Neighbors, educators invited to meeting about MPS’ proposal for an innovative, first-in-the-region teacher housing facility
Milwaukee Public Schools is inviting neighbors and educators to a Tuesday, Nov. 19 meeting to share input on the district’s Request for Proposals to redevelop the former Dover Street School in the city’s Bay View neighborhood into an innovative, first-in-the-region teacher housing facility.
MILWAUKEE (November 18, 2013) — Milwaukee Public Schools is inviting neighbors and educators to a Tuesday, Nov. 19 meeting to share input on the district’s Request for Proposals to redevelop the former Dover Street School in the city’s Bay View neighborhood into an innovative, first-in-the-region teacher housing facility.
In February, Teachtown MKE, a collaboration created to support and retain new Milwaukee educators, began discussing bringing the innovative teacher housing concept seen in cities including Baltimore and Philadelphia to Milwaukee. (Photo: The Union Mill, Baltimore, Md.) The goal: to foster mentoring and collaboration among educators.
The Union Mill, Baltimore, Md.
MPS identified the former Dover site as the best choice for the facility, in part because of what Bay View offers: a vibrant, safe neighborhood with a walkable business district and access to public transportation.
Earlier this month, MPS and the Milwaukee Department of City Development issued the Request for Proposals to developers, who would be required to create a project that will be fully taxable and increase the city’s tax base. The housing would be operated privately.
At the meeting hosted by Milwaukee Public Schools and Milwaukee Alderman Tony Zielinski, community members will have the opportunity to weigh in on potential elements of the development. Those include: green space, the tot lot, a community garden, bike storage, parking, car sharing, sustainable building features, the resident application process, a fitness center and concierge services for residents such as dry cleaning.
The meeting is set for Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Humboldt Park Pavilion, 3000 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee 53207. The pavilion can be accessed from the park road at E. Oklahoma Avenue and S. Pine Avenue.
Advantages of the Bay View teacher housing proposal including converting unused space into vibrant housing with professional neighbors; on-site parking for residents; an agreement on sharing parking with St. Lucas; adding to the city’s tax rolls; and continued use of the playground by St. Lucas and the community.
Other cities with similar developments found, among other things, that the teacher housing facilities spurred economic development and neighborhood revitalization; and provided teachers with a peer-support community. Teachers reported that living in the housing facilities made their job easier.
More information can be found at http://mpsmke.com/teacherhousing. Community members who are unable to attend can share thoughts by email to doverschool@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.
About Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee Public Schools, Wisconsin’s largest school district, is expanding college and career readiness efforts and continuing to implement innovative reforms that give every student the opportunity to succeed. MPS’ high-quality school options for 3-year-olds to high school seniors feature school climates in which positive behavior is reinforced; certified, highly-trained teachers; 21st-century learning technology for students; and curriculum aligned to the rigorous Common Core State Standards, which set a clear, high bar for the topics students must master at each grade level. MPS’ graduation rate is 14 points higher than the rate for the Class of 2000, its Class of 2013 earned $24 million in scholarships and the district is home to some of the state’s best high schools according to the Washington Post and U.S. News and World Report. More MPS news is available at http://mpsmke.com/news.
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.
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