Milwaukee Development News IV [Archive]

ReddAlert

October 4th, 2005, 04:14 AM

Posted: Oct. 1, 2005
The striking winged structure on Milwaukee's lakefront caught Mick Jagger's eye as his limousine glided into town last month for a Stones concert. The craggy-faced rocker, a self-declared man of wealth and taste, returned for a closer look the day after the show.

Milwaukee's New Image

Inspired by Calatrava? During a visit to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Mick Jagger told museum director David Gordon that one of the Rolling Stones’ stages uses a bridge inspired by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Asked if it was the “Bridges to Babylon’’ stage from the Stones’ 1997-‘98 tour (shown above at a concert in Madison), Jagger’s publicity agent in New York, Fran Curtis, said, “The only one who can answer that is Mick.”

Jagger lingered under the 4-year-old Art Museum's sun-dappled arches, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. He took pictures and raved, telling museum director David Gordon, a fellow Londoner, that Calatrava had inspired one of the Stones' stage designs. Gordon, who found Jagger in the folk art section, arranged for a flap of the building's 217-foot-long wings, a poetic spectacle that for 10 minutes makes it look as if the brilliant white museum is about to take flight over the blue waters of Lake Michigan.

"Fabulous," Jagger said, gawking. "Fantastic!"

Jagger's exuberance is the dream response for metro leaders who want to see the region's outworn Laverne & Shirley image shattered - left in tatters.

A group including much of the civic elite of metro Milwaukee earlier this month inaugurated a five-year, $12 million campaign to define a contemporary image for the area and market its economy to the world. They hope that the branding effort sparks their broader economic vision's success, success, success, success!

At the dawn of the Global Century, business leaders say, the international image of a city and its region has never been more crucial for recruiting new business, talent and opportunity.

"The need for the Milwaukee region to compete at this level is unprecedented," according to a prospectus that outlines the strategy. "It is imperative that we capitalize on our region's assets and create a scaled campaign equal to the challenge."

Time is not on Milwaukee's side.

Neither Milwaukee nor its surrounding region ever had a comprehensive economic vision or strategy, although such initiatives have become common in vibrant cities from Shanghai to Chicago.

At the very least, the proposals signal a newfound seriousness about global economic competitiveness. Components of the marketing plan range from a sophisticated multilingual presence on the Internet to a systematic retention and expansion scheme for existing industry, and the launch of a new archive of economic research. That data trove, to be accessible from a showy Web site to be up and running within six months, will make the area's strengths and weaknesses transparent.Nearly all of the pieces of the plan align themselves around the cosmopolitan idea of a brand or identity, one with enough economic appeal to awaken interest as far away as Beijing.

"We'll move that branding issue along as fast as we can," said Dennis Kuester, chairman and chief executive of Marshall & Ilsley Corp., the state's biggest financial services group. Kuester chairs the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, which drafted the economic plan with the Greater Milwaukee Committee, another civic group.

Spirit of Milwaukee
Leading the image-building part of the plan is the Spirit of Milwaukee Inc. The non-profit agency sprung up after Timothy Hoeksema, chairman and chief executive of Midwest Airlines, became exasperated with the ordeal of recruiting young talent to a place that often lay below their radar.

"It was not so much that they had negative perceptions of Milwaukee," said Dean Amhaus, Spirit of Milwaukee president. "They had no perception."

That gives the city a clean slate. But it also raises a host of questions, not least how the region wants the world to see it.

Planners are drafting proposals for an identity that's acceptable to a broad city-suburb region that spans seven counties with diverse cultures and politics. Amhaus heads up a "regional identity team" with a cross-section of civic officials.

Their proposals will go for approval to a newly created regional economic development council, a 35-member body that includes private sector and elected officials from Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties.

Even in the early stages, some tactics are clear. By its nature, the marketing campaign will emphasize the growth industries and a stable of eight multinational headquarters that gives the city of Milwaukee alone the fifth-densest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation. Moving to the fore, no doubt, will be the clusters of life science and medical technology industries. Fiserv Inc. and Metavante Corp., two financial data giants, are likely to have prominence.

Also clear are basic priorities. Amhaus rejects conventional advertising that relies on glossy ads and slogans. Those are expensive, get lost in a saturated media culture, and often carry little credibility.

Milwaukee, instead, will opt for the less conventional tactics used to groom reputations of politicians or corporations. It's often called "guerrilla marketing" - publicity that stirs popular interest.

Amhaus is a disciple of the subtle art and its creative variants. The effort is low budget and, if done well, high impact. Often, people don't realize that they are being exposed to deliberate marketing. Undercover marketing can range from discretely stage-managed "news" events to T-shirts with logos.

Milwaukee plans to appeal to more upscale instincts. Right now, much of the emphasis is on China, where the city wants to leverage trade ties it is building.

Such guerrilla marketing took place last summer when the Beijing Ducks professional basketball team scrimmaged the Bucks. Those events broadcast the name "Milwaukee" to sports bars from Shenzhen to Shanghai. Tim Sheehy, president of MMAC, flaunts a stack of Chinese newspaper clips about the Ducks-Bucks exhibition.

When Mayor Tom Barrett leads a trade mission to China later this month, he'll distribute a video that touts the region in Mandarin, showing off companies such as Harley-Davidson, S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. in Racine, and other outlying firms.

In 2001, the Spirit of Milwaukee hired Development Counselors International, a Manhattan marketing firm specializing in tourism and economic development. The firm boasts "a superb network with the national, international and regional media" for promoting its clients.

Amhaus suspended the contract with the Park Avenue agency two years ago, yet the drumbeat of coverage never slowed. If anything, Milwaukee's international media status has risen.

The reason, according to The Independent, a mainstream Britain national daily, is that Milwaukee has become known as something of a pioneering city of culture.

It hired "superstar architect" Calatrava to design "the most spectacular museum extension in the world," The Independent reported.

The newspaper's British correspondent concedes in a long December feature that he expected to find "a terrifying place of grim weather and dull prairies." Instead, he opens the piece standing outside the Milwaukee Art Museum and writes that he "can't wait to get inside."

Indeed, ever since the 2001 opening of Calatrava's brise soleil addition, culture correspondents and travel writers have had a field day writing stories that smash old cultural stereotypes and making generous use of the term "rebirth."

Front page coverage
The International Herald Tribune and the Financial Times, two of the most widely circulated international newspapers, published pictures of the bold design on their front pages. Le Monde, a leading French daily, weighed in half a year ago on the cultural "relaunch" story. Porsche AG, the German sports car maker, used the clean white lines of the Calatrava as backdrop for a low-slung sports car in a glossy ad.

The brise soleil is to Milwaukee what the Musée du Louvre is to Paris: a magnet that draws dignitaries, celebrities, art hounds and diplomats. David Byrne, singer for the Talking Heads, recently walked in. Henri Loyrette, president and director of the Louvre, and Nicholas Serota, the director of the famed Tate galleries in London, took tours this year.

"What a fantastic building!" were the first words out of President George W. Bush's mouth on his visit in May.

"Everyone is incredibly impressed, and they go away and say they'll tell their friends," said museum director Gordon, onetime publisher of The Economist, who moved to Milwaukee from London, where he had an equivalent position with the Royal Academy of Arts. Gordon represents the international perspective that the city's fathers are trying to cultivate.

On Sept. 9, Jagger strolled into the museum's atrium in a casual denim shirt and black leather cap. Museum staff alerted Gordon, who was in a meeting. "I introduced myself as the Brit running the art museum."

"The brise soleil as an icon is symbolic of the New Milwaukee," said Andy Larsen, an advertising executive at Milwaukee's Boelter & Lincoln public relations agency.

It didn't hurt, Larsen said, that the city hosted the Society of American Travel Writers in June for a four-day convention.

Amhaus compiles the national and foreign press clippings. He shows one of the most recent: The October 2005 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine lists "Milwaukee-Racine" as the 20th "hottest" large city area in the United States for entrepreneurs.

"Fargo, North Dakota, can spend millions on an ad campaign. But I'm not going there," said Amhaus. But if the Financial Times - "a credible third-party source" - gets excited about Fargo, "I'll give it a second look."

An entire industry has appended itself to the promotion of regional economies. They include legions of full-time "site selectors," folks who work for large corporations that need to relocate operations and regional headquarters. They have their own trade journal, Site Selectors Magazine, which wrote in November 2003: "Like the view from its Santiago Calatrava-designed art museum, Milwaukee's outlook is opening up to wide and renewed horizons."

Amhaus has other tricks up his sleeve. And he laments the lost opportunities, such as the state Department of Tourism's decision to shut down the agency that worked with filmmakers who use Wisconsin sites in their movies.

Beyond downtown
The image campaign extends beyond the funky downtown and into the outlying regions of Milwaukee.

Larsen, whose firm handles the lion's share of the state's tourism promotion account, said the suburbs should have an easy time overcoming their international anonymity merely by spouting off in the universal language of business: golf.

While southern boomtowns such as Atlanta boast that golfers can play year round, the National Golf Foundation ranks Wisconsin second in the nation in courses per capita and one of the nation's Top 10 states for golf courses overall.

In the South, "you can play golf all year round but you might not get a tee time," Larsen said.

International media converged last year on Kohler, 50 miles north, to cover the annual PGA Championship tournament. That yielded its own windfall of stories - many of them in awe of the unforgiving terrain of the Whistling Straits course. GolfWeek voted Whistling Straits one of America's top 3 courses.

"We already as a region are playing on the world stage," said Amhaus, ticking off world-class conglomerates such as GE Healthcare, a $15 billion unit of General Electric Co., and Rockwell Automation Inc., a $4.4 billion engineering firm.

Still unanswered is the essential question about the raw world of global economics: Is Milwaukee hard enough, is it rough enough, is it rich enough to compete?

On his last visit here, Mick Jagger, global jetsetter, was charming and approachable, Gordon says.

And not in any hurry to leave.

D-res

October 4th, 2005, 08:15 AM

thanks redd.. great read.

, the National Golf Foundation ranks Wisconsin second in the nation in courses per capita and one of the nation's Top 10 states for golf courses overall.

that suprised me a lot. i knew N Carolina was first and I know there are a lot of golf courses in wisconsin, but wisconsin being second really suprised me and excited me. i love playing golf, although admittingly, i'm terrible at it

Jai

October 4th, 2005, 08:27 AM

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/9364/img2sc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Hmm... That reminds me of the GE Royale building in Mumbai
http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/176/16dr.jpg

Multicolored, uniquely shaped concrete buildings are all the rage in SE Asia. But are virtually unknown in the midwest. If this is a new (or paralell) trend, you probably will see a lot more Asian architects designing buildings in Milwaukee

It's a pleasing building style. Would love to see these projects go thru

avissers

October 4th, 2005, 08:59 PM

Chicago developer to propose east side condo towers

Mark Kass

A Chicago developer is finalizing plans for a pair of 20-story, high-rise condominium towers with more than 300 units that would be built on North Prospect Avenue overlooking Lake Michigan.

Warren Barr, who has completed several housing projects in the Chicago area, has a contract to purchase a one-acre lot on the northeast corner of North Prospect and East Lafayette avenues on Milwaukee's east side. The site, just west of Lafayette Hill and Lincoln Memorial Drive, is owned by Sik Kin Wu, a Milwaukee business man, who operates the East Garden Chinese Restaurant, 3600 N. Oakland Ave.

Wu had teamed with Arnis Putrenieks, a developer based in Barrington, Ill., in the late 1990s to propose a $70 million, 32-story, 179-unit condominium high-rise on the site, but the plans were dropped because of neighborhood opposition to the building's height and the inability to gain financing.

A real estate source close to the deal said Barr has been quietly meeting with neighborhood leaders, including Milwaukee Ald. Michael D'Amato, in recent weeks to seek support for the project. He will make a presentation on the project to the Watertower Landmark Trust, an active neighborhood group, on Wednesday evening.

The condominiums would be one-, two- and three-bedroom units and would range in price, with some priced at about $500,000.

Barr has petitioned the city of Milwaukee to rezone the property to allow for the development. A file with the rezoning request was introduced Sept. 7 and will likely be taken up by the Plan Commission and the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee in October or November. The rezoning will not include a request for a tax incremental financing, or TIF, district, the source said.

A spokesperson for the Department of City Development said Barr had not yet filed plans with the city.

Read the entire article:

http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/03/daily20.html?jst=b_ln_hl

:righton:

D-res

October 4th, 2005, 09:21 PM

^^^^ good news. hopefully they have a sleek and fun design to them and not just another residential building.

EastSider

October 4th, 2005, 10:02 PM

Awesome article Redd, thanks for sharing that.

sideliner

October 4th, 2005, 10:29 PM

[sorry -- originally a double post]

Looks like Farwell/Prospect just south of North Ave. is becoming a hot spot. That will continue as plans for the new Columbia/St. Mary's hospital starts construction.

Years ago, adeveloper expressed interest in redeveloping some parcels along the north side of North Ave. on the East Side, near the library. I wouldn't be surprised to see those plans resurface now, as a new wave of residential units is proposed.

Milwaukee's Finest

October 4th, 2005, 11:51 PM

miltown

October 5th, 2005, 01:05 AM

Here is the article about the two 20 story condo towers click here (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/03/daily20.html?jst=b_ln_hl)

avissers

October 5th, 2005, 01:59 AM

Well, I sincerely hope that this new condo project on Prospect goes thru. I remember the big fuss that was made about the 32 story proposal a few years back. Hopefully the neighbors won't get too bent out of shape about two 20 story towers. Even if this thing is allowed to proceed I would think it may take awhile to presell enough of the 300 units to allow for construction. Either way it's another great potential project we can wait and see develop.

I agree. But I would think that at the price point listed in the article, and the location on the hill near Brady Street with lake views and also looking over the posh east side would make a pretty quick sell of the minimum number of units (300 units in this case at 40% would mean about 120).

I think it is a positive step that the developer is meeting with the neighborhood association as well as the alderman before saying this is what you get and I am not changing it.

ReddAlert

October 5th, 2005, 05:33 AM

Multicolored, uniquely shaped concrete buildings are all the rage in SE Asia. But are virtually unknown in the midwest. If this is a new (or paralell) trend, you probably will see a lot more Asian architects designing buildings in Milwaukee

It's a pleasing building style. Would love to see these projects go thru

I dig that building and the city. Hopefully we can get some more unique Asian architects to do some work in the city.

ReddAlert

October 5th, 2005, 05:41 AM

Dont you guys find it incredible how the Art Museum seems to have changed Milwaukee? This one building seems to have sparked the condo boom, transforming Milwaukee into a popular city, something probally laughable ten years prior. UK, Germany, and other European nations are actually finding Milwaukee to be special....visiting us instead of some sunbelt suburbia. We have gotten so much postive press from major newspapers like the NY Times, Chicago Tribune/Sun Times, Minneapolis, and others. Established cities like Pittsburgh use Milwaukee as an example. Even celebrities seem to have enjoyed the city--such as Mick Jager.

With Chicago only an hour or so away--visiting Milwaukee seems to not be such a bad idea. The two cities should work together on tourism advertising--along with the rest of the region. The region can offer alot in my opinion. World class golf resorts, charming small towns, skiing, sailing, forests, mountainbiking, fishing...as well as two cool towns.

Fiddlerontheruf

October 5th, 2005, 11:00 PM

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 01:38 AM

To be perfectly honest, I don't think that is a fair assesment. Yes, the MAM did spark a lot of building and garnerned some national attention, but I don't think it made us a tourist trap for international visitors, and a lot of other cities have those qualities that you mentioned in the second paragraph. That being said, the MAM had an emormously positive impact on Milwaukee and was a great investment.

I would disagree. You see a great number of foreign tourists at the MAM--Asian and Europeans. Its not like Disneyland or the Statue of Liberty, but pretty decent for a city like Milwaukee. I also dont agree that these other cities have the same qualities. Milwaukee has almost all this stuff right on its front door and its easy/acessable. Sailing in Milwaukee is much easier than sailing in Chicago or Boston. Its a smaller city--so we avoid big city hassles and costs. I just went hiking this afternoon in Lake Park, walked along a nice wavy beach, saw guys Parasailing in October, people sailing, fishing along the pier, cycling through some woods--you dont find that very easily in a major city, especially as convienient as Milwaukee. There is ample parking everywhere on the lakefront and free. I think you underestimate it.

Milwaukee's Finest

October 6th, 2005, 02:03 AM

Dont you guys find it incredible how the Art Museum seems to have changed Milwaukee? This one building seems to have sparked the condo boom, transforming Milwaukee into a popular city, something probally laughable ten years prior.

I think both Redd and Fiddler are correct in their views of the Art Museum. I think the Art Museum was a symbolic shift in thinking as far as giving Milwaukee a more contemporary path in development. Clearly this project elevated the level of design and marketibility of the area and served as the centerpiece of the new Milwaukee.

When I am around the Art Museum, there are a lot of foreign tourists in the area. However, I don't think people are flocking from around the world just to see the building. It has become a must see tourist attraction when people do find themselves in our ever more popular city.

Also, I don't believe the condo boom was a direct result of the Museum, but rather a paralleling development which runs along side the large number of baby boomers who are now retiring. Certainly having a visually stunning art museum and thriving arts culture has increased the draw to downtown.

Redd, I also think you hit it right on the head when you brought up the significance of the easily assessible attractions and recreation found throughout the city and the lakefront. It is truly a gem that I hope city leaders continue to polish up.

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 02:22 AM

Redd, I also think you hit it right on the head when you brought up the significance of the easily assessible attractions and recreation found throughout the city and the lakefront. It is truly a gem that I hope city leaders continue to polish up.

yup. Its sad that the parks department had to take a cut though. I walked from front to back today and can truly say its one of the best natural waterfronts. I would like to see some stuff touched up--such as having some trees cut down on the lake bluffs. Much of it is overgrown and the view of the water is blocked now.

I would also like to see some of that huge surface parking at the Marina developed, that beach house touched up, and something in the place of that old snack bar.

I said it awile ago, but I think the Bradford Beachouse would be perfect for somesort of bar, catina, or resturant. There is plenty of room on both the ground and second levels....both have great views of the beach and lake. It would be a very cool spot, drawing more attention to the lakefront as a hangout spot. There also is ample parking across the street. Milwaukee needs cool things like this.

Fiddlerontheruf

October 6th, 2005, 03:49 AM

or we could look at it from a chicken-or the gg perspective: Did the recent development in Milwaukee cause the construction of the MAM or vice versa?

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 03:54 AM

or we could look at it from a chicken-or the gg perspective: Did the recent development in Milwaukee cause the construction of the MAM or vice versa?

lol...

In either case, it must very warming to Calatrava that one of his pieces of art has such an effect on an entire city. Its our logo, its what we base tourism off, it arguably sparked intrest in the city--which leads to more people wanting to move here.

Its the same with Gehry and his metal thing in Bilbao, which is kind of similar to Milwaukee. Both cities were industrial, nothing too impressive....after their respective buildings went up, good things followed.

Milwaukee's Finest

October 6th, 2005, 04:04 AM

East side condos would cater to untapped market
Tower to offer smaller, less pricey units with a lake view

By TOM DAYKIN

A $105 million condominium tower proposed for Milwaukee's east side would take aim at a market that's been largely ignored by other local high-rise developers: people who are well off but not necessarily upper income.

The development, known as Park Lafayette, would create 313 condos with prices ranging from $165,000 to $500,000, developer Warren Barr said Wednesday. Park Lafayette, featuring two 20-story towers, would be built on a 1-acre vacant lot at the northeast corner of N. Prospect Ave. and E. Lafayette Place.

Park Lafayette would sell condos ranging from 650 to 1,570 square feet, with an average size of 1,100 square feet, said Barr, president of Renaissant Development Group LLC, of Oak Brook, Ill. About 60% of the project's units would have one bedroom, with the rest a mix of two- and three-bedroom condos, he said.

Those would be smaller, and less pricey, than condos offered in other new east side and downtown high-rises. Barr's marketing strategy is aimed at people who want to live in a high-rise with Lake Michigan views but who cannot afford to buy condos in developments such as Kilbourn Tower and University Club Tower.

The rest of the article (http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/361066.asp)

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 04:12 AM

great! Thanks for posting! This is the kind of place that I can maybe afford.

Two twenty story towers sounds great. Will add to the density of the area. There was another couple proposals for that area too correct--the one with the old mansion and the other where that 30 story tower was supposed to be built?

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 04:16 AM

does anyone have any information on those two towers that were proposed for the riverfront in Walkers Point, along with that white building? A newcomer came in and posted if it refreshes the memory.

Milwaukee's Finest

October 6th, 2005, 04:18 AM

. There was another couple proposals for that area too correct--the one with the old mansion and the other where that 30 story tower was supposed to be built?

Correct, New Land Enterprises which is currently developing CityGreen and The Sterling is said to be considering a possible condo tower behind the old mansion on the bluff just to the North of 1522 on the Lake. The controversy is whether to include the mansion in the development or move it.

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 04:22 AM

Correct, New Land Enterprises which is currently developing CityGreen and The Sterling is said to be considering a possible condo tower behind the old mansion on the bluff just to the North of 1522 on the Lake. The controversy is whether to include the mansion in the development or move it.

I think a talented architect could create a cool building out of that. I guess we wait and see.

Speaking of towers. Anyone notice really how close UCTower is to Kilborn?. Poor bastards in KT.

milwaukeeunseen

October 6th, 2005, 04:35 AM

To be perfectly honest, I don't think that is a fair assesment. Yes, the MAM did spark a lot of building and garnerned some national attention, but I don't think it made us a tourist trap for international visitors, and a lot of other cities have those qualities that you mentioned in the second paragraph. That being said, the MAM had an emormously positive impact on Milwaukee and was a great investment.

I'm going to agree with Redd on this one. 10 years ago the idea of the director of the Louvre coming to Milwaukee to see art, or Mick Jagger hanging out someplace in Milwaukee besides his hotel room or backstage at the Bradley Center, would have been laughable. I'm not saying that it has magically transformed us overnight from an unknown to a known city worldwide, but it has undoubtedly changed our profile. And, the MAM addition has had a bunch of positive effects from a development standpoint. It's not a coincidence that the two tallest residential structures in town, worth millions and millions in investment, are positioned so that condo owners have views of the Calatrava. Without the MAM addition, I contend that KT and UCT would never had happened.

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 04:49 AM

^yeah its really something. Totally agree on the KT/UCT thing. The lake was nice, but this structure puts it over the edge.

I think Milwaukee should use B.C./A.C. for its time lines. Before Calatrava/After Calatrava.

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 05:10 AM

I took these today in my travels, sadly most turned out weird for some reason.

http://img320.imageshack.us/img320/394/10051245dp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/5487/10051217ql.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/1995/1005147lh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/2808/1005736io.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/7378/10051120xh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/5526/1005999xb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/1838/1005930bh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/7/10051327pq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/9059/100543ko.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Markitect

October 6th, 2005, 06:09 AM

http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/bym/img/oct05/condos100505.jpg
^ Park Lafayette.

Very disappointing so far.

exit_320

October 6th, 2005, 07:14 AM

Redd -- That first picture you posted looks beautiful! The others are nice but that one stands out.

Markitect -- I don't think the design is really that bad. I am happy with the onsite parking and the fact that the developer is working with the neighborhood instead of against it.

D-res

October 6th, 2005, 11:33 AM

Very disappointing so far.

how so? :dunno:

Fiddlerontheruf

October 6th, 2005, 01:36 PM

Lafayette Place...looks very suburban office park and for the most part unimaginative. I would not dissmiss it, though. Milwaukee, like all cities, can not and should not ask for earth-shattering architecture in every one of it's buildings.

Pumpkin

October 6th, 2005, 05:20 PM

Redd, I love the photos.

As for Lafayette Place, the design is .... OK. Not terrible. Well, maybe it is pretty terrible. But it isn't atrocious. Well, maybe ....

milwaukeeunseen

October 6th, 2005, 05:25 PM

Oops, this last message was posted by me. I came up with a new name to post some Milwaukee pictures in Guess the City, as my existing name would have given it away. Why did I choose "pumpkin?" It was the first thing that popped into my head.

D-res

October 6th, 2005, 07:28 PM

yeah i can see its nothing incredible by any means but i'd take that over another symetrical 4-sided box

ReddAlert

October 6th, 2005, 09:57 PM

thanks to everyone who complimented my photos.

As for the Lafayette towers...

I kind of like them. They have an intresting shape, it looks pretty tall, the windows could be kind of cool.

djcody

October 6th, 2005, 10:41 PM

^^ I totally agree with D-res. Nothing incredible, but at least its not a 4-sided box. I'm just frustrated to see that we have all these buildings under the "proposal" section like:

Lake Point Tower - 42 floors
Broadway/Wisconsin Tower - 24 floors
Ovation Plaza - 22 floors
Park Lafayette 1 - 20 floors
Park Lafayette 2 - 20 floors
The Terraces 1 - 13 floors
The Terraces 2 - 13 floors
Sidney Hih/Park East Building - 12 floors
Son's Pub Development - 12 floors

and not many under "under construction" section:

University Club Tower - 32 Floors
First Place on the River - 12 Floors

I was checking out some other cities our size like Baltimore, and they got 7 approved;6 proposed;5 under construction. I dunno, maybe i'm being too impatient or something. Would be right for me to go to these people and maybe kick them in butt to help get things moving faster? I'm sure I'll have to just sit here and twiddle my thumbs...

D-res

October 7th, 2005, 12:40 AM

im impatient too. i dont know where i'm moving after college but for right now i dont think i'm staying in milwaukee and i know that i'll be leaving within the next 7 to 8 years, things depending and i just wish these things would get built. its like you sit around forever waiting for something to get built and you see all these proposals that eventually hit 'never built' and you get frustrated because you're excited to see milwaukee make more steps toward change. its cool though i guess. im happy with whats happening. hell, its more than we can say than like.. 10 years ago.

btw DJ Cody, what type of music do you spin? i used to drop a few tracks myself, before i moved and was unable to bring my equipment with me :(

djcody

October 7th, 2005, 01:41 AM

D-res, I mostly play mainstream dance to house to euro on pioneer cdj100's turntables. hehe
:dance:

ClarkWGriswald

October 7th, 2005, 02:34 AM

Redd that first pic, man....just heavenly!!! GREAT SHOT!! I love the hazy/mist effect!

Milwaukee's Finest

October 7th, 2005, 02:41 AM

Very disappointing so far.

I kind of agree with you Markitect...it reminds me of a larger version of the FlatIron Park East which was the first condo development that won the city's RFP (In the Park East Area on Water St.) Both are sort of bland and uninspiring.

ReddAlert

October 7th, 2005, 05:08 AM

Redd that first pic, man....just heavenly!!! GREAT SHOT!! I love the hazy/mist effect!

thanks Clark! I got out of those woods at a lucky time eh?

ReddAlert

October 7th, 2005, 05:36 AM

Since most of these are buried on other pages--here are the renderings for some of the major projects.

Terraces
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3453/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz9fs.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Sterling (under construction)
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/4126/zzzzzzzzzzzzzz0to.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

City Green (under construction)
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/7042/zzzzzzzzzzzzz4aq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Whole Foods/Medical
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/5786/wholefoodsrendering041105big1k.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Condo Tower on Ogden
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2712/serendering7ao.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

St. Marys Hospital (correct me if Im wrong-im horrible with these hospital names)
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/1880/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz9dw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Marine Terminal Lofts
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/8906/marine3big0rt.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Pier Wisconsin
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/476/medium20view20from20northeast6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

University Club Tower (Milwaukees 3rd tallest tower)
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/2599/120universityclubtower27bd.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

First Place on the River
(First Place Webiste, Check this out! (http://www.firstplacemilwaukee.com/))

The Edge...lol
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4194/y2zy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Amtrak
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2406/yy3vq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Park East development
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9405/yyy5ll.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

100 Seboth?--any news on this?
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1448/yyyy4br.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Ovation Center ("I aint dead yet motherf*&^%)
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/8030/yyyyy7ns.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Little Park East building
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/3849/yyyyyyy3gw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Kennilworth Building
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/157/yyyyyy9zm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

King Drive Commons
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/8389/yyyyyyyy3sn.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Vetter Denk Website (Beerline buildings)
Vetter Denk (http://www.vetterdenk.com/)

Sydey Hih Building (pretty cool, check it out)
Skyscrapers.com (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=242332)

other developments

Cathedral Square/McArthur Sqaure/Third Ward Sqaure resdesigns. LakePoint tower? Powerade IcePort? Oak Leaf/Hank Aaron St. Trail. Menomonee Valley redevelopment-Harley Museum. Menomonee Valley Partners (http://www.renewthevalley.org/)). New sailing center building? Indian community center in old coast guard station? Soccer stadium? ChicagoMetra extension. Bradford beach redesign and upgrade. Many Third Ward lofts. Third Ward Botique hotel/spa. Vetter Denk offices. Sons Tower. Marquette Interchange....etc. So much stuff going on in Milwaukee no? I think I missed a bunch of stuff too!

i_am_hydrogen

October 7th, 2005, 06:55 AM

ReddAlert

October 7th, 2005, 08:06 AM

@ReddAlert's photos...

I've always loved the bridge in your second shot. That park/wooded area is a pretty cool place to explore. Sure, Chicago has a great lakefront with interesting parks, but you just can't find that kind of thing here.

yeah, that place is really cool. Its very quiet and serene for being only a few minutes away from the heart of Milwaukee. It can be almost creepy walking through there by yourself. Like I said, its pretty quiet, still, and very natural...cut off from the rest of the city. Alot of the trees down there are twisted and very intresting....giving it a mysterious feeling. Its really beautiful down there when all the trees turn orange!
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/9177/10051189nx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Yeah, I do prefer the natural areas of Milwaukees lakefront to Chicagos. Then again--Chicago boasts an incredible manmade forest of skyscrapers that are equally as impressive. Both cities have great beaches for being on a Great Lake....Chicagos is almost as packed as a Flordia one during summer! :)

D-res

October 7th, 2005, 10:14 AM

^^agreed... chicago is an amazing city but lets be honest though. with a metro as small as milwaukee (atleast compared to cities with equal or smaller CITY populations) we definitely hold our own and then some. the lakefront is perfect for anyone who isnt allergic to sunshine or water and we have some gemms around milwaukee that people either dont know about or know about but dont realize how great they are. Atwater Park is one of those gemms. great beach at the base of a tall bluff. great view from the top and a clean and underrated/empty beach at the waterfront.

i dont care how much people want to put down milwaukee. all it takes is a weekend with no plans, a good schedule and a great host to prove them wrong.

milwaukeeunseen

October 7th, 2005, 04:17 PM

catiator

October 7th, 2005, 04:38 PM

I was looking around various forums for Eastern European cities and came across a new building being proposed for Warsaw, Poland. It seems it is part of a new Post Office. I immediately noticed the similarities to the proposed Amtrak Station in Milwaukee. The only major difference is the location of the angular components - outdoor vs. indoor. I do not prefer one design over the other, but do think that the outdoor component version made the building look a little more interesting. What do you think?
http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/3961/wyr23ls.pnghttp://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2406/yy3vq.jpg

NeuBrew

October 7th, 2005, 04:38 PM

Thanks for posting those pictures Redd. I really like the First Place on the River. Once both sides of the river are developed down there, it's really going to look great.

ReddAlert

October 7th, 2005, 08:39 PM

^^

i dont care how much people want to put down milwaukee. all it takes is a weekend with no plans, a good schedule and a great host to prove them wrong.

yeah, the lakefront is very underated....same with the city. Oh well...they cant keep on hatin, living in their landlocked city/suburb while I enjoy what I got. And still find free, accessable parking anywhere along the entire street.

ReddAlert

October 7th, 2005, 08:50 PM

Thanks for posting all of those renderings, Redd. When you consider how many of those proposals are actually under construction right now, I think we're doing pretty well. We could be doing better, though.

No problemo unseen and Brew. Thought I would do a favor for all the new guys so they dont got to dig through the Milwaukee development Trilogy to find what they are lookin for. What I am more excited and impressed about...moreso than Kilbourn Tower or Univeristy Club is the development along the rivers.

The Beerline is incredible and its just going to get better with the modern VetterDenk bluff homes, Union Point, RiverCrest, Pfister and Vogel, and the eventual completion of the Marsupial Bridge. And it has the equally cool Brewers Hill overlooking it.

I also like whats going on in the Third Ward/Walkers Point.

Im going to do a seperate thread to post my pics...to ease the burden I am creating in here. :) Christ, Ive been a posting machine lately....after this thread and Im going to reclaim my life.

djcody

October 7th, 2005, 09:08 PM

yea, thanks for posting the projects Redd. Nice to see them all together. :-)

D-res

October 8th, 2005, 01:10 AM

the last picture on the first place on the river website is definitely an attractive one... :runaway:

btw, whats that building being built on that corner on/near commerce. i remember it being like triangular or something with plans to have street level retail and i believe condos. i hardly remember anything about it but does anyone have the faintest idea what i'm talking about?

Markitect

October 8th, 2005, 01:15 AM

whats that building being built on that corner on/near commerce. i remember it being like triangular or something with plans to have street level retail and i believe condos. i hardly remember anything about it but does anyone have the faintest idea what i'm talking about?

Union Point (http://unionpointlofts.com/page2.htm), in the Beerline, corner of Commerce Street and Humboldt Avenue.

Markitect

October 8th, 2005, 01:45 AM

D-res

October 8th, 2005, 02:08 AM

Union Point (http://unionpointlofts.com/page2.htm), in the Beerline, corner of Commerce Street and Humboldt Avenue.

you, are a machine. ;)

seriously how do you know this stuff??!!?! its overwhelming :)

ReddAlert

October 8th, 2005, 02:22 AM

This could turn out pretty good, even if its a big box. Target brought in a pretty nice store in downtown Minny.

Milwaukee's Finest

October 8th, 2005, 02:23 AM

you, are a machine. ;)

seriously how do you know this stuff??!!?! its overwhelming :)

Well like me, Markitect probably consistently reads various daily publications such as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, The Miwaukee Business Journal and the Daily Reporter. If you keep up with stuff you know what's going on and if you know what's going on you can help answer other people's questions. Plus as Markitect once said the Google and Yahoo worlds can give you any possible piece of information you want to know.

By the way Redd...thanks for your compilation of renderings and your two photo threads...they were awesome!

ReddAlert

October 8th, 2005, 02:25 AM

By the way Redd...thanks for your compilation of renderings and your two photo threads...they were awesome!

thanks Mil and dj, I appreciate the comments. :cheers:

Milwaukee's Finest

October 8th, 2005, 02:26 AM

Oh yeah....CATIATOR! Those two random posts a while back about the Bank One Parking Structure development and the Fifth Ward twin 24 tower proposal...what ever happened with those? Do you know something the rest of us don't?

djcody

October 8th, 2005, 03:48 AM

Hey does anyone have any photos of the construction of the US Bank building back in the 70's? I tried to google it but came up empty handed...

i_am_hydrogen

October 8th, 2005, 08:03 AM

The rendering for Park Lafayette looks terrible.

Boatnurd

October 8th, 2005, 02:53 PM

This is just after being built. Note the Pabst building to the North.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a232/boatnurd/getimage2.jpg

Boatnurd

October 8th, 2005, 03:04 PM

This one is just prior to having the Marine Bank Built. Prior 1961. Look carefully at the old Wisconsin Avenue bridge.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a232/boatnurd/MarineBank.jpg

KDS

October 8th, 2005, 04:01 PM

Although there are no definite plans at the moment, Target Corp. has expressed an interest in possibly opening a store in Downtown Milwaukee. One possibility is a location in the Park East corridor. A development team led by the Ryan Companies, of Minneapolis, has proposed a mixed-use project in the corridor that includes space for big box retailers; and Target, also from Minneapolis, is reportedly looking at that proposal. The developers recently won the right to purchase the County-owned land for that proposal, so they are in need of landing some tenants.

Meanwhile, Target also continues working with the City to develop a store on the North Side at E. Capitol Drive and N. Holton Street.

I had always hoped that Target would consider the parking lot site facing I-794 in front of the Grand Ave, perhaps even sharing a parking deck with the mall. They are a fantastic retailer and would generate much foot traffic for the Grand Ave mall. That being said, it appears the downtown retail scene will be going in a similar direction as Chicago, albeit in an infinitely smaller scale. Our grand Ave equates to State St. while the area around N. Water, E. Knapp & N. Broadway likely developing into our "Michigan Ave" Whether a downtown market such as Milwaukee can support two nodes is another matter. Regardless, the die is all but cast. The N. Water St. area will be the ground zero retail and entertainment area of the city in large part because the neighborhoods to the north, east and along the lakeshore provides a large contiguous area of uninterrupted residential uses.

I believe this defined area will experience the vast majority of Milwaukee's loosely defined downtown residential growth. Far more than the 3rd ward or Walkers point. The "upper east side" neighborhoods are already a significant part of the urban fabric of Milwaukee. They aren't interrupted by a freeway barrier, and harbor or industrial activities. And they have a physical element that the 3rd Ward/Walkers Point cannot match, elevation. The views of the city and lake from areas to the immediate north of downtown cannot be replicated in the south. IMO, the views from Reservoir are unmatched in the city, if anyone wants to make a postcard out of our CBD, this is the view they should use. It's almost San Francisco esque.

Back to Target, before this latest flurry of residential proposals for the Park East and the Farwell/North Ave area, I had come to reason that the lack of major project announcements over the course of most of the summer had signaled the gradual slowdown of the downtown residential market many (myself included) have been expecting. Obviously, as others have pointed, we have lots of proposals, but little in construction. Provided many of these projects come to fruition, including the tannery redevelopment, and actually break ground in the next year or so, I believe there is over a 50% shot of Target actually building a store in the Park East. The interest expressed publicly by Target is similar to that expressed over a potential site in downtown St. Paul they are now moving forward with. The powers that be at Target have decreed their store count goal is 2,010 by 2010. They currently have 1,400. I believe they are re-evaluating their desire to be at Holton & Capital, a site which more than likely will preclude them from doing another store on the eastside of Milwaukee, in favor of a two store scenario involving stores at this downtown site and further north in the Bayshore area, perhaps even the new towncenter redevelopment. The big question mark is how much a store in downtown Milwaukee will impact their existing stores in South and West Milwaukee. That I don't know, I do not have their sales distribution, but I suspect it will be in the 10 to 15 percent range. Anything higher than that will probably prevent them from coming downtown.

Should Target actually build in the Park East development, the impact on the downtown retail scene will be dramatic. Any national retailer or restaurateur currently interested in the downtown market will automatically want to locate near the Target, both for the same reasons Target went there, and well, BECAUSE Target went there. This area will attract most if not all the potential new national retail development in downtown Milwaukee. That does not bode all that well for the Grand Ave.

avissers

October 8th, 2005, 06:22 PM

Wow - those were some really interesting pictures Boatnurd.

D-res

October 8th, 2005, 10:09 PM

.....

well put. i think placing a target downtown could help the businesses in the area a lot because people in the area who need to buy something will drive down to target and while they're there, they'll just end up going someplace else or getting something to eat. i've always preferred target to any of its competitors.

LA1

October 9th, 2005, 06:18 PM

Awesome projects Milwaukee. Very underrated city, I go up there on Amtrack from Chicago 4-5 times a year. I was thinking about going next weekend.

Oconoman

October 9th, 2005, 08:15 PM

ReddAlert

October 9th, 2005, 09:06 PM

Milwaukee's Finest

October 9th, 2005, 10:39 PM

City Department of Development Mgr. Rocky Marcoux reports that plans are on the table for 750,000 sq. ft. of office space to be developed in Milwaukee, with three different proposals. He indicated that one project included a hotel and condos, and that one would likely break ground in 2006, but would give no further specifics. The one certainly sounds like Lake Point Tower, and another would appear to be Ovation Plaza. Any thoughts on the third or what hotel chain might fit in, or any other general comments?

When did he say this? Where did you get this from? The third building could be for Manpower if they decided to locate just North of downtown on the Milwaukee River (Next to Time Warner Headquarters) Could it be that since we haven't heard news about companies considering moves like Manpower and Godfrey & Kahn, that they are actually negotiating leases for new buildings?

Oconoman

October 9th, 2005, 11:24 PM

The info.regarding Rocky Marcoux was given in an interview published in this past Thursday's Milwaukee Business Journal.

ReddAlert

October 9th, 2005, 11:32 PM

its not Milwaukee, but that other cool city to the south (no, not Chicago either)

Big plans for Racine
KeyBridge plans $75 million condo for downtown Racine

The Waukesha-based company plans to build the complex with three buildings, including a 14-story tower, on the 9-acre site a block from Lake Michigan. The property was once the home of Walker Manufacturing Inc., a muffler company that closed its plants in the 1980s and exited its offices in the 1990s.

The city of Racine has owned the Walker site since the mid-1980s. The original site was 14 acres, but the city kept 5 acres north of the KeyBridge project in the event the water treatment plant nearby has to be expanded in the future, said Brian O'Connell, Racine's director of development.

full story (Big plans for Racine (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/03/story4.html?page=1) )

exit_320

October 10th, 2005, 12:02 AM

KDS

October 10th, 2005, 04:22 AM

City Department of Development Mgr. Rocky Marcoux reports that plans are on the table for 750,000 sq. ft. of office space to be developed in Milwaukee, with three different proposals. He indicated that one project included a hotel and condos, and that one would likely break ground in 2006, but would give no further specifics. The one certainly sounds like Lake Point Tower, and another would appear to be Ovation Plaza. Any thoughts on the third or what hotel chain might fit in, or any other general comments?

Wow, that would be fantastic. We need as many jobs downtown as we can get to keep growing the cbd base and keep that downtown residential engine humming. Things really seem to be coming together for Milwaukee. If we can get our act together from a regional perspective we could really start making noise on a national level.

The tipping point will come when we get high speed rail from Milwaukee to Chicago. Hopefully the suburbs of Chicago make a big enough stink about the O'hare expansion that the feds realize it will be more cost effective and less painful to enhance/speed up the rail service to Mitchell that many in N. Illinois are using already. Lot's of politicing involved, but it is something we need to have happen.

Fiddlerontheruf

October 10th, 2005, 04:52 AM

Racine is a city with tremendous potential. I would love to see that come to fruition.

miltown

October 10th, 2005, 05:08 AM

I sure hope one of those three buildings is lake point tower that would be nice

ReddAlert

October 10th, 2005, 05:37 AM

Racine is a city with tremendous potential. I would love to see that come to fruition.

yeah, very cool city, very urban. The downtown is (going to sound gay here) fabulous. I love the Art Museum.

milwaukeeunseen

October 10th, 2005, 03:30 PM

Hey does anyone have any photos of the construction of the US Bank building back in the 70's? I tried to google it but came up empty handed...

I actually have several photos of the US Bank tower under construction... but they're actual prints. I can scan them in and post them sometime this week.

djcody

October 10th, 2005, 11:11 PM

Unseen, that would be cool. It seems like every Milwaukee skyline picture is taken after the 1970's when the US Bank building was built.

ReddAlert

October 11th, 2005, 03:44 AM

Milwaukee about to get another sister city--Ningbo,China. Barrett is traveling over there this week to strengthen Milwaukees ties to China...which could be a good thing.

Heres the story in the MJS

Barrett-China (http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/361974.asp)

heres a pic

http://img426.imageshack.us/img426/8682/ningboyuehu0uo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

D-res

October 11th, 2005, 01:32 PM

Milwaukee development firm plans to create a neighborhood shopping center in St. Francis, just a few blocks west of Lake Michigan, the company announced Monday.

Mandel Group Inc. said it has agreed to buy a 12-acre power substation site from We Energies at S. Lake Drive and E. Howard Ave.

Mandel plans to begin building the 135,000-square-foot retail and office center, known as Lakeside Market Square, next year.

Prospective tenants include a food store, a drug store, financial institutions, coffee shops and dessert shops. Polacheck Co. is the leasing agent for the center.

Lakeside Market Square will target South Shore neighborhoods, from Bay View to Oak Creek, who are underserved by retailers, according to Robert Monnat, Mandel's chief operating officer.

Read the rest of the story here (http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/362105.asp)

It takes money to make money

Local leaders must do a better job leveraging government dollars to boost development such as the fast-growing biomedical research and business cluster at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Milwaukee County Research Park, an economic development advocate said Monday.

There also needs to be a comprehensive development funding plan for the region that includes southeastern Wisconsin, and extends west to include Dane and Jefferson counties, said Tom Hefty, the acting Waukesha County executive.

Hefty has been a driving force behind the Milwaukee area's efforts to build a more competitive economy.

The seven-county, $12 million regional branding effort announced last month is a good step, "but it's not sufficient to be a good economic development plan," he said. The UW System might be the best organization to lead such a plan because it is statewide, independent, and has credibility, Hefty said.

The Milwaukee-Waukesha metropolitan area ranked 7th nationally for medical and dental laboratory services and 13th in medical equipment manufacturing, according to a 2003 Milken Institute study.

The Medical College of Wisconsin has increased research spending to $130 million, from $20 million in a little more than a decade.

Including more than $300 million from the sale of Blue Cross Blue Shield, the college's endowment nearly matches that of the University of Wisconsin-Madison medical school, Hefty said. Hefty is former chairman and CEO of Blue Cross and president of the Waukesha County Economic Development Corporation.

more here (http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/362117.asp)

EastSider

October 11th, 2005, 10:36 PM

OPINION: "The Milwaukee Connector: Now is the time"
What do Salt Lake City, Indianapolis, Memphis, Denver, Portland, Sacramento, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Cleveland all have in common? They are all less populous and have lower population densities than Milwaukee, and they all have modern transit systems. _LINK (http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/10/editorial4.html)

Chicago firm acquires airport industrial building
Barnett's decision to buy the Edgerton industrial is another example of a Chicago company becoming more active in the Milwaukee market because there are good properties available, said Fardy.

"Milwaukee is a less competitive market than Chicago," he said. _LINK (http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/10/newscolumn2.html)

Honey Creek center sold for $70 million
The Geneva Organization is buying the 427,000-square-foot, 22-acre office complex from Opus North Corp., Rosemont, Ill., in what would be one of the largest real estate deals in the Milwaukee area in the past year, said real estate sources. _LINK (http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/10/story1.html)

Bucks work in new play to fill Bradley Center
The Milwaukee Bucks are undertaking an aggressive marketing campaign and planning upgrades to the Bradley Center in an attempt to draw more fans and make more money during the upcoming season. _LINK (http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/10/story5.html)

milwaukeeunseen

October 12th, 2005, 12:16 AM

Hey does anyone have any photos of the construction of the US Bank building back in the 70's? I tried to google it but came up empty handed...

These were taken from a helicopter around 1972/73:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/milwunseen/bank.jpg

Looking north along the Hoan Bridge, under construction, and the future US Bank building. You can see the old airstrip, Maitland Field, that occupied the spot where the Summerfest grounds are today. At one point in the Cold War there was a Nike missle battery stationed there.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/milwunseen/hoan.jpg

Looking at City Hall north along Water Street. Note the abundance of surface parking lots...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/milwunseen/downtown.jpg

avissers

October 12th, 2005, 12:45 AM

^^

Interesting photos. Thanks for posting.

ClarkWGriswald

October 12th, 2005, 01:56 AM

VERY cool pics. The city really doesn't seem too awfully different from back then.

exit_320

October 12th, 2005, 05:59 AM

Very cool pics of the building construction. Thanks for posting!

Markitect

October 12th, 2005, 06:43 AM

City leaders unveiled a conceptual proposal to develop a technology and medical oriented business park on the grounds of the Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The business park could contain a campus of buildings totaling 1 million square feet that would cater to companies involved in medical research, and ideally, create partnerships among other companies, the medical center, and local colleges and universities. The plan also calls for renovating some of the existing buildings that are part of the historic hospital campus, which was established in the years following the Civil War to care for military veterans. In the decades since, a more modern hospital building was constructed elsewhere on the grounds, and many of the older buildings are in need of repairs or no longer in use. A few have already been restored.

The plan also includes space for the America's Freedom Center, a proposed interactive education center featuring exhibits on American military history. Originally the museum was proposed next to the Milwaukee County War Memorial and Milwaukee Art Museum at the lakefront, but concerns about cluttering up the lake with over-development and a desire to attract some much-needed attention to the historic post-Civil War era VA hospital grounds led to the decision to relocate.

Furthermore, the plan calls for building a parking structure on the VA grounds, which would open up some of the current surface parking lots for new development and infrastructure.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs, which owns the VA grounds, has asked the City to prepare a more formal plan to be submitted for consideration. The City hopes to lease about 37-acres of surplus land on the VA grounds for the redevelopment. The City is also looking at acquiring other adjacent empty land that is owned by the State for the project.

More details in these Journal Sentinel articles:

Business park is one step closer - City seeks lease for VA site it hopes to redevelop (http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/oct05/362189.asp)

City may expand VA plan - Developments could include state land near grounds (http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/362340.asp)

ReddAlert

October 12th, 2005, 03:12 PM

DooMer_MP3

October 12th, 2005, 08:12 PM

Some awesome news on a FREE city-wide wireless network proposal: http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/oct05/362598.asp

Sounds like it would come sooner than you might think. Apparently Milwaukee has done a good job at making the infrastructure available earlier than most cities.

Fiddlerontheruf

October 13th, 2005, 12:56 AM

With all the good in Milwaukee, there is some bad.

Milwaukees African American poverty level nearly the same as New Orleans pre-Katrina. Not good judging by the videos shown of the people in the wake of the storm.

Here is the whole story.

Milwaukee poverty (http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/oct05/362564.asp)

It's no secret that Milwaukee's black community is among the poorest of major cities in the US. It's really a shame. A drive from anywhere north of State street to anywhere south of keefe (and east of 35th, west of the river) basically paints a picture of an entire neighborhood in miserable poverty. I dont know whats to blame? Segregation? Loss of industrial jobs? Lack of motivation? We could debate for hours...

ReddAlert

October 13th, 2005, 02:27 AM

It's no secret that Milwaukee's black community is among the poorest of major cities in the US. It's really a shame. A drive from anywhere north of State street to anywhere south of keefe (and east of 35th, west of the river) basically paints a picture of an entire neighborhood in miserable poverty. I dont know whats to blame? Segregation? Loss of industrial jobs? Lack of motivation? We could debate for hours...

true. We really cant blame the city for all the problems. Loss of jobs in industry and manufactring are a big reason, proof can be seen in cities like Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Toledo, etc. Crime is another.

ReddAlert

October 13th, 2005, 10:28 PM

anyone intrested seeing how close KC and UCT are going to be? Check this out. I would be just a little pissed if I just moved into my 2 story KT apartment.

uct (http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=407023)

Milwaukee's Finest

October 13th, 2005, 11:39 PM

Here is a link to a website that lets you search photos from most major U.S. cities in America. Just go to the "Other states" section on the left column until you hit Milwaukee. There are some great photos I have never seen before of the city!

The LINK (http://http://urbanohio.com/)

ReddAlert

October 14th, 2005, 06:11 AM

Cream City Skatepark Park coming to Butler. Yes, I said Butler....you know Butler, that little facto...I mean city on the Northwest side.

article (http://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/oct05/361128.asp)

D-res

October 14th, 2005, 06:30 PM

Cream City Skatepark Park coming to Butler. Yes, I said Butler....you know Butler, that little facto...I mean city on the Northwest side.

article (http://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/oct05/361128.asp)

i'd be more excited if i still skated..

aggressive inline, not skateboard. but still. if its a good park i might have to take it up again. i think theres already a nice one on N 25th, i believe in a warehouse called 4 seasons skatepark.

EastSider

October 14th, 2005, 08:08 PM

^Yea isn't that in the valley? I drove past it on my way to the Casino.

D-res

October 14th, 2005, 08:36 PM

^^ yeah.. its basically right where N 25th curves east and turns into W Canal

Paule

October 14th, 2005, 08:36 PM

D-res

October 14th, 2005, 08:38 PM

Hi Milwaukee's Finest, your link isn't working for me.

he posted the hyperlink as http://http:urbanohio.com so it'll just redirect to microsoft.com because it cant read it.

heres the correct one clicky (http://www.urbanohio.com)

Oconoman

October 14th, 2005, 11:20 PM

http://halvorsonkaye.com/images/news-elysian.jpg

Just to comment on Redd's observation about KT and UCT and how close they are to one another, there was a piece in the BJ stating that only one unit of KT had been sold this past year because of this concern. Perhaps some buyers are holding off to see what becomes of Lake Point Tower. I did find that Halvorson & Kaye is listed as the design engineer for the Lake Point project, they are a high profile firm dealing in highrises, such as the Elysian shown in Chicago.

Lake Point Tower is listed as one of their projects as shown on their website, Halvorsonkaye.com/ If US Bank hired a design engineer, I would think they are fairly serious about this project.

ReddAlert

October 14th, 2005, 11:28 PM

Just to comment on Redd's observation about KT and UCT and how close they are to one another, there was a piece in the BJ stating that only one unit of KT had been sold this past year because of this concern. Perhaps some buyers are holding off to see what becomes of Lake Point Tower. I did find that Halvorson & Kaye is listed as the design engineer for the Lake Point project, they are a high profile firm dealing in highrises, such as the Elysian shown in Chicago.

Lake Point Tower is listed as one of their projects as shown on their website, Halvorsonkaye.com/ If US Bank hired a design engineer, I would think they are fairly serious about this project.

thanks for the info Ocono...this is a good sign. I think that your right about the engineers. Why would they pay all that money unless they were seriously considering a new tower? I hope we hear something about it soon--maybe that announcement posted awile back has something to do with LPT.

Milwaukee's Finest

October 15th, 2005, 01:31 AM

Hi Milwaukee's Finest, your link isn't working for me.

Sorry about the bad link...sometimes I just type and submit without being sure everything is done correctly... Exciting news about the firm involved with Lake Point Tower. Seeing this arise along with the comments by "Rocky" at DCD I would bet we see a formal announcement within the next 6 months. Let's hope that's the case.

ClarkWGriswald

October 15th, 2005, 07:15 PM

I wasn't able to get these up earlier, but I took these of UCT/KT last weekend(Sunday I think). You can get right up in there if you approach the buildings from the west. To be honest, they aren't as close as I expected them to be, granted UCT isn't finished yet. It seemed they were about 15' apart, give or take.

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/7651/10092005007a3on.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/7082/10092005008a3td.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/4862/10092005009a4ut.jpg

Anyone know what this is on the SW corner of the lot? I didn't notice it earlier this summer...would it be some sort of parking structure?
http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/9753/10092005010a7hm.jpg

There also has been quite a lot of activity at the City Green condos across the street from my apt. Gotta love living next to a construction site, huh! I will try and grab some pics of that, too, this weekend hopefully.

Markitect

October 15th, 2005, 07:27 PM

Anyone know what this is on the SW corner of the lot? I didn't notice it earlier this summer...would it be some sort of parking structure?

Yes, it is a parking garage, part of the University Club project.

Badgers77

October 15th, 2005, 07:45 PM

Steely Dan

October 15th, 2005, 08:08 PM

how tall is the chicago building in that pic
there's a bit of confusion regarding the height of the elysian. originally it was announced at ~550', but then it got a big increase, pushing it up to 775'. earlier this last summer victor saw some prints that gave the building a height of 661', which he was told came about because they were gonna lower the floor to floor heights to save money. then, just this past week, a forumer by the name of "richardsonhomebuyers" said that he saw the most current copy of construction documents and reported the building now stands at 735'.

however tall it ends up, site demolition/prep work has already commenced and construction should begin before the end of the year.

now back to our regularly scheduled milwaukee programming ;)

EastSider

October 17th, 2005, 02:34 AM

Did anyone make it out to the Market Opening today? My friend picked up Sushi, guacamole, and fresh avacodo. It'd be great to hear some experiences.

Milwaukee's Finest

October 17th, 2005, 02:46 AM

Did anyone make it out to the Market Opening today? My friend picked up Sushi, guacamole, and fresh avacodo. It'd be great to hear some experiences.

I took my father down there today and it was such a wonderful experience. He kept commenting on how everything was so different in the Third Ward from how he remembered it. We sampled free bits of sausage, cheese, guacamole and chips from El Rey World Produce. The guacamole was fantastic! This is something that is has been clearly missing from a cultural standpoint in our city. While we do have gathering places like Summerfest and the Lakefront, this truly gives our city that bustling urban feel all year long! Overall I thought it was a great place that I plan on frequently visiting.

EastSider

October 17th, 2005, 02:49 AM

^That's awesome! I've heard similar things from other people. Not a tourist destination, but something city residents will frequent regulary.

milwaukeeunseen

October 17th, 2005, 02:56 AM

Did anyone make it out to the Market Opening today? My friend picked up Sushi, guacamole, and fresh avacodo. It'd be great to hear some experiences.

I went yesterday morning. It's a nice market. The design is great, there's a good mix of vendors, and there's a lot of stuff you're not going to find elsewhere in Milwaukee. The opening day was incredibly crowded. I read in the paper that 15,000 people filed through on Saturday. I was one of those people. It was so crowded it took five minutes to get just a few feet over to the next stall.

Is it worth the hype? Yes and no. Yes because it's a great amenity for Downtown, and will bring more people to the Third Ward. No, because unlike the art museum, this place isn't going to have that much of an "ooooh" factor for out of towners. I predict that it will be a great community asset, if not a draw for visitors. Either way it will be with us for a long time.

Markitect

October 17th, 2005, 06:58 AM

The developer planning to renovate the old Hack Furniture Warehouse has released some new details about the plan. The warehouse actually consists five connected buildings built at different times between 1875 and 1915. The plan calls for retail and office space in the 85,000 sqft to 120,000 sqft range. Talks are already underway with potential tenants. The remainder of the space will be converted into 81 apartment units. The adjacent surface parking lot at W. St. Paul Avenue and N. 2nd Street (currently leased by the Post Office next door) will be replaced with a 3-story parking garage for 275 cars. The developer also plans to ask the City to convert a half-block section of St. Paul Avenue from one-way traffic to two-way traffic to allow better access to the building.

Details in the Business Journal: Developer plans $36 million overhaul of Hack building - Project would add retail, residential to 3rd Ward building (http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/17/story2.html)

***

The Business Journal also has an article about The Edge condominium project proposed for the Beerline area, from Tandem Developers. The article also rehashed concerns about height/density issues raised by nearby residents. The firm also recently won a design competition to develop a vacant brownfield site in Riverwest (former Johnson Controls site) with 26 single-family houses.

More here: Chicago firm plans condos near Milwaukee River (http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/17/story5.html)

***

And architecture/urban design critic Whitney Gould weighs in about The Edge proposal as well; plus as quick review of ofther projects under construction and recently competed in the Beerline: Debate on density must go beyond the numbers (http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/oct05/363587.asp)

Badgers77

October 17th, 2005, 08:00 AM

Where the hell is Park East/The Third Ward anyway? Why is it booming so heavily?

milwaukeeunseen

October 17th, 2005, 03:55 PM

I'm pulling for this developer to be able to get something done with the Hack's furniture building. That would be a great leap forward, helping to spread the redevelopment of the Third Ward to points west. The thing is such a huge building and it's so old it must have some structural problems. Let's hope he can pull this off.

mohammed wong

October 17th, 2005, 04:51 PM

I went yesterday morning. It's a nice market. The design is great, there's a good mix of vendors, and there's a lot of stuff you're not going to find elsewhere in Milwaukee. The opening day was incredibly crowded. I read in the paper that 15,000 people filed through on Saturday. I was one of those people. It was so crowded it took five minutes to get just a few feet over to the next stall.

Is it worth the hype? Yes and no. Yes because it's a great amenity for Downtown, and will bring more people to the Third Ward. No, because unlike the art museum, this place isn't going to have that much of an "ooooh" factor for out of towners. I predict that it will be a great community asset, if not a draw for visitors. Either way it will be with us for a long time.

Hi, Ive following this thread for awhile, I live in riverwest area and work in waukesha, and I heard some people in waukesha talking about how they were so excited about the milwaukee public market and they were going and they left really early to go to it, I was so shocked, most people there arent so excited about milwaukee out there and then the turn out I saw on the fox news was amazing. Im very hopeful that this is a very successful venture. I am a chicagoan and go to chicago most weekends, but really like milwaukee, in how much more laid back it is, the different style of architecture and houses, quite an underrated city. I cant wait until metra connects up here. I think metra should more than just connect to downtown it should have stops further north too. I grew up in chicago and never checked out milwaukee that much, just summerfest and water street once for the superbowl one year. But I really enjoy living here.

mohammed wong

October 17th, 2005, 05:02 PM

Where the hell is Park East/The Third Ward anyway? Why is it booming so heavily?

The third ward area is just south of downtown is probably the most yuppified area of the city in the classic city sense and yuppie puppie condo sense.
And the development is spreading south of the area.

Park east is around sixth and juneau and is where there was an ill fated spur from I-43 which was a stupid idea to begin with, no development there yet, but there is alot planned. Its a great place for development because its right by water street area. And hopefully they put some commercial space in there as well and not just condos. I suspect once the parkeast area has undergone some development then the pabst area will finally get fixed up. Its such a shame that the people who own pabst brewing just dont rehab that shit themselves, they are greedy and want alot of money for the site.

The area of chicago I frequent the most is rogers park, very hippie and artsy like riverwest. Riverwest is so weird, I was in my alley the other day and this young punk walked by smoking a cig acting tough and then my dad pulls up in his car to say bye and then this girl barefoot and all starts running down the alley screaming " FLOYD, Ive Got your FUCKINN daughter, FLOYD!!!" with the baby in her arms. I was surprised that the poor baby wasnt crying. Where else but riverwest would you see that? Or the people upstairs had to scare off this totally bloody dude (prob from a bar fight) from the foyer leading upstairs because they hadnt made sure that their front door was locked, hiding from the cops.

yoyoniner

October 17th, 2005, 06:50 PM

The developer planning to renovate the old Hack Furniture Warehouse

WOW THIS IS HUUUUGE!!! Probably the biggest and most visible eyesore in the ENTIRE city in my opinion!

yoyoniner

October 17th, 2005, 06:53 PM

Where the hell is Park East/The Third Ward anyway? Why is it booming so heavily?

Park East and Third Ward are two totally different areas in the city. They have nothing to do with each other and aren't close to each other.

milwaukeeunseen

October 17th, 2005, 07:00 PM

WOW THIS IS HUUUUGE!!! Probably the biggest and most visible eyesore in the ENTIRE city in my opinion!

Developers have tried in the past to redevelop the Hack's building. There have been two previous attempts. Each one failed because historic rehab is difficult enough as it is, let alone on a building so huge. There are also some serious location limitations, as St. Paul and Plankinton are one way streets that severely limit access to the building. If the City allows St. Paul to go two way that will have a huge impact on the potential of the site. Nevertheless, if this latest attempt fails, then I say tear the old girl down. Normally I'm all for historic preservation, but if a building in such a key location just won't work, then it needs to go.

EastSider

October 17th, 2005, 07:12 PM

I liked the critiques Ms. Gould gave for The Edge project, do you guys agree with her? Especially breaking the building into three-parts, instead of the current-two. It seems like that can never be a bad idea.

Also a side question: I read an article a couple weeks back in the JS about south-eastern Wisconsin's current pull at Chicago companies. It explained some commercial and industrial companies that were leaving Chicagoland for SE Wisconsin (right across the border I believe.) The article then went into depth why our SE regional connection is more important than ever, pushing our regional image.

I read the article (Sunday Edition I believe) in print and now I can't find it online anywhere. Is anyone familar with that article at all?

yoyoniner

October 17th, 2005, 07:19 PM

It would be major rep points if someone posted some pics of that Hack Furniture complex. I can't seem to find any on Google.

yoyoniner

October 17th, 2005, 07:20 PM

Also a side question: I read an article a couple weeks back in the JS about south-eastern Wisconsin's current pull at Chicago companies. It explained some commercial and industrial companies that were leaving Chicagoland for SE Wisconsin (right across the border I believe.) The article then went into depth why our SE regional connection is more important than ever, pushing our regional image.

I read the article (Sunday Edition I believe) in print and now I can't find it online anywhere. Is anyone familar with that article at all?

That would be interesting. I'd like to read that article.

avissers

October 17th, 2005, 07:43 PM

It would be major rep points if someone posted some pics of that Hack Furniture complex. I can't seem to find any on Google.

Page 22 of the Milwaukee Development News Thread III has photos of the Hack Furniture Complex posted by SkinneyPeterM

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=227178&page=22&pp=20

Markitect

October 17th, 2005, 08:32 PM

I liked the critiques Ms. Gould gave for The Edge project, do you guys agree with her? Especially breaking the building into three-parts, instead of the current-two.

Making three buildings there instead of two would go a long way in bringing the whole development more in line with the scale of the rest of the neighborhood. As two large, long buildings, they are just too massive and just overwhelm everything else. Plus, three buildings instead of two would provide an opportunity for additional greenspace and river access.

She also points out the rather bland effect of the new rowhouses that have been built further up the street. Granted, that project isn't quite finished yet, and some good landscaping might soften things up a bit, but regardless, it's rather drab--almost too repetitious, not enough variation--and forboding.

avissers

October 17th, 2005, 09:30 PM

She also points out the rather bland effect of the new rowhouses that have been built further up the street. Granted, that project isn't quite finished yet, and some good landscaping might soften things up a bit, but regardless, it's rather drab--almost too repetitious, not enough variation--and forboding.

Those rowhouses were designed by Vetter-Denk which in turn are doing a lot of work and proposals in downtown Green Bay I believe. It makes me kind of leery when I see a firm have so much influence over the downtown redevelopment up in Green Bay come up with a project that is just so/so.

milwaukeeunseen

October 17th, 2005, 09:37 PM

Making three buildings there instead of two would go a long way in bringing the whole development more in line with the scale of the rest of the neighborhood. As two large, long buildings, they are just too massive and just overwhelm everything else. Plus, three buildings instead of two would provide an opportunity for additional greenspace and river access.

She also points out the rather bland effect of the new rowhouses that have been built further up the street. Granted, that project isn't quite finished yet, and some good landscaping might soften things up a bit, but regardless, it's rather drab--almost too repetitious, not enough variation--and forboding.

Maybe a happy compromise could be one taller building next to the viaduct, then two smaller (two or three story) on the north half the site ajacent to the existing development.

Is the Edge developer planning any riverfront retail? With the new marsupial bridge, and a retail presence at the new union point, some retail might actually do well in that location.

I think when they plant some street trees in front of Park Terrace condos, the look will improve emmensely. I actually like the look of them as archictecture, but not as a place to live. If I was buying a condo in the beerline I honestly cannot see myself living in one of those units. Too sterile. Again, some street trees should go a long way to softening their feel.

bfischer

October 17th, 2005, 09:55 PM

Also a side question: I read an article a couple weeks back in the JS about south-eastern Wisconsin's current pull at Chicago companies. It explained some commercial and industrial companies that were leaving Chicagoland for SE Wisconsin (right across the border I believe.) The article then went into depth why our SE regional connection is more important than ever, pushing our regional image.

I read the article (Sunday Edition I believe) in print and now I can't find it online anywhere. Is anyone familar with that article at all?

I believe this is the article you are talking about. I found it interesting that companies are moving to Wisconsin becase the costs are much less then in Chicago, which is hopefully good for the area.
http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/361617.asp

Markitect

October 17th, 2005, 10:02 PM

ReddAlert

October 17th, 2005, 10:40 PM

Those rowhouses are pretty monotonous---but I like them for some reason. They will look pretty cool at night I think.

If anyone is curious, here is what they look like.

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/720/08241425ew.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Markitect, what is that big building being built on the hill--the one with the red brick and blue facade?

mohammed wong

October 17th, 2005, 11:24 PM

Park East and Third Ward are two totally different areas in the city. They have nothing to do with each other and aren't close to each other.

thats what i said, :bash:

mohammed wong

October 17th, 2005, 11:30 PM

Vetter Denk did a whole bunch of different projects in the Beerline (descriptions and photos of some of them are in the article I linked), some are really great and some are not-so-great.

I like the rowhouses for their modern architectural style and for their building type (not too many rowhouses in Milwaukee, period), adn the way they're built into the bluff...but there's just too many of them looking identical (despite a few different models here and there). I think Milwaukeeunseen or Redd did a Beerline photo thread a few weeks ago with some shots of the rowhouses that illustrated pretty well their monotonous and forboding nature. Someone even made a comment about it looking like something out of Soylent Green.

I think the row houses are okay. There certainly are a whole lot of hellacious buildings in chicago in the new "federal" style condo crap going up that totally suck. So I am pleased with how this commerce street area is developing. I find that the commerce street area is for people who like sterile perfection and would probably love living in europe and germany, where modern sterile buildings which are tasteful but a bit too futuristic for me, but sure beats the faux old crap.

There is a strange modern building up north on buffum for sale, or maybe someone bought it, it was north of locust. A little to rough for me there west of holton, but definitely up and coming. Who here would have the guts to buy there and live in harambee now?

EastSider

October 18th, 2005, 04:38 AM

bfischer

October 18th, 2005, 04:16 PM

yeah, it was in the suday paper a week ago, and still in my recycle bag(the only reason I could find it).

NeuBrew

October 18th, 2005, 05:43 PM

TUESDAY, Oct. 18, 2005, 10:16 a.m.
Manpower Inc. considers downtown headquarters

Glendale-based Manpower Inc. (MAN) will either keep its corporate headquarters at its present location in Glendale or move to downtown Milwaukee, a company spokeswoman said today.

Manpower, which in May requested proposals from developers for a new corporate headquarters, is looking at a possible relocation to a site just south of the Schlitz Park office park, spokeswoman Margaret Gerstenkorn said. She said a final decision is expected by December.

The new building would be 230,000 to 260,000 square feet, and would house 850 employees. It would be owned by an investors group led by developer Gary Grunau, and leased to Manpower. The site is east of N. Martin Luther King Drive and south of W. Cherry St., adjacent to Time Warner Cable’s regional headquarters.

Gerstenkorn said the other option is for the global staffing company to remain at its present location.

Manpower owns two buildings west of I-43 and south of W. Silver Spring Drive, at 5301 N. Ironwood Road and 5235 N. Ironwood Road, totaling 112,000 square feet. The company also leases 125,000 square feet at 5055 N. Lydell Ave., about one-half mile east of the Ironwood Road buildings.

If Manpower remains in Glendale, it would consider the option of a new development at one of its present locations, Gerstenkorn said. That would open the possibility of Manpower combining all of its corporate offices at either the Ironwood Road site, or the Lydell Ave. site.

One scenario would involve the expansion of the Lydell Ave. building, owned by an investors group led by developer Frank Giuffre. The other would involve the development of a new building on Ironwood Road by Heartland Development Group Ltd.

-By Tom Daykin

This could be a good development for the Park East area if they could draw the Manpower employees to that spot.

mohammed wong

October 18th, 2005, 05:51 PM

I believe this is the article you are talking about. I found it interesting that companies are moving to Wisconsin becase the costs are much less then in Chicago, which is hopefully good for the area.
http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/361617.asp

good for jobs and bad for farmland. the sprawl continues, who the hell needs office parks that big? Its not disconcerning really, just a forgone conclusion, but is this really good? It just promotes more driving, if someone lives in milwaukee it will be a bit of a drive to work, and these jobs will just induce new housing sprawl. It would be neat if there was atleast one state that had anti-sprawl laws. But I cant be so excited about this.

miltown

October 18th, 2005, 06:03 PM

the manpower news is good moving a lot of jobs downtown could only help downtown out

milwaukeeunseen

October 18th, 2005, 06:29 PM

I am keeping my fingers crossed on the Manpower thing. It's good news that they've eliminated all other potential new sites and now are focused on Downtown if they decide to move. Let's hope the City does all it needs to do to make this one happen. It would be a huge step forward for downtown.

EastSider

October 18th, 2005, 08:59 PM

Coldwake

October 19th, 2005, 12:37 AM

I'm with you on the sprawl issue, who wants it? I think the exciting part is the power SE Wisconsin is forming. With continued regional cooperation, this can benefit Milwaukee. A stronger region will make a stronger Milwaukee.

Who wants it? Well... all the people buying the Mcmansion's thats who. We have to understand that there are a significant number of people out there who want the exact thing that we're complaining about. All those houses on the fringe of the country wouldn't be being built if people weren't paying for it.

Also, there are actually laws that are trying to combat sprawl. I have to go back and check which communities, but I'm most certain there are several to the southwest of milwaukee who have lot size minimums and a denial of sewer services to places. This makes moving out more expensive which means less people can do it. That in effect slows it down.

More importantly, cities need not put more focus on discouraging spawl (because it's going to happen), but instead encouraging people to once again look at inner ring suburbs or "middle ring." There are a lot of suburbs that were once prized places that now seem less then desirable to many people. However, these neighborhoods are still really nice but people have little reason to move there. This just causes the city to decay from within. (I'm especially thinking about the detroit model here)

Wait... I came on to post about those sterile condo's, not talk about spawl... so um, I think they're sterile looking and give you no sense of personality. It's just like living in a big box.

OK, I'm done. Have a great day!

Coldwake

October 19th, 2005, 12:46 AM

good for jobs and bad for farmland. the sprawl continues, who the hell needs office parks that big? Its not disconcerning really, just a forgone conclusion, but is this really good? It just promotes more driving, if someone lives in milwaukee it will be a bit of a drive to work, and these jobs will just induce new housing sprawl. It would be neat if there was atleast one state that had anti-sprawl laws. But I cant be so excited about this.

This will kind of also go with my last post... but... do you guys realize how expensive it is to have your company located in Milwaukee vs outlying areas? It is so much cheaper for corporations to locate in these large business parks. It's all economics... unless there is some sort of equilizing force to offset the costs (decreased transportation costs, proximity to labor, etc) there is little incentive for the location to be downtown or in the city at all.

Also, Milwaukee has, compared to the rest of the nation, a really short average commute time. This only further encourages people to drive more. And we wonder why the public transportation initiatives have such a hard time getting passed...? When we compare milwaukee to other cities of our size who have mass transit usually their commutes are much longer then ours.

I never used to look at the issues in this way, but I've been slowly coverted in the past few weeks and realize it is much more complicated then it seems at first.

bfischer

October 19th, 2005, 01:16 AM

Milwaukee's Finest

October 19th, 2005, 05:32 AM

Here is a article further highlighting the possibility of Manpower moving downtown. Included are some interesting comments about the experts feeling that Manpower will choose the downtown site...

Downtown site tops Manpower list
Company considering relocating south of Schlitz Park

By TOM DAYKIN

Downtown Milwaukee has emerged as the leading candidate to land Manpower Inc.'s new corporate headquarters, a $50 million project that would shift more than 800 employees to the city.

Manpower, which has been based in Glendale for more than 30 years, is strongly considering a move to a site just south of the Schlitz Park office park downtown, Margaret Gerstenkorn, a company spokeswoman, said Tuesday.

The downtown building would be built by an investors group led by developer Gary Grunau and then leased to Manpower. The site is east of N. Martin Luther King Drive and south of W. Cherry St., adjacent to Time Warner Cable's regional headquarters.

Gerstenkorn said the other option is for Manpower, which is a global staffing company, to remain at its present location

Sources familiar with the selection process, including people from the real estate industry, said they believe Manpower will choose the downtown site.

Those sources, who asked not to be identified because they were concerned their comments could influence Manpower's decision, said Mayor Tom Barrett's administration is making an aggressive play for Manpower. That includes up to $18 million in subsidies, with the bulk of that helping finance a parking structure for Manpower employees.

Read the rest (http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/364105.asp)

EastSider

October 19th, 2005, 08:50 AM

This will kind of also go with my last post... but... do you guys realize how expensive it is to have your company located in Milwaukee vs outlying areas? It is so much cheaper for corporations to locate in these large business parks. It's all economics... unless there is some sort of equilizing force to offset the costs (decreased transportation costs, proximity to labor, etc) there is little incentive for the location to be downtown or in the city at all.

Also, Milwaukee has, compared to the rest of the nation, a really short average commute time. This only further encourages people to drive more. And we wonder why the public transportation initiatives have such a hard time getting passed...? When we compare milwaukee to other cities of our size who have mass transit usually their commutes are much longer then ours.

I never used to look at the issues in this way, but I've been slowly coverted in the past few weeks and realize it is much more complicated then it seems at first.

I understand what you're saying, we've talked about those issues on these forums before. The 'burbs offer more incentives to a company than a city can (that goes for a lot of places not just Milwaukee). Cheap land, low taxes, and a shorter commute time. They even give them utility deals.

Does anyone know how Milwaukee ranks in creating incentives for companies? We've got new development, that's gotta be some sign of improvement. Didn't the city throw around some deals for the Roundy's headquarters?

Coldwake

October 19th, 2005, 03:04 PM

I was wondering the same thing East. One thing is for sure, the manpower situation shows us that the city is atleast willing to play ball.

milwaukeeunseen

October 19th, 2005, 03:34 PM

miltown

October 19th, 2005, 06:09 PM

The city is competing for Manpower by offering $18 million in subsidies. Most or all of the $18 mil will go for a parking structure.heres the link to the article (http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/oct05/364105.asp)

mohammed wong

October 19th, 2005, 06:17 PM

I understand what you're saying, we've talked about those issues on these forums before. The 'burbs offer more incentives to a company than a city can (that goes for a lot of places not just Milwaukee). Cheap land, low taxes, and a shorter commute time. They even give them utility deals.

Does anyone know how Milwaukee ranks in creating incentives for companies? We've got new development, that's gotta be some sign of improvement. Didn't the city throw around some deals for the Roundy's headquarters?

I wonder how much of it is also corporate greed? There just isnt enough laws to keep that in check or regulating development. Personally I dont think we should let China drag down everything to the lowest level. The corporations have won, things in the world are worse than they were back in the day, the workers SLAVING away are just in china now.

I understand a company has to stay competitive but there is also alot of greed at the higher levels, hey I understand capitalism, just not capitalism unchecked.

?shorter commute time? depends on where the people working there live, and ofcourse if workers live in the city and good public transit and the work is there I think the commute would be shorter. I dont agree with this.

yoyoniner

October 19th, 2005, 07:17 PM

Coldwake

October 19th, 2005, 07:42 PM

I don't know about a specific ranking, but Milwaukee uses TIFs, the main form of incentives these days, much less than Chicago or Minneapolis, proportionally.

I think the Barrett people are aware we could be using TIFs more, and have proposed the largest expansion of TIF use in Milwaukee ... ever.

TIF's are great for new developement but if we're trying to attract industrial or service companies into existing locations it won't do much good.

I keep thinking about the shock I was in when I started shopping the condo market downtown. Taxes are three times (thousands of dollars a year!) more downtown then if I lived more in the suburbs. I can only assume that this horrendously increased taxation exists in the commercial area as well. The best tool I see would be tax incentives and/or breaks. (actually an overall better control on tax spending and a reduction therein would be most adventageous)

mohammed wong

October 19th, 2005, 07:55 PM

Laws designed to keep "corporate greed in check" are exactly those that drive them, and their jobs, away. It's OK for a company to want to be profitable and expand their workforce you know. You don't create new jobs and a healthy city by "keeping the companies in check." Sometimes I wonder about some of the radical thinking on this board.

What I mean is keeping sprawl in check, how is that radical?
Isnt the continuing disappearance of open lands and farm land more radical?
And letting companies do whatever they wish, isnt that radical?

I said corporate greed in check. I know all about competiton and all, I didnt say it was necessarily easy or realistic to do. But I think companies shouldnt be allowed to have 400 acre industrial parks. Thats retarded and unsustainable. Eventually they wont be able to do that because we will need the land for food. That will take awhile. The bottom line is always the stockholders, and not necessarily the employees.

Hey I agree its fine for a company to want to be profitable, but I find that companies many times do destructive and negative things in order to become profitable that may not be the best for the environment or humanity in general.

It would obviously have to be a law for the whole united states against this sprawl of industry, because industry does always gravitate to the lowest tax areas that allow them to get away with the most. I just cant stand by and clap for businesses moving to farmland in wisconsin. It makes the earth more boring and cements up stuff and will further clog 1-94. But hey if you like development at all costs, fine. Go be unradical. I am conservative in that I see the MODERN way of doing business and the NEW sprawl which WASTES land as being radical. I think that prodevelopment and prosprawl and probusiness people hilarious, as if this is the next natural step that must be followed. I also find it funny when people label themselves conservative when they arent, I am a conservative, not in the "neotraditional" sense, but in the real sense. I like having land conserved and not cut up into hundreds and thousands of tiny pieces so that everyone can have their five acres and businesses their hundreds of acres.

maybe the development thread isnt the place for this discussion, but we are talking about development so i think its okay.

:tyty:

now i bask in the cold glow of nothingness.

Coldwake

October 19th, 2005, 08:32 PM

^^^^

I agree and disagree with you... depending on the situation. Sprawl for the sake of sprawl is a waste of resources. If they are building those 400 acre sites you are talking about while letting huge industrial zones crumble in the city, then yes it is a waste. (This is when TIF's are appropriate... to make it suitible to rehab those area's)

However, if there really is not a suitable affordable site in the city, then it is time to expand. The companies moving from Chicago area to Kenosha are probably feeling that pain. It is just so expensive as you are closer to that city. It is time to spread it out in some cases.

EastSider

October 20th, 2005, 07:53 AM

Shopping Smalls Stronger than Ever: LINK (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2005/10/17/newscolumn1.html)
At the Shops of Grand Avenue, general manager Nan Schwartz said sales increased in 2004 as the mall underwent a transformation to serve residents who moved to downtown Milwaukee in recent years. The mall added T.J. Maxx, Linens 'n Things, Old Navy, Dress Barn and Lane Bryant to its store roster.

miltown

October 20th, 2005, 05:51 PM

Capitol Crossing plan to be reviewed today
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A $2.7 million plan to build more than 40,000 square feet of office and industrial space in a reviving area on the edge of the central city will be reviewed today by the Milwaukee Redevelopment Authority.

The project, dubbed Capitol Crossing, would have 27,000 square feet in offices and 13,500 square feet of light industrial space south of W. Capitol Drive and west of N. 2nd St., according to a plan filed with the Department of City Development.

Two Milwaukee firms, Philip Katz-Project Development LLC and Williams Development Corp., want to build Capitol Crossing on a 59,350-square-foot parcel owned by the authority.

The companies are seeking an option from the authority to buy the parcel for $200,000. The option would allow the firms to control the parcel for six months while they seek financing for the project.

Milwaukee's Finest

October 21st, 2005, 01:25 AM

$38 million condo project gets city's OK

A $38 million condominium project proposed for a booming area just north of Milwaukee's downtown won city approval today after the developer made changes in response to criticism that the development would be too large.

Tandem Developers LLC has proposed the development, which it calls The Edge, for about 2 acres at 1890 N. Commerce St., overlooking the Milwaukee River just upriver from the Holton St. bridge. The vacant lot is among the few development sites remaining on N. Commerce St., where
several apartment and condo buildings have been created in recent years.

Under Tandem's original proposal, The Edge would have had 150 units. Chicago-based Tandem is now proposing 133 units in the development, which would have two buildings.

But opponents said The Edge would still have too many units, adding to what they say is growing traffic congestion along Commerce St. Ald. Mike McGee Jr., whose district includes the area, said The Edge and other future housing developments would create more problems with parking in the neighborhood.

Other neighborhood residents said the development, with five and one-half stories, would be too high for the site. They say most of the area's other developments are two to three stories.

-By Tom Daykin

ReddAlert

October 21st, 2005, 04:26 AM

so this edge is right on the other side of the Lakefront Brewery building?

Milwaukee's Finest

October 21st, 2005, 05:14 AM

so this edge is right on the other side of the Lakefront Brewery building?

Yes, right on the other side of the Holten St. Viaduct

EastSider

October 21st, 2005, 08:58 AM

I was waiting for the bus downtown last night, and noticed something different. It seems like the crowd that hangs out there has changed a little. I saw a lot of 20-30 year old couples just walking down the street, and when I looked in store windows I actually saw a lot of people inside.

My point, I think the effects of the downtown condos are becoming evident. Anyone else notice the change in downtown demographics?

milwaukeeunseen

October 21st, 2005, 04:09 PM

Downtown has changed a lot just in the last few years. A few weeks ago I was in the Mocha coffee shop on Plankniton and Wisconsin at about 11:30 pm. There was a steady stream of pedestrian traffic shuffling past the coffee shop. The other evening my wife and I were walking our dog around the Third Ward around 8 o clock on a weeknight. There were tons of people out, and passing by the little shops and restaurants, there were people in them. To someone from a city like New York or San Francisco, this is just normal city living. But here in Milwaukee, it's a relatively new thing. And I see it only getting better as more and more people move downtown, and get the message that Downtown is a place you want to be.

NeuBrew

October 21st, 2005, 04:09 PM

I've been paying attention to the debate about 250 million used to build a bridge for 50 people in Alaska - now called 'the bridge to nowhere'. While reading a response by it's biggest defender, Ted Stevens, I came across a reference to the Hoan Bridge:

Stevens said, "I think that it was the Memorial Bridge in Milwaukee that was first called the 'bridge to nowhere.' It is called the Daniel Webster Hoan Memorial Bridge now, and it now serves as a major north-south connector between downtown Milwaukee and the neighborhoods on the near South side of the city.

A. Does anyone know if the Hoan Bridge was federally funded?
B. Would you consider it a major north-south connector?
C. Looking back, would you build the Hoan bridge again - as it exists today?

ReddAlert

October 21st, 2005, 04:20 PM

I dont know about the history of it, but I like the bridge itself. Its a Milwaukee landmark. I also love the amazing view from the top of it.

milwaukeeunseen

October 21st, 2005, 04:47 PM

I've been paying attention to the debate about 250 million used to build a bridge for 50 people in Alaska - now called 'the bridge to nowhere'. While reading a response by it's biggest defender, Ted Stevens, I came across a reference to the Hoan Bridge:

A. Does anyone know if the Hoan Bridge was federally funded?
B. Would you consider it a major north-south connector?
C. Looking back, would you build the Hoan bridge again - as it exists today?

The Hoan bridge was built as part of the interstate highway system, so, yes, the funds did come from the feds. It was built right on the tail end of a spurt of massive freeway building in the United States. The US Interstate highway system is the biggest and most costly public works project .... ever. In the entire history of the world. No exaggeration. The Hoan bridge, as well as all of our other freeways, was the result of Milwaukee's share of that collosall pot of federal intertate highway money. I believe some of the money came from the State, as well. The original plans for Milwaukee's freeway system were grandiose, and only about half of the freeways planned ever got built. Two freeways stopped dead in their tracks due to neighborhood opposition: the Hoan bridge, and the park east, which was originally supposed to run to the Lake, and connect with 794 through an interchange.

In the late 90s the State finally connected the Hoan bridge to something other than the Coast Guard station and the Cactus Club when they built the Lake Parkway.

Is the Hoan a major north-south corridor? I don't think so. Theortetically it can be used to quickly get from the airport to Downtown, but the airport spur and 94 is a lot quicker. The Hoan/Lake Parkway to me is basically Bay View's connection to Downtown, which is great for Bay View -- I don't think it's a coincidence that Bay View is experiencing a major renaissance right after the Lake Parkway opened. Also, the Hoan will relieve a lot of pressure out of the Marquette interhange when they start tearing down the I-94 north and southbound ramps.

If I could go back in time, I would say, don't build the Hoan. Imagine the Summerfest area and Third Ward without 794 there. Enough said.

miltown

October 21st, 2005, 06:08 PM

I think the hoan is a slight eyesore a big yellow brige on top of hundreds of cement pillars the view from the top is incredible but if they ever want to tear it down i wont be mad.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a92/icemone414/hoan.jpg

nic158

October 21st, 2005, 07:44 PM

"park east, which was originally supposed to run to the Lake, and connect with 794 through an interchange"

Thank God that never happened. Wow, the lakefront would look nothing like it does today.

Badgers77

October 21st, 2005, 08:24 PM

Jesus... there is so much anticipation for Milwaukee. 184 posts in only a matter of days.. . If actual development can exceed the anticipation here, it would be amazing.

rgolch

October 21st, 2005, 09:06 PM

avissers

October 21st, 2005, 09:12 PM

I like to ask the status of some highrises, if I may. I'm sorry if they are already listed in this development thread, but I can't seem to find them. Anyway, emporis lists several under proposed, some of which seemed to have been that way forever. The projects are:

1) Lake point tower
2) broadway wisconsin tower (gathering mold on emporis)
3) ovation tower (also moldy on emporis list)
4) park-lafayette tower.

Does anyone know what's cooking on these ones? 42 storeys for LPT would be a much needed addition.

1) Lake point tower - Lots of speculation/no formal proposal - need to find tenants to fill it - may not reach 42 stories if it becomes a reality.

2) broadway wisconsin tower (gathering mold on emporis) D-E-A-D.

3) ovation tower (also moldy on emporis list) Still on the boards, looking for potential tenants.

4) park-lafayette tower - just recently proposed - replaces the Lafayette Place proposal.

I could go into more detail, but that is the jist of it.

D-res

October 21st, 2005, 09:16 PM

Jesus... there is so much anticipation for Milwaukee. 184 posts in only a matter of days.. . If actual development can exceed the anticipation here, it would be amazing.

I know exactly what you mean. The Milwaukee Development threads seem to be the fastest growing threads in here. Almost every time i visit the forums, this thread is on top and this is what, the 7th thread now when other city threads are on 2 or 3

djcody

October 21st, 2005, 09:24 PM

Who ever has the job to get tenants to support these devolpments, better get the move on! How come it's taking so long? Most other cities would have already gotten tenant support, financing, approval, and probably broken ground before we get to step one.

I hope that the Broadway/Wisconsin Tower isn't dead, becuz that is a beautiful structure that I would gladly welcome to our skyline.

ReddAlert

October 21st, 2005, 09:38 PM

I hope that the Broadway/Wisconsin Tower isn't dead, becuz that is a beautiful structure that I would gladly welcome to our skyline.

Its dead as a doornail sadly.

Anybody know anything about the fenced in area off of Water St. in the Third Ward right on the River? It has some signs up and a trailer. I assume some more condos are going to be built there. Its right by the Waterfront, MIAD, etc. There also is a partially built building across the river, right next to one of those other riverfront condo buildings. Their names are all so damn similar so I have no f'in clue which one it is.

Also, any word on the botique hotel that was talked about in a Biz Journal awile back? It was going to be in the Third Ward too.

NeuBrew

October 21st, 2005, 09:51 PM

"park east, which was originally supposed to run to the Lake, and connect with 794 through an interchange"

Thank God that never happened. Wow, the lakefront would look nothing like it does today.

My thoughts exactly. I think the Hoan bridge would have been just fine for a freeway. For a parkway, it is excessive. The third ward and all of downtown would have been better served to have more large surface level streets and a bridge with pedestrian/bike access. Personally, I think getting rid of the Park East stub was one of the wisest things we could do.

That said, I like the parkway and heading north on the Hoan to the city. It's a nice view. A smaller bridge and more surface level streets would work just fine and still have a great view. If given the chance, I would not rebuild the bridge in it's present state.

Markitect

October 21st, 2005, 09:58 PM

Back in the 1920s, the City was planning a roadway along the South Shore similar in nature to Lincoln Memorial Drive--a roadway running along lakefront parkland built upon a new landfilled shoreline along Jones Island and Bay View. A drawbridge would span the mouth of the Milwaukee River to allow boat access to the Inner Harbor. But then the Great Depression hit, and those plans were shelved.

The LMD southern extension idea was resurrected in the mid-1930s, and the City began sacking away some money every year to build up finding for the project. More detailed planning took place. The idea of building a tunnel at the river's mouth, rather than a drawbridge, was kicked around. But then Perarl Harbor was hit, and those plans were shelved.

The LMD southern extension was resurrected once again right after WWII. By then the estimated cost had grown into something a bit too expensive for the City to handle, and there were other projrcts around town that were higher priorities, so again, it was shelved.

Then came the freeway era of the late-1950s and 1960s, as explained above by Milwaukeeunseen. With the promise of Federal funding covering a large majority of project costs, which releived the City and County from the burden of construction costs, the southern extension of Lincoln Memorial Drive evolved into a full-fledged freeway, rather than a simple, scenic lakefront boulevard. Freeway planners mapped out what was known as the "Lake Freeway," which was to run from Juneau Park (where it was to hook up with the proposed Park East Freeway) southward, across a high-level bridge over the Milwaukee River, slice through the Bay View neighborhood, St. Francis, Cudahy, continue on to skirt past the edge of Racine and Kenosha, and keep going down through cities in northern Illinois to eventually link up with freeways down in Chicago. The protions of this freeway along Milwaukee's lakefront were elevated on pylons, underneath which would be parking lots and parkland (renderings of these designs were quite funny, depicting smiling white kids playing on a basketball court in the shadows underneath the freeway, and happy white couples pushing strollers along landscaped pedestrian walkways on the bluffs above, overlooking a wide view of the freeway, where amazingly, only one or two cars were zipping past).

Opposition from neighborhood residents, and eventually politicians, managed to successfully get some of the proposed freeways dropped...but in some cases it was already too late, as vast swaths of neighborhoods had already been bulldozed in anticipation of freeways. Some of that land still sits vacant today (parts of the Fond du Lac and Park West Freeways), and others have been developed partially (parts of the Park East and Stadium South Freeways).

Anyway, the Hoan Bridge was built as part of the proposed Lake Freeway. The bridge stood unused for a few years after it was completed because planners, politicians, and citizens debated over where the rest of the freeway would run, or if the rest of the freeway should be built at all. That is how the Hoan Bridge got the nickname "The Bridge to Nowhere," because here was this huge freeway bridge, sitting unused, and unconnected to the rest of the existing freeway system until the debate was settled. By the end of the 1970s, plans for the full Lake Freeway were "de-mapped" and the north end of the bridge was connected to the East-West Freeway and Lincoln Memorial Drive, and the south end of the bridge dead-ended with a ramp connection to Carferry Drive/Lincoln Avenue.

In the late-1980s, planners look at ways of relieving traffic flows through Bay View that would try to preserve the community values of South Shore neighborhoods and suburbs. This resulted in the construction of "Lake Parkway," which is sort of a downgraded freeway (lower speeds, different roadway dimensions, stoplights, etc.). This was built on a slightly different routing than the earlier planned Lake Freeway, to minimize negative impact on the surroundings. Lake Parway was built from the southern end of the Hoan Bridge, southward to Layton Avenue, near the Airport--opened to traffic in 1999. It is currently being extended a few blocks further south to improve traffic flow at the nearby intersection of Layton and Pennsylvania Avenues.

The Hoan Bridge and Lake Parkway isn't a "major" north-south connector in terms of the overall regional highway network--like I-94 is. It is more of a localized north-south connector that links the close-in southern suburbs and neighborhoods to Downtown (and the East Side via LMD). The bridge also serves as a connector to the Port of Milwaukee at Jones Island, which links up freeways, railroads, and boats, all in one place--a cruicial shipping linkage for the Milwaukee area.

The Hoan Bridge was built as high as it is to provide an unobstructed flow of traffic at the river mouth/harbor entry--for both auto and boat traffic. A lower-level bridge, like those planned early on, would have required drawbridges, which would certainly back up road and water traffic, an inconvenience to all users.

As far as bridge aesthetics, it's very nice and simple. It is a landmark of sorts--not in the sense of historical significance, but in terms of recognition and orientation. And actually, it would be nice to see it given some special lighting treatment at night (like other cities do with their bridges), to give it more of a nighttime presence. Sure it's just a freeway bridge, but if done nice, the lighting could be really great, highlighting the arches and pylons.

Bridge design has come a long way since the 1970s, so if the Hoan were ever to be rebuilt, it could be a scaled-back (non-freewayish) different design, yet still serve all the functions and look great at the same time.