Places and Spaces
The following projects have found unique opportunities to contribute to the character of their neighborhoods and have made our streets and public spaces more attractive and inviting by engaging the public, enhancing public infrastructure, and creating meaningful community spaces for all to enjoy.
Green & Healthy Schools
Cohort 6
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Various Addresses
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 Since 2018, Milwaukee Public Schools has worked with Reflo, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District, and SARUP’s Community Design Solutions to transform 5 Milwaukee schoolyards annually into greener, healthier spaces for students and the surrounding community. In 2024, projects at Forest Home School, Greenfield Bilingual School, Lincoln Avenue School, Sign Language and Morse Middle Schools, and Story Elementary School.
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7320 W. Carmen Ave. | 4951 N. 40th St.
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MKE Rec
Carmen & Stark Playfields
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These playgrounds have been reimagined into inclusive, community-driven spaces, offering splash pads, basketball courts, and accessible walking paths. Through thoughtful design and native landscaping, both playfields prioritize sustainability, safety, and year-round recreation.
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Right-Turn
Slip Lane Murals
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27th & Highland | Cesar Chavez & Lapham
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 By repurposing two hazardous right-turn lanes at North 27th Street and West Highland Avenue and South 16th Street and West Lapham Boulevard, this initiative not only beautified the area with vibrant murals but also improved pedestrian and cyclist safety, making it safer to walk, bike, or wait for public transit at these busy intersections.
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801 W. National Ave.
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National DIY Skatepark
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A once-neglected parking lot has been transformed into a vibrant community skatepark through a grassroots effort that raised over $15,000 for concrete, tools, and maintenance. Thanks to local donations and a $100,000 grant from the City of Milwaukee, the park now offers safe, well-lit amenities that unite people and support youth engagement.
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Beerline Plaza
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3350 N. Holton St.
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 The Beerline Plaza has transformed an abandoned rail line into a dynamic community space that celebrates local art, culture, and connection. With murals, sculptures, and creatively repurposed shipping containers, the plaza is a vibrant gathering place linking Riverwest and Harambee through events like Music on the Beerline and the Beerline Shuffle.
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401 W. Wisconsin Ave.
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Vel R. Phillips Plaza
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This plaza transforms a former surface parking lot into a vibrant public space honoring Vel R. Phillips, a civil rights leader, judge, and the first African American woman elected to statewide office in Wisconsin. The plaza blends transit access with public art, green infrastructure, and community gathering areas, creating a downtown landmark that promotes connection, equity, and pedestrianization.
Davidson Park
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3700 W. Juneau Ave.
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 Davidson Park offers Milwaukee residents a vibrant and inclusive gathering space that blends cultural heritage with innovative, sustainable design. With green lawns, a serene garden, and a playful amphitheater at “The Hub,” the park invites families, neighbors, and visitors to connect, reflect, and celebrate community.
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Vibrant Corridors
These projects are revitalizing the City’s commercial corridors by constructing or restoring their properties in a pedestrian-friendly way that activates the public realm, adds new housing or employment opportunities, and adds to the vibrancy and diversity of our commercial districts.
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Havenwoods Taproom & Beer Garden
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5840 N. 60th St.
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 With help from a City of Milwaukee Commercial Revitalization Grant, the owners worked with Rinka to transform the vacant building, add a large four-season patio on the front façade, and landscape the previously impervious site.
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5520 W. Vilet St.
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Biersal Tavern
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This building renovation honors its legacy as a historic Milwaukee landmark while introducing modern design elements that create a welcoming, contemporary space. The project preserved key architectural features and was supported by a City of Milwaukee façade and signage grant that improved the building’s exterior and street presence. This transformation celebrates the tavern’s past while offering a refreshed gathering place for the community.
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Akara Arts
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3503 S. 16th St.
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This locally-owned tattoo studio has become a cozy and welcoming part of the neighborhood. With support from a City of Milwaukee façade grant, the shop enhanced its exterior, making the space more inviting and adding to the area’s character.
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4227 W. Vliet St.
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At Random
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This thoughtfully renovated space blends historic charm with modern design, creating a lively destination for neighbors and newcomers. A façade upgrade and redesigned bar enhance the building’s street appeal and interior experience, while vintage beer memorabilia and a music-themed atmosphere add unique character.
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Station 1846
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215 W. Bruce St.
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Station 1846 breathes new life into a historic garage transformed into a vibrant co-working space, coffee shop, bar, and event venue. With storefront activation and façade updates, the project preserves the building’s architectural legacy while introducing modern amenities that foster community connection and attract visitors.
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507 W. North Ave.
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Gallery 507
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Gallery 507 is a thoughtfully designed space that celebrates local artists and serves as a cultural hub for the Bronzeville community. Featuring sustainable landscaping, natural wood finishes, and flexible gallery space, the building highlights the artwork while creating a welcoming environment for events, learning, and connection.
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Neighborhood Renaissance
The following projects are literally Growing Milwaukee by providing a wide range of new opportunities for City living that strengthen neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life for residents.
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CDA Model Homes
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5708 N. 39th St. | 1217 S. 35th St. | 2232 W. Vine St.
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A new affordable housing initiative in Milwaukee, led by the Community Development Alliance (CDA), is underway. Three model homes have been unveiled as part of a larger plan to build 150 homes aimed at closing the racial homeownership gap. These homes are designed for first-time buyers earning 80% or less of the area median income.
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1887 N. Water St.
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EIGHTEEN 87 on Water
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EIGHTEEN87 on Water is a transformative five-story development that brings 79 new housing units—including 60 affordable homes for residents earning up to 60% of the area median income—to a former industrial site along the Milwaukee River. Blending sustainability with modern design, the project features energy-efficient materials, community spaces, landscaped walkways, and a Riverwalk extension that enhances public access and neighborhood connectivity.
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Riverwest Apartments & Food Accelerator
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This new development delivers 91 housing units—83 affordable and 20 designated as supportive—while integrating food education programming through a partnership with FoodRight, Inc. The project honors the legacy of the late Alderman Jonathan Brostoff and his unwavering commitment to housing equity in Milwaukee.
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2630 N. Hackett Ave.
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The Fitz Apartments
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The Fitz Apartment Building contributes new housing to Milwaukee’s East Side, combining contemporary design with a strong respect for the neighborhood’s historic character. Built on a long-vacant site along Hackett Avenue, the four-story structure uses brick and limestone to reflect nearby early 20th-century apartment buildings, with carefully crafted details that complement the surrounding architecture.
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333 Water
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333 N. Water St.
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333 Water is a 31-story residential tower in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward that brings 333 modern homes and 22,700 square feet of high-quality amenities to the heart of the city.
909 E. Michigan St.
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The Couture
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The Couture is a landmark 44-story mixed-use development in downtown Milwaukee. At 516 feet, it is the tallest residential building in Wisconsin. Featuring 322 luxury apartments, over 45,000 square feet of retail space, and an integrated transit hub connecting to The Hop and Connect 1 lines, it sets a national example for transit-oriented design.
Urbanism Redefined
These projects have made extraordinary contributions to the City’s built environment by constructing or restoring places that repair, restore, or enhance the urban fabric; expand opportunities for education or employment, and facilitate social connections, while raising the bar for major development and contemporary architecture in the City.
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UW-Milwaukee Chemistry Building
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2000 E. Kenwood Blvd.
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 The new building is a cutting-edge, 163,400-square-foot facility that strengthens UWM’s role as a scientific research and education leader. Designed with modern architecture and equipped with advanced labs, flexible classrooms, and collaborative spaces like the Industry Incubator Research Lab, the building supports both academic and industry innovation.
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1225 W. Wisconsin Ave.
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Marquette University
College of Nursing-Stratz Hall
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This project thoughtfully reimagines a historic campus building to meet the evolving needs of healthcare education. This 103,000-square-foot adaptive reuse project blends 1950s and 1980s architectural elements with state-of-the-art simulation labs, classrooms, and collaborative spaces, doubling the College of Nursing’s capacity and supporting the region's growing demand for skilled nurses.
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Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy
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2212 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.
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This $31 million project merges a former campus with a new high school facility, creating a modern, student-centered environment for youth navigating systemic challenges. Located in Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood—a community with deep cultural roots and a legacy of Black leadership and resilience—this three-story building fosters collaboration, creativity, and a strong sense of belonging.
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2153 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
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Thrive on King
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 This project is a community-driven redevelopment in Milwaukee’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood—a historically Black cultural and economic hub. ThriveOn King builds on the area’s rich legacy of resilience, creativity, and community leadership, reinforcing its role as a center for Black excellence and cultural pride. The $105 million project includes 89 apartments—74 affordable and 27 reserved for adults 55 and older—alongside early childhood education, nonprofit offices, and public gathering spaces.
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Concordia 27
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801 N. 27th St.
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This project transformed a building that had stood vacant for 15 years into a vibrant community hub. The center now offers nonprofit offices, retail spaces, affordable housing, and essential services focused on housing stability, nutrition, and wellness—all developed through deep collaboration with local partners and residents.
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405 W. Kilbourn Ave.
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Baird Center Expansion
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The Baird Center is a landmark $456 million expansion that has redefined Milwaukee’s convention and event landscape, doubling the facility’s size to 1.3 million square feet and significantly boosting its capacity for major gatherings. The project added 24 meeting rooms, a rooftop ballroom for up to 2,000 guests, 400 indoor parking spaces, and sustainable features like a 320,000-gallon stormwater system—earning LEED® Gold certification.
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