Near West Side Partners, Inc.
Press Release

Near West Side Partners, Inc. Formed By Milwaukee Business And Civic Leaders

Organization to focus on revitalizing, sustaining Milwaukee’s Near West Side

By - Jan 14th, 2015 05:42 pm

Leaders from several of Milwaukee’s largest business, education and non-profit organizations today announced the formation of Near West Side Partners, Inc. (NWSP), an organization with a mission to revitalize and sustain the Near West Side as a thriving business and residential corridor, through collaborative efforts to promote economic development, improved housing, unified neighborhood identity and branding, and greater safety for residents and businesses.

“On behalf of all participating organizations, we are excited to announce the formation of the Near West Side Partners organization,” said Rana Altenburg, vice president of public affairs at Marquette University and president of the NWSP Board of Directors. “By collaborating across our organizations, we are confident we can make a positive impact on the Near West Side neighborhood and create an even more vibrant place in which to work, live and play.”

The formation of NWSP is an outgrowth of the Near West Side CEO Symposium — a meeting of the leadership of the largest employers and organizations on Milwaukee’s Near West Side hosted by Harley-Davidson CEO Keith Wandell and convened by Marquette University President Michael Lovell in October 2014.

Organizations that have pledged support and involvement in NWSP include some of our community’s leading business, non-profit and civic organizations with a presence in the Near West Side, including Aurora Health Care, Avenues West Association, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, MillerCoors, Potawatomi Business Development Corp., and Wiegand Enterprises, among others.

“The creation of the Near West Side Partners is an exciting opportunity for our community as a whole,” said Keith Stanley, executive director of Avenues West Association / BID. “Our neighborhood has made good progress over the last few years, and the commitment of some of Milwaukee’s largest employers will help us move our part of Milwaukee to even greater heights.”

With direction from the Steering Committee and Board of Directors, the NWSP will include four active working teams in the areas of Safety, Housing, Neighborhood Identity and Branding, and Commercial Development. NWSP will focus on an area bounded roughly by I-43 to the east, I-94 to the south, Highway 41 to the west and on the north, Vliet Street west of 27th Street and the north side of Highland Avenue east of 27th Street.

The Steering Committee is looking at best practices for neighborhood improvement, both from within Milwaukee – especially the Menomonee Valley – and from cities across the country. Members of the Steering Committee will be visiting four target cities in February and March to research and apply best practices from other successful improvement projects.

“We already have tremendous assets and great momentum within the Near West Side. We are confident that by bringing together organizations and individuals from across our neighborhood, we can make a real difference in our shared community,” said Altenburg.

In the coming months, NWSP anticipates it will be able to make announcements regarding new initiatives and in-progress efforts in each of its four focus areas.

ABOUT NEAR WEST SIDE PARTNERS, INC.

Near West Side Partners, Inc. is a non-profit organization with a mission to revitalize and sustain the Near West Side as a thriving business and residential corridor, through collaborative efforts to promote economic development, improved housing, unified neighborhood identity and branding, and greater safety for residents and businesses. NWSP envisions a vibrant Near West Side with a well-balanced mix of residential neighborhoods and business corridors that is thriving because it offers: a safe and welcoming environment for employees, residents and visitors; residential neighborhoods that are attractive to those working in the area; a distinct neighborhood identity and brand that is attractive to employers, employees, residents and visitors; and a vibrant mix of commercial development that serves the needs of those living and working on the Near West Side.

Neighborhood File Photos

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

Neighborhoods:

Recent Press Releases by Near West Side Partners, Inc.

Concordia 27 Commercial Kitchen Now Operating; CFI Cooking, Delivering Thousands of Healthy Meals Per Day

Centers for Independence is the first occupant of the Near West Side community center, which is currently being completed and will welcome additional tenants and services later this Spring

Milwaukee County Paves the Way for Sustainable, Affordable Housing in Near West Side Partner’s Concordia 27 Development

NWSP grateful for $2 million in funds to support affordable housing as part of the comprehensive community center

Near West Side Partners Selects Stephanie Sherman as Associate Director

Sherman brings strategic leadership expertise in nonprofit and small business development

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us