Milwaukee Development News

[mgk920]

Originally Posted by El Mariachi

Commuting from the East Side or Third Ward to Menomonee Falls everyday would be a hassle in my opinion. It sounds nice but he will regret it in the winter or when gas prices spike again. I'm not saying it's THAT long of a drive but the layout of Milwaukee makes that drive more of a hassle for those two areas.

I would suggest Wauwatosa. It has alot of walkable areas, close to everything, and in general it's a nicer place to live than Milwaukee.

OTOH, with a 'reverse' commute like that, you'll be driving OUT of the Sun each way, not INTO it. That's a major bugaboo for those commuting to jobs in downtown Milwaukee from the west.

Closer to Menomonee Falls, it's pretty much all traditional suburban, even the parts that are inside of the modern-day City of Milwaukee (Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls annexed outward to meet each other at 124th St in the late 1950s). Prior to WWII, the 'old' Village of Menomonee Falls was a small independent urbanized blop, mushing into the metro area with the post-War big-lot sprawl style development of that time.

Mike

[Milwaukee, WY]

Originally Posted by El Mariachi

Commuting from the East Side or Third Ward to Menomonee Falls everyday would be a hassle in my opinion. It sounds nice but he will regret it in the winter or when gas prices spike again. I'm not saying it's THAT long of a drive but the layout of Milwaukee makes that drive more of a hassle for those two areas.

I would suggest Wauwatosa. It has alot of walkable areas, close to everything, and in general it's a nicer place to live than Milwaukee.

I would second this. 'Tosa has a lot of good walkable areas, some fantastic housing stock, and plenty to do on the weekends. It's my favorite Milwaukee suburb. The area immediately to the east of Wauwatosa in Milwaukee is pretty nice too; the Washington Heights neighborhood being the most hip and walkable of these.

[Twoaday]

@SpiderMonkey This one is easy. East Side, East Town, maybe Bay View but the drive will be longer.

Tosa eh, better than many suburbs but would definitely not be my top choice.

[SpiderMonkey]

Thanks for all the info. I will pass it along to my brother. It's always good to get a local perspective before moving somewhere new.

[DooMer_MP3]

As for the "where to live" question - I reverse commute each day from the East Side to west side Tosa. Not as far as Menomonee Falls, but its about 15 minutes each way. I'd add on another 10 minutes for Menomonee Falls. Not bad at all, and generally traffic free (Brewers game days and Friday evenings can get a little congested on the way home).

As others have mentioned Wauwatosa would be a good option too. Downtown Tosa (State St and North Ave areas) is very walkable with plenty of restaurants and bars. The political leaning jehuty mentioned seems a bit skewed to me. I'd say "Old 'Tosa" (east of say, 84th st) is older, urban, and generally pretty left leaning.

[embora]

Originally Posted by SpiderMonkey

Thanks for all the info. I will pass it along to my brother. It's always good to get a local perspective before moving somewhere new.

Hi Spidermonkey. As you can see the people on this forum are enthusiastic and proud of Milwaukee, so this conversation will probably be going on long after your brother actually moves in. Here is my $.02: He may get a bit of a feel for some places via a local Milwaukee PBS show, "Around the Corner," which can be seen here online: http://www.mptv.org/localshows/around_the_corner/

John McGivern walks you through some of the highlights of various neighorhoods, including some of the ones already mentioned here, and then a local historian, John Gurda offers some historical backdrop info.

[SpiderMonkey]

Originally Posted by embora

Hi Spidermonkey. As you can see the people on this forum are enthusiastic and proud of Milwaukee, so this conversation will probably be going on long after your brother actually moves in. Here is my $.02: He may get a bit of a feel for some places via a local Milwaukee PBS show, "Around the Corner," which can be seen here online: http://www.mptv.org/localshows/around_the_corner/

John McGivern walks you through some of the highlights of various neighorhoods, including some of the ones already mentioned here, and then a local historian, John Gurda offers some historical backdrop info.

Great link, thanks. They were in town over the weekend and really like the lower eastside area. They will be back for a couple days later this week. I will be sure to send him the link to take a look at.

[superbigshow1997]

Originally Posted by AcctStdntUWM

image hosted on flickr

Latitude Apartments


UWM Dorms - Cambridge Commons

image hosted on flickr

The Moderne


St. John's Expansion


Columbia St Mary's Expansion


Jackson Square


Eckstein Hall


Marquette Engineering School


I'm sure there's more...

the moderne in that picture looks absolutely amazing and i hope more buildings like that can happen and you know "fill the gap"

[superbigshow1997]

Originally Posted by miltown

http://www.jsonline.com/entertainmen...151419515.html

Milwaukee Art Museum proposes fixes to War Memorial

The Milwaukee Art Museum has unveiled a proposed $15 million project that includes a plan to help restore the War Memorial Center and create a glassy new addition on the lakefront, an urban park and dramatic redesign of its galleries.

Museum officials say the plan is urgent because the War Memorial buildings, occupied by the museum, veterans groups and other organizations, have reached a "tipping point" in terms of disrepair. This puts the state's most visible monument to veterans, billions of dollars worth of art and one of the region's most architecturally significant buildings at risk, said Dan Keegan, the museum's director.....




Other pics wont show: http://www.jsonline.com/entertainmen...15.html?page=1 - Find them here!

It's a little too boxy for me, but the update and renovation are sorely needed! The War Memorial is embarrassing! It kind of looks like they'll paint it white too?

I think the expansion should look like its a half pyramid shape rising about a 6 story height.

[AcctStdntUWM]

Menomonee Falls buying land for office developments; Kohl's?By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
June 4, 2012


Menomonee Falls is set to buy two vacant parcels at Woodland Prime office park, where Kohl's Corp. has considered developing its new corporate headquarters.

The Village Board, at Monday night's meeting, will consider approving a purchase agreement for the parcels, which are 19 acres and 14.1 acres. The land would be sold by HRH Acquisitions LLC, an investment group led by Milwaukee developer Doug Weas...

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/busine...dandspace.html


Investor buying partly completed Staybridge hotelBy Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
June 1, 2012


An investor that owns the loan used to finance downtown Milwaukee's partly completed Staybridge Suites building has agreed to buy the property for $12.4 million.

2010-1 SFG Venture, an affiliate of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and New York-based Square Mile Capital Management LLC, submitted that high bid Thursday night at a court-ordered auction of the 14-story building, at the southeast corner of N. Water St. and E. Juneau Ave., property receiver Seth Dizard said Friday morning...

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/busine...dandspace.html


Trane moving office to Walker's Point from West AllisBy Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
May 25, 2012


Trane Co. is moving its area sales office in June from West Allis to an office building in the Walker's Point neighborhood, south of downtown Milwaukee.

Trane is leasing around 15,000 square feet at 234 W. Florida St., said Bob Davis, Milwaukee area sales leader for the company, which makes heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Trane will move 48 employees from 11400 W. Theodore Trecker Way...

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/busine...dandspace.html

___________________________________________________________


Some really disappointing stuff with Kohls, just hate thinking about what a loss it was fr Milwaukee to have them stay in MF.

Great news about the Staybridge though, it'll be interesting to see if they still try and attract a hotel to the building or if they convert it entirely into apartments.

Anyone hear anything on this?

[SWDetroit]

Congratulations on Governor Walker's reelection today.

Hopefully, Milwaukee--along with the rest of the Midwest--can develop itself prudently without placing any nonsensical Keynesian spending upon the taxpayers.

[neqquah]

Please don't feed the troll

[wukikimonkey]

Originally Posted by neqquah

Please don't feed the troll

I was so close too. But hey, plus-side: there aren't any more political ads all over this site (and every other site I visit)!

[jehuty]

A Milwaukee County judge on Tuesday approved the $12.4 million sale of the downtown Milwaukee Staybridge Suites building, marking a major turning point in the 3-year-old lawsuit over the failed development.

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee...oves-124m.html


The City of Milwaukee's city attorney has clarified a position about the Sydney Hih building, a 19th-century building under a raze order from the Department of Neighborhood Services.

As it turns out, a demolition permit was not issued, only applied for, before a group of people got together and petitioned to have the building designated historic. What this means is that the city may have to put the demolition on hold if the Historic Preservation Commission approves the designation.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entert...rt=newestfirst


Hurray for the Staybridge Hotel!!! It can finally be completed and not be a blight on water street anymore. Making this buliding is a terrible idea and wouldnt work on that part of water st. A hotel has and does make the most sense here.

Booo for the Sydney Hih, kill the thing already. The only people that want it to stay have nostolgic feelings over the crappy building. It doesnt serve a purpose, doesn't look nice, and will eventually be torn down anyways. Get rid of it already!

On other news, does anybody know what is that construction that is going on at the pabst brewery site?

[El Mariachi]

Originally Posted by jehuty

No worries Mariachi, just joshing you I know Tosa isn't like West Allis (note: Tell your brother to stay far away the suburbs that start at West allis and end up around south Milwaukee). The people that live in Wauwatosa are certaintly a different breed. So if you tend to lean more to the left you pretty much want to steer clear of Tosa since its just (insert waukesha county town here) located in Milwaukee county. Wauwatosa is okay I guess if you like going to the Mall and need to be in close proximity of highway 100 and its never ending strip malls and suburban sprawl.

Don't hate on them too much. Who do you think is required to finance a new Bucks arena? And don't be hating on malls either. Milwaukee would spend every federal tax dollar they had to move Mayfair or Brookfield Square downtown.

Originally Posted by mgk920

OTOH, with a 'reverse' commute like that, you'll be driving OUT of the Sun each way, not INTO it. That's a major bugaboo for those commuting to jobs in downtown Milwaukee from the west. Closer to Menomonee Falls, it's pretty much all traditional suburban, even the parts that are inside of the modern-day City of Milwaukee (Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls annexed outward to meet each other at 124th St in the late 1950s). Prior to WWII, the 'old' Village of Menomonee Falls was a small independent urbanized blop, mushing into the metro area with the post-War big-lot sprawl style development of that time.

Mike

Yeah, that's a good point. It would be a pain driving home though. I would think I-43 to Good Hope Rd. would be the best way to the Falls from the East Side.

Menomonee Falls isn't really that bad of a place to live either. It's not as exciting as Milwaukee but exciting isn't always a good thing.

Originally Posted by Milwaukee, WY

I would second this. 'Tosa has a lot of good walkable areas, some fantastic housing stock, and plenty to do on the weekends. It's my favorite Milwaukee suburb. The area immediately to the east of Wauwatosa in Milwaukee is pretty nice too; the Washington Heights neighborhood being the most hip and walkable of these.

I personally think Wauwatosa is the best part of the metro area. It offers a near perfect balance of urban and suburban. The best mall in the metro area, golf courses, great parks, good schools, walkable neighborhoods, political diversity, and proximity to the best parts of Milwaukee. North Ave. Tosa always stands out to me with the diversity of small businesses that line the street. For some reason, it never gets the hype of Brady Street. It's just a shame the street turns to ghetto for a stretch between Lisbon/50th and Holton. Downtown Tosa is also great and kind of a hidden gem.

[ThatGuy]

Ya, the Pabst site thing is basically apartments for elderly people. I get the idea it is kind of like St. John's on the Lake.

As for the Sydney Hih, I do like the building, but if no one is going to spend the time and money to fix it up, I suppose its time to tear it down. I went out yesterday and took some pictures of it, because I had heard the signage was coming down today, but now that article makes me think thats not true.

Regardless, when I can, I will try to post some of the pictures I got. I am no expert photographer by any means, and I know not everyone is a fan of the building, but I don't think any last day photos will hurt anyone :P

Oh, and I grew up in Tosa, and its great. 15 minutes from nearly anywhere you want to be. It has a few seedier parts, but on the whole its a great place. Now I live downtown though, and I love it there as well.

[SpiderMonkey]

Update, after spending much of the last week looking around, they found a place on the lower east side near Farwell and Brady. Thank you all for your help, I know my brother appreciates it as well as I passed all the info along to him.

[AcctStdntUWM]

Good area, real close access via the Brady St Bridge to get down to the lake too.

Also, know this discussion is mostly over, but Oakland Ave in Shorewood has become a pretty nice area, especially with all the new buildings in the last 5 years.

[skylinedude]

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

As for the Sydney Hih, I do like the building, but if no one is going to spend the time and money to fix it up, I suppose its time to tear it down. I went out yesterday and took some pictures of it, because I had heard the signage was coming down today, but now that article makes me think thats not true.

The Historic Preservation Committee passed the interim designation but now its become an internal squabble with city government. Preservationists say yes but the Milwaukee Economic Development Committee says Sydney Hih (which is owned by the city since November 2011) is unfit and not safe for human use. The hearing has nothing to do with stopping the demolition process, just another delay tactic.

[Twoaday]

Lets be clear a raze order does not mean the building has to come down. It means either put together a plan to make it safe and get it approved, or it will be demo'd. And you'd think the city working with well the city could if they wanted to make it safe (I know at a cost).

I'll add that delaying demo is all about stopping the demolition process. Opens the window to find a buyer, put a plan together, and convince the city this is the wrong move and so on...