Park East Redevelopment Plan 7

Chapter Two

ITE ANALYSIS

sIntroduction

This chapter provides a description of the redevelopmentarea as it existed at the start of the freeway demolition inJune, 2002. It describes the general characteristics of thecontext and surrounding neighborhoods, access, infrastruc-ture and environmental conditions, land ownership patterns,and existing policies and regulations applicable to the area.

Project Boundaries

The project area is located in the northern section of down-town Milwaukee. The redevelopment boundary encompassesapproximately 64 acres of land and is bounded generally byEast and West Juneau Avenue to the south, North Eighth Streetto the west, North Jefferson Street to the east, and WestMcKinley Avenue to the north. The area also extends northeastalong Water Street to the intersection of East Brady Street andNorth Jackson Street. (2.1)

Existing Character /Surrounding Built Context

The Milwaukee River, which runs through the Park Eastredevelopment area, naturally divides the area into three dis-tinct yet interrelated districts. Although the district boundariesgenerally overlap at their perimeters, for planning purposes the areais divided into the McKinley Avenue, Lower Water Street, andUpper Water Street Districts. (See Chapter Three – Proposed LandUse – for more detailed descriptions of the proposed character ofthe districts.) (2.2) The existing character and context of these dis-tricts are described in the following sections.

McKinley Avenue District

The McKinley AvenueDistrict is located on thewest side of theMilwaukee River andincludes the section of thePark East Freeway corri-dor between McKinleyAvenue to the north,Juneau Avenue to the south, the Milwaukee River to the east andSixth Street to the west. Much of the land in this district is eithervacant or used for surface parking. The dominating presence ofthe elevated Park East Freeway structure has restricted move-ment between the entertainment district to the south and thecommercial and residential neighborhoods to the north.

When public improvements are completed, a reconfiguredMcKinley Avenue will replace the elevated Park East Freewaystructure with a six-lane, at-grade boulevard that is easilyaccessible from I-43 and capable of carrying large trafficflows. McKinley Avenue will be a new gateway to downtown,providing access for both regional and local traffic.

Although McKinley Avenue will become the largest east-west thoroughfare, Juneau Avenue will continue to be a majorarterial street because of its continuity to the lakefront. SixthStreet provides an important link to the Menomonee RiverValley with the new Sixth Street Bridges. The developableland owned by Milwaukee County is expected to be availablefor redevelopment purposes in early 2004. The land under-neath the spur is relatively flat and will require minimal grad-ing.

(2.1) The Park East Freeway Redevelopment Plan project area.

(2.2) The Park EastRedevelopmentPlan divides theproject area intothree distinct yetinterrelated dis-tricts – McKinleyAvenue, LowerWater Street, andUpper Water Street.

8 City of Milwaukee

Neighborhood Context

Given the amount of development that potentially willoccur in the former freeway corridor, it is important to con-sider the built context to ensure new development is compat-ible with the surrounding neighborhoods.

To the north of McKinley Avenue is a mixture of residen-tial and commercial uses. Located in the northwest corner isthe Hillside public housing development, which providesaffordable downtown housing opportunities for lower incomeindividuals and families. (2.3) The existing complex occupiesmore than an acre and is well-designed and incorporated intothe urban framework of the neighborhood.

A set of manufacturing/warehouse buildings adjacent tothe residential neighborhood located between Sixth Streetand Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is primarily used forcommercial and warehousing activities. (2.4) Milwaukee isone of the first communities in the country to receive a newdesignation as a Renewal Community (RC) from the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development. As a resultof the designation, businesses located in Milwaukee’s RCarea have access to an attractive package of tax incentives tospur economic development and job growth. RC tax incen-tives include wage credits for new and existing employeeswho live and work in the RC; zero percent capital gains forRC assets; accelerated deprecation for machinery and equip-ment; and accelerated depreciation for new construction andrehabilitation projects. The designation will last through Dec.31, 2009. A large portion of the McKinley Avenue Districtlies within the boundaries of Milwaukee’s RC. (2.5)

A collection of large entertainment, institutional, and com-mercial uses are located to the south of McKinley Avenue.The Bradley Center, Midwest Express Center, and U.S.Cellular Arena host major sports events, concerts, and con-ventions that draw thousands of people to the area throughoutthe year. Milwaukee Area Technical College and a series of

Milwaukee County buildings, including the Courthouse andthe Correctional Center, are large institutional employers inthe area. The concentration of entertainment and institutionaluses that draw people to the area during the day and night cre-ates demand for supporting retail services, which are pri-marily located along Old World Third Street. Pedestrian andstreet connections among these developments will be essentialfor the area’s successful rejuvenation and continued growth.

To the southwest is the 21-acre Pabst Brewing complex com-posed of historic Cream City brick buildings. The site is ideallysituated for uses that benefit from high visibility and easyaccess to the regional freeway system. The buildings have beenvacant since the brewing company left in 1996. However,Wispark, LLC, the real estate development division of WeEnergies, recently purchased the site with the intention ofadaptively reusing the existing buildings. (2.6) The pro-posed redevelopment will complement existing entertain-ment venues in the area, such as the Bradley Center andMidwest Express Center.

To the east, the McKinley Avenue District meets theMilwaukee River. New developments will be able to capitalize onthis amenity while increasing public access through the extensionof the RiverWalk. Removal of the freeway will link the existingretail businesses along Old World Third Street to the successfulcommercial district revitalization occurring on Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. Drive. (2.7) In general, developments alongthis corridor were constructed on a much smaller scale thanthe surrounding blocks that contain large blockwide com-plexes. The historic WE Energies power plant complex islocated along the river’s edge. Time Warner Cable currentlyoccupies the central building of this complex. (2.8)

Existing Character / Surrounding Built Context

(2.6) Wispark, LLC, recently purchased the historic 21-acrePabst Brewing complex with the intention of redevelopingthe site for uses that would complement existing entertain-ment venues in the area.

(2.7) The removal of thefreeway will link theretail establishments onOld World Third Streetwith the successful reju-venation occurring onDr. Martin Luther KingJr. Drive.

(2.8) Time Warner Cable now occupies the cen-tral building of the historic We Energies powerplant complex.

(2.3) The redeveloped Hillside public housing developmentprovides affordable downtown housing opportunities forlower income individuals and families.

(2.4) A set of buildingsadjacent to the Hillsidepublic housing develop-ment is primarily usedfor commercial or ware-housing activities.

(2.5) A large portion of the McKinley Avenue Districtlies within the boundaries of Milwaukee’s RC, which iscoordinated by the Milwaukee Depattment of CityDevelopment.

Park East Redevelopment Plan 9

Existing Character / Surrounding Built Context

Lower Water Street District

The Lower WaterStreet District is locatedon the east side of theriver and is looselybounded by HighlandAvenue to the south,Ogden Avenue to thenorth, and Broadway tothe east. Since the elevated freeway occupied a large portionof the river’s edge in this district, few developments capital-ized on this natural amenity. As a result, much of the primeriver property along Edison and Water Streets is currentlyused for surface parking. (2.9)

Water Street, a major downtown arterial, runs north tosouth through this district. The segment connects the activ-ities occurring in the Upper Water Street District with theactivities occurring in the heart of downtown. JuneauAvenue is the only major east-west arterial street that con-nects the western portion of downtown with the lakefront.The reconfiguration of McKinley Avenue and the construc-tion of the Knapp Street Bridge will place emphasis on thisthoroughfare in the future. Broadway is a major north-southarterial running through the district. It is currently a one-way street that channels traffic from the Park East Freewayexit ramp.

Currently, the Lower Water Street District is a popular down-town entertainment destination, home to many nightclubs, bars,and restaurants along Water Street and Juneau Avenue. (2.10)

Neighborhood Context

Like the McKinley Avenue District, the Lower WaterStreet District is surrounded by a variety of neighborhoodsthat create a vibrant urban area. These neighborhoods are animportant consideration for any new developments.

The northern edge of the Lower Water Street District meetsthe Upper Water Street District and served as the outlet forthe Park East Freeway. To the east of the freeway’s stub endsare the residential and commercial developments that makeup the East Pointe Neighborhood. This neighborhood wasdeveloped in the swath of land once cleared for continuationof the Park East Freeway. The East Pointe Marketplace con-tains a full service grocery store and several smaller retailestablishments. (2.11) Condominiums, apartments, andneighborhood retail establishments surround the commercialarea.

The area located to the south of the Lower Water StreetDistrict contains a mixture of local businesses and regionalentertainment venues. The businesses located along WaterStreet are generally smaller-scale retail establishments thatreflect the finer-grain commercial buildings prevalent in thelate 1800s. (2.12) The parcels are divided narrowly along theblock face and contain a mixture of nighttime entertainmentvenues, restaurants, cafes, and taverns at the street level.Residences and offices generally occupy the upper floors.The area’s success is attributable to nearby entertainmentvenues such as the Bradley Center, Pabst Theater, andMarcus Performing Arts Center, which are located just south,as well as the nearby residential population, large number ofoffice workers, and the overall popularity of the area fornighttime activities.

The Milwaukee River borders the western edge of this dis-trict. The area is currently underutilized due to the develop-ment limitations of the freeway spur. Some businesses havebeen able to capitalize on the river’s natural assets by provid-ing unique dining and social experiences on riverside patios.However, much of the riverfront property was encumberedby the Park East Freeway, useful only as surface parking lots.

To the east of this district are residential and institutionaluses including Grace Lutheran Church and Milwaukee

(2.9) Much of the riverfront property located in the LowerWater Street District is currently used as surface parking lots.

(2.10) Currently, the Lower Water Street District is a popu-lar downtown entertainment district, home to many night-clubs, bars, and restaurants.

(2.11) TheEast PointeMarketplacecontains a full-service grocerystore (left) andseveral smallerretail establish-ments.(above)

(2.12) Businesses along Water Street are generally small-scaleretail establishments that reflect the fine-grain commercialestablishments prevalent in the late 1800s.

10 City of Milwaukee

School of Engineering. (2.13) Several downtown condomini-ums and apartments, such as Juneau Village, CourtyardSquare, and the Blatz Brewery building are located in thisarea, as well as the Convent Hill public housing development.

Upper Water Street District

The Upper WaterStreet District is locatedalong the northeasternedge of the redevelop-ment area and is boundedloosely by OgdenAvenue to the south, theMilwaukee River to thewest, Jefferson Street to the east, and Brady Street to the north.This district encompasses the largest portion of the MilwaukeeRiver within the redevelopment plan boundaries and is wheredowntown Milwaukee transitions into finer grain residentialneighborhoods. The most obvious indication of this transition isthe contrast between the larger scale, blockwide developmentsto the south and the prevalent narrow city lots to the north.

The Milwaukee River is unquestionably an asset to theneighborhood yet has historically created some challenges.The organic curve in the river has caused irregularities to thetraditional street grid system that is intended to provide con-nectivity and orderly block formations. Water Street, a majordowntown arterial street, follows the contours of the river. Asa result, the roads connecting to Water Street meet at oddangles causing irregular block configurations and intersec-tions. The riverbank topography in this area carved out steepslopes on the eastern edge of the river valley. To compensatefor the terrain changes, existing developments have built intothe ridge, and when necessary, used retaining walls.

Water Street has traditionally presented challenges forpedestrians in the area. Given the close proximity of the dense

residential neighborhoods to the north, this portion of WaterStreet should be enhanced as an important pedestrian connec-tion to downtown.

Neighborhood Context

The residential communities and commercial establishmentssurrounding the Upper Water Street District are desirably locat-ed within close proximity to downtown and riverfront activities.Residents in this area have multiple choices for entertainment,dining, and shopping within walking distance from their homes.

The northern portion of this district contains new and tradi-tional mixed-use neighborhoods. The Beerline “B” neighbor-hood, which extends along Commerce Street, is an urban river-front community consisting of residential condominiums, apart-ments, and public space. More than 300 new housing units havebeen constructed within the past few years and additional unitsare under construction or planned. The Brewer’s Hill neighbor-hood, which sits atop the river bluff, has undergone majorimprovements since residents began rehabilitating theVictorian-style homes during the past decade. (2.14) Theseefforts have greatly increased the desirability and value of landin the area.

Directly east of the Beerline and Brewer’s Hill neighbor-hoods is Brady Street. This active, traditional corridor consistsof numerous retail establishments, cafes, taverns and restau-rants that enliven the street during the day and night with pedes-trian and vehicular traffic. The residential neighborhood to thesouth connects Brady Street with the East PointeNeighborhood. This area is a dense residential neighborhoodwith a mixture of duplexes, single-family homes, small apart-ment buildings, condominiums. and scattered corner com-mercial establishments. (2.15) The success of downtown’snorth side neighborhoods will be dependent on connectionsthat encourage movement of pedestrians and automobilesfrom one area to the next, ultimately creating a unified down-town residential neighborhood.

Existing Character / Surrounding Built Context

(2.14) (Top) The Beerline“B” neighborhood is anurban riverfront communityconsisting of residentialcondominiums and apart-ments. (Left) The Brewer’sHill neighborhood has under-gone major improvementsduring the past decade.

(2.15) Brady Street consists of numerous retail establish-ments, cafes, taverns, and restaurants that enliven the streetduring the day and night with pedestrian and vehicular traf-fic. The surrounding residential neighborhood consists ofdense single-family homes, condominiums, and apartments.

(2.13) To the east of the Lower Water Street District are resi-dential and institutional buildings, including the MilwaukeeSchool of Engineering.

Park East Redevelopment Plan 11

Existing Character / Surrounding Built Context / Site Access

The southern boundary of this district overlaps with thenorthern border of Lower Water Street District. The dis-tricts share many of the same developments, includingConvent Hill Apartments and the East PointeNeighborhood. Several apartments and condominiumshave been built in this area. (2.16)

The riverfront property west of Water Street and north ofCherry Street comprises the western portion of the UpperWater Street District. This district contains key linksbetween neighborhoods on the east and west sides of theriver. Both Cherry and Pleasant streets contain lift bridgesover the river that provide access to Schlitz Park, the Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Drive commercial district, and theBrewer’s Hill neighborhood. The parcels on the east side ofthe river contain old manufacturing buildings that are occu-pied by Laacke & Joy – a sporting goods store – and the for-mer Pfister & Vogel leather manufacturer. The MandelGroup owns the former Pfister & Vogel site and is planningto construct new residential and commercial buildings. Onthe other side of the river is a large office complex knownas Schlitz Park. This parcel contains the largest segment ofbuilt riverwalk throughout the Park East redevelopmentarea, providing a public amenity for office workers andnearby residents. (2.17)

Site Access

Introduction

The availability of multiple modes of transportation, theability for people to move from one neighborhood to thenext, and access to natural amenities and open spaces areimportant factors for vibrant urban areas. Physical and psy-chological barriers and lack of infrastructure can hinder thepublic’s access and have a separating effect on adjacentneighborhoods. Ideally, access to a site should be well-con-

nected with the surrounding area to form a cohesive envi-ronment. Overall, the freeway spur has hindered circulationpatterns within the Park East redevelopment area andbetween downtown and neighborhoods to the north.

Physical Access

Vehicular

After the Park East Freeway was constructed, vehiclesfrom I-43 had only three exits offering access to the corri-dor and its surrounding neighborhoods from ramps atFourth and Jefferson Streets and Broadway. (2.18 a) Withremoval of the freeway spur and the reinstatement of thestreet grid, vehicles will have improved access to downtownMilwaukee from I-43 and more routes to various downtowndestinations. (2.18 b)

The exit ramp from I-43 will connect with Sixth Street,where traffic will enter the city onto the expanded six-laneMcKinley Avenue. A new Knapp Street lift bridge will con-nect McKinley Avenue with East Knapp Street to provideconnections to Water and Brady Streets and the East PointeNeighborhood.

Several other local roadways, including Juneau andOgden Avenues, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive/Old WorldThird, Broadway, and Sixth, Fifth, Fourth, Knapp, Water,Market, Lyon, Pleasant, and Milwaukee Streets may beexpanded, reconstructed, or realigned within the project siteto improve traffic flow. New streets through the formerPfister & Vogel site may also be constructed to provideimproved public access to the river and service new devel-opments in the area.

(2.16) Several apartment buildings and condominiums,including the East Pointe Neighborhood buildings, have beenconstructed in the area where the southern border of theUpper Water Street District overlaps with the northern borderof the Lower Water Street District.

(2.17) The western por-tion of the Upper WaterStreet District consistsof riverfront propertythat includes the largeoffice complex knownas Schlitz Park (above)and the former Pfister& Vogel leather manu-facturer (left).

(2.18 b) Once the freeway spur is removed and roadwaysare reconfigured, vehicles will continue to gain access to thecorridor and downtown from I-43. However, new roadwayswill provide vehicles full access to the city street grid sys-tem, allowing multiple routes to various destinations.

(2.18 a) After the Park East Freeway was constructed, vehi-cles from I-43 were limited to only three exits – at Fourthand Jefferson Streets and Broadway – to the corridor andsurrounding neighborhoods.

12 City of Milwaukee

Pedestrian and Bicycle

The redevelopment area is currently uninviting forpedestrian traffic. The elevated freeway structure cre-ates a visual barrier between neighborhoods. The unat-tractiveness of the land and perceived lack of safetyunderneath the freeway discourage pedestrians fromcrossing between neighborhoods and downtown.(2.19) This problem is particularly evident betweenJuneau and McKinley Avenues on the west side of theriver, and it is also encountered on the east side of theriver where the freeway divides northern neighbor-hoods from Water Street businesses.

Pedestrian travel is important to existing businessesand is expected to enhance with new developments.Public improvements within the project area shouldmake every effort to improve pedestrian connectionsand create convenient access to, from and amongentertainment, shopping, and residential areas.

In addition to new roadways and sidewalks, expand-ing the RiverWalk provides an opportunity to improvepedestrian movement and expand urban open spaceopportunities within the project area. A section of theRiverWalk currently runs through Lower Water StreetDistrict along Schlitz Park. New sections will be con-structed along the new Knapp Street lift bridge on boththe east and west sides of the river. New developmentsare required to follow the Milwaukee RiverLinkGuidelines to create a continuous riverwalk that linksthe near north neighborhoods with the lakefront. Newriverwalks should meet all ADA requirements foraccess.

Bicycle travel within the project area is equally asimportant as pedestrian travel. Bicycles are allowed onthe streets, but no dedicated bicycle lanes and few bikeracks currently exist within the project boundaries. Water

Street could be enhanced with specially marked bicyclelanes connecting entertainment venues to the south withresidential uses and neighborhood commercial uses alongBrady Street.

Transit Routes

Many public transit routes intersect the project site andconnect it with the surrounding metropolitan area. Routes80, 11, and 143 run along Sixth Street; Route 19 runsalong Third Street; and Routes 15 and 57 run along WaterStreet. The Downtown Connector Study is evaluatingroutes and transit modes that may potentially intersect orbe in close proximity to the project area.

Parking

Because development was not possible under the elevatedfreeway structure, temporary surface parking lots were con-structed to accommodate downtown office workers and stu-dents and staff at MSOE and MATC. Consequently, surfaceparking lots consume approximately 16 acres of land withinthe corridor and along the river. Surface parking is not themost productive use for the riverfront and prime downtownproperty.

Removal of the Park East Freeway will open up these landsfor development within the transportation corridor. To deter-mine the impact, a parking analysis conducted in 2000 titledTraffic and Parking Report for Park East Freeway analyzedparking capacity within the project area during a midday timeperiod and during a major evening event at the Bradley Center.The study found that the existing parking occupancy during theday averaged 66 percent and during the evening event it aver-aged 64 percent. Since 85 percent is the accepted parkingoccupancy rate for a specified area, it was concluded that park-ing within the redevelopment area is highly underutilized.

The parking study also analyzed parking conditions

Site Access

(2.19) The unattractiveness of the land and perceived lack of safety underneath the freeway discour-age pedestrians from crossing between neighborhoods and downtown creating a visual barrier.

Park East Redevelopment Plan 13

Site Access / Infrastructure

after public road improvements are completed and afteranticipated redevelopment of the project area occurs. Thestudy found that the existing availability of parking wouldsatisfy evening event demands. Parking that potentiallywill be replaced by roadway improvements and new devel-opment can be accommodated by other existing parkingfacilities within close proximity, newly built on-site struc-tures as part of private development, and by the addition ofon-street parking on new and reconfigured streets.

As part of the private developments, new parking facil-ities will be built to accommodate proposed new daytimeusers. The areas that will experience the highest levels ofparking demand include the area surrounding the Pabstcomplex, the entertainment district east of the river, andthe area west of the river surrounding reconfiguredMcKinley Avenue. Opportunities for shared parking facil-ities between public and private entities and night and dayusers should be explored. Temporary or permanent sur-face parking lots as primary uses will be prohibited.

As stated above, many of theexisting downtown parking struc-tures are currently underutilized.In response, a new parking systemcalled Park Once was created toidentify public parking facilities,thereby eliminating visual barriersthat prohibit downtown visitorsfrom finding convenient parking.(2.20)

Water

The Milwaukee River is a natural asset flowing throughdowntown. It is navigable for both large and small recre-ational boats. In recent years, the Milwaukee River hasbecome a tremendous recreational amenity complement-ing surrounding development. Boat docks and the

RiverWalk allow access to downtown restaurants andshopping for recreational boaters and pedestrians alike.(2.21) Once fully implemented, the RiverWalk willextend along the river from the former North AvenueDam, through the Third Ward to the lakefront.Maintaining public access to the river is required of allnew development projects built along the riverfront. Theguidelines for riverfront development are outlined in theMilwaukee RiverLink Guidelines.

Infrastructure

Utilities

The project area is generally well-served by all major util-ities including sewer, water, electric, and gas. Street improve-ments may require additional utilities when constructed toserve local development needs. Detailed information is avail-able within Document 3: Development Code or can beobtained from the City of Milwaukee Department of PublicWorks.

Easements

There are several easements within the redevelopmentarea that may potentially impact developable land. The airspace easement that currently prohibits developmentunder the Park East Freeway will be lifted to allow newdevelopment once the spur is removed and roadwayimprovements are completed. An 84-inch storm sewerextends through the corridor from the HillsideInterchange to the Milwaukee River. An alley will be con-structed over this easement on certain blocks. Other sewereasements within the area include but are not limited to:

A section on the former McKinley Avenue betweenDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Fourth Street.

(2.20) The downtownPark Once logo.

(2.21) Boat docks along the Milwaukee River allow access to downtown restaurants and shop-ping for recreational boaters. Once fully implemented, the RiverWalk will extend from the formerNorth Avenue Dam along the river through the Third Ward and to the lakefront.

Historical Land UsesPark East Freeway Corridor

Block Location Prior Land Uses

1 N. 8th and Winnebago Machine and printing shops, auto salvage, coppersmith shop, ink and chemical companies

1 N. 7th and Winnebago Paint and machine shops, auto salvage, printing business, auto repair shop, metal goodsmanufacturing

1 N. 6th and W. Juneau Transport companies, auto/truck garages, ink and chemical companies, lithography andprinting business

2 N. 5th and W. Juneau Gas station (undergroundstorage tanks), printing and stereotyping business, junkyard, a foundry

4 N. 4th and W. Juneau Machine manufacturing,carriage and auto manufacturing

7 N. 4th and McKinley Carriage repair shop, junkyard,plating business, printingbusiness, a gas station

10 N. 3rd and W. Juneau Shipping and receivingwarehouse

12 N. Edison and N. Water Milling business, wood/coalstorage

12 E. Knapp and N. Water Machine shop, blacksmithingbusiness, cleaning productsbusiness, a gas station

13 N. Edison and E. Juneau Fuel/coal business, a gas station

14 N. Edison and E. Knapp Oil company, auto garage

16 N. Water and E. Knapp Motion picture producer,county morgue, electrical motor and transformer repair business, auto repair garage, steelmanufacturing

18 N. Water and E. Ogden Sign maufacturing, lumbercompany, electric motorcompany

19 E. Knapp and N. Broadway Transportation company and garage, machine shop andprinting business

22 E. Ogden and N. Broadway Boat service shop

26 E. Ogden and N. Jefferson Auto building, carpenter shop,stables

14 City of Milwaukee

A 30-foot easement on the parcel bounded by Knapp and Water Streets and Broadway.An easement on the Edison Street corridor.MMSD sewer tunnel on the north side of Water Street.

Streets

Streets will be configured to maximize development parcelsizes and improve traffic flow throughout the project area.The remaining freeway spur will be redesigned to connectwith Sixth Street, where traffic will be directed to the expand-ed six-lane, at-grade McKinley Avenue. A new lift bridge willconnect McKinley Avenue with Knapp Street.

Several local roadways, including Broadway, MartinLuther King Jr. Drive, McKinley, Juneau, and OgdenAvenues, and Sixth, Fifth, Fourth, Old World Third, Knapp,Water, Market, Lyon, Pleasant, and Milwaukee Streets maybe expanded or reconstructed within the project area toimprove traffic flow and reinstate the traditional street gridsystem. New streets through the former Pfister & Vogel sitemay be built to service new developments. Alleys may beincorporated in the project area to allow rear-building access.

Lighting

The city will install permanent street lighting, traffic signalsand other traffic control facilities (where appropriate) duringand after road construction. New or reconstructed roadwaysmay contain both high-level and pedestrian-level lights.

Environmental

Topography

The majority of the project area has flat to rolling terrain thatis generally sloped toward the Milwaukee River. A few steepslopes will have implications on future development. One is

located below the Pabst complex on the south side of McKinleyAvenue and the others are located in Upper Water Street Districton the east side of the river. Construction in these areas willrequire grade leveling and possibly retaining walls.

Soils and Environmental Impacts

The soils contained within the project site have beenimpacted by prior uses. Debris material brought in as fill dur-ing freeway construction ranges from 5 to 22 feet throughoutthe corridor. The largest concentration of debris material isfound near the Hillside Interchange. The fill consists mainlyof construction materials, such as concrete, asphalt, andbrick, which were left behind after the buildings were demol-ished for freeway construction. The underlying native soilsare layers of silty sand and silty clay. Bedrock in the area canbe encountered at 80 to 100 feet.

Before the start of roadway improvements, an analysis ofthe existing soil conditions was conducted to determine theextent of environmental impacts within the Park EastFreeway Corridor. A Phase I Evironmental Assessment wasconducted to determine the historical land uses of the rede-velopment area. The study indicated that prior to the con-struction of the freeway, the land contained primarily com-mercial and industrial uses such as junkyards, truck termi-nals, print shops, foundries, and gas stations. (2.22)

Given the potential that several parcels contained environ-mental contamination, a Phase II Environmental Assessmentwas conducted. The analysis revealed that the soil contami-nation in the Park East Freeway Corridor is typical of urbanfill areas. In most instances, if left in place and maintainedwith institutional controls, the observed concentrations do notpresent an environmental concern. However, in many areas,if the fill is excavated, it could not be disposed of as a cleanfill. The groundwater impacts are generally low and couldlikely be addressed through monitored natural attenuation.The Environmental Impact Map shows approximate locations

Infrastructure / Environmental

(2.22) (Left) The historical uses of the redevelopment area wereresearched to determine potential environmental impacts. Prior tothe construction of the freeway spur, the land contained primarilycommercial and industrial land uses. The chart corresponds to theblock number map above, which demonstrates the block and streetconfigurations outlined in Chapter Three: Proposed Land Use.

Park East Redevelopment Plan 15

of potential PECFA sites as well as approximate locations ofenvironmental contamination that exceed acceptable levelsbased on standards set by the Wisconsin Department ofNatural Resources. (2.23)

Historic Resources

The former We Energies power plant on Dr. Martin LutherKing Jr. Drive is a three-building complex recognized on theNational Register of Historic Places. It is located immediate-ly north of the former Park East Freeway Corridor along thewestern side of the river. Time Warner occupies the centralbuilding. The reconfigured McKinley Avenue will arc aroundthis site to minimize disruption.

Three additional properties within the project site arepotentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Placesand are currently being reviewed. They are:

Building: Gipfel BreweryHistoric name: Gipfel BreweryLocation: South side of West Juneau Avenuebetween North Fourth and North Fifth streets

Building: Sydney Hih Historic name: Dr. Nicholas Senn Blockand the West Side Bank Building Location: Northwest corner of West Juneau Avenueand North Third Street

Building: Milwaukee Center for IndependenceHistorical name: Gugler Lithographic CompanyLocation: Southeast corner of North Broadwayand East Ogden Street

Urban Public Spaces

The availability of open space is essential for all urban envi-ronments because it not only increases surrounding property

values but also offers recreational amenities for residents andemployees in the downtown area. Urban open spaces, while notpastoral parks, include planted boulevards; tree-lined, widesidewalks; riverwalks and urban squares. Current open spacesavailable within and adjacent to the redevelopment plan bound-aries are extensive, including County parks (Pere MarquettePark, Red Arrow Park, Burns Commons, Cathedral Square);City parks (Kilbourn Park and McCarthur Square); miles ofRiverwalk and miles of lakefront open space opportunitities.

Character of Land Ownership

The area contained within the redevelopment boundaryencompasses approximately 64 acres of prime downtownland. An analysis of land ownership during the fall of 2002revealed that public ownership accounts for a substantialamount of land within the redevelopment area. The 16 acresof land underneath the freeway spur will be reverted toMilwaukee County ownership once improvements are com-pleted and the transportation easement is lifted. The City ofMilwaukee/Redevelopment Authority owns approximately3.7 acres of land within the redevelopment boundaries out-side the transportation corridor. The remaining acres are pri-vately owned land, much of which is either vacant or under-utilized.

Related Policies and Regulations

The Park East Redevelopment Plan serves as a developmentguide within the project boundaries. However, other policies andregulations play a role in the development of the project area.Future development actions should be consistent with the goals,objectives and laws set forth in the following documents.

Milwaukee Downtown PlanThe redevelopment of the Park East Freeway corridor was

identified in the Milwaukee Downtown Plan as a key catalyt-ic project for the continued growth of downtown Milwaukee.

Site Access

(2.23) A Phase II environmental assessment was conducted and found that the area is typical of urban in-fill areas. TheEnvironmental Impact Map shows approximate locations of potential PECFA sites and other approximate locations of con-taminants that exceed standards determined by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

It is expected that new development within the project areawill be consistent with the guidelines set forth in theMilwaukee Downtown Plan. The plan is available at the Cityof Milwaukee Department of City Development.

Milwaukee RiverLink GuidelinesBecause the Milwaukee River intersects a portion of the

project area, developments taking place along the river’sedge must be consistent with the recommendations set forthin the Milwaukee River Design Guidelines and theMilwaukee RiverLink Guidelines. The primary objective ofthe guidelines is to restore the Milwaukee River as a naturalresource and a recreational amenity. In order to improve pub-lic access to the Milwaukee River, the Milwaukee RiverLinkGuidelines propose a series of riverwalks – to become onecontinuous riverwalk – along both sides of the MilwaukeeRiver from the former North Avenue Dam to the harborentrance. The guidelines for river developments are set forthin Section 295-91.0021 of the Milwaukee Code ofOrdinances titled “Milwaukee RiverLink Site Plan ReviewOverlay District.” A copy of the documents and the ordinanceare available at the City of Milwaukee Department of CityDevelopment.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances All applicable rules contained within the Milwaukee Code

of Ordinances remain in effect for the Park East redevelop-ment area and should be referenced for development purpos-es. The redevelopment area is currently zoned various C9Downtown Districts as well as other industrial, residential,and commercial districts. The Park East Redevelopment Planrecommends changing the zoning to C9B(A) to allow thedesired mix of uses within the redevelopment corridor as out-lined in the plan. Document 3: Development Code discusseszoning changes and further regulations.

Sources for Site Analysis

Environmental Assessment for the Park EastFreeway. Wisconsin Department of Transportation,October 2000.Technical Memorandum: Environmental LiabilityManagement Evaluation, Park East CorridorRedevelopment. Prepared by HNTB Corporation,Oct. 29, 2001.Technical Memorandum: Summary of Soil andGroundwater Impacts, Park East Corridor Redevelopment. Prepared by HNTB Corporation, December 2001. Traffic and Parking Report for Park East Freeway.Prepared by HNTB Corporation and CH2M Hill, December 2000.

16 City of Milwaukee

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