Arena Construction - Make pitch for ASG in 22/23. pg 95

[MickeyDavis]

City approval to convert one block of N. 4th St. into a plaza which connects the new Milwaukee Bucks arena with a new entertainment center might not be a slam dunk, based on comments made Wednesday by two Common Council members.

The council's Public Works Committee voted 5-0 to begin the city process which could result in the council approving the permanent closing of the street between W. Highland and W. Juneau avenues.

But two committee members, Ald. Robert Bauman and Ald. Joe Davis, hinted at opposition to the proposal, which also is opposed by some nearby business operators and property owners.

Davis said he noticed during a recent trip to Nashville, Tenn., that a street near that city's downtown convention center was closed for a country music concert, but was otherwise kept open for traffic when events weren't happening.

"We do have an example down in Nashville that a public right of way can exist" in connection with street events, Davis said. "There is value to analyze things when council members come forward with ideas."

That was a reference to Bauman, committee chair.

He has proposed closing the N. 4th St. block for Bucks games and other arena events, while otherwise keeping the block open for traffic.

Bauman also says it's important for the city to maintain ownership of that block to ensure it remains available for a planned future expansion of the city's downtown streetcar service. If the block is closed, it would be given to the Wisconsin Center District, and then leased to the Bucks.

At the committee meeting, Bauman said the upcoming proposal to close N. 4th St. would likely feature "extensive commentary and public testimony."

He said the Wednesday action was a noncontroversial decision to allow the Department of City Development to begin the process of proposing the street closing, which needs council approval. The council will likely review that proposal in a couple of months, Bauman said.

After the meeting, Bauman said he remains opposed to closing the block. He also said the basketball club has yet to provide design details for the proposed plaza.

Davis couldn't be immediately reached for comment after the meeting.

Department officials and the Bucks say closing the block is needed to better connect the arena with the entertainment center, and with N. Old World 3rd St. restaurants and taverns. That would make the arena area safer and more attractive for pedestrians, says Bucks President Peter Feigin.

Mayor Tom Barrett's administration also says N. 4th St. traffic can be easily diverted to N. Old World 3rd St. and N. 6th St.

The issue surfaced during the September debate over the city's $47 million share of the $250 million public financing package for the $500 million arena, which will be built just north of the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The privately financed entertainment center will be built just east of the new arena, replacing a city-owned parking structure that will be given to the Bucks.

In a compromise, Bauman dropped his September proposal to keep the street open for an amendment to the financing package which allows the city to take back ownership of the block if the Bucks stop operating the plaza. He supported the financing package, which passed the council on a 12-3 vote.

The issue also surfaced at last week's Plan Commission hearing on a proposal to provide conceptual zoning approval for the arena, entertainment center and other new nearby developments. That general plan, and a future detailed plan, will both need council approval.

Testimony before the Plan Commission, which endorsed the proposal on a 5-0 vote, included concerns raised by George Affeldt, Milwaukee Turners board secretary, on how the proposed closing could affect Turner Hall, 1034 N. 4th St.

Also, Ken McNulty, who operates Wisconsin Cheese Mart, 215 W. Highland Ave., and the neighboring Uber Tap Room, 1048 N. Old World 3rd St., and is developing a Valhalla, a new Scandinavian restaurant and tavern at 1111 N. Old World 3rd St., said closing that block would take away street parking spaces and increase congestion on N. Old World 3rd St.

[MadBlueEdwards]

Spoiler:

City approval to convert one block of N. 4th St. into a plaza which connects the new Milwaukee Bucks arena with a new entertainment center might not be a slam dunk, based on comments made Wednesday by two Common Council members.

The council's Public Works Committee voted 5-0 to begin the city process which could result in the council approving the permanent closing of the street between W. Highland and W. Juneau avenues.

But two committee members, Ald. Robert Bauman and Ald. Joe Davis, hinted at opposition to the proposal, which also is opposed by some nearby business operators and property owners.

Davis said he noticed during a recent trip to Nashville, Tenn., that a street near that city's downtown convention center was closed for a country music concert, but was otherwise kept open for traffic when events weren't happening.

"We do have an example down in Nashville that a public right of way can exist" in connection with street events, Davis said. "There is value to analyze things when council members come forward with ideas."

That was a reference to Bauman, committee chair.

He has proposed closing the N. 4th St. block for Bucks games and other arena events, while otherwise keeping the block open for traffic.

Bauman also says it's important for the city to maintain ownership of that block to ensure it remains available for a planned future expansion of the city's downtown streetcar service. If the block is closed, it would be given to the Wisconsin Center District, and then leased to the Bucks.

At the committee meeting, Bauman said the upcoming proposal to close N. 4th St. would likely feature "extensive commentary and public testimony."

He said the Wednesday action was a noncontroversial decision to allow the Department of City Development to begin the process of proposing the street closing, which needs council approval. The council will likely review that proposal in a couple of months, Bauman said.

After the meeting, Bauman said he remains opposed to closing the block. He also said the basketball club has yet to provide design details for the proposed plaza.

Davis couldn't be immediately reached for comment after the meeting.

Department officials and the Bucks say closing the block is needed to better connect the arena with the entertainment center, and with N. Old World 3rd St. restaurants and taverns. That would make the arena area safer and more attractive for pedestrians, says Bucks President Peter Feigin.

Mayor Tom Barrett's administration also says N. 4th St. traffic can be easily diverted to N. Old World 3rd St. and N. 6th St.

The issue surfaced during the September debate over the city's $47 million share of the $250 million public financing package for the $500 million arena, which will be built just north of the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The privately financed entertainment center will be built just east of the new arena, replacing a city-owned parking structure that will be given to the Bucks.

In a compromise, Bauman dropped his September proposal to keep the street open for an amendment to the financing package which allows the city to take back ownership of the block if the Bucks stop operating the plaza. He supported the financing package, which passed the council on a 12-3 vote.

The issue also surfaced at last week's Plan Commission hearing on a proposal to provide conceptual zoning approval for the arena, entertainment center and other new nearby developments. That general plan, and a future detailed plan, will both need council approval.

Testimony before the Plan Commission, which endorsed the proposal on a 5-0 vote, included concerns raised by George Affeldt, Milwaukee Turners board secretary, on how the proposed closing could affect Turner Hall, 1034 N. 4th St.

Also, Ken McNulty, who operates Wisconsin Cheese Mart, 215 W. Highland Ave., and the neighboring Uber Tap Room, 1048 N. Old World 3rd St., and is developing a Valhalla, a new Scandinavian restaurant and tavern at 1111 N. Old World 3rd St., said closing that block would take away street parking spaces and increase congestion on N. Old World 3rd St.

Some great comments in that one...

It is about time the city stops bending over backwards for the Bucks. This city is more than just the Bucks. We have people who live and work in the city who have to get around. Closing 4th street will only make it harder for people to get around Downtown. Since the new billionaire owners have taken over for the Bucks what is one thing they have done for the city. All I see is their asking for more and more. It is time for the city to start standing up for their people and the hard working tax payers who work here. It is looking more and more if we should have left them move to Seattle

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Put me on the side that thinks it's pretty excessive to completely close the streets. It seems a little bit of a land grab to make the area bigger. I don't think Nashville is a good comparison because I think they just close the streets like we do on water during major drinking holidays. I think a semi permanent option would be good where it's open during the week but mostly closed Friday evening through Sunday evening. They could do it right where they have decorative pop up barrades that block traffic in a more organic way than those orange wooden posts. You could also make the street a different payment so it feels more of a gathering area on the weekends.

[MadBlueEdwards]

Put me on the side that thinks it's pretty excessive to completely close the streets. It seems a little bit of a land grab to make the area bigger. I don't think Nashville is a good comparison because I think they just close the streets like we do on water during major drinking holidays. I think a semi permanent option would be good where it's open during the week but mostly closed Friday evening through Sunday evening. They could do it right where they have decorative pop up barrades that block traffic in a more organic way than those orange wooden posts. You could also make the street a different payment so it feels more of a gathering area on the weekends.

I don't really care either way what they end up doing, but I figure the Bucks have a vision and plan for this to be successful and if it means closing a small section of a street that doesn't get used very much, I don't see a good reason to get in the way of that and keep this project from realizing it's potential.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Put me on the side that thinks it's pretty excessive to completely close the streets. It seems a little bit of a land grab to make the area bigger. I don't think Nashville is a good comparison because I think they just close the streets like we do on water during major drinking holidays. I think a semi permanent option would be good where it's open during the week but mostly closed Friday evening through Sunday evening. They could do it right where they have decorative pop up barrades that block traffic in a more organic way than those orange wooden posts. You could also make the street a different payment so it feels more of a gathering area on the weekends.

I don't really care either way what they end up doing, but I figure the Bucks have a vision and plan for this to be successful and if it means closing a small section of a street that doesn't get used very much, I don't see a good reason to get in the way of that and keep this project from realizing it's potential.

I don't really care either way about this particular street but it just seems like a bad precedence to just permanently blocking off roads like that for semi-private properties. These are still major streets that run through the city. I'm sure the Bucks do have an awesome vision but I don't feel comfortable with letting them do whatever the hell want to fit "their vision".

[trwi7]

I don't really care either way what they end up doing, but I figure the Bucks have a vision and plan for this to be successful and if it means closing a small section of a street that doesn't get used very much, I don't see a good reason to get in the way of that and keep this project from realizing it's potential.

Maybe they should release their vision and plan then instead of all the vague **** everybody is getting.

[midranger]

They have asked for an awful lot on the mere assumption that something will happen in the end. The only renderings (not plans mind you) seemed to be recycled from the Atlanta Hawks and architectural made no sense in Milwaukee.

[MickeyDavis]

This may all be moot if they would just complete and present some detailed plans. Once everyone sees exactly what they plan to do with the surrounding area it will become more clear if closing the street permanently makes sense. The "trust us, we need the street closed" argument is lame.

[midranger]

Does anyone think that the renderings presented actually were an alternate design for Philips Arena? Not just the Hawks fans present on the concourse, but the the curved roofline, the use of glass, and the beams on one side (on Philips, these beams spell Atlanta).it looks a lot like Philips, which was also designed by... Populous.

Maybe it's just that all their designs look similar, but it's a bit odd that we've seen nothing since a hastily thrown together press conference in which a building that looked like it belonged in Atlanta was presented

[GrandAdmiralDan]

I don't really care either way about this particular street but it just seems like a bad precedence to just permanently blocking off roads like that for semi-private properties. These are still major streets that run through the city.

That part of 4th street is not at all a "major street".

There is next to no traffic that goes through that part of 4th street when there isn't a Bradley Center event.

The alternative proposal to permanently closing that section of 4th street still closes it when there are arena events, i.e. the only time there would be traffic.

There are not good reasons to keep it open.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I don't really care either way about this particular street but it just seems like a bad precedence to just permanently blocking off roads like that for semi-private properties. These are still major streets that run through the city.

That part of 4th street is not at all a "major street".

There is next to no traffic that goes through that part of 4th street when there isn't a Bradley Center event.

The alternative proposal to permanently closing that section of 4th street still closes it when there are arena events, i.e. the only time there would be traffic.

There are not good reasons to keep it open.

By major, I mean its a recognizable street and one of few that runs continuously from Locust in the north to st paul in the south. It's not a busy street but it gets a good amount of use during the week during rush hour. Though closing it on weekends is when its the busiest, those people aren't using it as a through street but rather to parking destinations. If you close the area and make it an attraction, they just park the next block over. I'm just not a fan of letting a private organization redesign the city with tax payer money without showing why it is necessary. The burden should be on the Bucks to fight for this instead of the city handing it over. There's a difference between slowing down progress and just totally caving to whatever the Bucks say is the word.

[VooDoo7]

Does anyone think that the renderings presented actually were an alternate design for Philips Arena? Not just the Hawks fans present on the concourse, but the the curved roofline, the use of glass, and the beams on one side (on Philips, these beams spell Atlanta).it looks a lot like Philips, which was also designed by... Populous.

Maybe it's just that all their designs look similar, but it's a bit odd that we've seen nothing since a hastily thrown together press conference in which a building that looked like it belonged in Atlanta was presented

Yup. From the time they were released, it reminded me of Philips Arena, or the reasons you already mentioned.

I have a feeling the arena will look nothing like that.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

It kind of makes sense now since they probably knew going in they had another year to get the design right. You don't want to design it too early because you lose a year of advancements in themes and styles but they needed a lie of a design out there to push the vote through so they could secure financing. Seems like a necessary evil.

[MickeyDavis]

Agreed there isn't the urgency since the date was pushed back a year. But they still need to break ground in the spring and there will be a whole lot of "discussion" once the plans are finally released. The city still has to approve the design and many/most alderman will turn into architectural and design experts.

[vegaspacker]

A little OT, but the Bucks snapchat revealed the alternate floor. Looks pretty awesome, it will be revealed next Wednesday... Excited!!

[EastSideBucksFan]

Arena groundbreaking date pushed down the road again.

Maybe they'll start next summer now.

Tough time for good news, I guess all the fun times were used up.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/MKEBizJournal/status/681933756865851401[/tweet]

[0BobLobLaw0]

Arena groundbreaking date pushed down the road again.

Maybe they'll start next summer now.

Tough time for good news, I guess all the fun times were used up.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/MKEBizJournal/status/681933756865851401[/tweet]

Not a biz journal subscriber so i can't see the full article. What is the reasoning behind the delay?

[BMatt07]

Yikes.. Bucks are turning into a dumpster fire lol.

[Stoltz3]

An incredibly fascinating read on the technology being provided in the Kings' new arena. Can't wait to see what's in store for the Bucks. http://recode.net/2016/01/06/the-sacramento-kings-are-building-the-nbas-techiest-arena-a-21st-century-coliseum/

[HaroldinGMinor]

Plaza deal reached:
http://www.biztimes.com/2016/01/06/deal-reached-over-fourth-street-plaza-for-bucks-arena/