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Vacant buildings in the 1990s at the former Milwaukee Road Shops site, directly east of where American Family Field is located today. CREDIT: Menomonee Valley Partners[/caption]
This story is part of “Southeastern Wisconsin’s changing landscapes: Then, now and what’s next,” a feature in the 30th anniversary issue of BizTimes Milwaukee, published on March 17. Find coverage of more areas in the region here or paid subscribers can see the full feature in the digital edition of the magazine.
The Menomonee River Valley is perhaps Milwaukee’s greatest redevelopment success story of the past 30 years and a national model of economic and environmental sustainability.
The 4-mile-long stretch of land between the Harley-Davidson Museum and American Family Field was once filled with factories. But by the late 1900s, those companies and jobs left, and the area became blighted with abandoned industrial buildings and contaminated land.
The Menomonee Valley that exists today started taking shape back in 1998, when public and private partners joined together to create a new vision for the area. There have been many successes since then, including the Menomonee Valley Industrial Center; Potawatomi Casino Hotel; Three Bridges Park; and redevelopment of the Milwaukee Gas Light Co. buildings.
While industrial redevelopment is still ongoing, the valley’s first housing development was recently approved, raising tensions between valley stakeholders, and raising questions about the valley’s identity as an industry- and jobs-focused area.
Further, as limited land becomes more valuable in the valley, some business leaders and city officials are mounting renewed pressure to move public facilities like the recycling center and traffic sign shop elsewhere to free up more developable land.
It’s all in an effort to transform the Menomonee River Valley from the “back door” of the city to the “front door,” says Corey Zetts, executive director of Menomonee Valley Partners.
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Many sites have been redeveloped in the Menomonee Valley like the Milwaukee Gas Light Co. buildings in the foreground and Potawatomi Hotel & Casino farther east. CREDIT: Menomonee Valley Partners[/caption]
