Once again, many articles to share today...
First up, a really great profile of Robert Greenstreet, Dean of the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at UW-Milwaukee, whom Mayor Barret recently appointed to become City Architect/Planner (pending Common Council approval).
From today's
Business Journal (a four-pager):
UWM's Greenstreet brings expertise, love of city to Milwaukee's future look
***
The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission will once again study the possbility for a regional transit authority. The intention is to create a single entity to oversee financing, operation, planning, and development of transit issues; rather than the piecemeal, individual county-by-county, city-by-city, collection of agencies that exist today. A similar proposal in 1993 was rejected by County Boards throughout the area.
See this
Business Journal article for more (two-pager):
Planners revive study on regional authority for transit - Milwaukee County Board requested study to relieve property tax burden
***
Along with the growing number of riverfront condominium developments in Downtown Milwaukee, there is a growing number of riverside boat slips and marinas. Several have already been built, several are planned, and several are surely yet-to-be-proposed. A few environmental advocacy groups, while not opposed to the condo developments, are emphasizing the impotance of a riverfront plan--to better coordinate public versus private river access for pedestirans and boats, and to prevent adverse environmental effects on the city's waterways.
Read more about it in the
Business Journal (three-pager):
On the riverfront: Boat slips multiply with new condos along Milwaukee River
***
Over the past several years, the condo market in and around Downtown Milwaukee has been booming with new construction, rehabilitation, and conversions. Many more condos are in progress, and many more are on the way.
Is the market saturated; has it reached its peak for now? Is it time to start focusing on other types of housing/residents? How are developers and real estate people reacting? Find out in this article form the
Business Journal (two-pager):
Saturation in the city: Downtown condos still hot, but boom may have peaked
***
Despite those questions, plans for condo developments forge ahead, with Keybridge Development's proposal to build a 12-story condominium project in Walker's Point. The site at 106 W. Seeboth Street is prominantly located at the confluence of the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers, offering commanding views of Downtown, upstream a few blocks away.
The former Terminal Storage Company building now stands on the site, which will be incorporated into the overall project. Developers are planning to use the old building mainly as street-level retail space and a 263-car parking garage, while building a 5-story residnetial addition atop the northern end and a 7-story addition atop the southern end. The $60 million project, named First Place on the River (in reference to its location at the corner of Seeboth and First Streets), will have 184 units and 24 boat slips.
The previous owner of the building had plans last year for a similar rehabilitation-and-addition condo project (called Downtown Yacht Club), but recently sold his development rights to Keybridge, who made the current proposal. The
Journal Sentinel ran an article about the previous proposal in April 2003. Below are two photos from that article, showing the rooftop view from the Terminal Storage building. Downtown is to the north, in the background; the Third Ward is to the east, on the right side.
See this
Business Journal article for specifics (two-pager):
Developer plans 12-story 3rd Ward condo (the title contains a mistake; this project is in Walker's Point, not the Third Ward)