The South Milwaukee Common Council on Tuesday voted 7-1 to endorse the project plans and advertise for bids on a four-block streetscaping enhancement project for Milwaukee Avenue.
It’s a significant and exciting step in a multi-year effort to bring a potentially $1.8 million investment to our Main Street and help deliver a new look and feel to our city center. Next up for the council will be discussion of bids as they come in, and ultimately a vote to fund the project, which is expected to start in August, after Evening on the Avenue.
Learn more in the information shared ahead of last week’s public information meeting on the project, and in this NOW story.
I want to thank the approximately 30 people who attended last week’s meeting. It was nice to see so many people engaged in this important decision, offering their feedback and asking questions.
And a special thanks to City Engineer Kyle Vandercar for his efforts in getting this so close to the finish — starting? — line.
Much more information to come, as we continue our work to transform downtown South Milwaukee. Let’s go!
South Milwaukee Blog 
I think the businesses downtown should pay for this since they will receive the benefits , if any ? NOT THE TAXPAYERS
Dear businesses thinking about relocating to SM: Please focus on the pretty streets we are supplying for you. Under no circumstances look at the Mayor’s previous post about what the Water Utility is going to charge you for water if you decide to come here. Nothing to see there. Move along….
Dear businesses thinking about relocating to SM: When considering our city, especially in our city center, please look at all of our efforts to revitalize downtown, from streetscaping to creation of a new downtown TID to successful application for Economic Opportunity Zone status to creation of the Bucyrus Downtown Revitalization Grant to investing in downtown events like the farmers’ market to even installing the Crusher statue. Look at our growing list of successful small, independent businesses in town, including our expanding list of restaurant options, and how we are increasingly becoming famous for what they offer (think: Milwaukee Sausage, and others). Please look at how we are continually investing in clean water in our city, through investment in our independent utilities and our early work to bring people together around a plan to clean up the Oak Creek watershed. And while you’re investigating that, take a look at the amazing greenspaces in our city — almost 30% of our city is parks, including a rejuvenated Grant Park and all it has to offer with so much access to beautiful Lake Michigan — as well as our good schools, safe streets and affordable housing options. Look at our growing list of family-friendly community events, and our strong community organizations. And look at our proximity to the airport, the port, downtown and even Foxconn and Chicago. After considering all of this, let’s do coffee! — Sincerely, Mayor Brooks
Well written article on the downtown area , Mayor .
You should write a book about South Milwaukee (Past, Present ,and Future )
Thank you for all you are doing. I’m sorry there are so many vocal negative people out there. For every one of them there are 20 of us! Keep up the good work!
Jennifer . Do you pay property taxes and water and sewer bills ??
Yes, I do. I have been a homeowner here for 14 years.
I thought on the Downtown street improvements. The area covers 9th thru 13th with the Crusher Statute going in on 11th. The masons are going to do some work around the statute. If they could include a bench and a planter out of mason materials, it would allow city officials to compare buying factory made benches and planters to the ones the masons come up with. The mason material benches and planters could be very easily labeled historical and more suited to the area. Somehow, I belief, if the city officials decide the masons ones are better, I feel a deal could be struck to build them thru the improvement area.
And when will the property owners be held accountable for maintaining and updating their own buildings? Pretty streets with run down buildings still doesn’t attract new businesses that will stay for more than a year.
The tax payers are already paying to upgrade / improve the building fronts. The city has a slush fund they will help pay for building improvements.
Maybe they could take donations at Evening on the Avenue and the Farmers Market ??
Perhaps rather than planting trees in concrete boxes that will be dead in a few years, we could plant street trees to benefit birds and replace the ash trees taken down.
We are, through our Adopt a Tree program — 50 trees per year, this is the third year — and other efforts. We just planted more than 30 along the Nicholson frontage road. More to come …