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.” However you want to define it, it’s safe to say that Milwaukee is currently building a lot of new and wonderful things!
• When is a dog park not just a dog park? When it’s a dog park that’s part of a highly anticipated riverside brewery/taproom/restaurant, that’s when.
Originally announced in 2020, the so-called Foxtown Landing project will include, according to Urban Milwaukee, a “publicly accessible dog park under Interstate 794 on the west side of the Milwaukee River and the development of a dog-friendly Foxtown Brewing complex, known as Foxtown Landing, to the south. […] The project would be located on what is currently vacant land along the Milwaukee River between W. Clybourn St., W. St. Paul Ave. and N. Plankinton Ave.” Last year, Fromm Family Pet Food was announced as the dog park’s naming sponsor.
Updated project plans presented to the Third Ward Architectural Review Board last week “relate to how the Foxtown complex would connect to the Milwaukee River.” Construction could begin this fall. The City Plan Commission will discuss the project at its June 26 meeting. [Urban Milwaukee]
• You know that old 800-ton railroad swing bridge in the middle of the Milwaukee River? The one that doesn’t do anything? Yeah, that one. Well, according to 72 breathless local articles, plans are underway to transform the long-inoperable bridge into a year-round park, venue, cafe, and attraction! It’ll put Milwaukee on the map! Awesome! Construction begins…
What’s that? Hm? Huh? Oh, it was just someone’s year-old graduate thesis for the UW-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Planning, recently presented to the Historic Third Ward Architectural Review Board for some reason? And there are “plenty of reasons” the plan is a “long shot,” including money and a “web of federal regulations”? Oh. Okay. [Urban Milwaukee] [OnMilwaukee] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] [TMJ 4]
• Any takers on that remaining chunk of vacant Park East land near Downtown? You know, that chunk that was going to be home to a hotel and an apartment building at one point? Anyone? The city is putting the site up for sale—for the fourth time—hoping somebody will do something with it. [Urban Milwaukee]
• A long-delayed plan to knock down a former Aurora Family Services facility at 3200 W. Highland Blvd. and replace it with a four-story, 71-unit building “with apartments for elderly people and people with disabilities” is moving forward. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• Plans are also moving forward on what is being dubbed “Milwaukee’s largest affordable housing development.” Two industrial buildings at 123 and 147 E. Becher St. in the Harbor District are set to be demolished and replaced with six buildings containing a total of 576 apartments. That’s large! Construction is expected to begin this fall. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• Developers have purchased a mostly vacant two-block site in Brewers Hill and might build some housing on it. [Urban Milwaukee]
• In 1992, They Might Be Giants played Milwaukee’s Modjeska Theatre. A bunch of fans climbed onstage during the show and the stage collapsed. (Fans and band alike made it out alive.) Thirty-one years later, after oodles of plans to revive the long-vacant theater have come and gone, a new bright idea has emerged: to turn the historic Modjeska into an esports arena. Sure! Why not! Put your hand inside the puppet head! [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• And finally, remember that big double-room FPC Live/Live Nation/Ticketmaster venue coming to the Deer District that everyone was worked up about? According to Urban Milwaukee, “industry observers have their doubts” it will actually be built. Huh! [Urban Milwaukee]
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• Full “New And Wonderful Things” (formerly called “New Sh*t”) archives