Other Nonprofit News

Next Act Theatre to move to South Water Works development
Next Act Theatre announced this week that it has surpassed its $950,000 fundraising goal and plans to move to a new theater that will be built in the former Transpak Crane Bay building at 255 S. Water St., in the South Water Works development in the Walker’s Point neighborhood.
Milwaukee-based Lighthouse Development Company LLC is redeveloping the former Transpak Corp. complex, located southeast of South Barclay Street and East Pittsburgh Avenue, into a mixed use development, primarily with apartments and office space.
Next Act says it has raised $994,020 for the project and will move to its new home in time for the opening of its 22nd season in September. Construction will begin in February.
The facility will include a 150-seat theater, administrative offices, rehearsal space and production support areas.
The new Next Act Theatre will also be available for use by other theater companies.
Quorum Architects Inc. did the design work for the project.
Next Act Theatre had been located in the 99-seat Off-Broadway Theatre at 342 N. Water St., the city’s Historic Third Ward, for 10 years. The theater company decided not to exercise the option for the final year of its lease and moved out last year, said Next Act development director Lisa Gatewood. Next Act is performing at the Tenth Street Theatre at 628 N. 10th St., Milwaukee, for the current theater season.
Click here to see the plans for Next Act Theatre’s new home.

Re-zoning approved for Growing Power “vertical farm”
City of Milwaukee officials recently approved re-zoning to allow non-profit urban farm organization Growing Power Inc. to build a five-story building at 5500 W. Silver Spring Dr. for classrooms, offices, food and fish growing space, a demo kitchen, a retail food outlet and food processing space.
Growing Power and its president and chief executive officer, Will Allen, have received national attention for Allen’s efforts to create sustainable urban farms that provide healthy food for lower income individuals in areas, such as inner city neighborhoods, that have a lack of grocery stores. The organization works to provide neighborhood-based sustainable agricultural education.
As a result of its success, Growing Power says it needs more space to support production, classes, meetings, meal preparation, offices and on-site warehousing.