Now, more than ever, we need new ideas for our struggling downtown. I’m hoping a group of graduate students from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s respected School of Architecture and Urban Planning will help deliver some.
A study of downtown South Milwaukee is one of several projects that the Applied Planning Workshop is focusing on this semester, and I’m happy to have them bringing some fresh eyes and fresh perspectives to this issue.
Economic Development Director Danielle Devlin deserves credit for helping make this happen and coordinating with the group. I also joined Danielle in making an introductory presentation about South Milwaukee at a recent class, where we also had chance to meet the students on the project and see first-hand their genuine interest in delivering some creative thinking here.
Danielle is asking that the work of the students include:
- Mapping analysis of current land uses, parking, vacant buildings, land values and zoning impacts;
- A review of current zoning and development policies;
- A design preference survey or other tool to gather input about desired uses and character;
- Sign code updates;
- Identification of redevelopment sites and potential strategies for marketing, programming, funding and phasing of projects; and
- Recommended sustainable development and planning strategies.
For now, the students are still gathering information through interviews and other efforts, and they expect to make a presentation before city officials in May. I look forward to the results, and I hope their report is the start of what will be an ongoing discussion about a collective vision for our city center.
We need a plan for downtown South Milwaukee, something the community can rally around and then work on together to make a reality. We lack that now, and you can see the result: too many vacant storefronts, too little urgency and too much apathy.
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