NUMB:
990270
VERS:
SUBSTITUTE 1
REF:
XXBY:
ALD. HENNINGSEN
TITL:
Substitute resolution designating two portions of the City's downtown as a Theater District, one portion to be named "Downtown North" the other to be named "Downtown South"; adding the District to the City's Downtown Plan and requiring that District representatives be notified of any proposed development within the District's boundaries.
ANLS:
- Analysis -
This resolution designates the area bounded by Highland Avenue on the north; Water Street on the east; Wisconsin Avenue on the south; and Plankinton Avenue, Old World 3rd Street and Edison Street on the west; as the City's Theater District - Downtown North. It designates the area bounded by Saint Paul Avenue on the north; Ferry Street and North Water Street on the west; Pittsburgh Street, South Water Street and Corcoran Avenue on the south; and Jackson and Van Buren Streets on the east as the City's Theater District - Downtown South. It appends this District to the existing Downtown Plan designed by the Department of City Development. It requires that District representatives receive notice of any proposed development within the District's boundaries.
BODY:
Whereas, On May 1, 1999, the City's Department of City Development unveiled its Downtown Plan, intended to serve as a blueprint for downtown development over the next 2 decades; and
Whereas, The Downtown Plan states that its second goal is "to expand the number and variety of destination entertainment venues in the downtown"; and
Whereas, The Plan also states that its sixth goal is "to take maximum advantage of the special features found downtown"; and
Whereas, Arts and culture will continue to play a significant role in making Milwaukee's downtown a major destination; and
Whereas, The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, the Pabst Theater, and the Riverside Theater have collectively stood for many years as the centerpiece of the City's downtown theater and cultural community attracting more than 1.2 million people annually; and
Whereas, The 4 venues' geographical proximity and complementary schedules already permit and encourage the operators of all 4 to work together for the improvement of the entire area; and
Whereas, Moreover, an established theater community in the City's Historic 3rd Ward has sown and nurtured a wide and diverse range of artistic expression for many years; and
Whereas, The community has allowed this diversity to flower in an remarkably small geographic area and has not only proved an esthetic asset to the City but has stimulated economic development in the surrounding area as well; and
Whereas, The Skylight Opera Theatre, the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Theatre X, the Next Act Theatre, Ko-Thi Dance, the Great Lakes Opera Company, the Renaissance Theatre Works and Bialystock & Bloom are all and severally examples of the depth and breadth of what theater in the Historic 3rd Ward has to offer; and
Whereas, It is in the City's best interest to cultivate both areas' sense of collective identity and pride; and
Whereas, The venues in both areas have a strong interest in preserving the character of their neighborhoods and protecting them from inappropriate development; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the area bounded by East Highland Avenue on the north; North Water Street on the east; East and West Wisconsin Avenue on the south; and East Plankinton Avenue, Old World Third Street and North Edison Street on the west, is designated as the City's Theater District - Downtown North; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the area bounded by Saint Paul Avenue on the north; Ferry Street and North Water Street on the west; Pittsburgh Street, South Water Street and Corcoran Avenue on the south; and Jackson and Van Buren Streets on the east is designated as the City's Theater District - Downtown South, and, be it
Further Resolved, That both sections of this Theater District shall be appended to the official map of the Downtown Plan as created by the Department of City Development; and, be it
Further Resolved, That all representatives of the Theater District or their designees as well as the Milwaukee County Historical Society shall be notified in writing of any development proposed within the District's boundaries.
ZDPT:
DFTR:
99172-2
JRO
06/14/99