public Safety Committee meeting a file will be voted on that would authorize the conversion of Wells St. to two-way operation from 6th St. to Prospect Ave. According to the Journal Sentinel, the Wisconsin Center District Board voted to oppose part of this conversion, in particular from 4th Street to 6th Street, due to “safety” concerns. These concerns miss the big picture and can be handled while bringing the benefits of making Wells St. two-ways in downtown Milwaukee. Well Street’s one-way configuration brings an assortment of issues that negatively impact the neighborhood it passes through. In particular it is common to see cars continuously circling the block, because a parking spot is not easily accessible without circling the neighborhood. Another direct result of Wells St. being a one-way street, with little congestion, and having multiple travel lanes is that people speed excessively. This is an all too frequent occurrence. Additionally, crashes occur when drivers attempt to turn left from the center lane, because the nature of the street doesn’t fit with the location, causing an accident. Finally, it is all to common to see are drivers heading in the wrong direction along Wells St. A two-way street conversion would alleviate these issues while bringing benefits to the city. A benefit is that a two-way conversion will make Wells St. more pedestrian friendly, as no longer will one need to cross a “freeway” to get across the street. It will bring enhanced visibility to retail establishments, drawing in more of the infrequent drivers passing through the neighborhood. Additionally, for automobile drivers it will actually enhance connectivity by reducing the need to loop around to find a parking spot or a missed intersection. Finally, it will reduce traffic speeds along Wells St., improving safety for both the pedestrian and the automobile driver. This change is long overdue and hopefully this is just another step toward a more connected, accessible, and safe built environment in downtown Milwaukee.

Jun 22nd, 2011 by Dave Reid

Tahrir Square

We all watched as Egyptians rose up to overthrow a dictator, and take back their country.

Feb 25th, 2011 by Dave Reid

Target in Downtown Milwaukee

With the announcement that Target is opening a CityTarget store on State Street in Chicago's The Loop Neighborhood, the idea of a downtown Milwaukee Target has been generating a considerable amount of buzz in the past few weeks. Unfortunately for those wishing to shop at a downtown Target, none of that buzz has come from Target. Assuming Target was interested though, what location and store format would best match the desires of Target-loving shoppers with the needs of the city to continue to develop a healthy urban core in and around downtown? Let's explore.

Feb 21st, 2011 by Jeramey Jannene

2010 Not the Year of the Park East… Even Worse

Our belief that 2010 could have been the Year of the Park East, came up a bit short, and unfortunately it wasn't the only project that was derailed in 2010.

Dec 30th, 2010 by Dave Reid

Downtown Plan Gains Approval at Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee

Department of City Development staff presented the Downtown Plan Update at the September 15th 2010 Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee meeting. Similar to the City Plan Commission meeting staff presented the overall themes and the eight catalytic projects, which are geared towards increasing density and connectivity throughout downtown, whiles creating a sense of place.

Sep 16th, 2010 by Dave Reid

Does building a park over a freeway in Milwaukee make sense?

Cities across the country are in the process of constructing or exploring ways to turn freeways into public space. Would it be wise to implement such an idea in Milwaukee?

Sep 9th, 2010 by Jeramey Jannene

It’s not that easy being green… It’s that easy saying you’re green

Bein’ green might not be that easy for Kemit, but for some development projects it seems all to easy “bein’ green.”

Sep 1st, 2010 by Dave Reid

Construction to start at The Moderne

Following a long-awaited loan guarantee approval from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, construction will soon begin on The Moderne.

Aug 30th, 2010 by Jeramey Jannene

Downtown Plan Approved by City Plan Commission

The preparation of the Downtown Plan Update involved various public input sessions, countless hours of community and stakeholder input, resident surveys, the involvement of the business community, and the work of city staff.

Aug 24th, 2010 by Dave Reid

City Announces New Downtown Plan

This week the City of Milwaukee announced its new downtown plan.

Jul 2nd, 2010 by Dave Reid

Milwaukee Earthquake

There was an apparent earthquake in Milwaukee today, how far across the city it was felt I haven't been able to figure out at this point. It was felt at our office at Milwaukee and Mason, the Journal Sentinel offices on 4th and Street, the Germania building on Wells and Plankinton, and the Biz Times offices in the Third Ward. At this point it seems that it was confined to downtown Milwaukee.

Jun 23rd, 2010 by Jeramey Jannene

Milwaukee Downtown Dining Week Starts Tomorrow

The single greatest week of eating in Milwaukee starts tomorrow. The fifth edition of Downtown Dining Week will kick off on June 3rd and run through June 10th. Lunch meals are available for $10, and dinner is available for $20 (or $30 at a handful of places) at numerous downtown restaurants. If you're looking to sample a lot downtown eateries, this is your week. All meals are three courses.

Jun 2nd, 2010 by Jeramey Jannene

Rethinking and Expanding Milwaukee’s Frontier Airlines Center (Delta Center)

The Frontier Airlines Center performs an important function for the Milwaukee region as a whole, bringing thousands of people to Milwaukee for conventions both big and small. It helps inject life into downtown by filling hotel rooms, restaurants, and bars. The convention center building itself though lacks that vitality.

May 24th, 2010 by Jeramey Jannene

Tear It Down – US Cellular Arena vs Bradley Center

Fast forward a few years and assume that the Bucks were able to land a new arena in Milwaukee.

May 19th, 2010 by Jeramey Jannene

What’s Milwaukee?

Thou art thyself, though not Milwaukee. What’s Milwaukee? It is not block nor building, not park or plaza or any other part belonging to a city. Would a city by any other name have so much potential? So Milwaukee would, if not Milwaukee called, retain that dear structure which it owns without that title. What is in the name Milwaukee anyway? Fortuitously, the name is derived from the Algonquian word Millioke, which literally means “good/beautiful/pleasant land”.

Mar 4th, 2010 by Matthew Trussoni

Could 2010 be the Year of the Park East?

After today's news, nationally 2010 might go down as the year of high-speed rail, but here in Milwaukee it just might be the year of the Park East.

Jan 28th, 2010 by Dave Reid

2009 Milwaukee

A Year in Review

It's time to look back at all the predictions we made for last year, and see how overly optimistic we were.

Jan 5th, 2010 by Jeramey Jannene

Activity at The Moderne Site

The $55.24 million The Moderne high-rise development has begun preparing for construction. Recently, the shipping container building that housed The Moderne's sales office was packed up and removed from the site. Additionally, utility work is ongoing adjacent to the site as the property is being staged for construction.

Jan 4th, 2010 by Dave Reid

The Park East Disaster? No

Would Milwaukee be better off with the Park East Freeway spur intact? No. Has development been slow so far? Yes. Is that a problem? Only if you have a short-term perspective on the future of Milwaukee.

Dec 15th, 2009 by Dave Reid

The Moderne Gains Common Council Approval for City Loans

The Moderne development received approval for $9.3 millions in loans from the City of Milwaukee that led developer Rick Barrett had been seeking.

Nov 3rd, 2009 by Dave Reid

The Moderne Project Held for Special Committee Meeting

The Moderne, if approved, would be located at 1141 N. Old World Third St.

Oct 27th, 2009 by Dave Reid

Apartment Development is Strong in Milwaukee

Regardless of what neighborhood it is, the development of new apartments is a growing trend in Milwaukee. Currently there are two prominent projects vying for City of Milwaukee financial support in one form or another, the Bookends and The Moderne. Outside of the two proposed towers there are numerous other projects at various stages around urban Milwaukee.

Oct 22nd, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

Milwaukee Streetcar Routes Unveiled by Mayor Barrett

On Friday, Mayor Barrett unveiled three streetcar routes under study to the attendees of UEDA's Community Development Summit. The Mayor walked through the three possible routes and numerous possible future extensions. He broke down how successful systems in cities such as Seattle, Portland, and Tacoma have started with routes similar in length to the proposed for the Milwaukee Streetcar system (2 to 3 miles).

Sep 21st, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

The Moderne Likely to Receive Public Financing

The Moderne, the long awaited project on the corner of 3rd and Juneau, is moving ahead. The City, through RACM, is aiming to provide $10,000,000 in financial assistance to the project. A deal that is very likely to be approved. The building is to be largely an apartment building with first floor retail and a few condos at the top three floors. Originally intended to be 80 condos, the project is now 154 apartments and 33 condos spread over 30 floors.

Sep 15th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

More Thoughts on Grand Avenue

Milwaukee Talkie, the blog of the Public Policy Forum, examined the urban retail market and how to best utilize the hiring of Deanna Inniss as a business recruiter by BID #21, Milwaukee's Downtown Business Improvement District. They noted that one large thing wasn't on her task list, the inside of Grand Avenue Mall.

Aug 5th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

Photo Gallery

Zilber Park

The recently opened Zilber Park is a functional, and useful shared feature of The Brewery project. This park might not strike many people as a park in the Milwaukee sense of the word, meaning it has lots of grass and trees, but this is a creatively designed urban park that respects its location and creates an outdoor space ready for activation.

Jun 28th, 2009 by Dave Reid

Grand Avenue Mall Follow-Up – Free Rent

In March, I explored the idea of rebuilding Grand Avenue Mall into a self-sustaining retail center. One of the things that I didn't expect to be on the table was simply giving away a retail stall for free. Grand Avenue Mall appears set to do just that now with a business plan competition.

Jun 24th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

Old World Third Street Is A Good Place To Do Business

If you haven't had the chance to check out Old World Third Street in Milwaukee's Westown neighborhood in a while, make it a point to do so. The past year has brought a lot of new businesses to the street, including enough new restaurants to feed you for a week. Brick 3 Pizza, Capone's, a greatly expanded Wisconsin Cheese Mart, Notte, Molly Cool's, Bootleggers, Milwaukee Brat House, Suite. All new businesses that opened since the spring of 2008, and all businesses that appear to be thriving.

Jun 12th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

Downtown Dining Week Starts Today in Milwaukee

Perhaps the greatest week of eating in Milwaukee, Downtown Dining Week, kicks off today and runs through June 4th. You can eat a $10 three course lunch or $20 three course dinner at some of Milwaukee's best restaurants. If you're looking to get a taste of great restaurants that you haven't been to before, this is your week to branch out.

May 28th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

The Politics of Real Estate Development – Park East Edition

The tale of the Fair Market Development, LLC Park East development proposal is one already lined with intrigue.

Apr 22nd, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

Milwaukee Streetcar Round-Up

The Milwaukee circulator streetcar is moving forward, but there is still confusion in the mind of many. We've covered the issue in the past, but this article attempts to bring everything together in one place, the history, the frequently asked questions, and the proposed route.

Apr 19th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

Grand Avenue Mall – A New Implementation

As the retail market struggles nationally and the Shops of Grand Avenue struggles locally, it's time to ask what retail should be in downtown Milwaukee in the next five years. Is it worth investing public dollars in the form of a TIF in Grand Avenue or other mall-like projects downtown, as has been done in the past? Or should the standard be that all retail must interact with the street?

Mar 29th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

Kitty Corner, Across the Freeway

This is how County Executive Scott Walker described just how close UW-Milwaukee's new Engineering School could be from the Milwaukee County Research Park.

Mar 24th, 2009 by Dave Reid

Design Your Own Streetcar Route

UrbanMilwaukee would like to issue you a challenge. With the announcement that Mayor Tom Barrett with the help of Congressman David Obey and Senator Herb Kohl managed to get 60% of the $91.5 million for his streetcar vision, it’s time to think about what the final route may be. There is a simple reality any Milwaukee streetcar proposal must deal with though, there is only enough money for an initial 3 miles. So here’s the game. 1. Create a Google Account or use an existing one. 2. Create a route (not longer than 3 miles) using Google Maps. Don’t know how to do this? There is an introductory video. 3. Paste a link to your route in the comments of this post. 4. Wait until Wednesday afternoon, at that point we’ll put together a poll so we can vote for the best one. Can’t wait to see what you come up with, whether it’s a line to Bay View or UWM, or perhaps a completely different loop around downtown.

Mar 23rd, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene

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