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News

Riverworks Infrastructure Projects

May 3 , 2010
On April 12 construction work began to improve the Holton/Townsend Street intersection. This includes removing old railroad tracks and adding colored curbs and crosswalks. Excavation and grading work began on the Beerline Recreational Trail in April as well to initiate a landscape plan through $200,000 in funding from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The project is being managed by Milwaukee DPW in coordination with Riverworks and BID #36. Finally, Keefe Avenue is being repaved from Humboldt to 7th Street with ARRA funds - the project is set to begin in May. Riverworks had an influence on all three projects and is excited to see them coming to fruition.

Contractors pouring colored concrete at the new Holton/Townsend intersection.

WMEP Grants through MEDC

March 17 , 2010
The Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) works with small and mid-sized manufacturers by providing real-world knowledge in continuous improvement, business strategies and best practices. They have 25 highly-experienced manufacturing experts on staff with an average of 20 years of direct manufacturing experience. Services offered include developing and implementing strategies focused on lean manufacturing, growth strategies, new market development, cost reduction, supply chain and improving productivity.

Today the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is offering grants of $1,000 to businesses that sign contracts with WMEP. Six Milwaukee businesses have received these grants to date. Working with MEDC, businesses may also be able to access funding through the Department of Commerce and receive other discounts as well. Any manufaturers interested in taking advantage of these grants and working with WMEP should contact Chris Grandt at chrisg@riverworksmke.org or 414-906-9650.

Capitol Drive Streetscape Update

November 27 , 2009
The Riverworks BID #25 finished up their streetscape project for 2009 this fall. The old, deteriorating gateway signs were replaced with more modern, sleek, and sustainable signs designed and constructed by Ascend Design. In addition, decorative fencing was produced and installed by a local business, Gallas Safeguards. This work combined with updated lighting makes the Capitol Drive medians much more prominant and adds to the promotion of the Riverworks Center.

New Gateway Signs
New sign by Outpost Natural Foods with tower lights on pedestals in background.

Beerline Trail Mural Dedication

October 16 , 2009
The Beerline Trail Mural Dedication was held on Friday, October 16. More than 50 people attended including neighbors from Riverwest and Harambee, business and property owners from the Riverworks BIDs, representatives from the Harambee Great Neighborhood Initiative, in addition to government officials and other Riverworks stakeholders. This project highlights other changes in-the-works to the Beerline Recreational Trail including extensive landscaping and streetscape construction.

Group photo of those that attended the mural dedication event on October 16.

Hands Around 1st Street Block Improvement Project

September 18 , 2009
Riverworks Development Corporation worked hard this summer promoting the "TIN Small Scale Block Improvement Project" program administered by the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC) of the City of Milwaukee. The most recent project we worked on involved a partnership with the Hands Around 1st Street Block Watch. We helped them secure a grant from NIDC to purchase three City planters and plant them with perrenials to spruce up the block of 1st Street between Concordia Ave and Townsend Street. Special thanks go to Ms. El-Louise Games of Hands Around 1st Street, David Weber of NIDC, and Lowes.

Hands Around 1st TIN Project Neighbors from the Hands Around 1st Street Block Watch planting one of the planters to help beautify their block.

Beerline Mural Project Underway

August 17 , 2009
The Beerline Trail Mural Project is steadily moving forward! Three apprentices from the Harambee neighborhood were selected to work on the project through a competitive application process open to high school-aged youth from Harambee and Riverwest. The apprentices helped Lead Artist Reynaldo Hernandez develop the concept for the mural which focuses on the history of the area and the former Milwaukee Road rail line. Now they are in the process of putting it all together. The project has been a great success thus far, and we're excited to see the finished product.

Mural_Painting Stage
Apprentices (from left to right) Marcus Beebe, Raven Brannon, and Chante Hollinshed with Lead Artist Reynaldo Hernandez (in white shirt second from right).

Small Scale Block Improvement Projects

July 6 , 2009
This spring Riverworks staff found out about the "Small Scale Block Improvement Project" put on by the City of Milwaukee through its Target Investement Neighborhood program, and we did our best to run with it. All in all we promoted it to three neighborhood associations located in the Harambee TIN area, and we even came up with our own project as well! The City designed the project to help bring residents together to collectively improve the blocks they live on. Block projects that were approved by the City were awarded up to $2,000 in grant money. The photo to the right shows the flower planter project developed by Darryl Johnson of Riverworks that was awarded a grant. Two other grants were also awarded around the 4th Street and Keefe Avenue area.

Small Scale Improvement Project
Darryl Johnson, Richard Galls of Gallas Safeguards, and Chris Grandt show off the "Neighborhood Watch" planters that are now proudly displayed on Randolph and 1st Streets .

Beerline Trail Mural Project

July 1 , 2009
Riverworks Development Corporation with financial support from the Riverworks BID #36, the Harambee Great Neighborhood Initiative and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans finalized a youth mural project that will begin July 20. RDC is managing this project in collaboration with Artworks for Milwaukee and lead artist Reynaldo Hernandez, a renowned mural artist. Three high school-aged youth from the Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods will be hired as apprentices and help Mr. Hernandez develop the mural from its conceptual stage to final production over a 5 week program period. This project will also entail a unique greenscreen framing system to be installed by Marek Landscaping. The mural will be installed on an open 60'X13' building face along the Beerline Trail at Downtown Auto Body. We thank Tony Balistreri, owner of Downtown, for allowing us to use his building for this project. We believe this project will improve the aesthetics of the trail while positively affecting the lives of neighborhood youth at the same time.

Youth that have interest in earning money this summer working on an art project should visit the Artworks for Milwaukee website to access the application. Click on the following link, Artworks for Milwaukee, and scroll down to the "Announcement" section.

Industrial Manufacturing Classes

June 15 , 2009
Staff in the Workforce Development Program are working hard to reach out to Milwaukee residents interested in expanding their work skills through training courses offered through our partnership with MATC. The Riverworks Industrial Manufacturing class is a technical course that provides education and training in milling and press operations, gauge and blueprint reading, introduction to machining processes, safety, and other relevant manufacturing work skills. All these courses also provide softskills training through Vanessa White's "Stepping Stones" class. The first class is scheduled to start July 7. Milwaukee residents interested in registering for this class or future ones should contact Vanessa White at 414-906-9650 or by email at vanessaw@riverworksmke.org.

Riverworks Center Golf Outing

June 1 , 2009
Riverworks Development Corporation hosted its 2nd annual Golf Outing on June 1, 2009 at the prestigious Brynwood County Club (6200 West Good Hope Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53223). Over 30 golfers competed in a scramble event over a full round of 18 holes. The foursome of Ken Bieck, Adam Bieck, Dennis Mikulec, and Alan Lurie took home the title this year with an impressive score of 60 - 12 under par! The scramble event was followed by a fantastic dinner reception, where we were joined by others who opted not to golf. We're confident this event will continue to grow as a great venue for us to promote the great Riverworks organizations.

Operation Payback

May 5 , 2009
This spring Riverworks teamed up with the Milwaukee Police District 5 and Safe & Sound by helping sponsor the Operation Payback program. This program was initiated on the southside in District 6 last year as a way for young offenders to make up community service hours. It was so successful that it expanded to the northside in District 5 this year. The focus is on graffiti removal, cleaning up neighborhoods, and giving back to the community. Just as importantly, the program offers young offenders resources and access to support mechanisms with the goal of turning a negative situation into something positive. For more information on this program, check out an article from last year at Operation Payback.

Members of the Operation Payback crew were out in the field removing graffiti at a corner store on 3rd and Keefe.

Beerline Trail and Marquette Hunger-Cleanup

April 18, 2009
On a beautiful sunny day this spring, Riverworks teamed up with a group of volunteer students through Marquette's annual Hunger-Cleanup project to clear litter and garbage from the Beerline Trail - 36 students participated in all. In addition, Riverworks reached out to Marina Lee, a Riverwest resident who helps manage the Snails Crossing community park which lies adjacent to the Beerline Trail. Volunteers helped Marina prep the park for the summer - raking, mulching, and planting/watering trees. Just another example of Riverworks collaborating with other groups to make the area a better place. Look out for this event again next year as well as other volunteer opportunities.

Riverworks Biennial Meeting

April 16, 2009
The 2009 Riverworks Biennial meeting was held at the LAD Lake Education and Life Skills Development Center located in the Riverworks Center at 225 W Capitol Drive. This building is the site of a 2007 Urban Design Award, and what a great venue it was for our meeting! Over 100 people were in attendance to partake in the celebration of the three Riverworks organizations (RDC and the two BIDs). The "I am Riverworks" theme highlighted not only the assortment of businesses located in the Riverworks Center but also the diversity of partnerships, programs, and projects that Riverworks is involved in that makes us such a successful and unique entity. Please contact us to get a copy of our Biennial Report, which includes a wonderful map of the businesses located in the Riverworks Center.

Biennial Meeting Table
Table setting at the Biennial event, including the Riverworks Biennial Report and an "I am Riverworks" candy bar produced by Burke Candy

Beerline Recreational Trail

November 17, 2008
RDC, the City of Milwaukee, and Marek Landscaping held a volunteer community event on Saturday November 8 at the northern edge of the Beerline Recreational Trail between Townsend Street and Keefe Avenue (north to south) and Holton Street and Richards Street (east to west). 89 trees and 86 shrubs were planted on this block of the trail, and a beautiful bench made by La Lune Collection in Riverwest was installed at the Buffum Street trail entrance.

Beerline Community Event
AmeriCorps Volunteers working alongside neighborhood residents at the volunteer event.

Significant efforts to clean up the trail were also realized through the aid of Groundwork Milwaukee and a team of AmeriCorps Volunteers between October 30 and November 12. In coordination with Marek Landscaping, approximately 11 tons of trash and 270 cubic yards of brush were removed between Burleigh and Keefe, and the groundwork was laid for next spring when at least $200,000 in additional funds will be invested in beautifying this public space.

For more information on the Beerline Recreational Trail, please contact Chris Grandt at 414.906.9650 or at chrisg@riverworksmke.org.

New Lights on Capitol Drive

October 20, 2008
Last week the new lights that Ascend Design created for BID #25 were installed on Capitol Drive. This is a hint of some of the streetscape improvements to come in the upcoming years. We encourage everyone to visit Capitol Drive at night between Humboldt and 2nd Street to see them in action.

Jeff Hojnacki from Ascend Design & Ryan Bachmann from BlueBill Electric

New Gateway Sign

August 4 , 2008
Come see the new Riverworks Gateway sign at the corner of Keefe Avenue and Richards Street! Thanks go out to BID #25 for funding the project, Ascend Design for creating and installing the sign, and Outdoors Unlimited for the beautiful landscaping.