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| | | | Also present:
Minutes note: Michael Adetoro, FIT Investment Group
Elizabeth Adetoro, FIT Investment Group
TeHanna Robinson, FIT Investment Group
Oluwapelumi Oguntade, FIT Investment Group
Kari Smith, DCD
Matt Haessly, DCD
Kyle Gast, DCD
Matt Rejc, DCD | | | |
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| | 4. | | Bronzeville RPPs, listings, projects, programs, initiatives, events, grants, activities, plans, or other aspects for update, discussion, presentation, review, motion, recommendation, and/or approval.
Minutes note: a. Update on Bronzeville Creative Arts & Tech Hub and Bronzeville Apartments.
Mr. Adetoro presented an update. The development site was located at 6th and North, between 6th and 7th Street on North Avenue. The project was a mixed-use, mixed-income residential and a commercial development. Phase 1, the residential portion, was complete. It represented a $19 million investment and consisted of 60 units of affordable and market-rate housing in a mix of 1-4 bedrooms, including both apartments and townhomes. The townhomes were 1,300 to 1,400 square feet and the apartments were up to 1,100 to 1,200 square feet. The design featured an open format, high ceilings, clean finishes, and color-coded wayfinding in each corridor. The building included solar panels, a 2nd floor deck outside the community room, and both garage and surface parking. High-speed internet was included building-wide. The building was almost fully leased, with only the live/work units remaining. The formerly vacant site had been transformed into an active residential community for new families and children.
The live/work units fronted North Avenue. The units were 2 stories, 1,600 and 1,700 square feet, with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. The 1st floor was a wide-open floor plan with full retail frontage that appeared as retail space upon entry, with a kitchen and bathroom in the rear, and three bedrooms and a full bath upstairs that allowed separation between business and family living. The units were not income restricted and rents ranged from $1,950 to $2,200. A formal residential application was required, with the business component reviewed through conversation about the business plan and needs. A flyer and walkthrough video were available. The committee and community were invited to make referrals.
Phase 2, the Hub, was an additional $11 million investment, for a total project investment of $30 million. The Hub was intended to complete the mixed-use vision with elements of arts, technology, entrepreneurship and education. The 1st floor would contain the performance space, cafe, lobby and the three live/work units. The 2nd floor would house the anchor tenant, Black Arts MKE. The 3rd floor would house a 2nd anchor tenant, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, along with incubators and shared creative space. The 4th floor was approximately 7,000 square feet of private office space that could accommodate multiple tenants, where FIT Investment Group’s corporate office would relocate to remain close to building management and to achieve operational synergies with the residential building.
The performance space was a 2-story, flexible configuration ranging from 120 to 175 seats depending on whether a thrust or traditional stage format was used. Other amenities included 1st floor cafe and performance space available to tenants, co-working desks, and membership models. Another tenant, Beyond STEM would provide STEM education, and all nonprofit partners included youth empowerment, internships and professional development components. A new local cafe on the corner was planned that prioritized healthy and accessible food options, with a partnership announcement forthcoming.
The TIF requested for the project was advancing, which was a critical component to fill the remaining gap, and the team continued to work towards closing on remaining financing with a target of closing and construction start in the fall.
He presented a call to action for the committee and larger community to help connect the project with businesses, entrepreneurs and creatives who could benefit from the campus, including those who could lease space and those who needed business support services such as design, content creation and marketing. He referenced a partnership with 2112 Chicago and its Center for Creative Entrepreneurship platform, which connected entrepreneurs with mentors and scholarships, and noted opportunities for local businesses to use the Hub’s noise-controlled content creation studios for high-quality video and interviews.
He also raised the need for a safer North Avenue, stating that heavy traffic and high speeds made it challenging and unsafe to cross or park on North Avenue. He advocated for traffic calming, improved walkability, pedestrian protections, secure crosswalks with flashing lights and stop signs, citing Walnut Street and Locust as examples of corridors where measures had been implemented. He noted that community walks had been conducted with the Milwaukee Urban League to identify hot points. The committee was welcomed to assist in addressing traffic and pedestrian safety on North Avenue.
Ms. Robinson continued the presentation. Creative professionals (including supportive professionals) were sought, including photography and film, fashion, interior design, branding and product development, podcasting and digital media, theater, dance, gaming, publishers and authors, and visual artists and painters. Leasing conversations were open for the 3 live/work units, 3rd-floor incubator and private offices, and 4th-floor office space. A flyer would be shared with the committee and community. Many conversations with creatives were being had. They wanted to connect with committee members about ideas and needs, emphasizing that the project was more than office space and was intended to be a creative ecosystem with educational programming, mentorship and networking.
Chair Vernon inquired about operations relating to local expertise at the table to execute the operations of the business portion, whether local partners and consultants from Milwaukee were included, how property management would function for businesses that had not operated in this model, and how tenants would be insulated from the enormous year-to-year cost of running an institution. She noted concern about developments in the corridor that had experienced shifts and tenant losses, including historically important Bronzeville businesses, and that approving plans without a solid operations approach had been an error in Milwaukee development.
Mr. Adetoro responded. The question was central to their work. Black Arts MKE was more than a tenant and was a partner that would operate the performance space and hire its staff, leveraging its existing platform that supported hundreds of creatives yearly through programming, productions and professional development focused on sustainability for young people and professionals. Relocation of his company in the building and proximity to residential operations would lower exterior maintenance and heat costs. 2112 Chicago was an advisor that had been in operation for more than 10 years, was profitable, operated over 100,000 square feet of shared work and studio space, and had no interest in importing its Chicago model but in advising on building community, understanding pain points and creating an inviting and supportive space. 2112 brought access to funding opportunities and relationships and saw value in cultivating the I-94 corridor connection with creatives who started in Chicago had later secured projects with the Bucks and other Milwaukee organizations.
Vice-chair Hill said she was excited to see the new development progress.
Chair Vernon added that the committee needed to stay focused on the project’s progress and next update on operations, plan, execution, and completion. Tenants should not be lost after opening. The call to action was appreciated, and the pedestrian safety and traffic conversation on North Avenue should be reserved for the Bronzeville Safety and Traffic Task Force. Business recruitment should come from other corridor organizations. She offered to have offline conversations about operations experts who should be at the table.
Member Smith requested Mr. Adetoro to reengage him and the Marcus Performing Arts Center to continue their conversations about collaboration.
Chair Vernon thanked Mr. Adetoro and his team, and invited them to remain for public questions, if any, at a later part of the meeting.
b. DCD Commercial Corridor update.
Member Moore, Sr. gave an update. The Bronzeville TID balance was at $954,555.02, and citywide commercial grant applications remained open. DCD had launched a Pilot Retail Investment Fund-Grocery and Pharmacy Access (RIF-GAP) Grant Program for grocery and pharmacy access. It would be a pilot grant program dedicated to financial support of healthy food and pharmaceutical initiatives in underserved communities with limited retail options, intended to help maintain access to affordable, high-quality food and pharmaceutical retail in response to closures and at-risk stores.
c. DCD Real Estate update.
Ms. Smith gave an update. Their office was working with the selected developer for the former CYD building site and moving forward. They were having very early discussions with Ald. Coggs about strategic planning for listing vacant lots in the 6th aldermanic district, which along with the 7th and 15th aldermanic districts, had the most City-owned vacant lots. A new state statute required all lots to be listed by 2034. The volume of vacant lots required thoughtful and strategic planning. Once they compiled an inventory for the Bronzeville area, they would return to the committee, likely within the next couple of months.
d. Bronzeville Week update.
Terrence Moore, Sr. commented. Ald. Coggs was unable to attend to provide an update. Bronzeville Week planning was going well and would occur August 1 through August 8, starting with the Harambee 5K Run/Walk on August 1st and the Cultural Arts Festival was on August 2nd. They were still recruiting volunteers, especially for the run/walk and the festival. Outreach for volunteers and vendor applications were being handled by Deborah Moore. Vendor applications were out for departments and businesses that wanted to vend. The full agenda would be released this week at www.milwaukee.gov/bronzeville. There would be a few new events led by young creatives, including a solo exhibition, a natural hair expo, fashion show and dance demonstrations.
Vice-Chair Hill commented. The Historic King Drive BID would host 3 events. The Business Breakfast was scheduled for August 5th from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. at America’s Black Holocaust Museum, with a revised format focused on brief announcements and programming with an emphasis on networking and resources. The Trolley Tour was scheduled for August 6th, with the first ride at 3:30 p.m. and final ride at 5:00 p.m. On August 8tg, the farmers market was scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., a softball game was scheduled at Rose Park with time to be announced, and the Art Walk capstone gallery was scheduled where the winner of the Bronzeville Art Walk would be announced after pieces had been installed in businesses throughout the week and voted upon.
Member Tatum announced that Rise ‘N Grind would hold its final Poetry and Pancakes on August 8th as its last Bronzeville Week event because the business was closing. She invited the community to celebrate, noting that something new was coming for her going forward.
Chair Vernon stated she looked forward to Bronzeville Week and would participate both as a creative and as an attendee.
Mr. Adetoro and Ms. Robinson inquired about the asked about whether the Bronzeville Cultural Arts Festival (including booths and play areas) would extend down to 6th and 7th Streets and North Avenue.
Member Moore, Sr. replied that the festival would be the same setup as last year, barring last minute changes, and that he had sent an updated email to Mr. Adetoro to ensure the area would be cleared.
e. Other.
There was no other discussion. | | | |
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| | 5. | | Public comments and/or announcements.
Minutes note: Member Smith announced Marcus Performing Arts Center free events of Rainbow Summer from July 14-19, starting at about 4:00 p.m. on the south lawn of the Peck Pavilion, with entertainment, arts, children’s area, music and food trucks and an inaugural Hispanic Heritage Celebration (pivot from a Cesar E. Chavez celebration) July 30 at 5:00 p.m. on the south lawn with a robust program. | | | |
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