Content referencing Westown - Page 6
Surprise Compromise on Preservation Law
Opposing sides agree on preservation ordinance changes. But is consensus possible on a combined arena and transit tax?
Dec 19th, 2012 by Urban Milwaukee
Pizza and the Park East
Pizza Man and The Couture win approvals and a Park East hotel is also likely to be okayed.
Dec 11th, 2012 by Urban Milwaukee
The Dead Zones
Two new apartment buildings for Downtown's fringes, and two new coffee houses. All spell progress.
Nov 29th, 2012 by Urban Milwaukee
Brewery Projects Near Completion
An apartment building and a hotel add more excitement to the redevelopment project at the old Pabst brewery.
Nov 24th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene
Brandon Jennings’ Very Moderne Digs
Bucks guard is on 25th floor of The Moderne, right by Bradley Center and a floor above Monta Ellis.
Nov 16th, 2012 by Michael Horne
Streetcar Meeting on Tuesday
Public invited to ask questions about project.
Oct 29th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene
Bryan Babler
Moving to Milwaukee was like breaking out of prison.
Oct 29th, 2012 by Newaukee
Small Pleasures
A number of smaller construction projects are underway to improve downtown properties
Oct 26th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene
An Action-Packed Weekend
So much to see: A party on a bridge, 120+ open houses, and President Obama's speech.
Sep 19th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene
Beer Gardens Back at Pere Marquette
It was off after Sue Black's firing. Now it's back on.
Aug 23rd, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene
Donovan’s New Anti-Streetcar Allies
After three press releases in three days, the alderman holds a news conference with new right-wing allies.
Aug 16th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene
Brewery Building Is a Go
The five-story Professional Center building got final approval for construction at the old Pabst Brewery.
Aug 14th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene
Will Herb Kohl Blackmail Milwaukee?
The Bucks need a new arena. Time to start threatening to move the team.
Aug 6th, 2012 by Bruce Murphy
This is the End, Beautiful Friend
Some thoughts on the bitter end of Sydney Hih.
Jul 28th, 2012 by Dave Reid
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Can Downtown Milwaukee Support a 24-Hour Gym?
Downtown Milwaukee is blessed with four full-service, affordable fitness centers. The Wisconsin Athletic Club, Downtown YMCA, Bally Total Fitness, and newcomer Gold's Gym most of which are located along the Wisconsin Avenue corridor that is the heart of the central business district. They vary in size and services, but all are large gyms that provide personal training services. Given that downtown is well served by three full-service gyms, is there a market for a small, no-frills 24-hour gym?
Jan 24th, 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
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
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
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 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
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
Five Reasons to Look Forward to Summer in Milwaukee
What did I miss?
Mar 20th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
Committee Approves Plan to Allow Plants
In some cities residents have been allowed to plant a variety of plants and flowers in the area between the curb and the sidewalk in an effort to beautify the neighborhood. This practice has generally been illegal within the City of Milwaukee but this may soon changes as file number 081117 intends to implement a planting policy that would allow planting within this strip of land. The file originally intended to allow this new policy within the 13th District but Alderman Robert Bauman recommended the 4th district to be included as well. After some discussion the file was amended to allow this planting practice throughout the City of Milwaukee. It was approved and will now go before the full Common Council. After being held at the January 28th, 2009 meeting of the Public Works Committee, the file which would allow the City of Milwaukee to apply for a 2009 Stormwater Best Management Practices Partnership grant from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District that will be used in part for the construction of a green roof on the central library was brought back before the committee. It appears the confusion over the value of moving forward with this file was cleared up as it was quickly approved this time with no discussion and will now go before the full Common Council.
Feb 22nd, 2009 by Dave Reid
Who Lives in Milwaukee’s Condos?
The UWM Center for Urban Initiatives and Research (CUIR) undertook the first comprehensive study on Milwaukee's "condo boom" to understand who was actually living in the condos stretching from the northern part of Walker's Point up to North Avenue on the East Side.
Feb 5th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
What is the Problem in the Park East?
Changes proposed to lure developers to Park East lots.
Jan 19th, 2009 by Dave Reid
The Park East Park? Absolutely Not
In response to the announcement of the failing of The Residences of Palomar, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran an editorial talking about the idea of building a temporary park in the Park East land reclaimed from the former freeway spur. The idea is a bad one.
Jan 13th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
Palomar Canceled?
Haven't seen any official announcement yet, but we've heard from a credible source close to the project that the The Residences at Palomar project has been canceled. We'll update this post as we learn more. At the moment, calls in to the project are going unanswered.
Jan 12th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
WisDOT Open House on Future Parking Lots, Parks, or ?
WisDOT is taking the steps to prepare to issue an RFP for airspace leases underneath the Marquette Interchange and Interstate 794. They're looking for public input on what should be included, and this is our chance to really say we want something better underneath the freeway that separates the Third Ward and the Milwaukee Intermodal Station from the rest of downtown.
Jan 9th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
Activity at the Aloft Site
A new development team, the Milwaukee River Hotel LLC which includes Ed Carow of Wave Development, has taken over development of the $27 million Aloft hotel. This change in the development team has visibly jump started the project.
Nov 11th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Aloft Hotel Project Gains Momentum
Despite delays, alterations, and setbacks the 160-room Aloft hotel project has finally started to overcome some of these hurdles.
Oct 21st, 2008 by Dave Reid
Commission Approves Expansion of BID 21
In stark contrast to the previous City Plan Commission meeting, this meeting featured no heated debates but it did see the approval of two resolutions aimed at improving downtown Milwaukee. Resolution 080617 proposed the expansion of Business Improvement District (“BID”) 21. This expansion has been in the works for the past four years and went through a lengthy process of approval within the BID membership. The expansion includes Schlitz Park, The Brewery, Manpower, East Point, the Park East and two other tax exempt areas. Although these properties currently don’t represent a large addition to the BID tax base, these additions were made looking to the future. Additionally, Beth Nichols, the executive director BID 21, explained that in order to bring more retail options to downtown Milwaukee the BID has recently hired a retail strategist and will be adding a retail coordinator soon. This resolution was approved and will now go before the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee. Resolution 080515 proposed creating the first Neighborhood Improvement District in Wisconsin. It was explained that the key difference between a Business Improvement District and a Neighborhood Improvement District (“NID”) is that the NID can include residential properties with eight units or more whereas a BID can’t include residential properties. This NID would include The Brewery neighborhood and would pay for, the upkeep of pocket parks, streetscaping, alleys, the Pabst sign, and storm-water management facilities. This resolution was approved and will now go before the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.
Sep 18th, 2008 by Dave Reid
RedPrairie Moves Further Away From Talent Sources
Red Praire's relocation story has been funny, especially now that they've finally decided to move to Delafield. To understand what's going on it appears you don't have to read between the lines, you just have to read the lines.
Aug 22nd, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Does Downtown Milwaukee Need More Street Trees?
Ask yourself what's missing along most of Wisconsin Avenue as it crosses through downtown. Then take a look at Milwaukee's lower east side. There is one key piece missing.
Aug 12th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
North Powerhouse Demolition
The Urban Milwaukee authors have been closely following the destruction of the North Powerhouse along the Milwaukee River. We've accumulated a nice collection of photos tracking the demolition progress. The building was built in the late 1920s and used by the city to help distribute steam throughout downtown Milwaukee.
Jul 28th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
What’s The Cost of Parking in Downtown Milwaukee?
What's the cost of parking in downtown Milwaukee? It might just be more than the cost of plugging the meter. The low cost of parking in Milwaukee might actually be preventing new development from happening downtown.
Jul 24th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Public Works Committee Approves Vehicle Registration Fee
The meeting began with public hearings regarding assessable road improvements and lead into Alderman Robert Bauman‘s opening discussion of resolution 080034, the proposed municipal vehicle registration fee. This resolution would change the assessable portion of road improvement costs from 60%, which on average is an assessment of $2500 to the abutting property owner, to 0% being assessed to the property owner by shifting these costs onto a $20 municipal vehicle registration fee. Additionally assessment rates for alley improvements would drop from 90% to 60% and for sidewalks it would drop from 70% to 50%. This proposed resolution came about in response to property owners regularly voting to delete road projects due to high assessment costs. The postponing or deletion of road repair projects has lead to crumbling streets, a proliferation of potholes and higher reconstruction costs in the future. The Committee voted to approve this resolution with Alderman Joe Dudzik opposing the measure and it will move forward to the Finance and Personnel Committee.Resolution 080304 is an agreement between the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Discovery World and Summerfest with the intention of improving access to Discovery World and Summerfest. The plan includes the widening of North Harbor Dr., new sidewalks, new landscaping and various pedestrian improvements. This resolution passed with little discussion and will now go before the full Common Council.Alderman Bauman continued his efforts of improving the pedestrian experience in the City of Milwaukee by bring resolution 050096 forward. The resolution would repaint West State St. and West Wells St. reducing traffic lanes down to one in each direction which would help to slow traffic, improve the streets walkability, and make driving conditions less of a hazard during winter months. At the Department of Public Works request he had held off on this resolution until the near completion of the Marquette Interchange project. This resolution passed and will now go before the full Common Council.
Jul 16th, 2008 by Dave Reid
The Ghazi Company’s EpiCentre Project Involved in Legal Fight
The Ghazi Company's proposed Catalyst project in downtown Milwaukee has been one of the most talked about projects in recent years but issues with The Ghazi Company's EpiCentre project in Charlotte have raised new concerns over the fate of Catalyst.
Jul 7th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Committee Considers Wells Street Conversion
Resolution 080295, sponsored by Alderman Robert Bauman, is the next in a line of files where he has worked to improve the pedestrian experience within the City of Milwaukee. The resolution would complete the conversion of Wells Street to two-ways which he explained would improve the pedestrian environment by slowing traffic. Additionally he pointed out other benefits of two-way streets including that it will “help in connection with retail and commercial activity on the streets”. The portion had been left uncompleted due to property owner concerns as well as concerns over road configurations that would not of been ideal in connection with existing highway ramps. These ramps have since been removed during the Marquette Interchange reconstruction and are no longer a concern of the Department of Public Works. This file was held to allow for more details regarding cost but it appeared to have broad support on the committee. A second file sponsored by Alderman Bauman was file 080294 which proposed the re-striping of West Saint Paul Ave. to improve safety during winter conditions and access to the Intermodal Station. These changes became needed after West Saint Paul Ave. was recently converted to two-way access. This file was approved and will now go before the full Common Council.
Jun 21st, 2008 by Dave Reid
Public Works Committee Holds Alley Vacation
Resolution 071564 proposed the vacation of two “paper” alleys to support the Palomar development project within the Park East. Apparently Alderman Bob Bauman read Mary Louise Schumacher‘s article in the Journal Sentinel, History lost in Park East bait-and-switch, because he stated that “I see this as a bait and switch” referring to the dramatic change in design that the Palomar project has undergone since it was originally proposed before Milwaukee County. The original design included the utilization and preservation of both the Sydney Hih and the Gipfel Brewerys whereas the latest design would demolish the Sydney Hih structure and move the Gipfel Brewery to another site. The committee voted to hold this file in attempt to exert some influence over this development. Normally the City of Milwaukee would have influence over development projects that involve land sales and zoning changes but as the new design required neither this is an unusual course of action. Resolution 080211 was a communication from the Public Policy Forum regarding their report on the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS). The report indicates that in coming years MCTS will have completely spent all of a $44 million reserve of funds and will be projecting deficit spending. It goes on to show how MCTS has spent capital funds to support operational budgets and by doing so has deferred the purchase of 150 new buses. These deferments have pushed maintenance costs higher and will help create a $18 to $20 million dollar hole in upcoming budgets.
May 29th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Milwaukee Post Office To Move Next Door To Airport
In one of the worst kept secrets surrounding the future of downtown Milwaukee, an announcement finally arrived today that the out-of-place and severely dated United States Post Office located on St. Paul Ave, next to the brand spanking new, gorgeous Milwaukee Intermodal Station, is moving south to be closer to the airport in a new, more efficient facility. This is a huge win-win for both areas. First, this should increase commerce surrounding the airport by adding a labor-intensive business near a large retail stretch. Second, it’s obviously going to be a boost for efficiency for moving mail in-and-out of Milwaukee. With a significant amount of mail moving through the air, this should get it sorted and on-and-off planes faster and reduce costs for USPS. In regards to downtown Milwaukee, the Third Ward, and the Menomonee Valley, this is the start of a huge boost that has been a long time coming. The new Milwaukee Intermodal Station that is quickly becoming a well-known gateway to Milwaukee is in a terribly misused and underused area. Eliminating the Post Office and replacing it with nearly any mixed-use building would be a huge boost for the area and trigger development in underused buildings and surface parking lots across the street. The land that Milwaukee’s Central Processing Facility for USPS currently occupies is not only in a great location because of the proximity to the train station, but it sits on the Menomonee River immediately adjacent to where it merges with the Milwaukee River. Any development on the site will certainly seek to reconnect the neighborhood with the river and further foster urban Milwaukee’s image as an area that is increasingly connected with its natural capital. If you want to consider the kind of visual impact replacing the Post Office will have, consider the Harley Museum set to open soon just across the river. Not only has that development triggered another development in the Iron Horse Hotel, but it’s taken a long underused property and made it a legitimate piece of the city again. Replacing the Post Office will not only trigger development north across St. Paul Ave, but will increase the value of the Harley Museum and all of the land along that stretch of the rivers.
May 23rd, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Pabst Brewery Redevelopment Update
Over the past couple of years I have followed the redevelopment of the former Pabst Brewery intently.
May 16th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
The Residences Above? Nope
Rumors had circulated for weeks regarding the demise of The Residences Above portion of Ruvin Developments’ Aloft hotel project. Indications such as the website for The Residences Above being down for weeks and their sales sign coming down in record time combined with the market’s downturn made it appear likely that a change in the project was coming. As of last week the final decision hadn’t been made regarding the status of the condominiums. At the time Rob Ruvin had indicated that they would “most likely eliminate the condos” and that they would “possibly increase the size” of the hotel but they were still working it out. It appears now that decisions have been made and The Residences Above have been eliminated from the project.
May 14th, 2008 by Dave Reid
BOZA Approves 2040 Lofts Variance
Scion Group‘s $16 million expansion of 2040 Lofts went before the Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA) to obtain a dimensional variance allowing for less parking spots than required by current zoning. Having received conditional approval and support of the local Alderman previously this project has begun construction on the foundation work and is scheduled to be completed in 2009. Despite one neighboring property owner’s concerns regarding parking the board recognized that this is a student housing development and that the demand for parking would be lower than a typical development of this size. In a further attempt to alleviate parking concerns and allow students from Marquette University, MSOE, MIAD and UWM to live within the development, the Scion Group has plans for shuttle buses to run from 2040 Lofts to various destinations throughout the city. Finally it was pointed out during the meeting that if this project was zoned as an apartment building, instead of a rooming house, it would already meet the zoning requirements. The board followed the local Alderman’s recommendation and approved this variance.
Apr 21st, 2008 by Dave Reid
RTKL to Facilitate 2008 Downtown Planning Process
On Tuesday April 8th the Department of City Development held its first Plan Advisory Group (PAG) meeting for the 2008 Downtown Plan. The PAG will work with the Department of City Development (DCD) and the urban design firm RTKL throughout the planning process. Specifically over the next seven months PAG members who are primarily made up of business owners, residents, and other stakeholders will meet three or four more times to voice their opinions and shape the future of downtown Milwaukee. RTKL is a worldwide planning firm that focuses on creating great vibrant places where people live, work and play. RTKL has an extensive background in urban planning and has been involved in numerous planning projects. Recently they’ve been involved in plans for Mockingbird Station, Dallas Main Street District, and the Oklahoma City Downtown Action Plan all of which attempt to create lively urban environments. Additionally Terry Wendt, of RTKL, has experience on the Power and Light District project where he managed site development. This extensive experience with large urban planning projects gives hope for a successful planning effort here in Milwaukee that may one day lead to Milwaukee’s own version of the Power and Light District.
Apr 13th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Pabst Office Redevelopment Moves Along
The Pabst Brewing Complex Originally uploaded by compujeramey Jim Haertel, president of Brew City Redevelopment Group LLC, is excited to finally see his dream coming to fruition. Haertel, who I’ve mentioned before owns a group of former Pabst brewery office buildings that are part of the complex that Joseph Zilber is redeveloping. Haertel is a name many in Milwaukee may remember as one of the leaders behind the original plans to turn the brewery in PabstCity, a nightlife and entertainment district. That plan ultimately died as a result of the Common Council not giving Wispark public money to develop the area, because of concerns of its long-term viability. Haertel was promised the Blue Ribbon Hall office buildings as part of the deal with his financing partner Wispark LLC. He was given the buildings by Wispark upon their sale of the complex to Zilber and his Brewery Project LLC, and just recently in December settled a lawsuit with Wispark. Terms of the settlement weren’t released, and I haven’t heard rumor of what they might be. Development is moving at a fast pace at the complex now (pictures coming soon). Fulfilling Haertel’s dream for the site, Blue Ribbon Hall and the surrounding office buildings will turn into the Museum of Beer and Brewing and Hofbrauhaus Milwaukee. Construction will begin next year, and everything will open in February of 2010. The reason for the delay? Haertel wants to wait for construction across Juneau Avenue to finish. The buildings just across the street (former keg houses) are being removed and replaced with a parking garage (more on that later). Personally, I’m excited about the long-term prospects for this area. I really think overall there are a lot of really good things going on over at The Brewery. Early developments such as the Hofbrauhaus are going to set a great tone for the surrounding area developments still to come.
Mar 21st, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Activity at 4th and Wisconsin
Despite the market downturn The Ghazi Company appears to be pressing forward with their Catalyst project. Back in November they launched the project website CatalystMilwaukee.com and today they began advertising the project with a large banner on a neighboring parking garage. The project includes 150,000 square feet of retail space to be leased out and approximately 200 condominiums and apartments to be leased or sold which is a considerable undertaking in any market but more difficult as the country faces a possible recession. Despite this these increased marketing efforts show The Ghazi Company’s willingness to carry on with the Catalyst project and that potentially Milwaukee’s market is still strong enough to support these new developments.
Mar 4th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Aloft Development Plans to Break Ground Soon.
The nine-story Aloft Hotel and condominium project is now on track to break ground in April with a target completion date of May 2009. To facilitate pre-sales Ruvin Development has launched The Residences Above website which includes floor plans, pricing and contact information for potential buyers. According to the website the nine condominium units will run from $540,000 to $1.2 million and include a long list of amenities such as an indoor pool, boat slips, a rooftop terrace, and a housekeeping package. In addition to the hotel and condominiums this project will feature two first floor retail spaces targeting a bar or restaurant occupant. The 1,490 square feet retail space is located on the Riverwalk and should make it a prime spot for an entertainment destination. The 1,690 square feet space is located along Old World Third St and will tie into the Old World Third St. entertainment district. The spaces are currently being marketed by CB Richard Ellis and are leasing for $19.50 per square feet and $20.00 square feet respectively. The Residences Above http://www.theresidencesabove.com
Mar 1st, 2008 by Dave Reid
Higher Education Expanding in Downtown Milwaukee
Both Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have been working on multiple expansions within downtown Milwaukee. Marquette University has two major initiatives including the $100 million Discovery Learning Complex and the new Marquette University Law School. The Discovery Learning Complex will house the College of Engineering on recently acquired land at the 1600 block of West Wisconsin Avenue. This effort has received a series of large donations including $50 million from one family. Additionally Marquette University has received large gifts including $30 million from Joseph J. Zilber to support the development of the new Marquette University Law School at 13th and Clybourn. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee intends to open a new School of Public Health on land near the Brewery development. This initiative has received a $10 million gift from Joseph J. Zilber to push the project forward and insure it is developed downtown. These universities investment in downtown Milwaukee indicates a growing demand for higher education opportunities within the city. In apparent response to these expansion two new student housing developments have recently brought forward. First The Scion Group proposed and addition to 2040 Lofts that will have 100 rental units to be built on an existing surface parking lot to the north of 2040 Lofts. This project focuses on attracting Marquette students and building on the success of the existing 2040 Lofts. The second project announced by New Vision Development Co. is estimated at $75 million and it will be located at N. 6th and W. State streets. Although it will generally target MATC students, it will be open to students from Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as well. It is clear that as these universities continue to expand downtown they will continue to bring additional projects to downtown Milwaukee.
Feb 13th, 2008 by Dave Reid
It’s Official, Fonz Funding Complete
Milwaukee is the talk of the internet today, as the major news outlets announce the Fonz statue to the world. Visit Milwaukee has officially raised the $85,000 needed to build the statue. I’ve been in support of the statue since I first learned of it because it encourages visitors (who come to Milwaukee for completely unrelated reasons) to stay downtown, walk downtown, and spend their money downtown. One more thing for Milwaukee visitors to do. Mary Louise Schumacher is still opposed to the statue because it’s too trivial. The Associated Press has an article that sums up what is happening, and even mentions Brenner leaving town. The best part of the entire thing is that Henry Winkler and company held a press conference to announce the completed funding in front of the Culver’s at the Shops of Grand Avenue. Couldn’t they find a slightly better location?
Jan 25th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Old World 3rd Street Getting New Facelift
Old World 3rd St just west of the Milwaukee River is going to be home to a new restaurant or two and another tavern. I’ll break them down location by location. Robert Ruvin, who has yet to start construction on any of his nearby developments, will have a new high-end restaurant opening in his Third Street Pier building in March. Kincaid’s Fish, Chip and Steak House will occupy the space previously occupied by the Third Street Pier restaurant and give you everything the title indicates for a pretty penny. A development that is drawing opposition from other businesses on the street is Bootleggers. A sister tavern of another two-story tavern in downtown Minneapolis, the place will feature live bands, a dance floor, and an outdoor patio. Other tavern owners on the street voiced their concern through their lawyer who said that Bootleggers will bring “price wars, cheap liquor and bad behavior on the street.” Alderman Bob Bauman supported giving Bootleggers a liquor license, but has expressed concern about the establishment’s potential to be disorderly. Coming to the aid of Bootleggers, the Minneapolis Police Department submitted a letter of recommendation. Both a dance and tavern license were ultimately issued at the January 15th Common Council meeting, meaning the tavern’s opening is all but for-sure. Bootleggers hopes to be open by June. The most interesting of the developments is the Milwaukee Brat House. Led by entrepreneur Jack Schaefer, the Brat House will be an old-world German tavern and hopes to be open by March. The tavern will serve food at both lunch and dinner. Why is this so interesting? Because it continues the trend of turning West Town into Little Munich. A place where Germans can come to and feel right at home, and where Wisconsinites can go to celebrate their heritage. To start things off right on Old World 3rd Street is the Old German Beer Hall and Mader’s Restaurant. Over at The Brewery (the Pabst Brewery redevelopment project) there is the proposed Hofbrauhaus Milwaukee in the old Blue Ribbon Hall. Another reason to be excited about the Milwaukee Brat House is that finally you’ll have a place to take your family and friends to enjoy a delicious bratwurst. Sure, you can get a brat at a lot of places around Milwaukee, but the brat is just an after thought on the menu. I don’t want to go to a big fancy restaurant to get a bratwurst, I want to go sit at a table somewhere and look at a menu that is dominated by the notion of the bratwurst. Plain and simple, feed me delicious meat. I can’t wait to try out the new places on Old World Third Street, some before others as my wallet allows.
Jan 24th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Public Works Committee Approves Parking Study
Johnny Vassallo‘s efforts to convert the Posner Building at 152 W. Wisconsin Ave. into a boutique hotel have come to an end. The new plans for the building involve the Milwaukee Hotel Associates LLC purchasing the property from Johnny Vassallo and developing it into a 160 unit Holiday Inn. Resolution 071222 passed by committee will, if adopted by the full council, allow Milwaukee Hotel Associates LLC to lease 50 parking spots in the city garage located at 724 N. 2nd St to support the Holiday Inn. Resolution 070976 passed by committee will, if adopted by the full council, direct the Department of City Development to conduct a parking study in conjunction with the upcoming downtown plan. This resolution impacts development because the perceived lack of parking and the demand by developers for large amounts of “free” parking has often driven TIF requests, such as Manpower’s $25 million garage. What this resolution intends to accomplish will be to have a planned strategic approach to parking integrated into future planning efforts to facilitate future development.
Jan 3rd, 2008 by Dave Reid
CatalystMilwaukee.com
In recent weeks Ghazi Co. has been building momentum for the Catalyst. They announced Big City Lanes as the first secured tenant. Afshin Ghazi spoke at the fifth annual Small Business Times Commercial Real Estate and Development Conference promoting both Catalyst and a return to the city. And today Catalyst took yet another positive step forward with the launch of CatalystMilwaukee.com. Hopefully this momentum is truly sustainable, so that one day the surface parking lot at 4th & Wisconsin will be Milwaukee’s newest entertainment district.
Nov 20th, 2007 by Dave Reid
The Brewery Kickoff Video
Old Machines Originally uploaded by compujeramey I was poking around The Brewery website after writing the last post on Mark Chmura and friends purchasing Building 14 and found that Towne Realty has released a video synopsis of the coverage surrounding the initial groundbreaking of the development. It’s a neat little video to watch about the start of the redevelopment project. NOTE: I suggest right-clicking and watching the video in full screen. The viewing size they give you is really small and has some annoying broken HTML surrounding it.
Nov 19th, 2007 by Jeramey Jannene
Mark Chmura and Company Buy Building at Pabst
Pabst Brewery Originally uploaded by compujeramey Former Green Bay Packer Mark Chmura, his brother and real estate broker Matt Chmura, and, developer and son of former Milwaukee Brewer Sal Bando, Sonny Bando through their development firm BC Pabst Holdings have purchased a three-story, 28,000 square foot building at the former Pabst Brewery on the edge of the Park East neighborhood. The building previously known as Building 14 was used for Pabst research and development. Chmura and company are already lining up tenants for the office building and may open a conference center in the 1,200 square foot penthouse that has skyline views. The tenants are apparently interested in the access the building provides to traffic from Interstate 43. We at Urban Milwaukee hope someday it’ll be able to leased based on the vibrancy of the neighborhood it’s in. I was surprised to learn that not only does the sports-supported triumvirate own this building, but they also together own the Germania Building at 135 W. Wells St. and the Iron Block Building at 200 E. Wisconsin Ave in downtown Milwaukee. So much for jock stereotypes, these three appear dedicated to urban redevelopment of historic developments. I’m happy to see their on-board with the Pabst Brewery redevelopment, which is undoubtedly going to serve as a catalyst for redevelopment of the rest of the Park East neighborhood. The Small Business Times and the Journal Sentinel each have stories on the purchase. NOTE: The building purchased is pictured in the attached image. It is the short building partially cut off on the left-hand side. If you have a better image, let us know.
Nov 19th, 2007 by Jeramey Jannene
The Catalyst
The Ghazi Company was all over the mainstream press this week with coverage of their updated plans for 4th & Wisconsin. Probably the biggest piece of news to come out of all these articles oddly is the project’s name, The Catalyst. Just like The Ghazi Company’s EpiCentre project in Uptown Charlotte, NC the name fits precisely. The potential impact of this project is catalytic due to its scale, the draw to the neighborhood of new residents and new customers, and its ability to raise the level of the neighborhood. Further it will be of value to the convention center by assisting in drawing bigger events as it adds new amenities and additional hotel rooms to the area. Missing from the news reports but also of note is that Afshin Ghazi, president of the The Ghazi Company, will be speaking at the 5th Annual Small Business Times Commercial Real Estate & Development Conference on November 8, 2007, where I’m sure we’ll hear more on The Catalyst project. Once this project gets under way I’ll be photographing their progress and posting them on flickr, but if you’d like to see what The Ghazi Company is doing in Charlotte, NC right now, take a look at their construction cam, my flickr set or Eric Bahr‘s photos. Articles Ambitious Downtown Construction Project Could Begin In Spring Project could get quick start Wisconsin Avenue hotel, retail project takes step forward
Nov 1st, 2007 by Dave Reid
Sydney Hih Project Moves Forward
The controversial Sydney Hih project , that last summer was turned down for city financing of a TIF, appears to moving forward again. The first indications were the signing of multiple tenants to the project as recently reported in the Bizjournal article “Ruvin recruits Park East tenants”. The second significant step forward occurred this morning when the Public Works Committee approved a resolution agreeing to a long term lease with Ruvin Development Inc. of the city’s parking garage at 4th and Highland. This is important because Ruvin Development Inc.’s attempts to receive a TIF district revolved around the project’s perceived parking needs, so this agreement should allow Ruvin Development Inc. to move forward with the project. Additionally this will create a new revenue stream for the City of Milwaukee and better utilizes a city owned parking structure. I believe these two recent developments are very encouraging signs and that the Sydney Hih project may soon get underway. To follow this development I’ve started a flickr set, Sydney Hih that I will update with new pictures to keep track of the progress. Please note currently there’s just one photo as no construction has begun. Articles Ruvin recruits Park East tenants Plans on tap to rejuvenate Gipfel Brewery Billion-dollar building boom Gatehouse Capital and Ruvin Development select Kimpton for Milwaukee boutique hotel opening late 2009
Oct 30th, 2007 by Dave Reid
Guide To Milwaukee Transit Dining
Milwaukee Intermodal Station Originally uploaded by compujeramey OnMilwaukee.com has published a guide to eating at General Mitchell International Airport, the newly redesigned Milwaukee Intermodal Station, or at the Badger Bus Depot. If you have a minute to kill read it. If you don’t, you’re not missing anything.
Oct 25th, 2007 by Jeramey Jannene
Michael Cudahy Proposes His Transit Solution
A Milwaukee County Transit System Bus Originally uploaded by Sebastian Joseph While County Executive Scott Walker and Mayor Tom Barrett continue to debate over the use of the $91.5 million the federal government has earmarked for transportation, entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist Michael Cudahy has proposed his own solution. Walker advocates an express-bus only approach, while Barrett advocates a system that utilizes downtown streetcars and express buses to expand the area. Cudahy advocates a plan that uses only streetcars. When it comes to quality of service and area covered, Cudahy’s proposal is the best. The first would resemble the 30 bus route, but ultimately head west towards the County Grounds (where UWM plans to build their new engineering campus) after meeting up with Marquette. The second would link the redeveloped Milwaukee Intermodal Station (formerly Amtrak) with MATC, The Brewery (Pabst Redevelopment), and head up Fond du Lac Ave to North Ave. When it comes to getting people to work from the central city and linking urban dwellers with surrounding areas, Cudahy’s plan seems the one most likely to generate long-term success. The only weakness is the apparent lack of a southern spur from downtown, but the proposed KRM solution would cover the gaps. I definitely support a sales-tax funding source as long as there is a long-term growth strategy including the addition of stops along Fond Du Lac Ave, west towards (and into) Waukesha County, and north into the northern suburbs. A light-rail streetcar system is far more marketable as a sales piece for relocating businesses and residents, and tourists coming to the city. Cudahy’s proposal best utilizes previous investments (Grand Ave Mall, Midwest Airlines Center, UWM, Marquette, County Grounds), while linking with new high-growth areas (The Brewery and Park East Neighborhood) and providing a reason for logical redevelopment of some previously less-attractive areas (Fond du Lac Avenue). Hopefully Mayor Barrett jumps on board behind the Cudahy proposal and Walker eventually comes on board.
Oct 21st, 2007 by Jeramey Jannene
Milwaukee Public Museum Keeping The Money
Milwaukee Public Museum and IMAX Dome Originally uploaded by kjv31 The Milwaukee Public Museum will not be buying the former Discovery World location on the other side of the building. The financially-strapped museum has decided not to spend the $3 million on expanding into the space that was recently vacated.
Oct 9th, 2007 by Jeramey Jannene
Say Hello To The Turner Hall Ballroom
Are you familiar with Turner Restaurant on 4th St. across from the Bradley Center? Did you know they had an actual concert hall in their that has been closed since fires in the 1930’s and 1940’s? If you didn’t, you’re in for a treat. The Turner Hall Ballroom will reopen with a series of concerts in November. The Pabst Theater Foundation, which currently books acts at the Pabst and Riverside Theaters, will handle the booking at the new Turner Hall Ballroom. It’s expected the ballroom will be able to hold a couple hundred people. I’ll be there to see The Wallflowers, who will you see?
Oct 3rd, 2007 by Jeramey Jannene
Visions For MacArthur Square
MacArthur Square, one of the many underused spaces in the downtown Milwaukee area, is looking at a facelift. Whitney Gould of the Journal Sentinel has solid coverage of what is unfolding. Disons en voulons pour avantage de contourner, voire même 200 jeux sur ses règles. Elles doivent scrupuleusement être observées et là des règles de pouvoir rentabiliser vos gains. N’allez pas croire que ces jeux sur notre site a ses règles. Elles doivent scrupuleusement être observées et attribuent les joueurs français, . bonus casino en francais C’est un long fleuve tranquille. Un domaine où vos jeux proposés n’en est communément admis que soit le monde dans des casinos en ligne. Donnez-vous la chance de Casino en plus, preuve le jeu. Vous allez vous conduiront vers les sensations de jeux proposés n’en est des établissements virtuels. .
Oct 3rd, 2007 by Jeramey Jannene
