Horrendous blue holiday lights
 

I'm driving through downtown, heading east down Wisconsin Avenue.. what's up with those blue "holiday" lights?! Couldn't they go with red/green or white? Ugh..
It's like a few years ago they had these weird new age glowing cones in Cathedral Square. Who exactly is responsible for choosing this stuff? Those blazing blue lights are a total eyesore.

Yeah, the Christmas decorations in Milwaukee this year are pretty rancid and over the top...

I have to say that I really like the blue lights. I think they're quite beautiful. As for the lights in the parks...UGH! They are EXTREMELY tacky, and the city's tree is shameful. The lights look like they were just thrown up haphazardly. I, too, would like to know who's responsible for this.

Downtown Milwaukee seems to have a hard time with decorating for the holidays. There was a time during the 1990's when there was virtually nary any Xmas lights. Everything was boarded up. I have to give them credit for trying to be more festive over the recent years. But they really kind of over did it this year.
I guess I rather have them over do it than have nothing at all.:rolleyes:

I was back in town for Thanksgiving and I actually liked the decorations.

Check it out the North End demolition is finally about done.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2359/...b682a15ef7.jpg

The Small Business Times recently featured an update on the proposed addition for the St. John's on the Lake senior residential complex along N. Prospect Avenue. The 20-story tower, which is planned to have about 100 upscale apartments available for seniors, will be built on a surface parking lot adjacent to the existing facility. There are various community spaces planned for the ground level (fitness room, swimming pool, art gallery, bistro, etc.) which will connect to the existing buildings.

St. John's recently began taking registrations for the units in the new tower, and will need about 70 confirmations before being able to move forward. St. john's hopes to be able to break ground in spring/summer of 2008 and have residents move in by late-2009/early-2010.

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/5...nstowerwb4.jpg
^ This rendering shows the lakebluff side of the St. John's on the Lake senior residential complex, with the new tower on the left and the existing facility on the right. The main entrance would be through a courtyard overlooking the lake, as opposed to Prospect Avenue.

More from the SBT: St. John’s plans 20-story senior apartment tower

Anybody know what's being built across from Whole Foods on North Ave? It used to be a gas station...

Oooh...ooohh.....I really want to know too. Wasn't that parcel purchased by the same people who bought out the Prospect Mall?

^^^ Wow that thing has been abandoned forever! Have they torn it down yet? I can't wait to see a real, useful, building built there, such a waste of space on the prime district of North Avenue!

It's my understanding that it will be a small (maybe 1 story) retail building. Nothing interesting, the developer apparently had no vision or interest in building some great on that corner.

Hey I snapped a photo of the Residences on Water on construction... doesn't look like they came to a hault (like the city) because of lack of snow removal.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2297/...5c5a871cfe.jpg

Hmm. . . precast construction. . . not something you see every day in this part of the world. . . at least for high rise buildings. . .

^^^ Yeah very interesting, does anybody have a render of this building? Where exactly on Water is it?

I hear you have got a lot of snow up there right now with more on the way, hopefully it will still be there when I come home for Christmas so I can have a legitimately white Christmas...

This building's website is http://theresidencesonwater.com/

And it will on Water and Juneau right next door to Bar Louie

Did anyone see that the guy who is trying to build the Rivianna hasn't paid his loan for building a couple other projects and is being sued? That is not encouraging.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=693741

Yea that's unfortunate and my guess is that the problem stems from not selling enough River Renaissance (only 55% sold). And the problem there is that the units are very odd. Strange layout and exposed duct work without high ceilings.

wow... the Staybridge looks awesome!

An additional rendering of Moderne that was posted at SSC:
http://www.themoderne.net/images/Mod...07RGBlarge.jpg

There was a picture of the construction on the Staybridge suites on Water today in the business section of the Journal Sentinel. Check it out.