NEWS
Lakefront Improvements WILL WELCOME VISITORS
Wide-ranging Projects Focus on Green Solutions, Comfort and Accessibility
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BY VIRGINIA SMALL isitors to Milwaukee’s Downtown lakefront will see multiple improvements this spring and summer; others are on the drawing board.
One project under construction is a redo of the parking lot north of the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center. The landmark modernist building was designed by renowned architect Eero Saarinen and dedicated in 1957. Recent exterior refurbishments included restorations of the facade and “birdcage stairs,” restoration of the deck area, the addition of a granite monument ring and green-roof plantings, as well as replacement of the “eternal flame” sculpture with upgrades to the reflecting-pond monument. Now, the building’s surroundings are getting attention.
What began as a routine resurfacing project evolved into a more comprehensive and transformative undertaking according to the project’s manager, Julie Bastin, a Milwaukee County senior architect and engineer. Planners decided this was a “perfect opportunity for Milwaukee to feature the lakefront with a high-profile ‘green infrastructure’ project” to address multiple needs, said Bastin. Through extensive collaboration and planning, the county leveraged $500,000 allocated for the overlay project into improvements that will total about $3 million. The expanded project received funding support from the Fund for Lake Michigan, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation–Save Our Great Lakes. UW-Milwaukee's School of Architecture and Urban Planning also consulted on the project.
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