Depending on which news sources you follow, Milwaukee is going through either a “renaissance” or a “reinvention.” Or maybe it’s a “reboot” or a “reimagining,” like that crappy Tim Burton version of Planet Of The Apes. However you want to define it, it’s safe to say that Milwaukee is currently building a lot of new shit.
• The Historic Third Ward Architectural Review Board unanimously approved Summerfest’s plans to update the North Entry Gate of Henry Maier Festival Park, as well as create a new Community Plaza adjacent to the nearby Urban Park. Per Summerfest, the project will include:
New entrance gate and turnstile entry area
• Digital displays, lighting, and a public address system
• Additional turnstile lines
• Unique signature design
• New box office
• First aid station
Community Plaza
• A public space available to all community members visiting lakefront attractions
• Accessible benches and seating areas
• Interactive play structures themed around music and musical instruments
• Bike parking
• Eco-friendly landscaping and interactive lighting effects
Work on the project has already begun, and is expected to be finished in time for Summerfest 2018. [Summerfest]
• The City of Milwaukee gave a green light to the ambitious Sherman Phoenix project. Using a BMO Harris Bank building that was damaged in last year’s Sherman Park unrest, developers plan to create a hub for small African-American-owned businesses. A dozen businesses, with roughly 45 employees, have already agreed to lease space in the building. [Milwaukee Business Journal]
• Developer Rick Wiegand revealed plans to buy the former Wisconsin Avenue School, 2708 W. Wisconsin Ave., and turn it into a 23-suite extended-stay hotel. The so-called “Ambassador Suites” would operate in conjunction with Wiegand’s nearby Ambassador Hotel. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• The Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee approved a zoning change for a 27-story, 192-unit apartment tower on North Prospect Avenue. The long-contentious project will go before the full Common Council this Tuesday. [Urban Milwaukee]
• Construction has begun on the “Live Block” portion of the new Milwaukee Bucks arena. The area will contain bars, restaurants, and other shops—25 percent of them local. Specific businesses have yet to be announced. [Urban Milwaukee]
• Bad/good news: the fog is getting thicker, and Marquette University’s footprint in the city is getting laaaaarrrrrger. [Urban Milwaukee]