Great reporting by Tom Daykin about what makes cities tick.
And about how cities like Milwaukee regenerate and prosper through innovation and hard work - - New Urbanism building on the best of the old.
This is why Milwaukee must be allowed a streetcar or light rail system to complement buses and bike lanes, especially as younger people eschew cars for urban living in walkable, transit-friendly neighborhoods.
It's absolutely crazy that there are no rail stops on North Avenue to serve the Riverwest dorms, or making a hub of the major intersection at North and Prospect and Farwell Avenues as people move to and from downtown through the densely-populated East side near Lake Michigan.
Suburban politicos who hog state transportation money to fuel subdivision-serving freeways are busting the budget while stifling transit-related job and economic growth in the Big City.
And as the city goes, so go the suburbs.
The natural and fiscal environments are better served by housing above retail and commercial space on or near North Ave. than by half-acre lots at the end of cul-de-sacs dug into former Waukesha or Ozaukee County farm fields.
And about how cities like Milwaukee regenerate and prosper through innovation and hard work - - New Urbanism building on the best of the old.
This is why Milwaukee must be allowed a streetcar or light rail system to complement buses and bike lanes, especially as younger people eschew cars for urban living in walkable, transit-friendly neighborhoods.
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| Light rail in the Twin Cities |
Suburban politicos who hog state transportation money to fuel subdivision-serving freeways are busting the budget while stifling transit-related job and economic growth in the Big City.
And as the city goes, so go the suburbs.
The natural and fiscal environments are better served by housing above retail and commercial space on or near North Ave. than by half-acre lots at the end of cul-de-sacs dug into former Waukesha or Ozaukee County farm fields.
The influx of young professionals into these buildings is going to change the character of that portion of North Avenue tremendously, for the better. It will start to evolve from the college-drinking evening activity zone it is now, into more of a 24 hour, 7 day neighborhood, and I would expect it to calm down a bit in light of the numbers of people who have to get up for work in the mornings.
ReplyDeleteAs you point out, that's a good thing overall.
Full disclosure: I have lived nearby for a couple of decades, and I was involved in the Oakland/North and Prospect Mall projects.
You are all mistaken -- it does not grow the milwaukee economy to invest in libraries and housing (condo or rental) for relatively well-off individuals.
ReplyDeleteIncreasingly, our younger workers do not have access to these jobs anyhow.
The part-time minimum wage jobs in retail that that these public investments are suppose to create do not happen and, even if they did, continue to enslave people in poverty.
It is shameful that one of the most hyper-segregated and impoverished cities in America continues to subsidize relatively affluent people under the lie that it trickle's down.
Rowen -- you would be the first to call out our leaders for spreading the raygun lies of trickle down -- why do you promote these same lies when it comes to misdirected public investments.
Milwaukee has no shortage of housing or retail -- in fact -- previous projects do not meet occupency targets?
You're a thoughtful and reflective writer -- why the apparent hypocrisy here?
Why do inherently racist and unjustifiable public subsidies to create havens for the relatively-well-to-do get promoted as meaningful economic development for the rest of a community where unemployment among African American men is over 55%?
This take was stupid and boring the previous 10 times this guy posted it.
DeleteSomeone apparently doesn't understand the positives of good infill development to accelerate, redefine and "bring back" areas. I guess they'd rather see things deteriorate and be out of date and not have the city attract more talent through a higher quality of life. Telling
The Oakland project and the Prospect Mall project received no subsidies.
ReplyDeleteBut they do, in fact, grow economic activity through the construction jobs created. Construction are good-paying jobs that can't be outsourced. Also, as private projects, they augment the city's tax base.
Construction jobs in milwaukee largely go to out-of-state people (usually from chicago) and are limited-term.
ReplyDeleteThey do not grow the economy -- in fact -- since these trade unions demand that out-of-staters be granted priority, they suck resources OUT of Wisconsin.
Barrett's answer to the economic take-down of milwaukee is to subsidize wealthy developers for projects that have no need and cannot actually hit occupancy rates.
It is a shame that "workers rights" gets misrepresented as massive public subsidies that generate relatively little employment that, because of union work rules, go to out-of-state union members that come in for the limited-term project.
I do not know why folks like me support the false cries for "solidarity" that do extend past a circle drawn around a few people's feet.
No wonder people, some years about half the eligible voters, stay home.
Until we have honest dialogs about helping ALL workers, there is no reason us non-trade union folks should support the nonsense that zombie is spewing above.
So how did that reagan trickle-down work fer ya?
What you are proclaiming, zombie, is just another lie that has nothing to do with growing the economy to accommodate even the most-basic needs of Milwaukee's workers.
Construction jobs are temporary employment jobs. When the interest rates rise the construction industry dies.
ReplyDeleteInterest rates have been at record lows for way to long. Architects and construction workers are next in the unemployment lines.
"Why do inherently racist and unjustifiable public subsidies to create havens for the relatively-well-to-do get promoted as meaningful economic development for the rest of a community where unemployment among African American men is over 55%?"
Of the 55%, what's the rate of graduation or the average ACT score? Three letters for you - MPS.
To Anon who said ". . . it does not grow the milwaukee economy to invest in libraries and housing (condo or rental) for relatively well-off individuals."
ReplyDeleteLast time I checked, libraries are, um, free - to everybody, no matter how well-off you are.
Construction jobs in milwaukee largely go to out-of-state people (usually from chicago) and are limited-term.
ReplyDeleteThis is just wrong.
And the salaries paid are not imaginary; that's money that gets returned into the economy.
A construction PROJECT may be of limited term; nut the jobs usually aren't.
Until we have honest dialogs about helping ALL workers, there is no reason us non-trade union folks should support the nonsense that zombie is spewing above.
ReplyDeleteSo until everything is perfect, there's no point in improving anything?
That's a KIND of principle, I guess.
Until we have honest dialogs about helping ALL workers, there is no reason us non-trade union folks should support the nonsense that zombie is spewing above.
ReplyDeleteSo until everything is perfect, there's no point in improving anything?
That's a KIND of principle, I guess.
zombie -- it does nothing for the African American men, 55%+ unemployment rate to subsidize millionaire developers.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't about "perfect" its about not allowing big labor to tell lies that subsidizing limited-term work, often for out-of-state union members grows the local economy.
Until agonized labor is restructured, there is no reason the 88% and growing non-union workers should support big labor.
America's unions divided workers into winners and losers and expect the poor and unemployed to sing meaningless and hypocritical songs about solidarity!
Big labor divided and now walker and out-of-state interests are conquering.
That's some strategy for success, buddy.
ReplyDeleteUntil agonized labor is restructured, there is no reason the 88% and growing non-union workers should support big labor.
Ahh. NOW we see the underlying motivation behind the anonymous FUD program.
Again, no subsidies for the two projects I mentioned. Again, "out of state" contractors is false - all the projects mentioned use local contractors. Again, "limited term" is a lie.The projects may be of limited terms, but the jobs are not.
And remember, the private sector doesn't create wealth, the government does!
ReplyDeleteZombie - Union tradesman like myself, the other commenter, and 90% of our counterparts see what's happening to the skilled trades while democrats continue to expand their base by increasing government social programs. We're left holding the bag while government debt explodes. Our families will be the one's paying that debt - and we're not happy campers. No more blaming Bush.