Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced Tuesday that “Freshwater Way” is the winner in a contest to rename Milwaukee’s Pittsburgh Avenue.
Freshwater Way was the consensus selection from a panel that reviewed more than 650 submissions from the public in the month-long contest.
The name of the road is significant because it will be extended by the city to run through the Reed Street Yards, which will be redeveloped into a business park featuring water technology companies. In addition the Water Research and Business Accelerator Center is being developed in a seven-story, 98,000-square-foot, 106-year-old Walker’s Point warehouse at 223 W. Pittsburgh Ave.
“Freshwater Way is a name that captures the vision for the Reed Street Yards as a site for Milwaukee’s leading water-related companies,” Barrett said. “With the new (Water Research and Business Accelerator Center) taking shape just east of the business park, the timing is perfect for renaming the street to anticipate the economic development and new jobs that will be created.”
The panel that selected the name Freshwater Way included Ald. Jose Perez, along with representatives of the business park land owner, the Milwaukee Water Council, city departments, and John Gurda, the chairman of the Citizen Advisory Committee On The Naming Of Public Buildings, Facilities And Streets.
That committee will review the recommendation and the Milwaukee Common Council will ultimately decide whether to officially rename Pittsburgh Avenue as Freshwater Way.
