South Milwaukee Blog

This was the stated goal of the Downtown Revitalization Grant we launched in May …

South Milwaukee’s Downtown Revitalization Grant program has been designed to improve downtown’s buildings and to support ongoing investment in South Milwaukee’s Downtown. Through these improvements, the City hopes to foster the growth of new downtown businesses and the expansion of downtown’s current businesses. This emphasis on business growth and expansion will enhance the downtown’s vitality, attracting new customers and their dollars to downtown’s businesses and additional investment in the downtown over time. Ultimately, South Milwaukee’s revitalized downtown can become the community’s central place for residents and provide a unique experience for visitors to the community.

We’re off to a terrific start.

The South Milwaukee City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to fund a $17,463 grant application by Steve Fenno, owner of the building that houses Jen’s Sweet Treats at 907 Milwaukee Ave. The 50% matching grant will support a $34,926 interior and renovation of the property and allow for the expansion of Jen’s into the entire first floor.

Plans include adding new windows and doors, rehabbing the brick facade to its original appearance, installing a new canopy, upgrading interior electrical and plumbing, refurbishing interior walls, and seamlessly connecting the two existing storefronts — to create both an expanded retail space and a new community room.

Jennifer Clark, owner of Jen’s, which first moved into the smaller space just this spring, plans to begin construction ASAP, with the renovated store reopening by December.

Thank you to Steve and Jennifer for their investment in downtown South Milwaukee, and their ongoing commitment to our city center.

This is exciting news for us — and I’m betting the first of more grant applications to come, as we use this program to demonstrate our commitment to breathing new life into our city center, one property, one business, at a time. We’re well on our way.

We couldn’t do it without our property owners stepping to help.

As Steve said in his grant application: “We see a concerted effort by city officials to genuinely attempt to upgrade our city center. It is our responsibility to join the effort.”

Here, here!

Know of someone who may be interested in the grant? Learn more here … and apply!

Spend a few minutes getting your group together, for a good cause.

I love Pink Day! Celebrate with us by ordering your pink gear in the next two days. Details below … and stay tuned as Oct. 18 approaches. 

Our best Rocketober yet continues Thursday, as the South Milwaukee Downtown Market concludes its ninth season with the Fall Family Festival from 3 to 7 p.m.

Then, next week, the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center hosts Travis Tritt and The Donny McCaslin Group, and on Oct. 13 there is a screening of the powerful “Waking in Oak Creek” documentary and panel discussion at the South Milwaukee Library.

Here is an updated calendar … see you around town!

South Milwaukee is full of smart, passionate people who want to make a difference. One way to do it – step up and be considered for a volunteer board or commission.

The city has more than a dozen of these groups providing oversight and guidance to various city departments and functions, and we’re always looking for new people to provide their expertise in any number of areas.

We are currently looking for people to serve on …

• Plan Commission
• Library Board
• Beautification Committee (alternates)
• Board of Review (alternate)

Interested in any or all of these, or spots (when they open up) on any of our board and commissions? Learn more and apply here.

Eaton Corp. has been a strong community partner, a great example of a corporation — like its legacy companies — stepping up make this a better place.

They showed that this weekend.

It started on Friday night, when representatives from the company’s Community Investment Team presented a $40,000 donation to the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center before the SMPAC’s “Simply Swing” show.

And it continued Saturday, as Eaton hosted a heck of a part for its employees and retirees at Grant Park to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the automatic circuit recloser.

I love to celebrate “cool stuff made in South Milwaukee,” and I can’t think of something cooler than the recloser, defined as a “circuit breaker equipped with a mechanism that can automatically close the breaker after it has been opened due to a fault. …

“Since many short-circuits on overhead lines clear themselves, a recloser improves service continuity by automatically restoring power to the line after a momentary fault.”

In other words, when you see the lights flicker in a storm, think of Eaton. Even when they go out, think of Eaton — because the products Eaton employees make in South Milwaukee ensure that happens when it’s supposed to happen.

Eaton and its legacy companies — Line Material, Kyle, Cooper — have been a part of South Milwaukee since before World War II, and the future of its 9th Avenue facility is as strong as ever. We celebrate that proud past and promising this weekend and recognize, as I did in the proclamation I presented Saturday, “the legacy of people and products that have played a major role in making our electric power supply more dependable.”

Thanks to the hundreds of employees — thousands before them — for making that happen. Congratulations on 75 years!

I’m starting up Meet the Mayor sessions again, and my  next one is at one of South Milwaukee’s newest business: Taco Stop MKE.

Join me from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 513 Chicago Ave.

Bring your questions, comments or concerns, or just stop by to say hi, and check out some of Taco Stop’s terrific Mexican food. My door is open!

Check out these South Shore headlines …

• Wetzel’s Battle Now is Recovering from Crash (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• South Milwaukee War Hero Gary Wetzel Surprises Donors at a Benefit in His Honor (CBS 58)
• Healthstat Awarded South Milwaukee School District Contract (NOW)
• Cudahy Man Stabbed Sunday Afternoon (CBS 58)
• Cudahy Police: Garbage Carts Set on Fire; Reward Now Offered (Fox 6)
• Cudahy Mother Nearly Loses 2 Sons to Heroin (TMJ4)

And NOW has published a new police blotter.

Those of you on the north side of South Milwaukee I’m sure know this already, but there was a large power outage around 8 a.m. this morning.

I’m told a transformer blew on the north side of South Milwaukee.

At one point, more than 1,400 customers in the area were impacted — and that included Rawson Elementary and the high and middle schools, as well as City Hall (and my house).

The schools let out early. City Hall ran on generator power for a while.

Here is the message the schools posted on their website this morning …

A power outage occurred today at approximately 8 am due to a neighborhood outage. While we expected power to return around 10 am, we only have partial power at this time. We Energies is unable to provide us with a definite time for full power recovery. Therefore, we have decided to close these three schools early. 

Rawson students will remain at school until an authorized parent or emergency contact arrives at the school for an individual release. Students who attend the YMCA after school program may remain at school. Middle school students will be released at 11:15 am. Parents should pick up outside the middle school at 11:15 as normal. High school students will be released at 11:00.

As of 1:50 p.m., the We Energies outage map showed less than 50 customers still without power.

Fox 6 and WISN also had stories. And I had more real-time coverage of this on my mayoral Facebook page. If you haven’t like it yet, please do so!

It’s up for auction, actually. Starting bid: $400,000. Details here.

The Sunrise Plaza is a 36,175-SF t multi-tenant retail shopping center, located at 2410-2430 10th Ave in South Milwaukee, WI. The property 57% leased to a mix of national and local tenants: Ace Hardware, Aurora Pharmacy, and Sunrise Restaurant. With roughly 43% vacant, there is significant upside opportunity for an investor. Several of the vacant spaces are ‘white-boxed’, allowing for minimal investment when re-tenanting. The site is located in the heart of South Milwaukee on 10th Ave off the intersection of Marquette Ave and Madison Ave, seeing over 25,000 VPD. Neighboring national tenants include; BMO Harris Bank, PyraMax Bank, Dollar General, Pick-N-Save, Walgreens, Planet Fitness, Subway, McDonalds, Dollar Tree, Aldi, among others. South Milwaukee is conveniently located 15 minutes away from Milwaukee, WI.

I’m pleased with the investment the current owner made in the property, after a decade of little to any investment.

I’m especially pleased to see the upgrades and long-term lease at Ace Hardware. This is the anchor the center needs. I’m hoping the next owner will build around that.

This is always a fun time. Check out the full schedule and event updates and recaps on the Rocketober Facebook page.

A garage fire was reported early Tuesday morning at 1206 Michigan Ave. — the second garage fire in South Milwaukee since Monday evening.

Fire Chief Joe Knitter said he does not think the two are related.

The first fire (on Harrison Place) is not suspicious. Police are investigating the second one.

Here is information from the South Milwaukee Fire Department …

At approximately 12:57AM, SMFD rec’d a 911 report of a garage on fire behind 1206 Michigan Avenue.  Upon their arrival, SMFD encountered a fully involved detached garage extending to a Cadillac SUV parked adjacent to the garage and to the roofline of Lopez Auto Body, which is located directly to the East.  Radiant heat also melted several garbage carts and the vinyl siding on the homes at 1206 Michigan Avenue and 1209 Madison Avenue. WE Energies was requested to the scene to secure an energized power line that burned through and fell to the ground. The fire was quickly knocked down and extensive overhaul was necessary due to the collapse of the roof.  Evaluation of both the roofline and interior of the auto body shop revealed that damage was limited to the exterior of the building.  The detached garage and the SUV were a total loss. One female occupant of the home was evaluated for smoke inhalation, but refused transport.  No other injuries were reported to fire personnel or civilians. The fire in currently under investigation by SMPD and SMFD.

Here is the press release from the South Milwaukee Police Department …

On Wednesday, September 28th, 2016 at about 12:57am, the South Milwaukee Police Department and the South Milwaukee Fire Department were called to a residence in the 1200blk of Michigan Ave for a report of a garage fire.  The fire is currently under investigation.

I’ll keep you posted if and when I learn more.

From the South Milwaukee Fire Department …

At approximately 5:55PM this evening, SMFD responded to a 911 call of a garage on fire located at the intersection of Harrison Place and Marshall Avenue.  Upon their arrival, SMFD encountered a fully involved detached garage located to the rear of 2435 Harrison Place.  Radiant heat from the fire melted siding on the nearby house, a neighboring garage, and started a vehicle parked in the street on fire.  The heat also started a nearby tree on fire and caused the overhead electrical wires to drop to the ground and begin arcing.  Firefighters quickly deployed a hoseline and assumed a defensive attack, protecting the nearby house and garage from further damage.  A 2^nd line was pulled to protect the neighbor’s house and garage. The fire was quickly knocked down and extensive overhaul was completed.  Assistant was rec’d from the Cudahy and Oak Creek Fire Departments. The St. Francis and the 128^th ANG Fire Departments responded to the scene but were released shortly after the fire was knocked down. The garage and its’ contents are a total loss.  Among the contents was a 1967 Plymouth GTX currently undergoing restoration.  No injuries were reported and the fire is currently under investigation by Investigators from both the South Milwaukee Fire and Police Departments.

The fire is not suspicious in nature, according to Fire Chief Joe Knitter.

Thanks to all of the firefighters who responded to this blaze. It sounds like it could have been much worse.

Businesses are investing in South Milwaukee and its future. Monday night’s Plan Commission meeting showed it.

Among the unanimous action taken by the commission …

First, we recommended approval to the city council a 120-day planning option with Vetter Denk for the $6.6 million microbrewery, retail, apartment, and public space development they have planned for 11^th and Madison Avenues.

If the planning option is approved by the full council, then detail work will start on the development, from design to financials, with a shovel in the ground planned for next spring.

This project will be a real game-changer for downtown South Milwaukee — and approval of this planning option gives the developers the certainty they need to do the necessary due diligence to make the project a reality.

We also paved the way for several other successful existing business owners to invest in their properties …

• The Plan Commission recommended approval of a 1,488 square-foot office addition to the front of A&J Environmental Pallet at 1210 Rawson Ave.
• And we recommended approval of a 1,350 square-foot addition and construction a new 9,600 square-foot building at EK Construction at 1040 Columbia Ave. Eric is looking for additional storage.
• Also, we granted an exception to our code to allow for installation of a replacement awning at Parkway Floral, 1001 Milwaukee Ave., as Leah and her team continue to make investments in their building and business.

Finally, the commission approved extension of a sale option for Greywolf Partners Inc. on the city-owned portion of the property at 11^th and College Avenues. More to come on this potential retail development.

That’s just one meeting. We’re just getting started …