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We just finished updating our Downtown Area Investment Map. This tool is being used everywhere from City Hall to the brokerage community to showcase the unprecedented investment taking place in the greater downtown area. Read below to see what $5.2 billion in recently completed, under construction, and proposed public and private projects looks like.
Learn about the exciting new advancements with The Milwaukee Streetcar as the project gears up to serve residents, workers, and visitors in 2018. Also, see how the programs offered by the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation can help make your downtown project a reality. And don't forget to join us in Pere Marquette Park this Thursday evening, November 19th for the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival Kick-Off Extravaganza.
We also just launched a new Twitter account to keep you up to date with downtown economic development news. Please follow us at @RealResultsMKE!
As always, thanks for reading,
Matt Dorner
Economic Development Director
Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21
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The development of
The Milwaukee Streetcar continues to move forward following city approval in February 2015 and with the final design of the Phase 1 route nearing completion. Recently, the momentum around the project has spiked with a few significant milestones being crossed.
In October, on the corner of Cass and Michigan streets in front of the
833 East Michigan office tower, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced a $14.2 million TIGER grant award to the City of Milwaukee that will cover nearly 50 percent of the construction of The Milwaukee Streetcar's Lakefront Line. Receiving this grant validates the impressive economic development and transportation merits of the project since the USDOT awarded $500 million in TIGER grants this year, although it received $9.8 billion in applications.
Following the TIGER grant announcement, in mid-November, the City of Milwaukee concluded its highly competitive procurement process when Brookville Equipment Corp., a United States based streetcar manufacturer, was announced to build The Milwaukee Streetcar's first four modern vehicles.
With public utility work already underway in Jackson Street, The Milwaukee Streetcar project continues to move forward as scheduled. In 2016, request for proposals will go out for building the system's main line and, operations and maintenance facility. Mainline construction is expected to start in spring 2016, and The Milwaukee Streetcar is slated to begin serving area residents, workers and visitors in 2018.
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Since 1971, the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has been a participating lender in thousands of investment projects in the Milwaukee area. The MEDC's mission is to aid businesses in the creation and retention of jobs. All together, projects that MEDC has assisted with have generated over one billion dollars of new investment and thousands of jobs for Milwaukee residents - with many of the projects being located in downtown.
MEDC works closely with the City of Milwaukee, the Redevelopment Authority, business improvement districts and others to develop financing packages to bring projects to fruition. MEDC has five different loan programs-- the Second Mortgage program, the Capital Access Program, and the Venture Debt program, County Revolving Loan Fund and SBA Community Advantage that can be used to help increase the feasibility of a project. For more information about these programs, please click
here.
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EVENT SPOTLIGHT -
MILWAUKEE HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL
KICK-OFF EXTRAVAGANZA
Thursday, November 19 | 6pm
Pere Marquette Park
900 N. Plankinton Avenue
The 17th Annual Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival is shining a whole new light on winter fun. Kicking off on November 19 at 6:00 PM in Pere Marquette Park and continuing for six weeks, you'll find the season's best events, shows, restaurants, shopping and decorations all in one place - right here in downtown Milwaukee!
This Thursday jump-start your holidays with the Kick-Off Extravaganza. Our star-studded cast includes performances by Nora Collins, DJ Shawna, South Milwaukee High School's Pop Rockets and Delta V, Anita's Dance Center, Studio VIA, Chandelier Circus and Visual Artsz, plus a visit from Santa.
After spirits have been lifted, we'll flip the switch on downtown's holiday decor and light the sky with fireworks. Best of all, the entire evening is free - right down to the hot cocoa and Jingle Bus rides presented by Meijer.
More information on the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival can be found
here
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Since 2005, over $2.8 billion has been invested in completed private and public projects and more than $2.3 billion is currently under construction or proposed to start soon, spurring a renaissance that has re-established downtown Milwaukee as the vibrant center of commerce for Wisconsin.
The recently updated Downtown Milwaukee Area Investment Map can be found
here. Download the map to see where the unprecedented growth is occurring!
Source: Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 primarily uses an aggregation of publicly reported project investment amounts to tell the story about the level of investment taking place in downtown Milwaukee.
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MOVERS 'N SHAKERS -
JULIO MALDONADO
BID Executive Director, Partner and HandShakeHero for Maldonado & Morgan, and Owner/Principal for Maldonado Consulting & Associates
Mr. Julio Maldonado is a respected Milwaukee entrepreneur whose work is critical to moving the city and region forward. Learn more about his BID involvement and the successful companies he leads.
What attracted you to your work with the South 27th and Cesar E. Chavez Drive BIDs?
The passion I have as an entrepreneur, to help small businesses thrive and lead this great city of MKE. I know what it takes to survive as a small business, so why not use my experiences, networks, and mistakes to help the next business grow.
In addition to your BID Executive Director work, you have Maldonado Consulting & Associates and Maldonado & Morgan--what types of services do your companies provide?
My consulting business is the stakeholder for the four BIDs I currently run. Maldonado & Morgan is a full service bilingual multi-cultural advertising agency. We provide marketing, advertising, animation, branding, illustration, website design and development, video production, SEO/SEM, copywriting, and public relations to our clients.
What accomplishment, work product or initiative are you most proud?
Helping the next small business open doors and initiate a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Mayor, hence having the feeling of accomplishment and actually doing something to better our community, entrepreneurship and our economy.
What factors helped drive your and Terrell Morgan's decision to locate your office in downtown Milwaukee?
The power that comes with being "east of the river" and being in the heart of where business gets done. The opportunity to shake hands and network with local corporate leaders and high-end small business owners. I can learn form some of the best in downtown and take the knowledge and experiences south of downtown!
What current development or initiative are you most excited about in downtown Milwaukee?
The growth and expansion of Northwestern Mutual and the Milwaukee BUCKS! It is a simple formula for success of a metropolitan city--continued development will always spark economic growth, job opportunities and tourism.
What do you see as downtown Milwaukee's biggest challenge?
Segregation. Let's demo all of the bridges.
When you are not working for one of the BIDs you manage or with clients from your other
companies, what is one of your favorite hobbies or pastime?
I love spending time with my family, but I also like to play softball and smoke cigars along side a nice scotch on the rocks!
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