Mayor Cavalier Johnson Praises $3.2 Million from U.S. Department of Commerce to Spur Business Growth in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE – Mayor Cavalier Johnson is praising the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) for awarding a $3.2 million grant to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee to build infrastructure and develop the Kneeland Properties site in the Menomonee Valley. This grant is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act and EDA’s Coal Communities Commitment.

The Kneeland Properties site was used as a coal storage yard for nearly a century and has yet to see redevelopment. As a significant amount of real estate around the area had long been used for coal storage, the City of Milwaukee and its partners have been working to prepare these parcels for redevelopment by remediating contamination, planning for infrastructure, and recruiting new development that benefits the community.

This grant will support light industrial development and create jobs that were contemplated in the Menomonee Valley 2.0 Plan, as part of the East Valley Gateway FaB Cluster. The site will also include an extension of the Menomonee Valley Riverwalk. The EDA investment will be matched with $798,540 in local funds, and is expected to create 140 jobs and generate $10.5 million in private investment. The City of Milwaukee is working with Menomonee Valley Partners and other local organizations on this redevelopment effort.

In praising this federal grant funding from the EDA, Mayor Johnson released the following statement:

“For years, the Menomonee Valley has witnessed new industrial development and robust economic growth. The Kneeland Properties site is one of the remaining parcels in the Valley that will boost this positive momentum. New investment at the Kneeland Properties site will create manufacturing jobs for local residents that will generate economic growth in our city, our state, and our region.

“I’m grateful for the support of President Joe Biden, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and our partners in Wisconsin’s Congressional Delegation for delivering this federal funding to Milwaukee. With this EDA grant, Milwaukee’s Redevelopment Authority will have the tools to build new infrastructure and prepare this site for redevelopment.

“This is the power of partnerships on full display. I am looking forward to returning this site to productive use, generating new economic activity, and realizing the full potential of the Menomonee Valley. Thank you to the President and our federal partners for helping move Milwaukee forward.”

This grant is funded under EDA’s American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance program, which makes $500 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance federal grant funding available to American communities, including Milwaukee. The Economic Adjustment Assistance program is EDA’s most flexible program, and grants made under this program are helping hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs. EDA’s Coal Communities Commitment allocates $300 million to support coal communities as they recover from the pandemic and to help them create new jobs and opportunities, including through the creation or expansion of a new industry sector.

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.