Number
081213
Version
Substitute 2
Reference
071708
Sponsor
ALD. BAUMAN, KOVAC and BOHL
Title
Substitute resolution directing the Intergovernmental Relations Division - Department of Administration to lobby the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to locate the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and future student residence halls, within downtown Milwaukee.
Analysis
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) began a process on April 4, 2008 to develop a master plan for growth that includes, among other initiatives, the creation of a School of Public Health, relocation and expansion of the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and the development and expansion of other academic research programs and institutions such as the Great Lakes Research Foundation (GLRF) and the Great Lakes WATER Institute.
In addition to the creation, expansion and relocation of various schools and colleges of UWM, dormitory residences have been constructed and are either under construction or planned for future development by either UWM or the UWM Real Estate Foundation whose mission includes partnering with the public and private sectors to develop and hold real estate for the benefit of UWM and holding properties that may include residence halls, research and academic space, and facilities to promote economic development.
One fundamental consideration in this planning process is the need to find additional space outside the confines of the University’s East Side campus. The University is currently engaged in negotiations with Milwaukee County that could lead to acquiring 83 acres of County land in the suburb of Wauwatosa, more than 10 miles from the present campus.
This resolution, in conjunction with the Common Council’s past action in File # 071708, supports the expansion of UWM in the downtown Milwaukee area and further directs the Intergovernmental Relations Division - Department of Administration to lobby the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and to engage the UWM Real Estate Foundation in discussion accordingly. The resolution further directs any persons authorized to represent and advocate for the City to promote downtown UWM property development decisions by legislators, other state officials and any other appropriate parties, and to advocate for state investment in continued growth of UWM research capacity.
The resolution identifies the following advantages of a downtown location:
1. Ease of transportation and availability of mass transportation for students, faculty and staff moving between the East Side Campus and downtown.
2. Availability of a wide variety of housing options for students, faculty and staff.
3. Many thousands of square feet of existing and potential office space with a wide choice of size, layout, functionality and price structure for research and spin-off companies to grow.
4. Redevelopment of urban areas is environmentally-friendly and efficient when compared to other options such as suburban expansion.
5, Infrastructure, including roads, sewer, water, and other utilities are in place.
6. Marquette University, the Milwaukee School of Engineering, the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and the Milwaukee Area Technical College are all located in the downtown area providing a cluster of engineering, research and related fields that are attractive for locating corporations and will provide academic and research synergies.
Body
Whereas, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ("UWM") is engaged in a 16 to 20-month process to develop a Campus Master Plan outlining university needs, current campus capacity and future expansion opportunities; and
Whereas, UWM's mission statement declares its purpose to be, “…a major urban doctoral university and to meet the diverse needs of Wisconsin’s largest metropolitan area”; and
Whereas, Higher education is vitally important to the future of the City of Milwaukee and the entire Milwaukee metropolitan area in competing in the global economy; and
Whereas, The goal of enhancing the research capabilities and profile of UWM is consistent with the goals and mission of the City of Milwaukee; and
Whereas, The UWM East Side neighborhoods are reaching saturation with unsupervised student housing and related parking problems; and
Whereas, New supervised residence halls and dormitories will draw students from unsupervised housing into residential settings that have been shown to be more conducive to academic success and reduced disciplinary problems; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee has numerous suitable locations in its downtown area for expansion of the UWM campus that would provide a catalyst for economic development, revitalization of neighborhoods, re-use and improvement of existing developed land and infrastructure; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee appreciates that UWM has operated its School of Continuing Education in the downtown Plankinton Building since 1995 and has maintained the Great Lakes WATER Institute on the Milwaukee Harbor just south of downtown since 1973; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee is informed that the proposed UWM Academic Health Center is planned to be located in downtown Milwaukee so that significant investments can be made there for facilities for UWM’s proposed School of Public Health; for the existing College of Health Sciences, College of Nursing and Helen Bader School of Social Welfare; and for governmental entities that have asked to be located in UWM’s proposed facility; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee is further informed that UWM is advancing plans in support of its proposed School of Freshwater Sciences that may include a showcase downtown waterfront facility in support of the growing water industry in metropolitan Milwaukee that include a water industries research park that may be located in the vicinity of an expanded Great Lakes WATER Institute on the east end of Greenfield Avenue; and
Whereas, The Common Council on April 8, 2008, adopted Common Council File # 071708 declaring its support for the location of expanded UWM schools and colleges in the Milwaukee Downtown area; and
Whereas, The Campus Master Plan process has identified a need for 700 student beds in addition to the 700 bed facility planned for construction at the new UWM Real Estate Foundation site at the corner of E. North Ave. and N. Cambridge St.; and
Whereas, The Milwaukee Downtown would provide an optimal environment for UWM growth and the benefits of a downtown location for UWM expansion include:
1. Ease of transportation and availability of mass transportation for students, faculty and staff moving between the East Side Campus and downtown.
2. Availability of a wide variety of housing options for students, faculty and staff.
3. Many thousands of square feet of existing and potential office space with a wide choice of size, layout, functionality and price structure for research and spin-off companies to grow.
4. Redevelopment of urban areas is environmentally-friendly and efficient when compared to other options such as suburban expansion.
5. Infrastructure, including roads, sewer, water, and other utilities are in place.
6. Marquette University, the Milwaukee School of Engineering, the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and the Milwaukee Area Technical College are all located in the downtown area, providing a cluster of engineering, research and related fields that are attractive for locating corporations and will provide academic and research synergies; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the City of Milwaukee supports the expansion of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the downtown Milwaukee area, including creation of a School of Public Health, relocation and expansion of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, expansion of the College of Nursing and the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, and development of other academic-driven research programs; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Intergovernmental Relations Division - .Department of Administration is directed, consistent with this resolution, to lobby the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to locate the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and future dormitories, within downtown Milwaukee; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Intergovernmental Relations Division - Department of Administration, consistent with this resolution, engage in discussions and negotiations, as appropriate, with the UWM Real Estate Foundation with the objective of establishing and developing downtown Milwaukee properties to further the instructional, research and housing needs of UWM schools, colleges, faculty, staff and students; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Intergovernmental Relations Division - Department of Administration, and other persons authorized to represent the City in policy discussions with state and other governmental officials, are authorized and directed to advocate on behalf of the development of downtown Milwaukee properties to further the instructional, research and housing needs of UWM schools, colleges, faculty, staff and students with legislators, other state officials and any other appropriate parties that may influence property development decisions by UWM, and to secure state investments in operating and capital funds to support continued growth of UWM research capacity.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB08179-5
RLW
12/23/2008