MILWAUKEE | Development News

[Markitect]

Originally Posted by CG5

I saw that buildings section in the Biz Journal at work yesterday, ironically enough. There were some great renderings I hadn't seen yet, including the clearest facade elevations I've found.

You've got a scanner at work, correct? Can you find the paper, scan those drawings, and post them for us? Unofrtunatley the Business Journal doesn't include any graphics on its website--and this muct have been something special too, because I don't see any recent articles about the Wisconsin-Brodaway tower either.

[CityGawd5]

I didn't see anything about Broadway-Wisconsin, but yes--what I saw was a special insert all about buildings and related industries in MKE. I'll try to figure out the scanner at work...I've never used it before.

[CityGawd5]

So...are we ever actually ever going to see anything from the Pier Wisconsin dudes, or what?

[Markitect]

Well you have to remember, the newspaper only said the competition due date was November 15; nothing was ever said about when the entries would be made available to the public, or when a winning concept would be selected.

Pier Wisconsin's website says a winner will be selected by the end of the year.

[DragonTalesFan]

i have information Packets on University club Tower at Mandel Group and i have a information Booklet from Fiduciary about Kilbourn Tower right here with me so i got one buildings got floor plans and the other doesn't but now since i have them i'm going to keep them for good.

[CityGawd5]

I know Markitect, but I'm just worried that what happened witht he Art Museum is going to happen again--the public will only see the one that's picked, not the other entries. I'm really excited to see the range of work put forth by the six firms.

[Markitect]

Originally Posted by CG5

I know Markitect, but I'm just worried that what happened witht he Art Museum is going to happen again--the public will only see the one that's picked, not the other entries.

There was no design competiton for the Art Museum.

[CityGawd5]

http://archrecord.construction.com/p.../0203MAM-1.asp

"Robert Greenstreet, dean of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning, chair of the city planning commission, and a member of the 21-person architect-selection committee that chose Calatrava over Arata Isozaki and Fumihiko Maki for the MAM job in 1994, said: "I’m very positive about the impact that this can have on the city, in the way in which it stimulates a level of architectural awareness among the citizenry." "

I also remember reading a large article about this in the J-S just after the museum opened in 2001. It also listed Norman Foster as a finalist. The article said that the comittee originally had a "Buy American" stance but, oddly enough, wound up with only one American finalist (who's the one person I can't remember from the article.)

I can see where I misread it though. I assumed they were talking about a design competition...were they just comparing the architects' work?

[Markitect]

Originally Posted by CG5

were they just comparing the architects' work?

Yes.

[Markitect]

Perhaps Milwaukee's busiest development firms in recent years is going to get even busier. The City has selected New Land's propsal for a project to be built on a City-owned parking lot in East Town, between N. Marshall and N. Cass Streets, Downtown.

The $40 million proposal includes 137-units of condominiums and apartments in three buildings (10-stories, 9-stories, and 7-stories), plus some retail space.

City officials said New Land has the best proosal of the four firm that applied to the City-issued request for proposals on the site--which is located in the same neighborhood as luxury condo high-rises Kilbourn Tower (under construction) and University Club Tower (expected to break ground in spring). The project will now go through the process of getting approval from the Plan Commission and Common Council.

This latest New Land project is in addition to a handful that have been approved/in marketing or are currently under construction:

- Sterling Condominiums: an 11-story residentiaql/retail building to be constructed on another City-owned parking lot along N. Farwell Avenue on the Lower East Side, which was approved a few days ago

- Cathedral Square Condominiums: part of the mixed-use Cathedral Place which will be nearing completion in the coming weeks

- Riverbridge Condominiums: a project in its second pahse, under construction at N. Water Street and N. Humboldt Avenue.

- Jefferson Block: a mixed-use apartment/retail project in its second phase of construction in the Third Ward.

As part of the agreement for the Marshall/Cass Street project (no name released yet) and the Sterling, the parking spaces on those lots will be replaced with spaces inside the parking stuructures that will be built with those developments (because the City leases out those spaces), in addition to new spots for residents of the buildings.

See the article in the Business Journal for more info (be sure to scroll all the way down, it's a two-pager): $40 million downtown living project planned - New Land proposes 137 condos, apartments on city parking lot site

[CityGawd5]

Here's the lot, in red. Sounds cool. (I marked KT in pink and Cathedral Place in blue, just for reference points.) From what I could see on Mapquest, it's a large T-shaped surface lot in the center of the highlighted block. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

[DragonTalesFan]

hey um Markitect that Floor Plan Picture i showed you it isn't 450ft

it's 492ft=150m because i have the packet right here in my house

did you post something about Ovation Plaza if you did i can't find i

it on either page where did you post about a long time ago about

Ovation Plaza but continuing as i was but if you go straight to

Mandel Group they might have what you're looking for but how

did you get the packet on the sterling huh i'm just curious about it

[Markitect]

Originally Posted by DragonTalesFan

hey um Markitect that Floor Plan Picture i showed you it isn't 450ft it's 492ft=150m because i have the packet right here in my house

You showed us a building section, not a floor plan. Regardless, the drawing you posted showed 450 feet, so for some reason it is differnet than whatever you have in your packet.

did you post something about Ovation Plaza if you did i can't find it on either page where did you post about a long time ago about Ovation Plaza

I posted about it a few weeks ago in this thread. Click here to see it.

but continuing as i was but if you go straight to Mandel Group they might have what you're looking for but how did you get the packet on the sterling huh i'm just curious about it

I have read about the Sterling in the newspaper. And I have a marketing pamphlet about it, which I got from New Land Enterprises--hey were passing them out at the Downtwon Housing Expo back in September.

[Markitect]

The renaissance for N. King Drive on the city's near north side continues with plans for two new developments from local restauranteur Karl Kopp (best known for his Kopp's Frozen Custard outlets, as well as Elsa's on the Park). The plans call for rehabilitating two vacant buildings into two upscale restaurants/bars. Up until this point, the eating establishements that have opened up as a result of ongoing revitalization in the area have only been fast food or casual sit-down places.

An article in today's Journal Sentinel describes Kopp's plans, and reviews other revitalization projects along the street: Upscale eateries planned on King Drive - Owner of Kopp's aims to spend almost $2 million

[Markitect]

Of the seven local architecture firms that entered the design competition for Pier Wisconsin, two finalists have been selected--Jim Shields of HGA, and Harry Van Oudenallen/Nick Cascarano of Arquitectura (nice representation from UW-Milwaukee's School of Architecture and Urban Planning--all three architects are on the faculty).

When disputes about the original design from McClintock Architects arose (scroll back to the beginning of the thread to see original renderings), the idea of a competition came about as a means of finding a design more suitable for the lakefront location on Municipal Pier, next to the Art Museum. Now that the finalists have been selected, they will be revised. The jury hopes to make a final decision by January 9.

Pier Wisconsin will house a Great Lakes education center (which wil be the new home for the Dennis Sullivan schooner) and Discovery World Museum (a science/economics/history museum currently located adjacent to the Milwaukee Public Museum in Downtown).

The Journal Sentinel published a rendering from each finalist it obtained from other sources (neither of which show the entire design, but more will be available in the future, I would imagine).

Have a look through the article to read more about it: Clear sailing may finally lie ahead for pier - Finalists' proposals receiving rave reviews in design competition

Rendering of Shields/HGA's design:




Rendering of Van Oudenallen & Cascarano/Arquitectura's design:

[Steely Dan]

great to hear about the pier.

that second rendering looks wicked cool. i can't see enough of the first project to make judgement on it, but that second project looks very enticing. if something like that gets built on that location, then this whole redesign project for the pier has been entirely worth it.

[CityGawd5]

Wow...I agree with Steely. Though I would have liked to have seen all six entries, these two look very promising. I like the colors on the first one and, ya, the second one is hellacool. It's neat to finally see something from Arquitectura. I drive by their office all the time, but I've never seen any of their work. Hurrah for Pier!

[Markitect]

Yeah, they look interesting. I'd like to see more plans, views of each design before I give any thoughts.

CG, there's a neat little building by Arquitectura tucked away among some converted industrial buildings in Brewers Hill--the City Lights Condominums. They have also designed the RiverCrest Condos for Mandel, which will be built into the bluff overlooking the river, behind the Jewel-Osco at N. Humboldt and E. North Avenues.

[Markitect]

The jury is in for Pier Wisconsin. Jim Shields of HGA has been selected. The Journal Sentinel reports there are still things that will be refined in the design during the upcoming months.

No new renderings have been relesed yet, though I'm sure we'll get to see the whole scheme soon.

Jury picks design for lakefront center - Pier Wisconsin building to have simple profile with links to museum

[Markitect]

Lots of news today...

More Downtown housing--right on W. Wisconsin Avenue--is on the way, as work has begun to convert the 14-story Majestic Building into 135 apartment units. Developers Gorman & Co. is using several sources of tax credits to help finance the project, which will allow for some units to be rented as subsidized affordable housing units, and some apartment and condo units to go at market rates.

In addition to being located right in the middle of Downtown, and right next to the Shops of Grand Avenue mall, the conversion will also include an exercise facility, a half-court indoor basketball court, a business center with high-speed Internet access and a 16-seat home theater center for residents.

See the photo of the Majestic Building below, and the Business Journal article for more information (scroll down to the bottom, it's a two-pager): Majestic conversion under way in Westown - Gorman & Co. adding 135 apartments to downtown market




The site search for the proposed Harley-Davidson motorcycle museum is revving up, as the company is considering a location at 6th and Canal Streets in the Menomonee Valley. Originally Harley had intentions of converting the brewhouse at the old Schlitz Brewery into a museum (announced back in 1999), but the cost of the project grew to the point of infeasability, and plans for that site were dropped in late-2002.

Nothing has been decided yet, and there are other sites under consideration as well. The City has been in the process of working with the Menomonee Valley Partners development group to create a development plan for that part of the Valley, which does not call for such uses at that location (though in theory, that could be changed). As of right now, the City and MVP have intended to redevelop the Valley as predominantly office and light industrial uses.

Artcile from the Business Journal (scroll down, three-pager): Harley museum weighs valley site - City officials tout site at Sixth Street bridge

Artcle from Journal Sentinel: Harley museum site debated - Development group favors other uses for Menomonee Valley site


The long-proposed Milwaukee Public Market, to be located in the Third Ward, may finaly become a reality. Fund raising for the $10 million project had slowed in recent years as the Art Museum expansion funding diverted donation money away from the Public Market, in conjunction with the slow economy. However, if a federal grant under consideration is approved, the Market could break ground this spring and completed by June 2005.

The site along E. St. Paul Avenue--between N. Broadway, N. Water Street, and the elevated I-794--is currently a surface parking lot. The Market will include indoor and outdoor stalls for local farmers and vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, meat, fish, cheese, flowers and other items. It is anticipated to be a revitalization catalyst for other nearby blocks, which have a history of being Milwaukee's old produce market district.

Kubala Washatko Architects have designed a great-looking building with a warm, glassy, modern, industrial aesthetic. Special considerations have been made to pay attention to the building's performance as well--to make it more environmentally-friendly.

Check out the Journal Sentinel artcile for more:Public market plan could bear fruit soon