On Friday, I was honored to join South Milwaukee Mayor Jim Shelenske, former Mayor Dave Kieck and more than a dozen city team members for the celebration of an iconic redevelopment project in our city center.
Bucyrus Commons is more than a comunity gathering place. It is part of an intentional and ongoing effort to celebrate the manufacturer that defined our city for generations — so future generations can know and proudly share its story. We are not just naming things after Bucyrus. Instead, the Bucyrus Foundation is actively investing in the physical spaces that bear its name.
In that way, I am not sure any community our size in the country has done what we’ve done, to the level we’ve done it. We celebrated that last week, and will for many years to come.
From the city press release …
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) celebrated the best downtown revitalization projects of 2023 at the 33rd Wisconsin Main Street Awards ceremony in Green Bay on April 19, 2024.
“As Main Street goes, so goes Wisconsin’s economy, its well-being, our way of life in the Badger State,” said Missy Hughes, WEDC Secretary and CEO. “And these awards prove once again Wisconsin communities are thriving. Congratulations to the winners. We salute and celebrate you, our partners in creating an economy and improving the quality of life for the betterment and benefit of all.”
South Milwaukee’s Bucyrus Commons project was honored for Best Revitalization Initiative for Connect Communities with a population over 5,000. The criteria for being selected required demonstrating a proactive approach to historic and commercial district revitalization.
In February 2020, the Bucyrus Foundation committed to a $2 million gift to the City of South Milwaukee to enable two projects to help transform the downtown. $1.5 million was dedicated to the renovation of 1919 12th Avenue, now known as the Bucyrus Club & Event Center, and $500,000 was to be put toward the Bucyrus Commons at the corner of 11th and Madison Avenues.
After several stakeholder committee meetings and two public surveys throughout 2020 and 2021, the Bucyrus Commons design was finalized to include greenspace, an open-air pavilion, a restroom/concession building, a children’s digging area, and a covered stage. The Bucyrus Commons officially opened on May 21, 2023.
Here is the WEDC press release.
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