The type of design would be great for a train shed. If only ours wouldn't expose a view to the backside of the post office complex...

Might that get torn down/renovated though once the post office finds a new location?

The type of design would be great for a train shed. If only ours wouldn't expose a view to the backside of the post office complex...

well, keep in mind that the post office will soon be leaving that location and that building/area may be completely redeveloped into something very liveable/walkable -- i'd LOVE to see a transparent or opaque arched roof on the new shed structure-- it would make sense too, as the escalators/stairs/elevators that will be needed to guide passengers over the tracks will be quite tall and therefore a higher roof will be needed.

The type of design would be great for a train shed. If only ours wouldn't expose a view to the backside of the post office complex...

It's not as bad as you think. This is directly on the river and facing the new Harley Davidson Museum. If the southern wall in open or glass-filled, this could offer a a very unique and beautiful view.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=53202&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=12.113558,45.439453&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Milwaukee,+Wisconsin+53202&ll=43.033639,-87.917458&spn=0.002306,0.006287&t=h&z=17

This all hinges on the post office moving though, so...

well, keep in mind that the post office will soon be leaving that location and that building/area may be completely redeveloped into something very liveable/walkable -- i'd LOVE to see a transparent or opaque arched roof on the new shed structure-- it would make sense too, as the escalators/stairs/elevators that will be needed to guide passengers over the tracks will be quite tall and therefore a higher roof will be needed.

We hope it will. There has been talk several times of moving it, and the annoucement that came out about a year ago that they'd consider other sites was the strongest indicator. However we can't be certain.

The best design would work well to hide the post office while it exists AND work well with the surrounding area if it should ever be torn down.

We hope it will. There has been talk several times of moving it, and the annoucement that came out about a year ago that they'd consider other sites was the strongest indicator. However we can't be certain.

The best design would work well to hide the post office while it exists AND work well with the surrounding area if it should ever be torn down.

well, okay... what about making just the sky-view part of the roof transparent/ opaque with glass panels like this?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Image-The_Arcade_at_St_Pancras_railway_station_2.JPG/800px-Image-The_Arcade_at_St_Pancras_railway_station_2.JPG

http://img1.photographersdirect.com/img/22138/wm/pd2264266.jpg

heck, even something like this
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2246/2174315449_e2969dc0fa.jpg?v=0

would be better than the existing shed:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/380037023_ab567c7598.jpg
http://www.mnse.org/261_Chase_Guide/IMAG072A.JPG

we should just bring Calatrava back and have him do a train station like the one in Lisbon he designed.

we should just bring Calatrava back and have him do a train station like the one in Lisbon he designed.

that's not the worst idea in the world. with a calatrava design, you're assured of its high aesthetic value.

still, I don't think the train shed with the arched glassy roof design has to be that expensive. it's a lot like a plane hangar structure but with glass panels on the roof and crosswalks over the tracks inside.

lord knows the state has enough money for a good design... the actual cost of the HSR from MKE to MSN is $615 million or so. they have ample funding to do this properly.

Well said. None of those designs you showed look too expensive, yet they clearly enhance the experience of the travelers.

I just took this photo this afternoon:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4330675413_0a5d731b12_b.jpg

I think that although the Post Office has their entrance ramp to the south, the current train shed is big enough that it could accommodate a tall, arched roof structure like this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d3/EastboundS7HauptBhf.jpg/800px-EastboundS7HauptBhf.jpg

I also found on the WisDOT site, the State of Wisconsin has delegated $16 million for this project. I don't know if that figure is low or high, but I feel like it *should* be enough for a proper design.

In the long term I have little doubt the Post Office will be demolished. In the 'near' term future, the Intermodal Station will be a hub for Hiawatha, Madison HSR and KLM services, and will need to expand eventually to accomodate all of the traffic. There is no room at all around the site unless the Post Office goes, which is more than likely given their documented interest of leaving the site.

Not goona lie, I always loved walking beneath the tracks to get to the inner rails. Not that I would disapprove of going over them, but something about walking down that ramp, and then back up just appealed to me whenever it happened.

Not goona lie, I always loved walking beneath the tracks to get to the inner rails. Not that I would disapprove of going over them, but something about walking down that ramp, and then back up just appealed to me whenever it happened.

yeah, I don't hate walking under the tracks either, but by building walkways over the tracks, the design is almost guaranteed to be a taller, higher-roofed building. this is something I would really like to see in an open, airy, well-sunlit train shed.

This is kind of off topic, and this may be a silly question, but does the water main break in South Milwaukee affect the rest of us? They are telling residents not to use tap water because it may be contaminted

This is kind of off topic, and this may be a silly question, but does the water main break in South Milwaukee affect the rest of us? They are telling residents not to use tap water because it may be contaminted

No, the real danger with a water main break is it creates a pressure loss. So, in the immediate area, there's the risk of crap backfilling into the pipes, that might make the water unsafe.

Unless it's a huge event, it won't effect 99.9% of people.

I just read more about the South Milwaukee water main break, it seems that South Milwaukee won't have potable water for a couple days. It seems the main supply from their water filtration plant broke and they've only got water coming from Oak Creek for fire protection.

Sucks to be them... you would think they would also have a connection to the Milwaukee Water Works, if for anything just redundancy.

I just read more about the South Milwaukee water main break, it seems that South Milwaukee won't have potable water for a couple days. It seems the main supply from their water filtration plant broke and they've only got water coming from Oak Creek for fire protection.

Sucks to be them... you would think they would also have a connection to the Milwaukee Water Works, if for anything just redundancy.
Well, with the City of South Milwaukee, it's a case of 'you made your bed, you sleep in it'. They are so stubburnly independent that not only did they reject Milwaukee city water and MMSD sewers, but remember that they also have their own street naming and address numbering grid. It's almost like they want to ignore the presence of the rest of the metro area.

:nuts:

Mike

Well, with the City of South Milwaukee, it's a case of 'you made your bed, you sleep in it'. They are so stubburnly independent that not only did they reject Milwaukee city water and MMSD sewers, but remember that they also have their own street naming and address numbering grid. It's almost like they want to ignore the presence of the rest of the metro area.

:nuts:

Mike

Expect that policy to change a wee bit from this dire circumstance...

The post office has property near the airport bought and paid for. Just a matter of finding money to build.

You'd think with all that stimulus money waiting to be spent they could just go ahead and do it.

So I was playing around on sketchup, and put this together. The models were already made by other people. There's quite a few tall buildings missing, but you get the idea. Kind of sweet.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8716/skylinec.jpg

Milwaukee apartment market among strongest in Midwest (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/83293167.html)
The Milwaukee area apartment market will remain among the stronger local markets in the Midwest, but conditions among cheaper Class C apartment properties will weaken this year as owners seek to fill empty units.

That's according to the new 2010 National Apartment Report by Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services.

“Despite softening in 2009, conditions in the local apartment market have been sturdier than those in many Midwestern metros in recent years,” said Matthew Fitzgerald, regional manager of Marcus & Millichap’s Milwaukee office, in a statement.

Among the conclusions from the local report:

*Nearly 470 units are slated to come online in 2010, expanding inventory by 0.5%.

*The vacancy rate is forecast to reach 5.5% this year, up 30 basis points from 2009.

UWM might drop Greenfield Ave. location for water school
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel

Feb. 8, 2010 11:34 a.m. |

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee officials are reconsidering their plans to build the new School of Freshwater Sciences next to UWM's Great Lakes WATER Institute, which overlooks the harbor at 600 E. Greenfield Ave.

Instead, UWM is now looking at moving the institute, and putting the school, at a business park planned for the Reed Street Yards site, south of the Harley-Davidson Museum.

That's the word from Mark Harris, the school's interim dean, and J. Val Klump, institute director.

Why the possible change of heart? Klump says the biggest problem with staying on Greenfield Ave. is the huge coal piles that sit just across the street from the institute and proposed water school grounds.

Along with being an education and research facility, the new school headquarters is envisioned as a showcase facility for impressing visiting water technology executives as the Milwaukee area tries to develop its water tech industry.

There has been talk of moving the coal storage facility, which is on city-owned land under lease to bulk storage terminal operator Kinder Morgan Inc. But Klump told me this morning that it appears that the coal piles will remain for several years. So UWM is now looking at the alternate site.

A $50 million plan to develop the freshwater school on land just west of the institute was approved in December by the UW System Board of Regents. The plan calls for a 125,000-square-foot addition to the institute, which is housed in a converted factory. It also called for renovations to the existing institute building.

Chancellor Carlos Santiago told the regents he hoped to see construction begin by later spring. But he also said development would occur only if the area's environmental concerns were resolved. That included dealing with the coal piles, and using city funds to pay for street work and other public improvements to make E. Greenfield Ave. more attractive.

Santiago left open the option of moving the school to another site if necessary. I haven't yet reached Santiago's spokesman, Tom Luljak, for comment, but I will have more details later at JSOnline.com and in Tuesday's Journal Sentinel.

The freshwater school will offer graduate-level classes to train water scientists and engineers. It will initially use existing university buildings until the new school headquarters is built.

University officials began focusing on the institute site after dropping plans to develop the school's headquarters at the former Pieces of Eight restaurant site. Retired business executive Michael Cudahy, who holds the lease for the city-owned Pieces of Eight building, is proceeding with plans to renovate it and open a new restaurant there.

Developers General Capital Group and Peter Moede plan to create a business park at the Reed Street Yards site, bordered roughly by S. 6th St., S. 3rd St., the Menomonee River Canal and W. Florida St. The Common Council in September agreed to spend $6.4 million to help fund the business park, which would be marketed to water technology companies.


--- Personally I think, this is a better location seeing as those coal piles probably won't be moving any time soon, and also seeing as they'd rather be on a river than the lake????



---------- In an unrelated item........................
This is the proposed Atlanta Symphony Center, this is Calatrava's idea for the design... Let's get him back here to do some more stuff, like the train station!!!!!http://tomlinson-graham.com/clients/aso_color.jpg

http://blog.ultimateavmag.com/fredmanteghian/hot%20lanta.jpg

Now that new Calatrava is just ridiculous. He's been going down that path for a while, but now it looks like his style has gone Rococo. Calatrava's been steadily sacrificing his famously graceful, yet functional, forms in favour of a more whimsical aesthetic, but has been able to get away with it simply because he is such a capable architectural scuptor (the brise soleil comes to mind). But not only is the above purely aesthetic, it's also ugly.

Now that new Calatrava is just ridiculous. He's been going down that path for a while, but now it looks like his style has gone Rococo. Calatrava's been steadily sacrificing his famously graceful, yet functional, forms in favour of a more whimsical aesthetic, but has been able to get away with it simply because he is such a capable architectural scuptor (the brise soleil comes to mind). But not only is the above purely aesthetic, it's also ugly.

It may not be great but I chose this because this would be his only other building with "wings" besides the MAM, I believe. I'm a fan of his style although this might be a little much.

It may not be great but I chose this because this would be his only other building with "wings" besides the MAM, I believe. I'm a fan of his style although this might be a little much.

The WTC transportation hub features them, though they are fixed.

http://aedesign.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/qssicalatrava.jpg

The WTC transportation hub features them, though they are fixed.

http://aedesign.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/qssicalatrava.jpg

Yea, I wonder if either of these will actually ever get built???

I'm happy about the news about the new freshwater school location. There were some expected whiners on JSOnline that still thought the new location wasn't good enough, but the fact is that it really does make a lot of sense there, for the reasons listed. Who knows, maybe they'd even consider moving the Great Lakes Institute there in the future? That area around the Harley museum is really looking to shape up nicely. With this, the new train shed, and the water tech business park, that area will be completely transformed from what it was (unattractive).

I think the new UWM water school site is better than the old one. The surrounding area already has a private developer who is interested in redeveloping the property, and it is closer to a downtown, the third ward, and is in an area that has seen a lot of redevelopment already. It has great access to water with the possibility for a few boat slips, and could be another step in improving the fifth ward.

Indeed, this is a much better site. The synergies of the area, the new business park, and getting away from the unsightly coal piles all make sense. The only problem I see is that sometimes after seweage dumpings (or any moderate rainfall) that branch of the river doesn't have much for water flow, so it can get very stinky... and for a long time.

Indeed, this is a much better site. The synergies of the area, the new business park, and getting away from the unsightly coal piles all make sense. The only problem I see is that sometimes after seweage dumpings (or any moderate rainfall) that branch of the river doesn't have much for water flow, so it can get very stinky... and for a long time.

Sounds like something the School of Freshwater Sciences can work on. ;)

So I was playing around on sketchup, and put this together. The models were already made by other people. There's quite a few tall buildings missing, but you get the idea. Kind of sweet.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8716/skylinec.jpg

man, can you imagine Miller Park with that roof being downtown?

I'm happy about the news about the new freshwater school location. There were some expected whiners on JSOnline that still thought the new location wasn't good enough, but the fact is that it really does make a lot of sense there, for the reasons listed. Who knows, maybe they'd even consider moving the Great Lakes Institute there in the future? That area around the Harley museum is really looking to shape up nicely. With this, the new train shed, and the water tech business park, that area will be completely transformed from what it was (unattractive).

agreed. Add to that the potential of the post office being torn down at some point, hopefully replaced with something cool. It will be interesting to see the changes of that whole area west of the river.

So I was playing around on sketchup, and put this together. The models were already made by other people. There's quite a few tall buildings missing, but you get the idea. Kind of sweet.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8716/skylinec.jpg

that's pretty cool, although holy hell, man.. you've got all the buildings way out of geographical order!


we were talking about the idea of miller park being downtown at lunch today and some of us liked the idea while others thought the loss of tailgating would be too much of a downside. i pointed out the irony, though, that even after soon-to-be-bronzed Bud made that argument years ago when they were planning out Miller Park, here we are in 2010 and the current owners see the value of actually having your stadium in a neighbourhood and are trying to develop parts of the land/parking lots near the stadium... in essence, bringing the city TO the ballpark instead of the other way around.

so, Good Harvest is closing in the Third Ward.. the owner claims the neighbourhood wasn't suited for an organic store, but I think he's wrong-- I think they just didn't do things right at their store-- they were overpriced and didn't have enough unique selection. Beans and Barley is far more popular because they have a great deli, a lot of items made right in their kitchen, a fantastic attached restaurant and they are WAY LESS EXPENSIVE than good harvest! i'd love to see a Beans Third Ward in that location...

@MilwaukeeMax In regards to Good Harvest I think you're right. Even with it being in the Third Ward I always heard about how expensive the prices were.

, here we are in 2010 and the current owners see the value of actually having your stadium in a neighbourhood and are trying to develop parts of the land/parking lots near the stadium... in essence, bringing the city TO the ballpark instead of the other way around.

I think that's exactly the sort of unexpected sprouting that has started to make Milwaukee a far more interesting and surprising place to live in and visit than many more conventionally developing cities.

The one advantage I can see at the Greenfield location is that there is easier access to the lake for research boats and what looks like more dock space. Research vessels would require 4 lift bridges to be raised and be forced to navigate a tight channel.

Having this built in the RSY, along with with the water technology business park in a central part of the city will be great. It will give people more of an opportunity to see what they do and make the school more visible to the public rather then hide it down a rough, abandoned looking street on Greenfield. Hopefully, the school would have exhibits for the public and become something of an attraction. People who are visiting the Harley museum for instance could take a boat over there and check it out, seeing what they do there. The downside of all this is it would have been cool to have this paried up/tied in with Discovery World in one location.

so, Good Harvest is closing in the Third Ward.. the owner claims the neighbourhood wasn't suited for an organic store, but I think he's wrong-- I think they just didn't do things right at their store-- they were overpriced and didn't have enough unique selection. Beans and Barley is far more popular because they have a great deli, a lot of items made right in their kitchen, a fantastic attached restaurant and they are WAY LESS EXPENSIVE than good harvest! i'd love to see a Beans Third Ward in that location...

I agree. It was a bad business plan, and the owners said the Third Ward wasn't ready to handle an organic grocer yet. It's like no one knows the Public Market is literally a stones throw away. You don't build another specialty grocery next to a monster like that, you build a Pick N' Save so people have a place to buy toilet paper and Doritos.

So I was playing around on sketchup, and put this together. The models were already made by other people. There's quite a few tall buildings missing, but you get the idea. Kind of sweet.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8716/skylinec.jpg

Man... if we had a tightly condensed skyline like that people would have a much different image regarding the size of the city. Most people don't realize how many tall buildings there are because of how spread out it is.

You wouldn't have to take a boat from the harley museum, you could just walk around the water on 6th street.

OR... how cool would a pedestrian bridge be?

You wouldn't have to take a boat from the harley museum, you could just walk around the water on 6th street.

OR... how cool would a pedestrian bridge be?


actually, there was a city planning committee meeting several years ago... (and another one coming up on Monday i suggest everyone here attends) that discussed the plan for the Menom. Valley, including linking the intermodal station to the Harley museum via a pedestrian marsupial bridge (ala the Brady Street bridge) under the 6th street viaduct. this would empty into a grassy park area on the south side of the river where pedestrians could walk around the museum and along a newly constructed riverwalk.

and that was post 200.

You wouldn't have to take a boat from the harley museum, you could just walk around the water on 6th street.

OR... how cool would a pedestrian bridge be?

:doh:

Yeah, you are right about that. It actually is a short walk. Must have thought it was a bit further away for some reason.


A pedestrian bridge would be cool, but the only thing is that it may not be able to work with some of the ships that go through there. The Lake Express has its winter berth further down the river. I love the idea of a marsupial bridge underneath the 6th St. viaduct though.

Speaking of the Lake Express, I came across this timelapse video of it entering Milwaukee and heading to its winter berth. It is an awesome tour of the river.

http://vimeo.com/2230072

actually, there was a city planning committee meeting several years ago... (and another one coming up on Monday i suggest everyone here attends) that discussed the plan for the Menom. Valley, including linking the intermodal station to the Harley museum via a pedestrian marsupial bridge (ala the Brady Street bridge) under the 6th street viaduct. this would empty into a grassy park area on the south side of the river where pedestrians could walk around the museum and along a newly constructed riverwalk.

and that was post 200.

Was that before the new viaduct was built? I'm having trouble picturing how that would work with the new bridge, as it's much lower to the ground, as well as the fact that it has fairly wide sidewalks outside of the cables.

Yeah a marsupial bridge doesn't seem to make much sense with the new bridge there since it connects at street level already.

And El, how about a lifting pedestrian bridge? They make 'em, i swear! ;-)

I was going through the Milwaukee Public Library website the other night and saw this. The 1955 proposed Beacon Savings and Loan building that was never built.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/paule17/1955Beaconsaving.jpg

Yeah a marsupial bridge doesn't seem to make much sense with the new bridge there since it connects at street level already.

And El, how about a lifting pedestrian bridge? They make 'em, i swear! ;-)

well, if talk radio in Milwaukee freaks out about bike racks on buses, I wonder how they will feel about a lift pedestrian bridge. :lol:

Good point! although, how did the marsupial bridge and the bridge to the new state park island get built?

Interesting Paule, I've never even heard of that bank. Did it get bought or folded into another institution?

Interesting Paule, I've never even heard of that bank. Did it get bought or folded into another institution?
Here's the page I got it from.
http://content.mpl.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/HstoricPho&CISOPTR=133&CISOBOX=1&REC=5

Yeah a marsupial bridge doesn't seem to make much sense with the new bridge there since it connects at street level already.



au contraire! the new viaduct connects 6th street at Clybourn to Canal St. at street level, but if you want to walk across the river from St. Paul or the Intermodal Station, you are S.O.L. unless you backtrack uphill. A marsupial bridge could run under the viaduct and connect riverbank to riverbank for pedestrians and bicyclists.

au contraire! the new viaduct connects 6th street at Clybourn to Canal St. at street level, but if you want to walk across the river from St. Paul or the Intermodal Station, you are S.O.L. unless you backtrack uphill. A marsupial bridge could run under the viaduct and connect riverbank to riverbank for pedestrians and bicyclists.

I am not sure how your idea would work. The bridge does not have enough clearance over the water, rail line(16' or more clearance necessary), or St Paul for another structure beneath it. Perhaps a better option would be to look into building an elevated walkway between the intermodal station and the viaduct, although that would be redundant since there is already a ramp on the St Paul side of 794 which allows for a pedestrian connection between the viaduct and St Paul.

Good point! although, how did the marsupial bridge and the bridge to the new state park island get built?

our money. :)

I don't think anybody can really complain though about improvements in that part of town.

Frustratingly, I can't find a single picture of the lift deck raised. Trust me, this is a lift bridge.
http://bridgehunter.com/photos/11/66/116660-M.jpg

To give credit, this picture came from here:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bridgehunter.com/photos/11/66/116661-L.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bridgehunter.com/wi/milwaukee/bh36813/&usg=__ZiTyA0blItq2v8fNEtoIeKMbDPE=&h=1200&w=1600&sz=436&hl=en&start=6&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=FD0-tJKfmwUiEM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmilwaukee%2Bhighland%2Bbridge%2Bpic%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

I don't have a photo image handy, but there is also a drawbridge where the pedestrian/bicycle trail that uses the former CNW Little Lake Butte des Morts bridge crosses the adjacent navigation channel in Menasha, WI.

Mike

I don't have a photo image handy, but there is also a drawbridge where the pedestrian/bicycle trail that uses the former CNW Little Lake Butte des Morts bridge crosses the adjacent navigation channel in Menasha, WI.

Mike

It's called the Miron Bridge. This is a pic by Mark David Zahn on Flickr:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3652/3468571782_a0dd80c85c_b.jpg

Here's a cool pedestrian/cycling lift bridge in NY:

http://wirednewyork.com/bridges/wards_island_bridge/wards_island_bridge_15feb04.jpg

It's called the Miron Bridge. This is a pic by Mark David Zahn on Flickr:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3652/3468571782_a0dd80c85c_b.jpg

that's got to be one of the ugliest bridges i have ever seen in my life.

Frustratingly, I can't find a single picture of the lift deck raised. Trust me, this is a lift bridge.
http://bridgehunter.com/photos/11/66/116660-M.jpg

To give credit, this picture came from here:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bridgehunter.com/photos/11/66/116661-L.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bridgehunter.com/wi/milwaukee/bh36813/&usg=__ZiTyA0blItq2v8fNEtoIeKMbDPE=&h=1200&w=1600&sz=436&hl=en&start=6&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=FD0-tJKfmwUiEM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmilwaukee%2Bhighland%2Bbridge%2Bpic%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

completely forgot all about that bridge.

I am not sure how your idea would work. The bridge does not have enough clearance over the water, rail line(16' or more clearance necessary), or St Paul for another structure beneath it. Perhaps a better option would be to look into building an elevated walkway between the intermodal station and the viaduct, although that would be redundant since there is already a ramp on the St Paul side of 794 which allows for a pedestrian connection between the viaduct and St Paul.

it could perhaps be more of a ramp coming up from st. paul to the middle of the bridge-- or perhaps they could just install a staircase/elevator so that pedestrians on st. paul could get up to the viaduct.

the brady st. bridge doesn't have much clearance either, but then again it's not really going over water, so i suppose that's different.

that's got to be one of the ugliest bridges i have ever seen in my life.

When I lived in Appleton I would cross that bridge every day on my bike route. I'm not 100% sure, but I think that draw bridge may be man-powered?

When I lived in Appleton I would cross that bridge every day on my bike route. I'm not 100% sure, but I think that draw bridge may be man-powered?
No, it's electric powered, using hydraulic rams to do the the lifting and lowering. It is counterbalanced and is a very lightweight, efficient design - looking much better in person than it does in that image. Its design is based on a similar pedestrian/bicycle path drawbridge in the Netherlands.

Mike

it could perhaps be more of a ramp coming up from st. paul to the middle of the bridge-- or perhaps they could just install a staircase/elevator so that pedestrians on st. paul could get up to the viaduct.

There is already some sort of ramp or staircase between the two levels... look on the north edge of 6th street just south of the freeway... any other ramp would probably have to conform to specific slope requirements so I don't think you could get anything much better than that, and it really isn't that far out of the way.

I would think the new proposed location for the school in RSY would also allow for a greater chance for collaboration with water technology companies due to the proximity. More private/university collaborative research is exactly what UWM and Milwaukee needs.

Gold's Gym opening large facility in vacant downtown building
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
Feb. 12, 2010 11:08 a.m.

Gold's Gym plans to open a large fitness facility at 731 N. Water St., a project that that will redevelop a long-vacant building and bring a new major health club operator to downtown Milwaukee.

I just got the news from Sheldon Oppermann, of Compass Properties, which owns the building. Gold's has agreed to lease 40,000 square feet, taking five of the building's eight floors, Oppermann said.

The facility will include a swimming pool, basketball court, weight equipment and cardiovascular equipment, as well as lessons in yoga and pilates, Oppermann said. The facility is to open by November.

Before renovating the space, Compass will need Common Council approval to allow Gold's to replace the original plans to create condominiums in the building. That plan was dropped when the downtown condo market tanked.

In 2007, the council agreed to help pay for the cornice restoration at an adjoining building that Compass owns at 735 N. Water St., and for repairs of the building's RiverWalk. The cornice work was done last year, and the RiverWalk repairs are to occur this year.

The city funds, totaling $3.2 million, are to be repaid through property taxes generated mainly by improvements to the building at 731 N. Water St.

Oppermann said the Gold's Gym project will generate roughly the same amount of property tax revenue that the condos would have generated. He said the Department of City Development will conduct its own analysis, with the Common Council likely to consider the matter in March.

Gold's says it's the largest full service gym chain in the world, with more than 700 locations in 43 states and 28 countries. Gold's entered the Milwaukee area last summer by opening a facility in Waukesha.

I should have more later at JSOnline.com, and in the Journal Sentinel.

^^

that's a prime location... i wonder what ever happened to the plans from several years ago to develop a high-rise fitness club / spa in the 3rd ward?

i wonder what ever happened to the plans from several years ago to develop a high-rise fitness club / spa in the 3rd ward?

The Marriott Renaissance ClubSport hotel/spa/fitness center/condo proposal died several years ago. Afterward, that's where the Good Harvest market moved in...and is now closing.

The Marriott Renaissance ClubSport hotel/spa/fitness center/condo proposal died several years ago. Afterward, that's where the Good Harvest market moved in...and is now closing.

ahhh... maybe now the Clubsport center will move in ;)

what killed that project, do you know? I recall the residents in the 3rd ward having some resistance to the designed height of the proposal..

maybe now the Clubsport center will move in

Extremely unlikely.

what killed that project, do you know?

A lack of money to build it.

Extremely unlikely.



A lack of money to build it.


Markitect, didn't you see my sarcastic wink? I know that won't happen. Still, from what I remember it was a pretty cool concept.

so, the new Gold Gym will take up most of the 731 building ( five of its eight floors)-- that's good news for that little vacant place-- I think it will be a popular health club. in the JS, they are reporting that it will also include a swimming pool - I wonder what kind of structural necessities and how much renovating is required to put an indoor pool into an old building like that.

hmm.. i've been to Malaga but I must've missed that when I was there.

actually, speaking of the Latino population (among others) and far beyond a bullring (or a new arena to replace the BC, for that matter), I'd much prefer to see a soccer-specific stadium built in Milwaukee for an MLS team here. There have been numerous attempts to do this but they've met strong resistance from power-hungry tyrants like Ulice Payne, Jr. and the Bradley Center board.

a soccer stadium in Milwaukee would be tremendous.

I would love to have a soccer stadium here, but I think we missed that boat. The MLS has become a hot commodity amongst big cities and everybody wants a team now. We had our chance at the MLS and from what I heard, didn't help them at all finding a suitable location for a staduim. And thats sad because the MLS would have been great in this city.

Hopefully, another proposal surfaces at some point in the future. I want a new arena most of all though, because we need to keep the Bucks in town and protect what we already have. It would be cool though to have all three though. Maybe a soccer stadium alongside the river, built on land from the torn down post office with a new arena in the Park East?

I think we missed the boat on MLS. We had our chance and blew it, and now the league has become a "must have" for alot of big cities in the U.S. and Canada. And that sucks because Milwaukee would have been a great town for the sport, especially with a downtown stadium like they were planning. From what I heard, the city did nothing to help them find a good location to build.

Of course, I want a new arena above all else because we need to protect our existing assets like the Bucks. Hopefully, we do look at the MLS in the future. I would like to see a stadium replace the post office, along the river, when its eventually torn down.

I hope you're wrong about missing the boat, but if we did I blame a lot of people but most of all the Bradley Center board and in particular Ulice Payne Jr. who blocked what would have been a perfect development of land north of the Bradley Center for an MLS soccer stadium-- simply out of GREED. the BC didn't want the competition and claimed to have their own plans for the land--- of which nothing has come nor probably ever will.

I'd prefer an MLS team in Milwaukee over an NBA team anyday.

Ingeteam, a Spanish manufacturer of wind-turbine generators, will locate its new factory in the Menomonee Valley, Gale Klappa, co-chairman of the Milwaukee 7 economic development coalition, announced Monday.

The plant will create about 270 jobs, said Julia Taylor, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, also a Milwaukee 7 co-chairman, said the plant will be located near the western end of the valley. The exact site will be announced Tuesday, said Patrick Curley, Barrett's chief of staff.


the rest here; http://www.jsonline.com/business/84382807.html

Good News!!^^^^


Summerfest hires architects for south end reconstruction
By Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel

Feb. 15, 2010 10:48 a.m. | Summerfest has hired Eppstein Uhen Architects to design the upcoming stage and building reconstruction on the south end of the Henry Maier Festival grounds.

With a lease extension securing its lakefront home through 2030, Summerfest officials are planning a whole-scale renovation on the 22-acre section adjacent to the Marcus Amphitheater. Work is tentatively expected to begin after the 2010 festival season.

Summerfest directors met with representatives from four architectural firms and conducted a design competition that concluded with the selection of the Milwaukee-based firm.

"We believe they will help us accomplish our goals for redesigning and renovating this area to create a world-class environment that will be relevant for future generations," said Don Smiley, chief executive officer of Milwaukee World Festival Inc.

The non-profit corporation that runs Summerfest projects it will have $16.3 million in its capital reserves at the end of 2010. The board has set a target of banking $25 million for renovations by 2015. ------
----------------------

I really hope they add a couple of year round venues in this renovation like a restaurant or something.

Gold's Gym opening large facility in vacant downtown building

I like this idea for this building. In looking at it on Google's Street view, I see many windows on the front on Water Street, which I think would be good for a gym so patrons can watch the street while exercising - and so people on the street can see the gym. Hopefully they will also have a view of the River, and Riverwalk, for the same reasons.

Ingeteam, a Spanish manufacturer of wind-turbine generators, will locate its new factory in the Menomonee Valley, Gale Klappa, co-chairman of the Milwaukee 7 economic development coalition, announced Monday.

The plant will create about 270 jobs, said Julia Taylor, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.


All partisan politics aside, this is a great win! Especially in this economy when so many other jobs were lost. This is a great win for Milwaukee, the menomonee valley, and Ingeteam.

Congrats to all parties!

Ingeteam, a Spanish manufacturer of wind-turbine generators, will locate its new factory in the Menomonee Valley, Gale Klappa, co-chairman of the Milwaukee 7 economic development coalition, announced Monday.

The plant will create about 270 jobs, said Julia Taylor, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, also a Milwaukee 7 co-chairman, said the plant will be located near the western end of the valley. The exact site will be announced Tuesday, said Patrick Curley, Barrett's chief of staff.


the rest here; http://www.jsonline.com/business/84382807.html

Spanish wind turbines, Spanish high speed trains, an art museum designed by a Spanish architect... pretty soon Milwaukee will have to refer to itself as "little Madrid" ;)

All partisan politics aside, this is a great win! Especially in this economy when so many other jobs were lost. This is a great win for Milwaukee, the menomonee valley, and Ingeteam.

Congrats to all parties!

agreed. The Menomonee Valley is really booming and watching its development is exciting. The changes there in just a decade are really incredible. Some of the pictures I have seen of the Valley from the early 2000's looked like Chernobyl.

Spanish wind turbines, Spanish high speed trains, an art museum designed by a Spanish architect... pretty soon Milwaukee will have to refer to itself as "little Madrid" ;)

too bad we won't ever get Spanish bullfighting. I said this a long time ago on this forum, but I wish Milwaukee could build an urban bullring somewhere on the southside. You would think with the large Latino population here that it could be done---with bullfighting, rodeo events, and concerts in summer.

Something like this, taken in Malaga, Spain.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2673/800pxmalagaarena2004.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/i/800pxmalagaarena2004.jpg/)

too bad we won't ever get Spanish bullfighting. I said this a long time ago on this forum, but I wish Milwaukee could build an urban bullring somewhere on the southside. You would think with the large Latino population here that it could be done---with bullfighting, rodeo events, and concerts in summer.

Something like this, taken in Malaga, Spain.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2673/800pxmalagaarena2004.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/i/800pxmalagaarena2004.jpg/)

hmm.. i've been to Malaga but I must've missed that when I was there.

actually, speaking of the Latino population (among others) and far beyond a bullring (or a new arena to replace the BC, for that matter), I'd much prefer to see a soccer-specific stadium built in Milwaukee for an MLS team here. There have been numerous attempts to do this but they've met strong resistance from power-hungry tyrants like Ulice Payne, Jr. and the Bradley Center board.

a soccer stadium in Milwaukee would be tremendous.

I think we missed the boat on MLS. We had our chance and blew it, and now the league has become a "must have" for alot of big cities in the U.S. and Canada. And that sucks because Milwaukee would have been a great town for the sport, especially with a downtown stadium like they were planning. From what I heard, the city did nothing to help them find a good location to build.

Of course, I want a new arena above all else because we need to protect our existing assets like the Bucks. Hopefully, we do look at the MLS in the future. I would like to see a stadium replace the post office, along the river, when its eventually torn down.

Speaking of arenas...

UWM talking about on-campus arena
By Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel
Feb. 15, 2010 4:08 p.m. |(24) Comments

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is looking into the possibility of either building an on-campus arena for the school's basketball program or expanding the existing Klotsche Center, George Koonce, the school's athletic director, said Monday.

The possibilty of an on-campus arena, whichi could be anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 seats, is part of a long-term plan for the school, Koonce said. "We have considered the move back to campus," he said. "The passion of the students is the driver here."

Koonce stressed that planning toward an arena, which was first reported in the UWM Post online, is a long ways off. However, the university's Student Association has approved a $25 per student per semester fee which Koonce said could be used to help fund a new or expanded arena on campus.

The men's basketball program currently has a lease through the 2011-'12 season at the U.S. Cellular Arena in downtown Milwaukee. The women play at the Klotsche Center.

Koonce said the school could go in two directions: expand the Klotsche Center to meet the demands of the Horizon League or build new.

Richard Geyer, president of the Wisconsin Center District, which owns and operates the U.S. Cellular Arena, said Monday that he was aware of conversations UWM had had about moving back on campus.

"We know they were looking into the benefits of going back on campus. But I don't have any details," Geyer said.

The most obvious reason for moving back to campus is the revenue. The school would be able to keep all of its revenue on campus. Also, there would likely be increased student interest in the program.

One major challenge should UWM go ahead with a new arena is where to put it. To that end, the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents recently authorized spending $31 million to buy Columbia St. Mary's Hospital near campus.

There is no deal on that sale, but UWM officials have long coveted the Columbia campus for its own needs. Presumably the Columbia space would be enough to build a new arena.

I'll have more on this story in Tuesday's Journal Sentinel

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/84408692.html

I hope you're wrong about missing the boat, but if we did I blame a lot of people but most of all the Bradley Center board and in particular Ulice Payne Jr. who blocked what would have been a perfect development of land north of the Bradley Center for an MLS soccer stadium-- simply out of GREED. the BC didn't want the competition and claimed to have their own plans for the land--- of which nothing has come nor probably ever will.

I'd prefer an MLS team in Milwaukee over an NBA team anyday.

I hope you're wrong about missing the boat, but if we did I blame a lot of people but most of all the Bradley Center board and in particular Ulice Payne Jr. who blocked what would have been a perfect development of land north of the Bradley Center for an MLS soccer stadium-- simply out of GREED. the BC didn't want the competition and claimed to have their own plans for the land--- of which nothing has come nor probably ever will.

I'd prefer an MLS team in Milwaukee over an NBA team anyday.

yeah, it was very frustrating how that all went down. I hope I am wrong about 'missing the boat', but it seems like alot of cities want to get in on the MLS, making it more difficult for us. Vancouver, Portland, and Philly recently got teams. Cities like Montreal, St. Louis, Miami, Ottawa, and others have more backing to get teams/stadiums.

Hopefully, something happens here in the future and somebody with money gives it try. Milwaukee seems like it would be a good market for outdoor, summer soccer. I think the younger crowd would get into it like they have Miller Park and make it an exciting place.

As for MLS over NBA---got to disagree with you on that one. MLS is cool, but not at the level of the NBA. I would rather have guys like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Dwayne Wade making appearances here then Landon Donovan. I would probally put NHL over MLS too, but that would really give us an oversaturated market in the winter. At least with MLS, you don't really have too much competition aside from the Brewers.

Yep, I have to agree... MLS is cool and trendy and all, but it doesn't come close to the NBA. I say that even though I don't like NBA basketball. :-/

No, I understand that basketball does better in America currently than soccer and
is far more of an economic draw (in america right now), I'm just saying soccer is WAY cooler of a sport than basketball and a major part of me
wanting an mls team and soccer specific stadium in Milwaukee is so that we could host international friendlies and see really good champions league teams play in Milwaukee. But then, maybe that's because I lived in Germany.

All I have to say is that I'm a barista at a coffee shop on Brady St, and every day we get dozens of customers who come in chatting about the latest stats for the Champions League in Briton. I can think of at least a dozen customers who wake up at 7am on a regular basis to go to the bar and watch British soccer games. There are quite a few customers who wear their Chelsea jersey's around regularly. FIFA standings are a always being discussed.

...and not once have I heard anyone mention anything about baseball, basketball, or hockey.

I'm as much for sports and development as anybody and I will welcome a MLS team. I follow the national team when I can.

But soccer is like watching grass grow. I prefer basketball any day. I hope for the day when the NBA can get back to serious sport and stop the hiphop trash that's taken it over.

I'd also welcome the NHL, even though I think pro hockey is like pro wrestling and not to be taken seriously.

But soccer is like watching grass grow.

I'm willing to wager you don't really understand the rules/strategy of the game. Most people who don't understand baseball say the same thing about that sport.

In reality, there is much more fluid action in a soccer match than in an american football game or a basketball game. Basketball is timeout after timeout after timeout. Stop, start, stop, start. To many people THAT is like watching grass grow. You can label just about any sport as boring, if you don't understand it.

Yeah I agree MilwaukeeMax, I'm a real big hockey fan and can relate that most people who don't like it don't understand it and have never played it. Most people who understand the game love it.

Personally - I've never been much of a fan of hockey or soccer. Both seem pretty similar - and I hate going to an event where the final score may be 1 - 1, or 1 - 0 or 2 - 0. I do admit though - that the last time I went to an NHL game (Tampa Bay Lightning vs Colorado Avalanche) - I found it much more exciting to be watching it live. I also admit - I really don't understand all of the rules for either hockey or soccer. I suppose that would help -- but still --- waiting through 2 hours of an event to see one or two scores just seems pretty slow.

As far as big time soccer coming to the US -- the US is trying to land either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. The US Soccer Association has narrowed down its list for US host cities if the event will be held here. In the Midwest - the nearest cities to Milwaukee where you could watch World Cup soccer will be Indianapolis - and a little further away - Kansas City. See attached story: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/67/world-cup/2010/01/12/1741397/usa-20182022-world-cup-bid-announces-18-host-cities

All I have to say is that I'm a barista at a coffee shop on Brady St, and every day we get dozens of customers who come in chatting about the latest stats for the Champions League in Briton. I can think of at least a dozen customers who wake up at 7am on a regular basis to go to the bar and watch British soccer games. There are quite a few customers who wear their Chelsea jersey's around regularly. FIFA standings are a always being discussed.

...and not once have I heard anyone mention anything about baseball, basketball, or hockey.

Thats because you're a barista at a coffee shop on brady! :lol:

Thats because you're a barista at a coffee shop on brady! :lol:

Umm...I have no clue what that's supposed to mean.

Ingeteam, a Spanish manufacturer of wind-turbine generators, will locate its new factory in the Menomonee Valley, Gale Klappa, co-chairman of the Milwaukee 7 economic development coalition, announced Monday.

http://assets.bizjournals.com/db_image/1136991-339.jpg

I hope for the day when the NBA can get back to serious sport and stop the hiphop trash that's taken it over.

Maybe this is totally besides the point on a development forum, but I don't think this statement is so true any more. I'm not a huge NBA fan (I am a huge soccer fan incidentally, go Fulham!), but my impression is that things have changed considerably in the NBA. There's a whole generation of stars like LeBron, Wade, Durant, etc. that are anything but hip hop trash. I think 10 years ago there was more to what you say, but I don't think it's the case today. Sometimes it takes time for perception to catch up with reality. And sure, there are cases like the Artest melee, but that's not representative of the whole sport, and there are bad elements in every sport. But I think a case can be made that the NBA has never had more quality stars than it has today.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/04/china.milwaukee.mall/t1larg.stores.gi.jpg

CNN
Coming to Milwaukee: A Chinese Mega-Mall? (http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/04/china.milwaukee.mall/index.html)

Beijing, China (CNN) -- A Beijing-based company will soon open a Chinese-style mega shopping mall in the most unlikely of places: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"The cost of doing business there is very low," said Wu Li, president of Toward Group. "The people are friendly, the environment is peaceful and the pace of living is slow. It is a good place for Chinese enterprises to go abroad."

Loaded with cash, credit and encouraged by the government to expand overseas, Chinese companies have been investing in property abroad at an increasingly rapid clip. While most are purchasing properties in traditional commercials centers like New York, few have ventured into the Rust Belt -- until now.

"Americans should be prepared that more Chinese investors will buy up commercial real estate in the United States in 2010 to take advantage of low valuations in an improving economy," said Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group, a Shanghai-based market intelligence firm. "It could be a huge trend."

A 2009 China Market Research Group study found that 80 percent of 100 Chinese companies surveyed plan to capitalize on property discounts abroad as a result of the financial crisis.

Last month, Wu's company announced it snagged the Northridge mall, a dormant shopping complex in northwestern Milwaukee that was built in the 1970's, for $6 million. The company plans to open the mall, renamed AmAsia, in August.

"You go into a place like Milwaukee, and you have a country that has no clue what people in Milwaukee want in a mall and when they buy it the first thing they do is change it to run like a Japanese mall or a Korean mall or a Chinese mall," Dickinson said. "Well nobody wants to go and then they bail." A Chinese mall is exactly what Wu envisions for Milwaukee.

He is recruiting retailers from Beijing and Ningbo, a seaport in northeastern China that is also Milwaukee's sister city, to fill the AmAsia Plaza by August. He is offering six months free rent as an incentive. Two potential candidates include Beijing Wu Yu Tai Tea Company Ltd. and Tong Sheng He, a shoe shop.

The goal, he says, is to help Chinese brands boost their image in America while enabling American businesses to connect directly with Chinese wholesalers without having to go through a middleman.

"It is only a matter of time for the U.S. to recognize Chinese products are high quality," he said. "[The mall] will represent the highest levels of Chinese manufacturing."

AmAsia will also feature exhibitions to "show off the rich culture of China."

"One month there will be Chinese painting, another month Peking Opera or traditional dance from Yunnan province," Wu said. "Our hope is that it will become a tourist destination for local and regional communities."

But will Milwaukeeans want to go there?

"I think it is going to be very successful," said Bob Kraft, a Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce board member and chairman of RCI FirstPathway Partners LLC, a firm that helps foreigners who invest in U.S. ventures.

Kraft said he is exploring some sort of business partnership with Toward Group on the project but declined to disclose details. He added that Milwaukee has "a lot more Chinese investors in the pipeline who are coming."

"There is no Chinatown or Chinese destination in the state," Kraft said. "I think the timing is perfect for it."

Umm...I have no clue what that's supposed to mean.

If you were a barista at a coffee shop in granville you'd be hearing about basketball, football and baseball.

Personally - I've never been much of a fan of hockey or soccer. Both seem pretty similar - and I hate going to an event where the final score may be 1 - 1, or 1 - 0 or 2 - 0. I do admit though - that the last time I went to an NHL game (Tampa Bay Lightning vs Colorado Avalanche) - I found it much more exciting to be watching it live. I also admit - I really don't understand all of the rules for either hockey or soccer. I suppose that would help -- but still --- waiting through 2 hours of an event to see one or two scores just seems pretty slow.

As far as big time soccer coming to the US -- the US is trying to land either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. The US Soccer Association has narrowed down its list for US host cities if the event will be held here. In the Midwest - the nearest cities to Milwaukee where you could watch World Cup soccer will be Indianapolis - and a little further away - Kansas City. See attached story: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/67/world-cup/2010/01/12/1741397/usa-20182022-world-cup-bid-announces-18-host-cities

soccer isn't really all about high scoring.. it's more about the gameplay.. the strategy... baseball fans understand this more than anyone else. soccer is INCREDIBLY watchable if you know what you're watching.

anyway, that list... I had heard months ago they were considering using Lambeau Field... I'm shocked they are not even using Chicago like they did the last time the US hosted. Nashville?? Indianapolis?? don't the Colts play on that grotesque field turf anyway? they'd need real grass.

If you were a barista at a coffee shop in granville you'd be hearing about basketball, football and baseball.

all the more reason Milwaukee should have an MLS team... I didn't say granville should have an MLS team... Milwaukee should :)

^^


I take serious issue with the way this Lara Farrar person from CNN wrote this article..

Starting it with those two stock photos she pulled --- one attempting to look like your stereotypical Americana carnival -- probably taken in hick-lanta, where CNN is based... then she opens with "in the most unlikely of places: Milwaukee, Wisconsin."

umm, F-you, CNN... Milwaukee has an ethnically diverse population including residents from Asian nations such as China. It's just as likely a city to be home to a Chinese mall as any other American city without a major Chinatown. Also, she writes out the full location of the city as being in "Milwaukee, Wisconsin", as if to expect the reader doesn't know what state Milwaukee is in. Ridiculous.

She then picks out a quote from the investor that continue her demeaning tone... "the pace of living is slow"
-- again, people are lot slower in CNN's hometown of Atlanta and in the South than they are in the Midwest...

Then another reference to the "Rust Belt"... again F-you, Lara Farrar and CNN. You're jealous you didn't get this in the Bible Belt.

It's people like her and stories that are written like this which perpetuate Milwaukee's negative image among the ignorant masses.

No, I understand that basketball does better in America currently than soccer and
is far more of an economic draw (in america right now), I'm just saying soccer is WAY cooler of a sport than basketball and a major part of me
wanting an mls team and soccer specific stadium in Milwaukee is so that we could host international friendlies and see really good champions league teams play in Milwaukee. But then, maybe that's because I lived in Germany.

They both have good and bad things about them, but I think that basketball is still more exciting of a game. Soccer is exciting too (mostly near the goal), but it would take years for this country to develop European/Latin American-esque passion for the game. Milwaukee would embrace the game I think with cheaper ticket prices, lower beer prices (I would assume), the ability to tailgate, and soccer culture embracing public drunkeness/acting like an assclown.

It would be awesome to have WC qualifiers, U.S. Soccer friendlies, and exhibitions between European teams like they have in Chicago.

All I have to say is that I'm a barista at a coffee shop on Brady St, and every day we get dozens of customers who come in chatting about the latest stats for the Champions League in Briton. I can think of at least a dozen customers who wake up at 7am on a regular basis to go to the bar and watch British soccer games. There are quite a few customers who wear their Chelsea jersey's around regularly. FIFA standings are a always being discussed.

...and not once have I heard anyone mention anything about baseball, basketball, or hockey.

Probally because of the Nomad, which is a big time soccer bar, is on Brady. I maybe can understand basketball (because the Bucks get no love in this city), but baseball? The Brewers get alot of love in this city.

I see quite a few people wearing soccer jerseys (including me), but would these people even support a Milwaukee team? Soccer fans can be like that. You would have people in Milwaukee claiming to be Liverpool, Real Madrid, or Club America (and every Mexican team), refusing to support an upstart MLS team. Soccer fans can be the biggest snobs in the sporting world.

Maybe this is totally besides the point on a development forum, but I don't think this statement is so true any more. I'm not a huge NBA fan (I am a huge soccer fan incidentally, go Fulham!), but my impression is that things have changed considerably in the NBA. There's a whole generation of stars like LeBron, Wade, Durant, etc. that are anything but hip hop trash. I think 10 years ago there was more to what you say, but I don't think it's the case today. Sometimes it takes time for perception to catch up with reality. And sure, there are cases like the Artest melee, but that's not representative of the whole sport, and there are bad elements in every sport. But I think a case can be made that the NBA has never had more quality stars than it has today.

I can see why people view the NBA as a "hip hop" league. Just look at this past week's All Star Game. The pregame introductions was one big rap show with players dancing and all. The hiphop culture is tied at the hip with the NBA. The problem is that people associate NBA players with crime and assclownery. You always hear that when people bitch about the Bucks, but never about the Packers/NFL---which is probally a more crime-ridden league.

This is probally one of the best eras of basketball players, but these guys just rub people the wrong way. They are so cocky and they get away with so much that it bothers alot of people. Sure, that existed in the 80's-90's but the league seems more about star power then teams nowadays.

I see quite a few people wearing soccer jerseys (including me), but would these people even support a Milwaukee team? Soccer fans can be like that. You would have people in Milwaukee claiming to be Liverpool, Real Madrid, or Club America (and every Mexican team), refusing to support an upstart MLS team. Soccer fans can be the biggest snobs in the sporting world.


This has more to do with the fact that the MLS provides a sub-par product at the moment. Let's face it: MLS teams suck. It's not good soccer. This is probably why there isn't as much of an interest as there should be yet.


On a side note, "Assclownery" is a marvelous word.

^^


I take serious issue with the way this Lara Farrar person from CNN wrote this article..

Starting it with those two stock photos she pulled --- one attempting to look like your stereotypical Americana carnival -- probably taken in hick-lanta, where CNN is based... then she opens with "in the most unlikely of places: Milwaukee, Wisconsin."

It's people like her and stories that are written like this which perpetuate Milwaukee's negative image among the ignorant masses.

Yeah, that s--t annoys me as well. You always hear these people talking down about Milwaukee or making reference to our stereotypes. Just look at that Mitchell being Chicago's 3rd airport article from USA Today. "Mention Milwaukee, and many people would think of city icons such as bratwurst, Miller Beer or even Laverne and Shirley." I understand we are stereotyped, but for christsakes.....Do they reference The Wire in articles about Baltimore?

^^


I take serious issue with the way this Lara Farrar person from CNN wrote this article..

Starting it with those two stock photos she pulled --- one attempting to look like your stereotypical Americana carnival -- probably taken in hick-lanta, where CNN is based... then she opens with "in the most unlikely of places: Milwaukee, Wisconsin."

umm, F-you, CNN... Milwaukee has an ethnically diverse population including residents from Asian nations such as China. It's just as likely a city to be home to a Chinese mall as any other American city without a major Chinatown. Also, she writes out the full location of the city as being in "Milwaukee, Wisconsin", as if to expect the reader doesn't know what state Milwaukee is in. Ridiculous.

She then picks out a quote from the investor that continue her demeaning tone... "the pace of living is slow"
-- again, people are lot slower in CNN's hometown of Atlanta and in the South than they are in the Midwest...

Then another reference to the "Rust Belt"... again F-you, Lara Farrar and CNN. You're jealous you didn't get this in the Bible Belt.

It's people like her and stories that are written like this which perpetuate Milwaukee's negative image among the ignorant masses.

Not to defend her, but a lot of people, people in the U.S. mind you, actually think Milwaukee is in Minesotta. On top of that, there is a good chance people from outside the US may pick up the story and republish it to people who have never even heard of Milwaukee.

And honestly, would I have ever guessed the first Chinese mega-mall in the US would sprout in MKE? Never in a million years. It's rich diversity aside, there is just nothing here that would lend one to think something like that would ever happen...I mean...where is the catalyst? Milwaukee does have some international prowess that might allow it to put its name on the map in certain avenues, but Chinese retail? c'mon.

Personally, I think this mall is going to flop. I think the scale of the project is just too big to be sustainable around here. They couldn't even sell goods there that people knew about and wanted to buy...how do they expect to sell stuff no one's ever heard of, particularly when the stereotype of Chinese products is engrained in most peoples heads as cheap crap. I'm sure once its open I will go there and check it out, and I hope I am convincingly wrong on my current opinion, but chances are it would be my first and only trip.

This has more to do with the fact that the MLS provides a sub-par product at the moment. Let's face it: MLS teams suck. It's not good soccer. This is probably why there isn't as much of an interest as there should be yet.


On a side note, "Assclownery" is a marvelous word.

Well, they aren't THAT bad. Not as good as Europe or Brazil, but I would put MLS on a semi-respectable tier. The league will only get good when salaries for soccer players in this country rival those in the other sports, prompting kids in high school to put more into the game.

I forget where I heard assclownery from. It may have very well been on this very forum. :lol:

^^


I take serious issue with the way this Lara Farrar person from CNN wrote this article..

Starting it with those two stock photos she pulled --- one attempting to look like your stereotypical Americana carnival -- probably taken in hick-lanta, where CNN is based... then she opens with "in the most unlikely of places: Milwaukee, Wisconsin."

umm, F-you, CNN... Milwaukee has an ethnically diverse population including residents from Asian nations such as China. It's just as likely a city to be home to a Chinese mall as any other American city without a major Chinatown. Also, she writes out the full location of the city as being in "Milwaukee, Wisconsin", as if to expect the reader doesn't know what state Milwaukee is in. Ridiculous.

She then picks out a quote from the investor that continue her demeaning tone... "the pace of living is slow"
-- again, people are lot slower in CNN's hometown of Atlanta and in the South than they are in the Midwest...

Then another reference to the "Rust Belt"... again F-you, Lara Farrar and CNN. You're jealous you didn't get this in the Bible Belt.

It's people like her and stories that are written like this which perpetuate Milwaukee's negative image among the ignorant masses.

Ummmm....

a) The Asian population in Milwaukee is kind of only beginning to form, so yes, it is very surprising to see a Chinese mall in Milwaukee. Asians account for a very small demographic.

b) The pace of life in Milwaukee is considerably slower than in other cities in the country. Why do you have to think that's an insult?

c) Atlanta already has a very significant Asian population and several Chinese and Korean malls. So no, they're not jealous.

Ummmm....

a) The Asian population in Milwaukee is kind of only beginning to form, so yes, it is very surprising to see a Chinese mall in Milwaukee. Asians account for a very small demographic.

b) The pace of life in Milwaukee is considerably slower than in other cities in the country. Why do you have to think that's an insult?

c) Atlanta already has a very significant Asian population and a Chinatown. So no, they're not jealous.

but is Milwaukee really the 'most unlikely of places'? It's stuff like that annoys me. It's condescending and something of a shot at Milwaukee being a real city. Sure, we don't have the biggest Asian population but has this woman ever looked at a map, noticing the large city to the south that we appear to share a metro with?

Umm...I have no clue what that's supposed to mean.

Well, it was a joke... but it's based on demographics. A coffee shop on Brady is going to yield (in general) different sports discussions then say... a bar in South Milwaukee or a steakhouse in Brookfield.

but is Milwaukee really the 'most unlikely of places'? It's stuff like that annoys me. It's condescending and something of a shot at Milwaukee being a real city. Sure, we don't have the biggest Asian population but has this woman ever looked at a map, noticing the large city to the south that we appear to share a metro with?

Honestly the only cities where this is less likely to occur is Omaha or Boise.

And trust me, the rest of the country does not have some sort of standard where 'real city' means 'has Chinese stuff.'

Honestly the only cities where this is less likely to occur is Omaha or Boise.

And trust me, the rest of the country does not have some sort of standard where 'real city' means 'has Chinese stuff.'

I don't know if the list is that short. I think there are alot of cities in this country that if got this, would make as much sense as Milwaukee. New Orleans, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, Tampa, etc. It always seems like we are singled out though, even though we have a similar population to alot of these cities.

Honestly the only cities where this is less likely to occur is Omaha or Boise.

And trust me, the rest of the country does not have some sort of standard where 'real city' means 'has Chinese stuff.'

you seem to not know Milwaukee very well...

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a81/Maximilian77/Milwaukeechinesetimes.jpg

you seem to not know Milwaukee very well...
I would agree with CGII that the Asian pop in Milwaukee isn't that great to the point there should be a whole mall of America, but I think CGII carrys it too far to prove his point. In the end, because of that, CGII shows himself to be just as ignorant as anybody else about the Asian population, or it's influence on Milwaukee.

Horse apiece.

you seem to not know Milwaukee very well...


There are more people in Milwaukee who in the last census listed their race as 'other' than as 'Asian. I'm not entirely sure how a Chinese newspaper from Brookfield makes Milwaukee a Chinese mecca.

This is the racial breakdown of Milwaukee Asians from the last census:

Ethnicity | population | % of population

Asian | 17,571 | 2.9%

Asian Indian | 2,313 | 0.4%
Chinese | 1,232 | 0.2%
Filipino | 826 | 0.1%
Japanese |328 | 0.1%
Korean | 505 | 0.1%
Vietnamese | 1,224 | 0.2%
Other Asian | 11,143 | 1.9%

Fine, call me ignorant when I say Milwaukee's Asian population is only beginning to grow. But look at the numbers in Milwaukee, then look at the numbers and communities in other cities, and wake up. I'm not trying to diss my hometown, I'm trying to be pragmatic and express a fundamental truth. Milwaukee has 1,200 Chinese people out of 600,000 others. That's not a significant demographic in a city where whites account for 50% of the population, blacks 37%, and hispanics 12%. So yes, it is surprising that this is the place where a Chinese mega market decides to set up. Who cares.

I've known about this for a while now and I am still shocked that Chicago (Soldier Field?) is not among the proposed venues for a 2018 or 2022 USA WC bid - the opening ceremony and match of the 1994 WC were there.

I like watching 'fútbol' - and it can be a NERVE-WRACKING game indeed to watch if the score is tied late and you are rooting for one of the two sides! It is just like watching a monumental pitching duel in a baseball game, such as a 1-1 (or even 0-0!) score after 14 innings.

I seriously doubt that Lambeau Field could ever host an international match as the stadium seating bowl and field are too narrow.

I wonder if and when we'll see the MLS grow to a point where they might split it into European-style separate divisions based on on-the-field performance, with teams being promoted and relegated between them at the end of each season. That might be a good way to the Milwaukee market to get into that league.

Also, I do like the fact that there is real interest in Northridge and if that Chinese proposal works out, it will be a real boost for the city as well as for the state. Milwaukee has ALWAYS been a city of immigrants and their descendants and this is really no different from the previous Polish, Germans, Serbs, Italians, Irish, Mexicans, etc.

:cheers1:

Mike

There are more people in Milwaukee who in the last census listed their race as 'other' than as 'Asian. I'm not entirely sure how a Chinese newspaper from Brookfield makes Milwaukee a Chinese mecca.

This is the racial breakdown of Milwaukee Asians from the last census:

Ethnicity | population | % of population

Asian | 17,571 | 2.9%

Asian Indian | 2,313 | 0.4%
Chinese | 1,232 | 0.2%
Filipino | 826 | 0.1%
Japanese |328 | 0.1%
Korean | 505 | 0.1%
Vietnamese | 1,224 | 0.2%
Other Asian | 11,143 | 1.9%

Fine, call me ignorant when I say Milwaukee's Asian population is only beginning to grow. But look at the numbers in Milwaukee, then look at the numbers and communities in other cities, and wake up. I'm not trying to diss my hometown, I'm trying to be pragmatic and express a fundamental truth. Milwaukee has 1,200 Chinese people out of 600,000 others. That's not a significant demographic in a city where whites account for 50% of the population, blacks 37%, and hispanics 12%. So yes, it is surprising that this is the place where a Chinese mega market decides to set up. Who cares.
And it doesn't matter too much just how big the Asian pop is in Milwaukee, what matters is the Asian pop in the state, which is rather high. The point odviously is that the devlopers want to attrack the Asian populations from all over to come to their mall.

The Asian people are different from the normal American in many ways, they will travel large distances in support of their culture and well being. They don't take the samethings we all take for granted. In Wausau there is around 5 to 6 thousand Asians and I'm more than sure the large majority of them will gladly travel to Milwaukee and spend their money at this mall. Same goes for the large Asian pop in the Twin Cities. They will travel and wont think another thing about it.

I think before people start slinging numbers around they should get to know those numbers as people, it makes a world of difference. I wish the people who really need to wake up would wake up.

all the more reason Milwaukee should have an MLS team... I didn't say granville should have an MLS team... Milwaukee should :)

Who suggested mls in granville? That's not relevant. I was simply mentioning the different crowds that frequent a place on brady vs the northwest side, and my take on ajknee's misunderstanding..

And it doesn't matter too much just how big the Asian pop is in Milwaukee, what matters is the Asian pop in the state, which is rather high. The point odviously is that the devlopers want to attrack the Asian populations from all over to come to their mall.

The Asian percentage of the state population is lower than that of Milwaukee, at 1.9 percent, of which 33% is Hmong [not Chinese].

The Asian people are different from the normal American in many ways, they will travel large distances in support of their culture and well being. They don't take the samethings we all take for granted. In Wausau there is around 5 to 6 thousand Asians and I'm more than sure the large majority of them will gladly travel to Milwaukee and spend their money at this mall. Same goes for the large Asian pop in the Twin Cities. They will travel and wont think another thing about it.

I think before people start slinging numbers around they should get to know those numbers as people, it makes a world of difference. I wish the people who really need to wake up would wake up.

I'm not saying the mall won't be successful. I'm not making a comment on the culture of Asians. I'm saying Wisconsin and Milwaukee are far behind the national average population of Asians and that's why it is surprising for me that Milwaukee is where this is happening; unless your point is that this is happening here only because the population of Asians here is so low and decentralized that it requires a complex like this for it to convene - because the East and West Coasts have very high, very dense Asian populations that don't have this happening.

The problem is you show yourself as knowing nothing about the Asian culture or what these people are like. My point is, to you people are numbers and nothing more. Your constant use of numbers proves that.

As I said in this post:
I would agree with CGII that the Asian pop in Milwaukee isn't that great to the point there should be a whole mall of America, but I think CGII carrys it too far to prove his point. In the end, because of that, CGII shows himself to be just as ignorant as anybody else about the Asian population, or it's influence on Milwaukee.

Horse apiece.

It would seem obvious that the asian mall proposal is not only looking for asian customers. It looks like they are looking to target both asians in the midwest between Minneapolis and Chicago, while also trying to tap into the existing population of the Milwaukee area.

I'm looking at this less like a mall focusing on serving asians, but more on an asian themed mall that is hoping to directly market Chinese goods to American consumers.

Please take the demographic pissing contests elsewhere. Yes, Milwaukee has more asians than many metros. Also, no one is surprised that Milwaukee has less of an asian population than larger west coast cities and NYC, that's just common sense.

The problem is you show yourself as knowing nothing about the Asian culture or what these people are like. My point is, to you people are numbers and nothing more. Your constant use of numbers proves that.

As I said in this post:
I would agree with CGII that the Asian pop in Milwaukee isn't that great to the point there should be a whole mall of America, but I think CGII carrys it too far to prove his point. In the end, because of that, CGII shows himself to be just as ignorant as anybody else about the Asian population, or it's influence on Milwaukee.

Horse apiece.

Your 'greater knowledge' of Asian culture has not explained why this mall is happening in Milwaukee rather than someplace else. All you've done to counter my arguments are claim that I am ignorant and facts are wrong. All I've said to instigate all of this is that I am surprised it's happening in Milwaukee because there ain't really much of an Asian community in the city, state, or region; because regardless of whether or not they will travel long distances, that same cultural facet is also true for other cities, states and regions where they are larger in number and more established in community. So why is that nationwide phenomenon you mention specific to Milwaukee?

Here's the facts:
Milwaukee doesn't have many Asians, and it's greater area has little resembling a coherent, solid Asian community.
Asians everywhere in this country are more willing to move long distance than 'American Americans.'
There is not some coastal elitist force trying to undermine Milwaukee's credibility as a great and diverse city.
I'm surprised [and happy] that this project is happening.


By the way, I live across the river from the largest Chinese neighbourhood in the country and just spent the last 5 months researching it for a project there.

LOL, by the way, some of my best friends are Asian, LOL, yeah, ok CGII, whatever...

In Wausau I dont live across the river from them, they are my neighbors, they live across the street from me and next door, so please stop trying to impress me with how close you live by them. You have 5 months of research, I have 15 years of living right next to them and working with them, and yes, being friends with some of them too.

Is that mall project not also expected to draw from Chicagoland?

Mike

LOL, by the way, some of my best friends are Asian, LOL, yeah, ok CGII, whatever...

In Wausau I dont live across the river from them, they are my neighbors, they live across the street from me and next door, so please stop trying to impress me with how close you live by them.

Are you going to explain why a universal Chinese cultural condition is manifesting in Milwaukee rather than elsewhere in the country or throw insults?

All I've said to instigate all of this is that I am surprised it's happening in Milwaukee because there ain't really much of an Asian community in the city, state, or region; because regardless of whether or not they will travel long distances, that same cultural facet is also true for other cities, states and regions where they are larger in number and more established in community. So why is that nationwide phenomenon you mention specific to Milwaukee?
I think the real problem here is that that Atlanta Journalist did use the facts in a way to bash Milwaukee, whether you agree with that or not. This Mall really is just a name. In order to atrack the most poeple posible and in the widest area posible they named it the way they did. There was absolutely no reason for some Journalist From Atlanta to bash Milwaukee for this. As you've said, Atlanta already has some pretty big places for orientals to go and shop for goods targeted to them so what is he or she complaining about? good question!


Here's the facts:
Milwaukee doesn't have many Asians, and it's greater area has little resembling a coherent, solid Asian community.
If you take the whole region as a whole, there are plenty of people of east asian descent. The developers wanted this mall to be centralised in the Midwest. Milwaukee is a good location in that respect.


Asians everywhere in this country are more willing to move long distance than 'American Americans.'
I agree, they are a very proud people and don't want to lose their cultural heritage. I know that so far the best places for the Wausau Asians to shop is in the Twin Cities and they go there in large numbers. With this mall opening up in Milwaukee they will travel there either just as much or more so.


There is not some coastal elitist force trying to undermine Milwaukee's credibility as a great and diverse city.
That's not the sense I got from the parts of the article that MilwaukeeMax posted. I see a clear elitist attitude going on.


I'm surprised [and happy] that this project is happening.
So should we all, I am too.

Is that mall project not also expected to draw from Chicagoland?

MikeIt's meant to draw people from alot further than just Chicago.

It would seem obvious that the asian mall proposal is not only looking for asian customers. It looks like they are looking to target both asians in the midwest between Minneapolis and Chicago, while also trying to tap into the existing population of the Milwaukee area.

I'm looking at this less like a mall focusing on serving asians, but more on an asian themed mall that is hoping to directly market Chinese goods to American consumers.

Please take the demographic pissing contests elsewhere. Yes, Milwaukee has more asians than many metros. Also, no one is surprised that Milwaukee has less of an asian population than larger west coast cities and NYC, that's just common sense.

You are exactly right!!!! I'm not Asian but I'm sure I'll venture in whenever this gets built. There is no way a mega mall could survive with 3% of the population supporting it, assuming that every single person of Asian decent shopped there. It really looks like everyone is missing the intention of this project.

The problem with the Chinese mall is the same as it was with Northridge. It's too difficult to get to. It doesn't help any that the neighborhood has become, let's say, downtrodden.

Someone said it in the past but it's still true: we in the US can afford better sports. The fact that we have football, baseball and even hockey teams throughout our high schools demonstrates the wealth of our country.

I really don't see soccer ever becoming a major league sport here. The MLS is as good as it will get. I do support it staying strong and if Milwaukee gets a team I will follow them. I have always kept an eye on the Wave/Rampage/United and celebrated their championships, just as I always have the Admirals. I also follow the college teams in both those sports. If the NHL ever comes here I'll follow them.

I'd say Milwaukee supports the Bucks. After all, they did win a championship and for the first 15 or so years they were a model of success and stability and the envy of most cities. Ever since Kohl bought them (and I recognize that they would have probably left otherwise) he has interfered enough with the operation that he forced a great coach away and with him all of that dignity and respect. It is very sad that they have become almost a laughing stock not quite as low as the Clippers, but not far above. I have great hope in what Hammond and Skiles are doing now. If they can keep it going I believe not only will the Bucks become a contender again, but they will keep it going for a while. Back in the 70's and 80's the Packers were in the same situation and that finally got turned around for good.

I can see why people view the NBA as a "hip hop" league. Just look at this past week's All Star Game. The pregame introductions was one big rap show with players dancing and all. The hiphop culture is tied at the hip with the NBA. The problem is that people associate NBA players with crime and assclownery. You always hear that when people bitch about the Bucks, but never about the Packers/NFL---which is probally a more crime-ridden league.

This is probally one of the best eras of basketball players, but these guys just rub people the wrong way. They are so cocky and they get away with so much that it bothers alot of people. Sure, that existed in the 80's-90's but the league seems more about star power then teams nowadays.

El Mariachi, this is exactly right.

Jesse is correct, the Mall's objective is to sell chinese goods to Americans, not Chinese cultural products to chinese immigrants or people of Chinese (or especially other Asian) decent. Arguing about demographics and how many chinese people (or Asians) live in Milwaukee and/or Wisconsin is irrelevant.

I don't believe CGII was being ignorant in his statement that Milwaukee is an unlikely place for this sort of project. Retail period does not come to a city like Milwaukee first, let alone foreign retail for a type of project that has never been tested before.

http://www.biztimes.com/daily/
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Milwaukee lands $21.5 million in more stimulus funds
The White House announced today that the city of Milwaukee will receive $21.5 million in stimulus funds to rebuild the Juneau Avenue lift bridge and to rehabilitate the Wisconsin Avenue lift bridge, both located in downtown Milwaukee.
The funds are part of the $1.5 billion TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) discretionary grant program, which is part of the federal stimulus package, announced today by President Barack Obama and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
The U.S. Department of Transportation received more than 1,400 applications for the TIGER funds, and 51 of those projects were selected for the funding.
The total cost of the Juneau Avenue bridge and the Wisconsin Avenue bridge projects is $29 million.
The Juneau Avenue bridge, which was built in 1953, spans across the Milwaukee River between Water and Old World Third Street. The new bridge is expected to last for 75 years and serve more than 257 million vehicles during the course of its life, according to the White House.
The Wisconsin Avenue bridge spans across the river between Water Street and North Plankinton Avenue. The rehabilitation of the Wisconsin Avenue bridge is expected to last for at least 45 years.
City officials learned about the stimulus grant funding today. Engineering and design work still needs to be done, and a detailed schedule has not been set yet, said city engineer Jeff Polenske. Construction will likely begin next year, he said.
“It will be put on the fast track,” Polenske said.
Milwaukee Alderman Robert Bauman said the work the bridges is “absolutely essential” for the city.
“These are bridges that need repair. This is really important stuff. These bridges are critical for the circulation of traffic in the city. This is $21.5 million that we absolutely do not have,” Bauman said.
The city had to do some interim repairs to the Juneau Avenue bridge last year and next week will start work on a 10-week project for interim repairs to the Wisconsin Avenue bridge, Bauman said.
Without the stimulus dollars, the repairs would have a $29 million impact on the city’s property tax levy, Bauman said.
City officials had considered making them non-lift bridges, which would have reduced the cost to repair them significantly, Bauman said. About 95 percent of the boats that the bridges are raised for are “pleasure boats,” he said.
However, if the bridges could not lift up for those private boats, the city would be hurt economically because it would be more difficult to attract affluent residents to live in the downtown area, he said.
The city has replaced several downtown bridges in recent years. The State Street lift bridge and Kilbourn Avenue lift bridge were rebuilt. Construction is ongoing on the new Humboldt Avenue bridge.

Jesse is correct, the Mall's objective is to sell chinese goods to Americans, not Chinese cultural products to chinese immigrants or people of Chinese (or especially other Asian) decent. Arguing about demographics and how many chinese people (or Asians) live in Milwaukee and/or Wisconsin is irrelevant.

I don't believe CGII was being ignorant in his statement that Milwaukee is an unlikely place for this sort of project. Retail period does not come to a city like Milwaukee first, let alone foreign retail for a type of project that has never been tested before.
Yeah, I'm sorry for calling CGII ignorant on the matter of knowing the Asian people, he just has a different opinion perhaps. I do see that Atlanta journalist taking a cheap shot at not just Milwaukee but the "Rust Belt" as well. I also think you and Jesse are right on the point that it isn't so much the Asian demographics as it is companies producing asian goods wanting to open up markets among all Americans, no matter the demographics.

^^ Right --- I'm sure the developers of this mall weren't aiming their demographics at just the Chinese. They are trying to open up their sales to average Americans. They've found a piece of property for a good price - and think they can do well by opening this Chinese mall here and selling their products to the locals and other folks from the surrounding area.


Also --- re. the comment about putting in grass in Lucas Oil Stadium (two pages back) --- that is going to be a tricky thing. I've read though - that all stadiums that would be hosting World Cup Games in the US would need to install real grass turf. I'm not sure how they'd do it in Indy. I'm thinking they'd have to grow large areas of grass on some type of platform and then move it inside the stadium and piece it together. Doesn't sound like the greatest thing --- but I suppose they'll have a way figured out to make it work (if the World Cup comes to the US). Each of the host cities would probably only be hosting games for a few days - so they'd just have to figure out a way to make something work for a short time. Lucas Oil Stadium does have the retractable roof though -- so they could get it set up inside a few weeks in advance, perhaps - and keep the roof open to get sunshine in to help the grass continue to grow -- and figure out a way to water it internally. (They wouldn't want to keep the roof open during a summer rain storm because LOS isn't built to handle significant rains coming into the interior of the structure.) I'm not sure why Soldier Field didn't meet the cut off to host World Cup games.

I think the real problem here is that that Atlanta Journalist did use the facts in a way to bash Milwaukee, whether you agree with that or not. This Mall really is just a name. In order to atrack the most poeple posible and in the widest area posible they named it the way they did. There was absolutely no reason for some Journalist From Atlanta to bash Milwaukee for this. As you've said, Atlanta already has some pretty big places for orientals to go and shop for goods targeted to them so what is he or she complaining about? good question!

Some would say calling Azn people oriental is ignorant. My friend from Seoul for example gets offended by oriental, but some Vietnamese people I know aren't.

I used to date a girl who was half Chinese and she always joked that she was related to all the Chinese people in Milwaukee.

Yeah, I'm sorry for calling CGII ignorant on the matter of knowing the Asian people, he just has a different opinion perhaps. I do see that Atlanta journalist taking a cheap shot at not just Milwaukee but the "Rust Belt" as well. I also think you and Jesse are right on the point that it isn't so much the Asian demographics as it is companies producing asian goods wanting to open up markets among all Americans, no matter the demographics.

Yeah, I forgot to add that part about the Journalist. It was obviously written in a manner that looks down on Milwaukee.

http://www.biztimes.com/daily/
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Milwaukee lands $21.5 million in more stimulus funds
The White House announced today that the city of Milwaukee will receive $21.5 million in stimulus funds to rebuild the Juneau Avenue lift bridge and to rehabilitate the Wisconsin Avenue lift bridge, both located in downtown Milwaukee.


Yay! Two more bridges that the city can mismanage and run millions of dollars over budget!

The city is now 3 for 3 on these bridge replacements. I realize that replacement of the bridges has to be done... but I want to know what they plan on doing for those two bridges to keep it from being a disaster like the State, Kilbourn, and Homboldt bridges were.

I like watching 'fútbol' - and it can be a NERVE-WRACKING game indeed to watch if the score is tied late and you are rooting for one of the two sides! It is just like watching a monumental pitching duel in a baseball game, such as a 1-1 (or even 0-0!) score after 14 innings.

II wonder if and when we'll see the MLS grow to a point where they might split it into European-style separate divisions based on on-the-field performance, with teams being promoted and relegated between them at the end of each season. That might be a good way to the Milwaukee market to get into that league.



I completely agree about soccer being a nerve wracking sport. Especially the national team. My heart was racing and I was suprisingly upset when the U.S. national team coughed up a 2-0 lead over Brazil in the Confederations Cup final. Also got pretty amped when the U.S. scored the soccer equivalent of a buzzer beater aganist Costa Rica to eliminate them from the World Cup and push Honduras into it.

As for the MLS and relegation/promotion--hopefully something like that can happen in the future. It would make the league more exciting and competive. What Milwaukee needs right now is a USL team, which would be second tier below MLS. Perhaps the team could play at Marquette's stadium in the Valley?

The problem with the Chinese mall is the same as it was with Northridge. It's too difficult to get to. It doesn't help any that the neighborhood has become, let's say, downtrodden.

Someone said it in the past but it's still true: we in the US can afford better sports. The fact that we have football, baseball and even hockey teams throughout our high schools demonstrates the wealth of our country.

I really don't see soccer ever becoming a major league sport here. The MLS is as good as it will get. I do support it staying strong and if Milwaukee gets a team I will follow them. I have always kept an eye on the Wave/Rampage/United and celebrated their championships, just as I always have the Admirals. I also follow the college teams in both those sports. If the NHL ever comes here I'll follow them.

I'd say Milwaukee supports the Bucks. After all, they did win a championship and for the first 15 or so years they were a model of success and stability and the envy of most cities. Ever since Kohl bought them (and I recognize that they would have probably left otherwise) he has interfered enough with the operation that he forced a great coach away and with him all of that dignity and respect. It is very sad that they have become almost a laughing stock not quite as low as the Clippers, but not far above. I have great hope in what Hammond and Skiles are doing now. If they can keep it going I believe not only will the Bucks become a contender again, but they will keep it going for a while. Back in the 70's and 80's the Packers were in the same situation and that finally got turned around for good.


Yeah, thats the drawback of the Northridge site. It's too far away from the freeways, which will handicap the mall. I think its quite suprising that the Chinese are building here because of that, not so much the Asian population of Milwaukee. Selling Chinese products in that location will be a tough sell, but I welcome their investment and gamble.

As for the Bucks, people will support them when they win but few are diehards to the same degree they are for the Pack, Brewers, or the college teams.

Yay! Two more bridges that the city can mismanage and run millions of dollars over budget!

The city is now 3 for 3 on these bridge replacements. I realize that replacement of the bridges has to be done... but I want to know what they plan on doing for those two bridges to keep it from being a disaster like the State, Kilbourn, and Homboldt bridges were.

no kidding. if they could get money for these bridges, why couldn't they finish the damn Humboldt bridge?! that's the biggest bridge boondoggle i've ever witnessed. seriously.. what is wrong with the bridge builders in this city?!

on a side note, i wonder if any of these bridge designs are going to incorporate tracks or the possibility of tracks for a downtown tram/light rail system.

Also --- re. the comment about putting in grass in Lucas Oil Stadium (two pages back) --- that is going to be a tricky thing. I've read though - that all stadiums that would be hosting World Cup Games in the US would need to install real grass turf. I'm not sure how they'd do it in Indy. I'm thinking they'd have to grow large areas of grass on some type of platform and then move it inside the stadium and piece it together. Doesn't sound like the greatest thing --- but I suppose they'll have a way figured out to make it work (if the World Cup comes to the US). Each of the host cities would probably only be hosting games for a few days - so they'd just have to figure out a way to make something work for a short time. Lucas Oil Stadium does have the retractable roof though -- so they could get it set up inside a few weeks in advance, perhaps - and keep the roof open to get sunshine in to help the grass continue to grow -- and figure out a way to water it internally. (They wouldn't want to keep the roof open during a summer rain storm because LOS isn't built to handle significant rains coming into the interior of the structure.) I'm not sure why Soldier Field didn't meet the cut off to host World Cup games.
The Silverdome (Pontiac, MI) hosted several games during the 1994 WC. I don't have any links handy to show how they did it, but they used a grass field that was essentially a bunch of large interlocking 'pots' with the grass that were kept outside until it was needed inside for the games.

Mike

Some would say calling Azn people oriental is ignorant. My friend from Seoul for example gets offended by oriental, but some Vietnamese people I know aren't.

I used to date a girl who was half Chinese and she always joked that she was related to all the Chinese people in Milwaukee.
Well, I don't know any person of east asian descent that gets offended over the term. I hate political correctness anyhow so I could care less. The main reason why I used the term though is because people here in this thread keep talking about the Chinese. Now I'm not sure but is this mall only going to be selling Chinese goods exclusively? I was under the impression that there would also be goods from other countries as well? If not than I go with just Chinese.

Yeah, I forgot to add that part about the Journalist. It was obviously written in a manner that looks down on Milwaukee.

I know, it's the only reason why I even got into this discussion in the first place.

----
Eisner Museum to close doors in Third Ward
The Eisner American Museum of Advertising and Design plans to close its doors at 208 N. Water St. in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward and will shift into becoming an online museum.
“It’s not closing,” said executive director Cori Coffman. “It’s just changing models. We are re-vamping, going into a new phase.”
The museum occupies 27,000 square feet of space in a five-story building that is owned by the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). The rest of the building is used as a residence hall for MIAD students.
MIAD has outgrown its space in the building, and a new MIAD residence hall will be built nearby. MIAD plans to sell the building currently occupied by the Eisner Museum, Coffman said.
The museum, a nonprofit operation, will not be able to continue operating in such a large space at a prime location in the Third Ward after the building is sold, she said.
The Eisner’s board is not sure when the building will be sold or when it will close its physical space, Coffman said.
The shift to an online museum will be fairly easy for the museum because so much of its material is already digital, she said. The museum will be able to keep its exhibits, which are currently displayed for about six to eight months, on display permanently online, she said.
The Eisner has about 18,000 to 20,000 visitors a year, Coffman said. Most of the visitors are from the Milwaukee area. An online museum will be able to attract more visitors from outside of the area.
“By putting it online, we can have far more people visit the museum from all over the world,” Coffman said. “It actually allows us to become more national.”

I don't know if this is news or not....

Sites in Milwaukee, Racine, Janesville and Appleton bidding for Talgo plant
Talgo Inc., the Spanish train company that plans to establish a manufacturing facility in Wisconsin, has considered sites in Milwaukee, Racine, Janesville and Appleton for the plant.
BizTimes Milwaukee obtained a list of the sites that were submitted in response to Talgo’s request for proposals (RFP) for a factory site in the state.
Those sites are:

The Tower Automotive site, 2900 W. Townsend St., Milwaukee.
Super Steel, 7100 W. Calumet Road, Milwaukee.
3441 S. Memorial Dr., Racine.
Former ThyssenKrupp headquarters, 214,900-square-foot facility, 305 W. Delavan Dr., Janesville.
Helgesen Industrial Center (former LSI plant), 700,000-square-foot facility, 2929 Venture Dr., Janesville.
A 246,700-square-foot facility at 1840 W. Spencer St., Appleton.
In addition, the Midwest Transportation Center on 77th Avenue in Kenosha responded to the RFP, but has since withdrawn.
The former Tower Automotive site was submitted to Talgo by city of Milwaukee officials. The city purchased 84 acres of the former 140-acre Tower site last year for $4.5 million. The property is bounded roughly by West Capitol Drive, the Soo Line railroad tracks, West Townsend Street and North 27th Street.
The city plans to spend about $30 million to redevelop the property and attract new businesses.
LSI and ThyssenKrupp were suppliers to the now closed General Motors plant in Janesville. LSI closed its operation at 2929 Venture Dr. in 2008 and ThyssenKrupp closed its operations at 305 W. Delavan Dr. last year.
No additional information was immediately available about the site at 3441 S. Memorial Dr. in Racine, but that is the same address as Alloc Inc., a flooring company.
Talgo spokeswoman Nora Friend said the company plans to lease a facility with an option to buy. The company is not interested in outsourcing the manufacturing work to a subcontractor, she said. That could rule out Super Steel’s bid. A Super Steel executive declined to comment when asked if the train manufacturer would lease space to Talgo.
“Internal analysis (of the bids) is still going on,” Friend said.
The state of Wisconsin agreed to purchase 2 train sets from Talgo for $47.5 million. Talgo has agreed to establish a manufacturing operation in Wisconsin and will build those trains at that plant.
The state will also purchase 2 more train sets as part of the $810 million allocated by the Obama administration for the Milwaukee to Madison high speed rail project. Those train sets are expected to be purchased from Talgo, Friend said.
The company is hoping to use its Wisconsin manufacturing facility to build several additional trains if it can sell more trains for services funded by Obama’s $8 billion high speed rail initiative.
“We hope this is just the beginning,” Friend said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re hoping there is going to be a lot more down the road.”

I don't know if this is news or not....
Sites in Milwaukee, Racine, Janesville and Appleton bidding for Talgo plant
Talgo Inc., the Spanish train company that plans to establish a manufacturing facility in Wisconsin, has considered sites in Milwaukee, Racine, Janesville and Appleton for the plant.
BizTimes Milwaukee obtained a list of the sites that were submitted in response to Talgo’s request for proposals (RFP) for a factory site in the state.
Those sites are:

The Tower Automotive site, 2900 W. Townsend St., Milwaukee.
Super Steel, 7100 W. Calumet Road, Milwaukee.
3441 S. Memorial Dr., Racine.
Former ThyssenKrupp headquarters, 214,900-square-foot facility, 305 W. Delavan Dr., Janesville.
Helgesen Industrial Center (former LSI plant), 700,000-square-foot facility, 2929 Venture Dr., Janesville.
A 246,700-square-foot facility at 1840 W. Spencer St., Appleton.
In addition, the Midwest Transportation Center on 77th Avenue in Kenosha responded to the RFP, but has since withdrawn.
The former Tower Automotive site was submitted to Talgo by city of Milwaukee officials. The city purchased 84 acres of the former 140-acre Tower site last year for $4.5 million. The property is bounded roughly by West Capitol Drive, the Soo Line railroad tracks, West Townsend Street and North 27th Street.
The city plans to spend about $30 million to redevelop the property and attract new businesses.
LSI and ThyssenKrupp were suppliers to the now closed General Motors plant in Janesville. LSI closed its operation at 2929 Venture Dr. in 2008 and ThyssenKrupp closed its operations at 305 W. Delavan Dr. last year.
No additional information was immediately available about the site at 3441 S. Memorial Dr. in Racine, but that is the same address as Alloc Inc., a flooring company.
Talgo spokeswoman Nora Friend said the company plans to lease a facility with an option to buy. The company is not interested in outsourcing the manufacturing work to a subcontractor, she said. That could rule out Super Steel’s bid. A Super Steel executive declined to comment when asked if the train manufacturer would lease space to Talgo.
“Internal analysis (of the bids) is still going on,” Friend said.
The state of Wisconsin agreed to purchase 2 train sets from Talgo for $47.5 million. Talgo has agreed to establish a manufacturing operation in Wisconsin and will build those trains at that plant.
The state will also purchase 2 more train sets as part of the $810 million allocated by the Obama administration for the Milwaukee to Madison high speed rail project. Those train sets are expected to be purchased from Talgo, Friend said.
The company is hoping to use its Wisconsin manufacturing facility to build several additional trains if it can sell more trains for services funded by Obama’s $8 billion high speed rail initiative.
“We hope this is just the beginning,” Friend said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re hoping there is going to be a lot more down the road.”

1840 W Spencer St in Appleton is a mostly vacant former cannery, covering about 80 to 85% of the area bounded by Spencer St, Linwood Ave, College Ave (WI 125) and CN's former SOO LINE Shawano Subdivision. It has ready rail access and very easy access to/from US 41. A mostly vacant former paper converting plant across Linwood Ave might also be available, if needed.

A plus here is that the Appleton area has an established workforce with most or all of the skills needed by Talgo, with Pierce/Oshkosh Truck (builds heavy trucks and fire apparatus), Gulfstream (the high-end private airplane builder with a large aircraft finishing and service center at the ATW airport) and several other active major heavy industrial employers.

See:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=44.260161,-88.434727&spn=0.00448,0.010943&t=h&z=17

Mike

I think it would make the most sense to put it at the Tower Automotive site.

1840 W Spencer St in Appleton is a mostly vacant former cannery, covering about 80 to 85% of the area bounded by Spencer St, Linwood Ave, College Ave (WI 125) and CN's former SOO LINE Shawano Subdivision. It has ready rail access and very easy access to/from US 41. A mostly vacant former paper converting plant across Linwood Ave might also be available, if needed.

A plus here is that the Appleton area has an established workforce with most or all of the skills needed by Talgo, with Pierce/Oshkosh Truck (builds heavy trucks and fire apparatus), Gulfstream (the high-end private airplane builder with a large aircraft finishing and service center at the ATW airport) and several other active major heavy industrial employers.

See:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=44.260161,-88.434727&spn=0.00448,0.010943&t=h&z=17

Mike
An article on this in today's Appleton Post-Crescent:

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20100218/APC0101/2180584/1979/Appleton-on-short-list-for-new-assembly-plant

Mike

I think it would make the most sense to put it at the Tower Automotive site.

Tower would be good, but the SuperSteel site is also currently used for very similiar work, plus they also have much room adjacent for expansion if needed.

I'm hoping it ends up at Tower too, it's a very visible/accesible site that has plenty of room for expansion or co-location facilities.

Final thoughts from me regarding soccer:

Chicago isn't a World Cup candidate due to a combination of the city not trying to be one, and Soldier Field being (in my opinion) stupidly small when you consider that the Bears could probably sell out a 100,000 seat stadium. See: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1044117

Regarding promotion/relegation in MLS: I think almost all fans would love to see it, but it's really unlikely. Unlike in other countries where teams are independent clubs and competition is organized into tiers, the MLS follows the franchise model of American sports (in fact, MLS is even more centrally controlled with the league owning all of the player contracts). So as the MLS asks new owners to pay franchise fees, and works with cities to build soccer-specific stadiums, it becomes really difficult to tell those owners/cities that they risk ending up in second tier of soccer after they have invested so much money. I'd love a relegation system, but sadly there are no plans for it here and the structure of the league will make it difficult.

I know I'll get flamed for going against Milwaukee... but I think the Talgo plant would have the biggest impact on Janesville. Lets face it, all locations are viable for talco to locate and have the amenities needed... but this would have the greatest benefit for the hard hit area of janesville. That city is going to soon start looking like one of those half abandoned PA steel towns if they don't get some new companies in there.

^^ I won't flame, I actually agree with this. Janesville is a nice town, and they need it way more than we do, especially once the GM "idle time" benefits start to run out.

I know I'll get flamed for going against Milwaukee... but I think the Talgo plant would have the biggest impact on Janesville. Lets face it, all locations are viable for talco to locate and have the amenities needed... but this would have the greatest benefit for the hard hit area of janesville. That city is going to soon start looking like one of those half abandoned PA steel towns if they don't get some new companies in there.

Agreed. I would really love to see Tower redeveloped, but Janesville would be perfect for this.

gahh.. i know Janesville needs help but on the other hand, you have to realise that they did dig their grave to some extent-- they put ALL their tokens on the GM plant and they didn't think about diversifying their economy or what might happen if something like this did happen. I just want something for the Tower site so badly because it was gutted and vacant for so long but has such tremendously high potential and I know the City is planning on investing in it soon... I just want it to finally come around like it should and I think Talgo would be a great fit there.

^^ besides, don't you want your trains manufactured as near as possible to the train line itself to save on shipping all this stuff via truck? I mean, part of the big reasons trains are better than trucks is their lesser impact on the environment-- so, I'd rather have these trains built in Milwaukee and used in Milwaukee than having to be trucked up from Janesville or down from Appleton.

^^ besides, don't you want your trains manufactured as near as possible to the train line itself to save on shipping all this stuff via truck? I mean, part of the big reasons trains are better than trucks is their lesser impact on the environment-- so, I'd rather have these trains built in Milwaukee and used in Milwaukee than having to be trucked up from Janesville or down from Appleton.
Trucked from Appleton? The proposed Appleton site is a block north of CN's ex CNW Appleton yard and just a few blocks from the planned Fox Valley line (CN's ex CNW Green Bay mainline). CN switches a couple of customers in their former SOO LINE yard immediately to the north nearly everyday, too. The interchange track between those two yards is one of the boundaries of the site.

See:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=44.25814,-88.435392&spn=0.017919,0.043774&t=h&z=15
The site is most of the block bounded by College Ave (WI 125), Linwood Ave, Spencer St and the north-south railroad.

Also, a Streetview image of the site, taken from the College Ave bridge over the former SOO LINE yard:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=44.261736,-88.435993&spn=0,359.956226&z=15&layer=c&cbll=44.261743,-88.436127&panoid=6d6HGqJ5xJ5rsAZ7KqXKTg&cbp=12,147.07,,0,3.06

Mike

Since the trains will be manufactured in Spain and shipped to Wisconsin for final assembly, a site in Milwaukee would make the most sense. They can come directly into Milwaukee via the Port, set on the rails or piggybacked on a flatbed truck, and ride a short distance to an assembly plant at the old Tower Automotvie site (or Super Steel, but that may be unlikely, according to the article). Appleton and Janesville sites don't make much sense logistically, despite having rail and highway access to/from their final destination in Southern Wisconsin where the trains will be used.

--deleted--

UWM's Santiago fears loss of Zilber gift
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Feb. 18, 2010 6:26 p.m.

Real estate investor Joseph Zilber's $10 million gift to help fund University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's new School of Public Health could disappear if the university delays plans to locate the school at the former Pabst brewery, which Zilber is redeveloping.

That's according to UWM Chancellor Carlos Santiago, who made the comment Thursday to Faculty Senate members debating a resolution asking him to suspend plans to put the school at the downtown Pabst complex.

"We need that gift to jump-start the School of Public Health," Santiago said. "It is important."

Santiago was asked by a faculty member whether Zilber would take back his gift if the school was instead located at the Columbia St. Mary's Hospital campus, which UWM is negotiating to buy as it goes empty by the end of this year. Some professors say the hospital complex, located next to the main campus, would be a better site for the school.

"I wish I could give you a yes or no answer," Santiago replied. "My sense is there is a high probability the gift would be withdrawn."

Santiago said Zilber has agreed to give UWM some flexibility if the university can't afford to locate the school at the former Pabst bottling house. He said negotiations continue between the university and Zilber's representatives about putting the school there.

But Santiago also said Zilber wants to see progress soon.

"He is not doing well, health-wise," Santiago said. "His intent is to expedite this as quickly as possible."

Zilber's assistant, Michael Mervis, declined to comment on Zilber's health. Mervis said Zilber has agreed to be flexible about UWM's location decision for the school, but also said Zilber wants the school developed without delays.

"I cannot speak to what the chancellor is saying" about Zilber's possibly withdrawing the gift, Mervis said.

But Zilber remains committed to seeing the school built "as close as possible to people who need it," Mervis said. Supporters of the downtown location have argued that the Pabst site puts the school closer to Milwaukee's poorest residents, who would most benefit from the school's programs.

Zilber respects UWM's process of selecting a site for the school, Mervis said. But he also said talk of putting the school at the Columbia site, which UWM doesn't yet have an agreement to buy, "is kind of counterproductive to getting a School of Public Health, which the city of Milwaukee desperately needs."

The Faculty Senate, on a voice vote, voted overwhelmingly to table the resolution - a defeat for faculty who want the school developed at the Columbia site. The group also tabled a resolution asking Santiago to suspend plans to develop a science and engineering campus at the County Grounds in Wauwatosa.

Supporters of the Columbia site say placing the school downtown would hurt efforts to forge research partnerships between the public health faculty and professors from other areas, such as psychology and nursing, based at the main campus. Public health is less about treating individuals, and more about preventing medical problems among broad populations, those faculty members say.

Downtown site supporters say the Pabst site would help improve that part of downtown, and also give UWM better opportunities to collaborate more effectively with the city Health Department, which is downtown.

The school will oversee research and offer graduate programs in areas that include community and behavioral health promotion; environmental and occupational health; policy, administration and health services research; and epidemiology. It will help UWM draw funds from the National Institutes of Health and other major grant providers, university officials say.

Santiago said a cost estimate for placing the school at the Pabst site is still being developed. If that estimate is too high, the university could look at other downtown sites, he said.

UWM hasn't yet provided specific plans for the Columbia site, other than to say it could be used for student housing and other programs.

Since the trains will be manufactured in Spain and shipped to Wisconsin for final assembly, a site in Milwaukee would make the most sense. They can come directly into Milwaukee via the Port, set on the rails or piggybacked on a flatbed truck, and ride a short distance to an assembly plant at the old Tower Automotvie site (or Super Steel, but that may be unlikely, according to the article). Appleton and Janesville sites don't make much sense logistically, despite having rail and highway access to/from their final destination in Southern Wisconsin where the trains will be used.

is there a reason why they aren't looking at building in the Menomonee Valley?


It would be nice to see them build in Janesville or Appleton, but Milwaukee does seem to make the most sense, not to sound biased. Being that this is the states tax dollars (who won't be able to make use of these trains) paying for this project, it would seem fair to have it somewhere outside Madison/Milwaukee as to avoid showing favortism.

Speaking of Appleton, I would love to see a train line going up to the Fox Cities and Green Bay. Seems logical to have a line connecting Milwaukee with one of the countries most important manufacturing centers and the states more popular tourist areas.

is there a reason why they aren't looking at building in the Menomonee Valley?


They need a place to get up and running in a relatively short amount of time. That means going into an existing building (and preferably one that's outfitted with special stuff like high ceilings, lots of unobstructed floorspace, probably overhead cranes, and being served directly by a rail spur onto the property/into the building) versus having to wait around to erect a brand new building.

Speaking of Appleton, I would love to see a train line going up to the Fox Cities and Green Bay. Seems logical to have a line connecting Milwaukee with one of the countries most important manufacturing centers and the states more popular tourist areas.

It's in WisDOT's longer range plans.

They need a place to get up and running in a relatively short amount of time. That means going into an existing building (and preferably one that's outfitted with special stuff like high ceilings, lots of unobstructed floorspace, probably overhead cranes, and being served directly by a rail spur onto the property/into the building) versus having to wait around to erect a brand new building.



It's in WisDOT's longer range plans.

That makes sense, rather then having to wait/spend on a new facility. I wonder if the neighborhood around Tower would hurt Milwaukee's bid though or if that even matters to them.


As for this train line going to Green Bay, does this have more priority then the Madison to Minneapolis line? It seems like this would have more of an economic benefit to the state then connecting Madison with the Twin Cities, although I could be wrong.

more good news for the Milwaukee economy

Cement maker plans $7 million Milwaukee facility
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
Feb. 18, 2010 |(14) Comments

Start-up business Reco Cement Products LLC plans to build a cement making facility in Milwaukee, possibly near the port, owner Dave Lisowski says.

The Reco facility, with around 20,000 to 30,000 square feet, would initially have 30 employees, Lisowski said. He said it would cost around $7 million to build, but could eventually involve a $15 million to $20 million investment as the facility is expanded.

If it's fully expanded, the facility would have around 100 employees, Lisowski said.

Reco would make cement by using recycled materials, such as fly ash and crushed glass.

The company hopes to open five such facilities throughout the country by the end of 2010, said Lisowski. That includes Milwaukee, where possible locations include Jones Island, he said.

The Redevelopment Authority meets today to consider a $7 million bond issue to help finance the facility. The bond issue is not a city loan to Reco, which would be responsible for repaying the debt.

However, the bonds would be tax-exempt, which would allow Reco to pay a lower interest rate to investors that buy the bonds.

this is probally minor news but...

Committee says "no" to dance license for east side restaurant, club
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
Feb. 17, 2010


Plans for a large east side restaurant and lounge are up in the air after the Common Council's Licenses Committee today recommended a denial of a tavern dance license for the proposed business.

Marc Brown wants to open the A List Supper Club and Lounge in 6,000 square feet at 2116 N. Farwell Ave., formerly the home to WOW Cafe and Wingery. Brown said it would feature fine dining, yet have affordable prices. For that, he needs a tavern license.

Brown also wants to have dancing a couple of nights a week, and have other live events, such as poetry slams. For that, he needs a tavern dance license.

Some east side residents objected to the dance license, saying a large night club would generate too much noise and traffic.

Also. the East Side Business Improvement District said the neighborhood already has enough nightclubs, and that it needs a more diverse retail base.

On Monday, the committee took the unusual step of passing the matter to the full council without a recommendation. At today's meeting, the committee reconsidered, and voted against the tavern dance license, while recommending approval of the tavern license.

That move surprised Brown, who said he was told that the committee wasn't planning to vote on the matter today.

Brown said he had hoped to work out a compromise of dropping the application for the dance license, while leaving open the option of seeking special one-time licenses from time to time for dances and other live events.

But, if the full council denies the tavern dance license, Brown will be barred from seeking the event licenses. And, without the money generated by those events, Brown doesn't know if the business would be viable.

Brown said he's puzzled about the objections to the dance license. He said the club would have a 30 and over age restriction.




The NIMBYism of supposedly liberal Eastsiders really annoys me sometimes. They live in one of the densest, busiest areas of the city next to an entertainment district popular with college age people and they complain about noise/traffic? Cmon. I hate to say this, but I sense a slight bit of racism, especially with the 30 year and older part. 'Dancing' in this city implies black people and that probally is the reason for the age restrictions--which is common in alot of inner city bars (25 and older usually). The owner of this also owned clubs on Teutonia and Villard, if that tells you anything. I don't see what the problem is. Places like this will benefit nearby late night resturants and the local bar/entertainment scene.

The NIMBYism of supposedly liberal Eastsiders really annoys me sometimes. They live in one of the densest, busiest areas of the city next to an entertainment district popular with college age people and they complain about noise/traffic? Cmon. I hate to say this, but I sense a slight bit of racism, especially with the 30 year and older part. 'Dancing' in this city implies black people and that probally is the reason for the age restrictions--which is common in alot of inner city bars (25 and older usually). The owner of this also owned clubs on Teutonia and Villard, if that tells you anything. I don't see what the problem is. Places like this will benefit nearby late night resturants and the local bar/entertainment scene.

I would say this does have a large part to do with the 30 and older part, but you're overplaying racism as the cause for concern.

Would you want a place nearby that is all but admitting that they don't know how to control people under 30, from opening? If they can't deal with troublemakers under 30, how well do you think they'll deal with problem people over 30? That doesn't sound like a positive business plan for the area.

At least they're trying to minimize potential problems at their business, but they're doing it by avoiding the problem instead of learning how to deal with troublemakers, and that's not a business I would like to see in my neighborhood, how about yours?

I hate to say it Mariachi, but I think you're on to something here. I live in this neighborhood, and it appalls me to think of why people are truly opposing this development. The building in question has been sitting vacant for quite some time. In fact, that stretch of Farwell is basically "no-man's land" due to a large surface parking lot across the street (so which residents are complaining?). You'd think the business owners would embrace the added patronage. Not to mention, Cush just burnt down, nixing one of the few "clubs" on North Ave.

I'm all for diversifying uses here, but there are PLENTY of other opportunities to do that - Prospect Mall, Qdoba parking lot, Pizza Man lot, the crappy new strip development by Judges, etc. Come on folks, let's get this right. If the owner's have a solid track record, let them give it a go.

I would say this does have a large part to do with the 30 and older part, but you're overplaying racism as the cause for concern.

Would you want a place nearby that is all but admitting that they don't know how to control people under 30, from opening? If they can't deal with troublemakers under 30, how well do you think they'll deal with problem people over 30? That doesn't sound like a positive business plan for the area.

At least they're trying to minimize potential problems at their business, but they're doing it by avoiding the problem instead of learning how to deal with troublemakers, and that's not a business I would like to see in my neighborhood, how about yours?

Well, I don't think its outright racist, but there seems to be slight hints of it with the whole dancing thing. To them, dancing conjures images of rap clubs, which of course they assume will bring in a bad element to the area.

As for my neighorhood, I really wouldn't mind having other options. Sure, these sorts of places can go bad real quick---but why can't they at least be given a chance? There was a club somewhat close to me that did turn to s--t (Club Escape @ Teutonia/Mill), but that was because of poor management and attracting a ghetto crowd. I don't see a 30 year + bar/resturant with dancing on the Eastside attracting a similar crowd. Besides, its too dense of an area for alot of the troublemakers to park and show off their pimped out cars.

I hate to say it Mariachi, but I think you're on to something here. I live in this neighborhood, and it appalls me to think of why people are truly opposing this development. The building in question has been sitting vacant for quite some time. In fact, that stretch of Farwell is basically "no-man's land" due to a large surface parking lot across the street (so which residents are complaining?). You'd think the business owners would embrace the added patronage. Not to mention, Cush just burnt down, nixing one of the few "clubs" on North Ave.

I'm all for diversifying uses here, but there are PLENTY of other opportunities to do that - Prospect Mall, Qdoba parking lot, Pizza Man lot, the crappy new strip development by Judges, etc. Come on folks, let's get this right. If the owner's have a solid track record, let them give it a go.

It bothers me that they aren't even giving them a chance. They dont' seem to care about the liquour, but they get all Puritan about dancing. And where are all these nightclubs they are talking about? You brought up Cush, which burnt to the ground. Aside from that and that Decibel place, can you really consider the rest to be nightclubs? I think of places like BBC, Hooligans, Landmark etc. to be bars, not real, straightup nightclubs.

This sort of reminds me of how Satin, the proposed strip joint run by Silk, were essentially forced out by the locals from building there in some blighted building on Pittsburgh Ave. These people all want to claim to be open about everything politcally, but they freak about about stuff like this. Newsflash--you live in a gritty industrial area. Not every new business should be a coffee shop, bistro, or bread store. Granted, I don't live there and these people spend their own hard earned money to live in converted industrial lofts, but cmon. They didn't move to the 5th Ward so they could raise their innocent little children in a former factory. They clearly have no problem with all the other bars and gay clubs in the area.

/rant

As for this train line going to Green Bay, does this have more priority then the Madison to Minneapolis line?

The Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison-Twin Cities line will be done first. Wisconsin and Minnesota DOTs are working together to nail down a final route for the Madison-Twin Cities segment--a decision for which is supposed be made by the end of the year.

Chicago-Milwaukee-Fox Valley-Green Bay is a later phase.

It seems like this would have more of an economic benefit to the state then connecting Madison with the Twin Cities, although I could be wrong.

The whole point of the Midwest High Speed Rail Initiative--as envisioned by all of the Midwestern states that have been cooperating together on it's planning for the past 15 or so years--is to link together our states, their major cities, and some smaller cities along each line. ALL states are going to see an economic benefit from the lines.

As for this train line going to Green Bay, does this have more priority then the Madison to Minneapolis line?

The Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison-Twin Cities line will be done first. Wisconsin and Minnesota DOTs are working together to nail down a final route for the Madison-Twin Cities segment--a decision for which is supposed be made by the end of the year.

Chicago-Milwaukee-Fox Valley-Green Bay is a later phase.

It seems like this would have more of an economic benefit to the state then connecting Madison with the Twin Cities, although I could be wrong.

The whole point of the Midwest High Speed Rail Initiative--as envisioned by all of the Midwestern states that have been cooperating together on it's planning for the past 15 or so years--is to link together our states, their major cities, and some smaller cities along each line. ALL states are going to see an economic benefit from the lines.

But all of that is really geared for the rail thread, not this one...

The Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison-Twin Cities line will be done first. Wisconsin and Minnesota DOTs are working together to nail down a final route for the Madison-Twin Cities segment--a decision for which is supposed be made by the end of the year.

Chicago-Milwaukee-Fox Valley-Green Bay is a later phase.



The whole point of the Midwest High Speed Rail Initiative--as envisioned by all of the Midwestern states that have been cooperating together on it's planning for the past 15 or so years--is to link together our states, their major cities, and some smaller cities along each line. ALL states are going to see an economic benefit from the lines.

But all of that is really geared for the rail thread, not this one...

Well then, that was faster then I was thinking. I would assuming that plans from Madison to St. Paul would drag for a few years. If we could get lines to Minneapolis and the Fox Cities (along with the Connector/KRM) by the end of the decade, that would be great.

It bothers me that they aren't even giving them a chance. They dont' seem to care about the liquour, but they get all Puritan about dancing. And where are all these nightclubs they are talking about? You brought up Cush, which burnt to the ground. Aside from that and that Decibel place, can you really consider the rest to be nightclubs? I think of places like BBC, Hooligans, Landmark etc. to be bars, not real, straightup nightclubs.

This sort of reminds me of how Satin, the proposed strip joint run by Silk, were essentially forced out by the locals from building there in some blighted building on Pittsburgh Ave.

/rant

I dont' think thats really the situation... there might be some strong emotional reactions here that arn't really looking at the situation. When I lived on the east side I recognized that it's an urban environment and is not like the suburbs. I enjoyed that... however, I chose a place that wasnt' right off of north ave or any other nightlife area because I knew that would be TOO much. The people that live near this proposed night club probably did the same thing... they probably enjoy the liveliness but recognize that you can't have that everywhere, it would make the area unlivable.

North ave is a mere couple blocks north of that location and is a very lively night life area. Open the business a few blocks away and everyone will be happy.

I dont' think thats really the situation... there might be some strong emotional reactions here that arn't really looking at the situation. When I lived on the east side I recognized that it's an urban environment and is not like the suburbs. I enjoyed that... however, I chose a place that wasnt' right off of north ave or any other nightlife area because I knew that would be TOO much. The people that live near this proposed night club probably did the same thing... they probably enjoy the liveliness but recognize that you can't have that everywhere, it would make the area unlivable.

North ave is a mere couple blocks north of that location and is a very lively night life area. Open the business a few blocks away and everyone will be happy.

Well, if they could find another spot in this area to build their club, then great. But it would be nice to see half vacant buildings like this filled in with business and tenants.

The location of this place doesn't seem to be a real problem though. Sure, there are a few houses nearby, but this place wouldn't be right up next to them. And maybe I missed something, but is this place going to be a rave or a rap/trance club? Having some music and dancing doesn't mean its going to be rowdy, loud, and a hindrance for the neighbors. Using their rationale, the only things that should be built there are some quiet bookstore/cafe/art supply shop/carpet store/boutique that closes at 5 PM. That kind of menality annoys me because its a suburban one. People that want the urban lifestyle should welcome more diversity and crowds, because thats what brings in better retail/dining options.

That kind of menality annoys me because its a suburban one. People that want the urban lifestyle should welcome more diversity and crowds, because thats what brings in better retail/dining options.

I don't like the mentality that if you live in the city, you have no right to expect low crime, no right to prohibit excessive noise, or any other quality of life issues. Some people, even those that live in cities, have this strange mentality that 'well I'm in a city, so anything goes...'.

I'm of the mind that just because I choose to make my home in an urban area, doesn't mean I should welcome anymore of this or that. Having high expectations and living in an urban area are not contradictory, in fact I would say that not settling is what helps create great spaces and places.

I don't like the mentality that if you live in the city, you have no right to expect low crime, no right to prohibit excessive noise, or any other quality of life issues. Some people, even those that live in cities, have this strange mentality that 'well I'm in a city, so anything goes...'.

I'm of the mind that just because I choose to make my home in an urban area, doesn't mean I should welcome anymore of this or that. Having high expectations and living in an urban area are not contradictory, in fact I would say that not settling is what helps create great spaces and places.

Diversity =/= crime.

I don't like the mentality that if you live in the city, you have no right to expect low crime, no right to prohibit excessive noise, or any other quality of life issues. Some people, even those that live in cities, have this strange mentality that 'well I'm in a city, so anything goes...'.

I'm of the mind that just because I choose to make my home in an urban area, doesn't mean I should welcome anymore of this or that. Having high expectations and living in an urban area are not contradictory, in fact I would say that not settling is what helps create great spaces and places.

I agree with you on this, BUT I have to add that this is the East Side we're talking about here. That's what different neighborhoods are for. They cater to different types of urbanites. I don't see why they would try to stop a nightclub from opening there.

I lived on the East Side for a few years and I got my fun, urban pioneer days out of me. Now I live in Avenues West and it's much more my style.

Diversity =/= crime.

Thank you, concern with crime is not a diversity issue, it's a quality of life issue.

I agree with you on this, BUT I have to add that this is the East Side we're talking about here. That's what different neighborhoods are for. They cater to different types of urbanites. I don't see why they would try to stop a nightclub from opening there.

I lived on the East Side for a few years and I got my fun, urban pioneer days out of me. Now I live in Avenues West and it's much more my style.

The "East Side" is a pretty large area to stereo type like that. Where this place would have gone in is pretty quiet, especially at 2am.

Take for example pizza shuttle... I lived right by pizza shuttle when I lived down there. When I moved in, it was never a problem. However, a couple years later and they started having um... "incidents" happen. When those incidents would happen, the streets became very loud and there was a lot of activity, yelling, cars honking or revving their engines, then cops would be called, more yelling, people running, tires squeeling from peeling out, etc.

Will that automatically happen at this place? No... but if you put a late night location right there, where there's no other late night activity, you will greatly increase the likelihood of disruptive things happening. The people who moved there moved in next to a restaurant, is it so reasonable for them to not want late night disturbances?

Again, North Avenue is a couple blocks north and Brady is a couple blocks south. Both are great nightlife areas... and a great place to locate a new dance club.

The "East Side" is a pretty large area to stereo type like that. Where this place would have gone in is pretty quiet, especially at 2am.

Take for example pizza shuttle... I lived right by pizza shuttle when I lived down there. When I moved in, it was never a problem. However, a couple years later and they started having um... "incidents" happen. When those incidents would happen, the streets became very loud and there was a lot of activity, yelling, cars honking or revving their engines, then cops would be called, more yelling, people running, tires squeeling from peeling out, etc.

Will that automatically happen at this place? No... but if you put a late night location right there, where there's no other late night activity, you will greatly increase the likelihood of disruptive things happening. The people who moved there moved in next to a restaurant, is it so reasonable for them to not want late night disturbances?

Again, North Avenue is a couple blocks north and Brady is a couple blocks south. Both are great nightlife areas... and a great place to locate a new dance club.

This is my biggest problem with Milwaukee. We have no clue where our neighborhoods are. The East Side is not that big. It goes from North Ave to Brady St (Or Ogden Ave if you want to lump the Lower East Side into it) and stretches from Prospect to the River. The East Side will always be a hotbed for young, drunk energy and a melting pot of ethnic restaurants. Pizza Shuttle just happens to be in the center of that, and so is the nightclub location in question.

If you're looking for a more relaxed area on that side of the river, you can try Murray Hill, Trolley Hill, Downer Woods, Northpointe, Riverside Park, or Yankee Hill. They're ALL unique places and shouldn't be lumped into the East Side.

So again, I don't understand what the problem is. If this were North of North Ave, or East of Prospect, or South of Brady, I'd understand. But this is the center of the East Side...

I don't like the mentality that if you live in the city, you have no right to expect low crime, no right to prohibit excessive noise, or any other quality of life issues. Some people, even those that live in cities, have this strange mentality that 'well I'm in a city, so anything goes...'.

I'm of the mind that just because I choose to make my home in an urban area, doesn't mean I should welcome anymore of this or that. Having high expectations and living in an urban area are not contradictory, in fact I would say that not settling is what helps create great spaces and places.

I am not trying to say that people should be forced to have to deal with crime and excessive noise---but this proposal doesn't seem to be either. They are blowing this place out of proportion and making it seem like its going to be Studio 54 or something.

I do think though that living in a city, you have to be open to noise and clubs. Thats apart of the urban experience, especially in an area like that. This is just another example of meddling by a bunch of nosy, selfish NIMBY's who try to kill things instead of giving it a chance. I'm sorry, but I don't really feel bad for people who decide to live in houses right off Farwell Ave. and complain about noise. Like ajknee was saying, there are plenty of quiet neighorhoods to live in the surrounding Eastside.

This is my biggest problem with Milwaukee. We have no clue where our neighborhoods are. The East Side is not that big. It goes from North Ave to Brady St (Or Ogden Ave if you want to lump the Lower East Side into it) and stretches from Prospect to the River. The East Side will always be a hotbed for young, drunk energy and a melting pot of ethnic restaurants. Pizza Shuttle just happens to be in the center of that, and so is the nightclub location in question.

If you're looking for a more relaxed area on that side of the river, you can try Murray Hill, Trolley Hill, Downer Woods, Northpointe, Riverside Park, or Yankee Hill. They're ALL unique places and shouldn't be lumped into the East Side.

So again, I don't understand what the problem is. If this were North of North Ave, or East of Prospect, or South of Brady, I'd understand. But this is the center of the East Side...

I like your magical borders and refusal to recognize that all those areas you listed are part of the east side... but it really doesn't matter. Thats why we have zoning and the various approval processes that we do, in order to form a livable vibrant area that works for everyone.

Btw, I'm guessing the people in expensive condos, retirement communities, and single family houses in that area would disagree with your hotbed of drunken energy sterotype. :lol:

I am not trying to say that people should be forced to have to deal with crime and excessive noise---but this proposal doesn't seem to be either. They are blowing this place out of proportion and making it seem like its going to be Studio 54 or something.

I do think though that living in a city, you have to be open to noise and clubs. Thats apart of the urban experience, especially in an area like that. This is just another example of meddling by a bunch of nosy, selfish NIMBY's who try to kill things instead of giving it a chance. I'm sorry, but I don't really feel bad for people who decide to live in houses right off Farwell Ave. and complain about noise. Like ajknee was saying, there are plenty of quiet neighorhoods to live in the surrounding Eastside.

This is basically exactly what I said about there being a place for dance clubs like this. haha

When I lived there I realized there was a certain amount of noise that was just part of living there (Believe me, I didn't mind a LOT of stuff that most people would complain about). But things like the pizza shuttle getting out of control and, for another example, harleys without mufflers revving their way down the street are just excessive and usually a public disturbance (and illegal). Urban does not = unabashed freedom to do whatever you want.

This is basically exactly what I said about there being a place for dance clubs like this. haha

When I lived there I realized there was a certain amount of noise that was just part of living there (Believe me, I didn't mind a LOT of stuff that most people would complain about). But things like the pizza shuttle getting out of control and, for another example, harleys without mufflers revving their way down the street are just excessive and usually a public disturbance (and illegal). Urban does not = unabashed freedom to do whatever you want.

well the Harley thing is extremely annoying. They are cool and all, but these guys going roaring through quiet neighorhoods at all hours of the night get tiring. Same with guys zipping around in their screeching crotch rockets.

well the Harley thing is extremely annoying. They are cool and all, but these guys going roaring through quiet neighorhoods at all hours of the night get tiring. Same with guys zipping around in their screeching crotch rockets.

That only becomes an issue in the summer, specifically two summers ago for the harley anniversary. I heard enough roaring harleys to last a lifetime. Anyone see the South Park episode about Harley's? :lol:

That only becomes an issue in the summer, specifically two summers ago for the harley anniversary. I heard enough roaring harleys to last a lifetime. Anyone see the South Park episode about Harley's? :lol:

It's an issue all the time in Wisconsin, because this state is in LOVE with the Harley-Davidson company and therefore has no enforced limitations on the obnoxious sounds they produce. The cops will pull someone over for booming their music too loudly as a disturbing the peace violation but a Harley? Oh, no.. that's state pride. Awful.

That only becomes an issue in the summer, specifically two summers ago for the harley anniversary. I heard enough roaring harleys to last a lifetime. Anyone see the South Park episode about Harley's? :lol:
I saw it. Excellent! I F***ing hate motorcycles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8eYzMHGjrE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8eYzMHGjrE

Developers plan 6-story office building on historic Wisconsin Avenue block
Published February 24, 2010 - Real Estate Weekly

Milwaukee attorney Robert Levine, his son Michael Levine and a group of investors are working on plans to build a 6-story office building on the block southeast of Wisconsin Avenue and Broadway in downtown Milwaukee.
Michael Levine is also an attorney and is the owner of Next Generation Real Estate Inc., which is the developer for the project.
Current plans for the $35 million project includes 130,000 square feet of office space, 17,000 square feet of first floor retail space and 270 structured parking spaces. The developers say the building would have environmentally-friendly “green” features and a fitness center.
Robert Levine proposed a larger office development for the site several years ago, but that project never materialized.
The developers will need to secure an anchor office tenant to get financing for the project.
Several potential anchor tenants are in the market for office space and could anchor a new downtown building including: Von Briesen & Roper S.C. (seeking about 75,000 square feet), Godfrey & Kahn S.C. (seeking about 90,000 square feet), Baker Tilly and CH2M HILL.
The Levines declined to say which potential tenants they are talking to, but said they are talking to tenants interested in their project.
“We’re in talks with several of the names that are out there,” said Michael Levine. “I think if we land any one of those tenants we’re good to go.”
However, the most difficult aspect of the project for the developers could be convincing city officials to allow them to demolish four historic buildings on the block to make way for a new building. They plan to seek a yet to be determined amount of tax incremental financing (TIF) for the project, Michael Levine said.
On the block, about 90 percent of buildings along Wisconsin Avenue would be demolished to make way for the new building, Michael Levine said, with only the Johnson Bank building remaining. About 60 percent of the buildings on the block along Broadway would be demolished, he said. The buildings along Michigan Avenue would remain and 95 percent of the buildings along Milwaukee Avenue would remain.
The buildings the developers want to demolish are well over 100 years old. They are in poor condition, have been altered significantly from their original appearance and are mostly vacant, Michael Levine said.
“Their lifecycle has come to an end, unfortunately,” he said.
The buildings lack the historical significance of the nearby Mitchell and Mackie buildings and are not worth saving, Robert Levine said.
“I’m a believer in historic buildings, if they have significance,” he said.
Some historic preservationists want the developers to preserve the historic facades of the buildings but that would be a “huge challenge,” Michael Levine said.
Some of the few tenants that are in the buildings include the Ethiopian Village restaurant, 307 E. Wisconsin Ave., and Downtown Books, 327 E. Wisconsin Ave.
Wisconsin Avenue has had numerous retail space vacancies for years and the problem has only gotten worse from the Great Recession.
A new building would have a better chance to attract retail tenants the Levines said, and would provide a boost to revitalize the area.
“That area needs something,” Robert Levine said. “There has to be a shot in the arm over there. East Wisconsin Avenue is a disaster. There are so many vacancies. It’s a block that needs work.”
A new building on the block could also help enhance Broadway as a gateway from downtown into the Third Ward, Robert Levine said.
The proposed 6-story height of the building will allow it to fit in with the historic buildings that will remain on the block, such as the Johnson Bank building, Michael Levine said.
“We’re respecting our neighbors,” he said.
The proposed building is also smaller than many of the other office buildings that developers are proposing downtown, which makes their project more realistic, Michael Levine said. By comparison, Rainier Properties LLC’s proposed Park East corridor development would have 280,000 square feet of office space in addition to a Marcus Theatres movie theater complex. That project would have an additional 110,000 square feet of office space to fill than the Levine project.
"I scaled down the size of my project," Michael Levine said. "There aren't any 200,000-square-foot tenants out there. But there are 60,000 to 100,000-square-foot tenants out there."

^^

http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2002%7C24%7C10/Broadway-Building.jpg

Awful. No. This proposal is not worth demolishing these buildings for. I hope the city opposes it. Downtown books, too, is a LANDMARK in Milwaukee! If you've never visited it before, i highly reccomend you take a lazy Saturday morning visit there. Just meandering up through its windy multiple stories of various old musty books and prints is a treat. If they replaced the block of historic buildings with an absolutely incredible showpiece development, it might be worth the loss but this building proposal is uninspiring and architecturally a dud.

Wow. That would seriously suck. If they really want to create 'a gateway to the Third Ward,' they should build this on that long vacant lot a block south on Broadway and Michigan. Michigan is far more 'a disaster' than East Wisconsin.

That block is really an incredible one, however altered the buildings are. I think this proposal would be incredible if it were the restoration/renovation of these buildings into upscale office space. And even disregarding the historical/site issues I have with this development, it's really damn ugly.


http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9578/civilwarblock.jpg

This block needs a creative solution to be revived. I'm not against development and new office space downtown as much as I am against the way this building disregards downtown as expansive neighbourhood and considers this one historic block as the only place where this development can occur. Restore these buildings, put a new one a block away, and the whole vibe of this area changes.

Torn on that project. Would miss Downtown Books, but it looks like they're keeping a lot of the bones of the original building.

Torn on that project. Would miss Downtown Books, but it looks like they're keeping a lot of the bones of the original building.

how can you be torn on THIS design? it looks TERRIBLE! a puny 6 story little box with no interesting aspects or unique features. building this project the way it appears in the rendering above would be a HUGE mistake.

how can you be torn on THIS design? it looks TERRIBLE! a puny 6 story little box with no interesting aspects or unique features. building this project the way it appears in the rendering above would be a HUGE mistake.

Well Kahlter Slater is the architect on record, and they have experience with historic buildings downtown.

http://www.aiaw.org/media/art/04awards/full/ASQ5.jpg
ASQ Center - AIA Award 2004

The article says 90 percent of the buildings along Wisconsin Ave would be demolished, and the facades would not be saved. Yet in the rendering it appears the bones of the building have been reused. If KS just designed a new building to mimic the original I wouldn't support it.

Also, isn't it ironic to build a green building after throwing away materials from a block worth of buildings? You'd think salvaging and restoring the original would be more sustainable.

well, even if they did save the facades of any of these buildings, they appear (based on their design) to be saving the LEAST interesting of the buildings. I agree that it would be far more sustainable to renovate, not replace, this block -- especially since not much appears to be gained by putting up this proposed building... they would only get a couple more stories and a parking structure with just a couple hundred spots. I don't see how they can justify tearing down this entire block for that purpose-- and in a boring, vanilla suburban-style cookie-cutter design to boot. blech.

No parts of any of the original buildings will be saved. The small, stone faced sections of the new facade are not meant to 'mimic' the old buildings, but are meant to acknowledge the datum set by the original buildings so that certain lines of height established by the old buildings are read in the new building. It is managed quite poorly and far too literally.

I would like to know the reason they chose this site. Obviously there's plenty surface lots downtown that they could've chosen. Is the "Wisconsin Ave." address that important that they really needed to put it there? I wish they could just keep all of those old buildings and build on top of them like they do in Chicago and other big cities. Probably the worst case scenario here for a new office building for downtown Milwaukee.

No parts of any of the original buildings will be saved. The small, stone faced sections of the new facade are not meant to 'mimic' the old buildings, but are meant to acknowledge the datum set by the original buildings so that certain lines of height established by the old buildings are read in the new building. It is managed quite poorly and far too literally.

yeah... this is one instance where it's okay to be a NIMBY... this building i do NOT want in MY backyard.

No parts of any of the original buildings will be saved. The small, stone faced sections of the new facade are not meant to 'mimic' the old buildings, but are meant to acknowledge the datum set by the original buildings so that certain lines of height established by the old buildings are read in the new building. It is managed quite poorly and far too literally.

May not be the intention, but the result.

Why would they think to put a 6 story building in the center of downtown? That space should be reserved for tall office buildings.

Awful. No. This proposal is not worth demolishing these buildings for. I hope the city opposes it. Downtown books, too, is a LANDMARK in Milwaukee! If you've never visited it before, i highly reccomend you take a lazy Saturday morning visit there. Just meandering up through its windy multiple stories of various old musty books and prints is a treat. If they replaced the block of historic buildings with an absolutely incredible showpiece development, it might be worth the loss but this building proposal is uninspiring and architecturally a dud.

agreed. Downtown Books is a hidden gem. Many a time have I gone down there and spent an hour and a half rummaging through their comic book archives and old magazines. The upper sections of that store are very cool and you can find alot of random, hard to find books.

The bad thing about this is that they aren't tearing down some crappy looking block. For the most part its a decent loooking two buildings with problems keeping high end tenants. To tear this down and replace it with this is somewhat of shame, considering all the other open areas that can be developed downtown Like CGII said, build this somewhere else.

Why would they think to put a 6 story building in the center of downtown? That space should be reserved for tall office buildings.

right... or at least, if it's smaller, it ought to be architecturally significant. I hope the city has the chutzpah to say "no" to this proposal.

this Robert Levine character seems completely out-of-touch with reality:

"The buildings lack the historical significance of the nearby Mitchell and Mackie buildings and are not worth saving", Robert Levine said.

Perhaps they're old and in need of repair, but your building lacks any significance whatsoever.


“That area needs something,” Robert Levine said. “There has to be a shot in the arm over there. East Wisconsin Avenue is a disaster. There are so many vacancies. It’s a block that needs work.”

New does not always mean better. Especially such a crappy design as this. You'll give that area a shot with this building, alright... a lethal injection.


A new building on the block could also help enhance Broadway as a gateway from downtown into the Third Ward, Robert Levine said.

Yes, nothing says "welcome" like mediocrity.


The proposed 6-story height of the building will allow it to fit in with the historic buildings that will remain on the block, such as the Johnson Bank building, Michael Levine said.
“We’re respecting our neighbors,”


...by respectfully building boring 6 story buildings... yes, that will really fit in next to the 30 story 411 East Wisconsin building, the 19 story AT&T center and the 15 story Wells building?!?!

Wow, I haven't seen such an awful proposal in a long time. I'm glad you all agree. If the city agrees to a TIF for this it would scream desperation.

And Yes, everyone must go to downtown books. It's an amazing place.

“There has to be a shot in the arm over there. East Wisconsin Avenue is a disaster. There are so many vacancies. It’s a block that needs work.”
A new building on the block could also help enhance Broadway as a gateway from downtown into the Third Ward, Robert Levine said.



The proposal could change as the developer meets with stakeholders. In any event, I'm not so sure I agree with that premise that the area needs "a short in the arm." I remember trendy restaurants on Milwaukee Street nearby. Plus, I think older buildings provide lower rents in nice locations for places like, oh, say a used bookstore, or a mom & pop restaurant.

On another note, I wonder if Levine has already polled members of the common council to find out their thoughts. Based on the fact that this is his second proposal for the same site, I'm guessing that the concept of tearing down the old buildings did not generate too much opposition from decisionmakers last time. If I were a developer, I would want to have a certain amount of confidence that the idea would be accepted before I making a big splash. It would be a waste to make a proposal if he knew it was for naught.

This isn't the same spot where that slick looking broadway tower was proposed was it? It was maybe like a 15 story tower with a thin crescent shape rising out of it. Anyone know?

Yes

This isn't the same spot where that slick looking broadway tower was proposed was it? It was maybe like a 15 story tower with a thin crescent shape rising out of it. Anyone know?

Anyone have a rendering of this? I like to keep all of the proposal renderings on my computer for personal reference but I don't have this one.

Info & drawing here: Broadway-Wisconsin Tower (http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=broadwaywisconsintower-milwaukee-wi-usa)

Looks like it is still waiting on final loan approval...

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/85222497.html

^^

http://www.biztimes.com/nf/uploads/Image/RE%20Weekly%2002%7C24%7C10/Broadway-Building.jpg

Sorry but I am definitely rooting against this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We could do and should do so much better in that area.

The buildings the developers want to demolish are well over 100 years old. They are in poor condition, have been altered significantly from their original appearance and are mostly vacant, Michael Levine said.
“Their lifecycle has come to an end, unfortunately,” he said.

This specious argument is the reason why countless historic structures have been unnecessarily demolished. Enough is enough.

Info & drawing here: Broadway-Wisconsin Tower (http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=broadwaywisconsintower-milwaukee-wi-usa)
This is actually across the street, isn't it?

I agree with everyone. This is a stupid proposal.

And Downtown Books is often the first place I go when I visit. I found a lot of books there for my shelves. I like it better than Renaissance Books.

Nope, thats the same spot. Those old buildings look pretty cool and I'll bet they'd be great if restored. However, if they were torn down I'd hope it would be for something more significant like the old broadway & Wisconsin tower. The larger tower also keeps more of the historic buildings in tact.

If the market doesn't warrant something that large though... then don't build it and ruin that great block.

Thanks for the link, Markitect.

+1 MilwaukeeMax

This is honestly the worst proposal I've ever seen. And of all the backwards rational to justify this project by Mr. Levine, my favorite has to be its role as a gateway to the third ward. Does he really believe that by tearing down the historic essence of a street and replacing it with throw-away suburban architecture he is somehow creating a gateway to a historic district? The logic defies me.


Btw, does anyone else remember the Johnson Bank building before it was rehabbed? It looked just as shabby as the rest of the block and now looks absolutely great. ugh

I would like to know Markitect's opinion on all this.

Info & drawing here: Broadway-Wisconsin Tower (http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=broadwaywisconsintower-milwaukee-wi-usa)

I forgot all about that awesome proposal.

I would like to know Markitect's opinion on all this.

Markitect's contribution to this forum hardly ever ventures into the realm of personal opinion. I think I've only seen such an event once through the years.

Oh Mark, stop being so dramatic. I know I've seen his opinion at LEAST 3 or 4 times! haha

Now get out of our forums you Raleighian! (what do people from Raleigh call themselves??) We don't want your kind here! :lol:

Mandel might expand North End apartments later this year
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel

Feb. 26, 2010

Mandel Group Inc. is planning to expand its downtown North End apartments, and work could begin on that project later this year.

That's according to the firm's president, Barry Mandel, who sat down with me recently for an interview on a variety of topics. A story based on our talk is to run in this Monday's Journal Sentinel.

Mandel said the firm is "very anxious" to begin work on The North End's second phase.

"We hope to be in the ground either some time at the end of this year, or early spring next year," Mandel told me.

The second phase will have around 160 units in two buildings. Mandel hopes to obtain tax-exempt bonds to finance around 30 units that would be offered at below-market rents. Those units would be available only for people earning no more than 60% of the Milwaukee area's median income.

"You need to be able to appeal to a very broad section of the market," Mandel said about plans to offer units at different rental rates.

The North End's 83-unit first phase opened last year, between N. Water St. and the Milwaukee River, south of E. Pleasant St. The site once housed the Pfister & Vogel tannery.

The first phase quickly leased out all of its apartments, and is now landing tenants for the building's retail space. Mandel said there's strong demand from people in their 20s and early 30s for new downtown apartments. (By the way, the topics of how more and more people in that age group are renting for longer periods of time, and are increasingly renting in urban areas, is the subject of an upcoming Journal Sentinel story by my esteemed colleague, Bill Glauber.)

Mandel plans to eventually develop around 500 housing units at The North End, which is receiving $8.5 million in city financing.


____ ........... anyone have any renderings of the second phase????

Oh Mark, stop being so dramatic. I know I've seen his opinion at LEAST 3 or 4 times! haha

Now get out of our forums you Raleighian! (what do people from Raleigh call themselves??) We don't want your kind here! :lol:
Especially when it came to discussing opinions over the compass looking first design for Discovery World, otherwise Mark is right.

Now get out of our forums you Raleighian! (what do people from Raleigh call themselves??) We don't want your kind here! :lol:

I don't know what they call themselves to be honest. North Carolinian is as close as it gets. I'm moving in less than a month but I'll continue to post here as Milwaukee will always be my home!

green architecture in Milwaukee (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/84964837.html)

i like those old pink buildings

BUT they are all painted one color for a reason
to make them uglier, an eyesore
and too diminish them
they are left to rot for years
so that by the time someone knocks
them down everyone
is happy that finally something was done

there is a block like that in chicago going on 20-30 yrs
@ grand/milwaukee intersection

too bad
for the intersection of broadway and wisconsin

Ugh! Will this thing ever get finished??

Stalled Staybridge Suites project sees action...in courtroom
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
March 1, 2010 11:22 a.m. |(0) Comments

Downtown Milwaukee's partially built Staybridge Suites hotel has seen some action lately.

But it's been happening at the Federal Courthouse, not at the construction site at N. Water St. and E. Juneau Ave.

Some of the latest from the litigation front include last week's dismissal of a motion by some of the project's owners, led by Economou Partners, of Park Ridge, Ill., to get the lawsuit tossed out of the court. The suit was filed by SJ Properties Suites Buyco EHF, SJ Fasteignir EHF and Askar Capital HF, a group of Icelandic investors that helped fund the project.

The Icelandic investors say they provided $17.4 million to finance the Staybridge project, which also received a loan from Atlanta-based Silverton Bank (which later went belly up).

Their suit accuses Economou of improperly diverting at least $310,189 from the Staybridge project to a project in Fort Myers, Fla.

Economou has denied those claims, and filed a counterclaim saying the investors didn't honor a promise to provide $4 million needed to complete the Staybridge development. The investors have denied that counterclaim.

Economou's motion to dismiss the investors' suit was prompted by a claim that Askar Capital was taken over by an Icelandic receiver after the global financial crisis took hold in the fall of 2008.

Economou claims that the real party in the suit may be the group that Economou says now controls Askar. However, the investors say Askar is solvent, and is not under receivership--although Glitnir banki HF, which has a 53% controlling interest in Askar, has been taken over by Icelandic banking regulators.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa concluded that Economou did not prove that Askar is not a genuine party to the dispute, and denied the motion to dismiss the suit.

Work on the 14-story Staybridge building halted in December 2008 when the project ran short of cash. The developers had planned to open a 126-room Staybridge Suites and 27 apartments in the building.

I'll have more details later at JSOnline.com, and in Tuesday's Journal Sentinel.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/85824577.html

http://www.biztimes.com/daily/2010/3/1/talgo-chooses-tower-automotive-site-for-train-assembly-plant

Talgo chooses Tower Automotive site for train assembly plant


Talgo Inc., the Spanish train company that is planning to establish a high-speed train assembly plant in Wisconsin, will announce soon that it has selected the former Tower Automotive facility in Milwaukee for that operation, sources told BizTimes Milwaukee.
The company recently informed officials in Janesville and Racine that it has eliminated sites in those communities from consideration for the plant. The company also recently informed executives at Milwaukee-based Super Steel that it will not establish the operation at their facility.
The only other facility that was being considered by Talgo is in Appleton. Appleton officials could not be reached for comment this morning.
Talgo’s train assembly facility is expected to initially create about 80 jobs. A representative for Talgo could not be reached for comment this morning.
Two weeks ago, BizTimes Milwaukee obtained a list of the sites that were submitted in response to Talgo’s request for proposals (RFP) for a factory site in the state.



Those sites were:

The Tower Automotive site, 2900 W. Townsend St., Milwaukee.
Super Steel, 7100 W. Calumet Road, Milwaukee.
The former Alloc flooring building, 3441 S. Memorial Dr., Racine.
Former ThyssenKrupp headquarters, 214,900-square-foot facility, 305 W. Delavan Dr., Janesville.
Helgesen Industrial Center (former LSI plant), 700,000-square-foot facility, 2929 Venture Dr., Janesville.
A 246,700-square-foot facility at 1840 W. Spencer St., Appleton.
The former Tower Automotive site was submitted to Talgo by City of Milwaukee officials. The city purchased 84 acres of the former 140-acre Tower site last year for $4.5 million. The property is bounded roughly by West Capitol Drive, the Soo Line railroad tracks, West Townsend Street and North 27th Street.
The city plans to spend about $30 million to redevelop the property and attract new businesses.
Talgo plans to lease a facility with an option to buy.
The State of Wisconsin agreed to purchase two high-speed train sets from Talgo for $47.5 million. Talgo has agreed to establish a train assembly operation in Wisconsin and will build those trains at that plant.
The state also will purchase two more train sets as part of the $810 million allocated by the Obama administration for the Milwaukee to Madison high-speed rail project. Those train sets are expected to be purchased from Talgo and assembled at its Wisconsin plant.
The company is hoping to use its Wisconsin manufacturing facility to build several additional trains if it can sell more trains for services funded by Obama’s $8 billion high-speed rail initiative.

I was kinda rooting for Janesville, but I'm excited that they chose the Tower Automotive site.

this is great news... and something I didn't even think of before: Tower's site is on a railroad line already, so they could-- theoretically-- assemble the trains on site and mount them on the tracks from there even.

this is great news... and something I didn't even think of before: Tower's site is on a railroad line already, so they could-- theoretically-- assemble the trains on site and mount them on the tracks from there even.
Same thing with the Appleton site. CN trackage runs along one side of the property, just a few blocks off of the proposed Fox Valley line.

The Tower Automotive site is also directly on the proposed Fox Valley line.

Mike

Does anyone know if there will be any additional maintenance facilities planned for trains running between Milwaukee/Madison and eventually Milwaukee/Green Bay?

I'm not sure if they will continue work out of wherever the Hiawatha is currently based or not.

If they plan a new site, locating something in this area would be centrally located for all lines planned/running in WI and might be able to utilize some of the facilities to be built/leased to Talgo.


Updated:

It seems my question has been answered:


http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/85862077.html

The passenger train factory to be developed at the former Tower Automotive plant on Milwaukee's north side will create around 125 jobs, Gov. Jim Doyle and other officials said Tuesday morning.

Spanish train manufacturer Talgo will use a refurbished building at the former Tower site to assemble passenger trains that will be used in Wisconsin, Oregon and possibly other states. Around 60 positions will be needed to build the trains, with another 65 jobs tied to maintenance work.

I know it's not going to happen as Milwaukee is already listed as overextended income-wise and the Bradley Center is in need of a lot of renovation, but I'd love to see an NHL team in Milwaukee:

http://sports.espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2010/icehockey/news/story?id=4957570

Buffalo -- where tournament MVP Ryan Miller plays for the Sabres -- was the top individual market in the United States, with a 32.6 rating. Pittsburgh, Detroit, Minneapolis and Milwaukee rounded out the top five.

I know it's not going to happen as Milwaukee is already listed as overextended income-wise and the Bradley Center is in need of a lot of renovation, but I'd love to see an NHL team in Milwaukee:

http://sports.espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2010/icehockey/news/story?id=4957570

That's awesome. The Sabres are my favorite hockey team so good for Buffalo. That's great to hear about Milwaukee as well, I was definitely doing my fair share for support :)

I know it's not going to happen as Milwaukee is already listed as overextended income-wise and the Bradley Center is in need of a lot of renovation, but I'd love to see an NHL team in Milwaukee:

http://sports.espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2010/icehockey/news/story?id=4957570

yeah, it's quite honestly one of the most ridiculous oversights in professional sports that Milwaukee doesn't have an NHL team but meanwhile places that never EVER see ice or snow do like Phoenix, Tampa, Dallas, etc.
If this plus the Admiral's consistent popularity is any indication, Milwaukee ought to have been granted an NHL team long ago. The Bradley Center was built for this purpose, but my understanding is that the NHL deemed Milwaukee to be too close to Chicago to be able to support an NHL franchise which, to me, sounds like absolute horse hockey. I don't know a single Black Hawks fan in Milwaukee... how on earth would Chicago's sports effect Milwaukee's other than us hating them even more than we do?

That's great news about the Tower site getting it's first major development! Hopefully, people from the surrounding area will benefit.

yeah, it's quite honestly one of the most ridiculous oversights in professional sports that Milwaukee doesn't have an NHL team but meanwhile places that never EVER see ice or snow do like Phoenix, Tampa, Dallas, etc.
If this plus the Admiral's consistent popularity is any indication, Milwaukee ought to have been granted an NHL team long ago. The Bradley Center was built for this purpose, but my understanding is that the NHL deemed Milwaukee to be too close to Chicago to be able to support an NHL franchise which, to me, sounds like absolute horse hockey. I don't know a single Black Hawks fan in Milwaukee... how on earth would Chicago's sports effect Milwaukee's other than us hating them even more than we do?
Unfortunately you will likely see another Texas or South NHL team before a Milwaukee team. If they did open another hockey market in the North half, it will probably be in Seattle.

Braun to open restaurant in Third Ward
Published March 2, 2010 - BizTimes Daily

Previous | 7 of 14 | Next

Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun and other investors plan to open a restaurant, called Ryan Braun’s Waterfront Grill, in the Historic Third Ward, according to a report by Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
Braun’s restaurant will soon take over the space currently occupied by Fratello’s Waterfront Restaurant, 102 N. Water St. The restaurant has a large outdoor patio, with seating for 275, along the Milwaukee River. The Braun menu will feature fresh seafood in addition to steaks and chops, chicken, pastas, individual pizzas, sandwiches and hamburgers.
Madison-based lawyer Patrick Sweeney, an investor working with Braun, said they finalized a lease on Monday, and the aggressive plan is to open to the public by Monday, April 5.
Braun also is working on plans to open a restaurant, called Ryan Braun’s Tavern and Grill, in Lake Geneva, which will be located in the former Cactus Club restaurant space at 430 Broad St.
Braun has been personally involved in both projects. Assuming the deal goes through, he plans to spend some time at the restaurant this summer.
"I think I'll be there all the time," Braun said. "I'm really excited about it. I think we'll get some good buzz at the beginning, but then it becomes about great service and quality food. That has to be what it is all about, and that's why I associated myself with people with experience who know what they're doing."
Braun also is involved in other off-field business ventures, including a clothing company, Remetee, and a line of baseball bats from Sam Bat.

Braun’s restaurant will soon take over the space currently occupied by Fratello’s Waterfront Restaurant, 102 N. Water St. The restaurant has a large outdoor patio, with seating for 275, along the Milwaukee River. The Braun menu will feature fresh seafood in addition to steaks and chops, chicken, pastas, individual pizzas, sandwiches and hamburgers.

Wow - I can't believe Fratello's is closing. That place was always PACKED in the summertime and was pretty crowded throughout the rest of the year as well. It was a nice place. I hope Braun's restaurant is at least as good! It's nice that he's investing in Milwaukee.

yeah, it's quite honestly one of the most ridiculous oversights in professional sports that Milwaukee doesn't have an NHL team but meanwhile places that never EVER see ice or snow do like Phoenix, Tampa, Dallas, etc.
If this plus the Admiral's consistent popularity is any indication, Milwaukee ought to have been granted an NHL team long ago. The Bradley Center was built for this purpose, but my understanding is that the NHL deemed Milwaukee to be too close to Chicago to be able to support an NHL franchise which, to me, sounds like absolute horse hockey. I don't know a single Black Hawks fan in Milwaukee... how on earth would Chicago's sports effect Milwaukee's other than us hating them even more than we do?

if anything, it would be great for the Blackhawks. Milwaukee would be a close drive and develop into a huge rival. Same goes with Detroit, Minnesota, and St. Louis.

I want a team, but the Bucks probally need to go at this point to realistically support/gain an NHL team. I tend to think that Wisconsin could support a team like they do with Brewers.

Wow - I can't believe Fratello's is closing. That place was always PACKED in the summertime and was pretty crowded throughout the rest of the year as well. It was a nice place. I hope Braun's restaurant is at least as good! It's nice that he's investing in Milwaukee.

The patio was always packed but not necessarily the inside. I've been to the place a half dozen times and I go for the location and patio. The food was underwhelming for the price and the inside of the restaurant was a little awkward... I hope Braun's involvement can make this a successful destination.

East side apartments near Columbia St. Mary's proposed
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
March 4, 2010 11:41 a.m. |(19) COMMENTS

UPDATED

A nine-story east side apartment building, aimed at employees from the nearby Columbia St. Mary's Hospital, is planned for a site between N. Farwell and N. Murray avenues, about one-half block north of E. North Ave.

Chicago-based Mercy Housing Lakefront Inc. is proceeding with the 83-unit proposal, which would require Common Council zoning approval.

The deal also needs council approval to sell a city-owned parking lot to accommodate the project. Ald. Nik Kovac, whose district includes the site, has introduced a resolution to sell that lot.

The sale price has not yet been determined. The sale would be contingent on the project obtaining zoning approval, Kovac said.

The development site would likely include an adjacent parking lot owned by U.S. Bank. The bank operates a branch at 2303 N. Farwell Ave.

The building would have 75 upper-level apartments and eight townhome-style rental units, said Lisa Kuklinski, Mercy spokeswoman. The nine-story building would include a three-story parking structure.

Of the 115 parking space, 85 would be for apartment residents, she said. The 30 remaining spaces would be for public parking.

Kuklinski declined to provide additional details prior to an informational meeting for neighborhood residents and business operators. That meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, at Paddy's Pub, 2339 N. Murray Ave.

The loss of surface parking lot spaces will be among the issues to be considered, Kovac said. He said nearby parking structures for the hospital and Whole Foods Market could accommodate night-time public parking if agreements can be worked out.

Mercy last year disclosed plans to remodel the former Prospect Mall into around 100 apartments and street-level retail space. But Mercy later dropped those plans for the former mall, which is about one block southeast of the current proposed development site.

The apartments would be marketed to employees of the nearby hospital, which is being expanded, and other major east side and downtown employers.

Mercy plans to seek federal affordable housing tax credits to help finance the project. Those credits are provided through a competitive process by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.

To receive affordable housing credits, developers must lease apartments, at below-market rents, to people earning no more than 60% of the Milwaukee area's median income. For a one-person household, that maximum income is $28,440, and $32,520 for a two-person household, with the limits increasing as the household size increases.

The east side has seen another apartment development aimed at Columbia St. Mary's Hospital employees: the 90-unit Latitude project, under construction at the corner of N. Farwell Ave and E. Kenilworth Place.

Does anyone have pictures of new development along McKinley Avenue in Milwaukee? I really need some photos showing new development along this roadway since the demolition of the Park East Freeway. Any help with this would be much appreciated.

Does anyone have pictures of new development along McKinley Avenue in Milwaukee? I really need some photos showing new development along this roadway since the demolition of the Park East Freeway. Any help with this would be much appreciated.

You're joking, right?

Does anyone have pictures of new development along McKinley Avenue in Milwaukee? I really need some photos showing new development along this roadway since the demolition of the Park East Freeway. Any help with this would be much appreciated.

directly along McKinley only? you want photos of the new Aloft hotel and the Moderne site?

Yeah, it has to be directly off of McKinley itself. Any investment along this road that can be shown in photos. I did a google search and could not find any decent photos. So, anything you guys have will help me out alot.

Yeah, it has to be directly off of McKinley itself. Any investment along this road that can be shown in photos. I did a google search and could not find any decent photos. So, anything you guys have will help me out alot.

There's about 1 and a half developments since the demolition, nothing is happening, our county board is in gridlock!!!! :( :mad::badnews:

Does anyone have pictures of new development along McKinley Avenue in Milwaukee? I really need some photos showing new development along this roadway since the demolition of the Park East Freeway. Any help with this would be much appreciated.

Haymarket Square (http://www.biztimes.com/news/2010/1/8/real-estate-private-college-only-part-of-haymarket-square-project)

whoops wrong forum

There's about 1 and a half developments since the demolition, nothing is happening, our county board is in gridlock!!!! :( :mad::badnews:

well, there is stuff in the works... and development NEAR McKinley... the new Manpower headquarters, for instance, are not visible on Google Earth I think (at least last time I checked). I'll see if I can get some photos of the Aloft hotel along McKinley and the Moderne site, even though they technically haven't broken ground yet. There is an apartment development planned for near Jefferson and Milwaukee (west of Pick n' Save) and this is where the Park East freeway spur used to terminate. I'm not sure when that is planned to break ground.

I really hope that 9-story apartment building won't get held back by a loss of f***ing surface parking. It's awesome how much momentum the area around North Ave. has right now though, minus losing the Pizza Man building. I can't wait for Cambridge Commons to open, that place is coming along nicely.

@perilouspete Agreed I'm worried about people complaining about the "loss of parking" as well. It's the City of Milwaukee and developing city owned parking lots should be a priority. Plus it will in fact have some public parking in the new building... but it is the East Side..

Westling Partners with Grunau on Downtown Office Building

The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Rich Kirchen Bruce Westling is lining up an A-list of supporters for his proposed Park East office-and-movie-theater complex and expects to solidify within 60 days the tenants that would make the project feasible.

Westling, president of the NAI MLG Commercial real estate brokerage in Milwaukee, is partnering with developer Gary Grunau and others on a proposed 15-story office and parking structure with Marcus Cinemas next door. MLG Development, Brookfield, sold the development rights to Westling-led Rainier Properties in late 2009.

Westling and Milwaukee city officials view the site on the Milwaukee River as perhaps the most desirable in the corridor that was cleared by the demolition of the Park East freeway in 2003.

“We’re getting some really nice traction with some larger users that will drive this deal together,” Westling said this week.

He declined to disclose the identity of the prospective tenants, but said within the next 60 days he hopes they will “get a little more committed to the idea of the project.”

An obvious tenant would be the corporate offices of The Marcus Corp., which owns Marcus Theatres. Marcus Theatres in January signed a letter of intent to build a movie complex in the proposed project at the corner of North Water Street and McKinley Boulevard.

Marcus is based at 100 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, where it has four years left on its lease. The company hasn’t started a review of its future office needs, said chief financial officer Doug Neis. Marcus uses 41,000 square feet for about 150 employees, he said.

“We will be taking a look at our lease probably in the next year, but we haven’t to date,” Neis said.

Westling, like developers who have proposed downtown Milwaukee office towers at other locations, is wooing a short list of potential anchor tenants, including accounting firm Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP, 115 S. 84th St., and law firm von Briesen & Roper SC, 411 E. Wisconsin Ave. He said he’d like to land tenants from the suburbs, downtown Milwaukee and out of state.

If the developers can sign a sufficient number of tenants, the project will receive both debt and equity financing from USAA Real Estate Co., San Antonio, Westling said. Westling said he and Grunau also are seeking additional investors.

Westling said his project would offer amenities and a location between the Water Street and Brady Street hot spots that will be attractive to employers who are recruiting young professionals.

“The downtown vibe is important to young people,” he said. “We think young talent will want to be in this building.”

Westling expects the project will seek assistance from the city of Milwaukee for a 550-space parking structure and he’s discussed it with Department of City Development commissioner Rocky Marcoux.

Marcoux called the proposal an exciting project at a critical Park East corner.

“Bruce needs a tenant to sign a viable lease and make the building work,” Marcoux said.

Westling already has the influential Marcus Corp. and Grunau, who is a leading Milwaukee developer, in his corner. Westling also has explained the project to Manpower Inc. chief executive officer Jeff Joerres, whose company built a corporate headquarters on the Milwaukee River in September 2007 across from the proposed new development.

“I am excited about the energy and the vibrancy this project will bring to our ‘neighborhood’ and pleased about the entertainment opportunities it will offer our people,” Joerres said via e-mail.