Development of the
Vienna Accessway Begins!
Riverworks, in collaboration with local artist Vedale Hill and Walter Hood of Hood Design Studios out of Oakland, CA, kicked off the development of the Vienna accessway by acknowledging the people and businesses that make the area great. Harambee’s own Vedale Hill worked with Hood Design Studios to create two murals flanking each side of Vienna that create a juxtaposition of residential life and industry by transposing a line of Harambee homes onto the largest industrial building along the soon-to-be linear park and silhouettes of people at work on the opposite wall connecting the work-life existence common to residential/industrial mixed neighborhoods.
These amazing murals act as an early action project in the Lifeways Plan linear park design by Walter Hood of Hood Design Studios along with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders from the Harambee and Riverwest communities. The murals will become the backdrop for a $1.2 million development along the Vienna accessway that includes opening up a pathway on both the east and west side of Vienna into the neighborhood from the trail, a 7,000 square foot state of the art performance stage, autonomous boxes that can be used as sitting areas, barbecue areas, a tree canopy, open activity areas and oversized gateways that welcome all to this destination place.
Vedale created the murals in this way “ Because there have been people and businesses in the area doing great things and we wanted to connect the people who will be in this amazing space. And pay homage to those who are here and the things that are already ingrained in this community. From grandmothers grocery shopping to kids playing games, they are here.”
We encourage all to stop by, take a seat, take a selfie and enjoy the beauty of seeing the neighborhood on the trail.
Murals sponsors include the Knight Foundation, Department of City Development Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC), the Milwaukee Arts Board, and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
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