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The Downtown Area Plan Update was adopted by the Common Council on October 12, 2010; and amended on November 27, 2018.
Read the Plan PDF Files Read the Executive Summary
Read by chapter: Introduction Plan Context and Process Land Use Strategies and Policies Districts Catalytic Projects Implementation
The Downtown Area Plan is an update to the original 1999 Milwaukee Downtown Plan. The updated plan is not intended to replace the 1999 plan, but rather to build on the vision and successful initiatives of that plan. Since the inception of the 1999 plan most of the goals and objectives have been met, and most of the catalytic projects recommended in the 1999 plan are either completed or underway. This includes the creation of the Milwaukee Public Market, the redevelopment of the Park East Freeway Corridor, the re-use of the historic Pabst Brewery Complex, the renovation and expansion of the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, and the construction and expansion of the Milwaukee Riverwalk. The 2010 Downtown Area Plan is an attempt to build on the momentum created by the policies and projects of the original 1999 plan and to provide a new vision for the future of Downtown Milwaukee.
Downtown Plan Update Report (2008) PDF
Downtown Community Survey: Summary of Responses (2008) PDF
Downtown Retail Study (2009) PDF
Downtown Parking Study (2010) PDF
MacArthur Square Master Plan (2009)
Downtown Market Study (2007)
Hotel Market Study (2007) PDF
Park East Redevelopment Plan (2004)
Westown Design Guidelines (2003)
Third Ward Area Plan (2006)
Third Ward Design Guidelines (2006) PDF
UWM Applied Planning Workshop Report: Haymarket (2011) PDF
Lakefront Plan (1994)
Downtown Information
Milwaukee Downtown (BID#21)
Easttown Association
Westown Association (BID#5)
Historic Third Ward (BID#2)
Historic King Drive (BID#8)
Long Range Lakefront Committee Recommendations (2011)
Milwaukee Streetcar
Park East
RiverWalk
The Brewery
Brighten the Passage
With the approval of the Downtown Area Plan, a number of items remain to be done to implement the plan and carry out its goals. This includes the formation of stakeholder group to carry out the detailed catalytic projects. Policy and regulation changes such as zoning code revisions, design guidelines, and specialized task-forces will be needed in order to implement the concepts adopted by this plan. A continued public-private partnership, with strong involvement of the downtown area BIDs and other organizations will help to ensure their efforts become reality in the upcoming decade and beyond.
Greg Patin 414.286.5728 Project Manager
Kyle Gast 414.286.5823 Project Manager
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