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| | 4. | | Bronzeville RFPs, listings, projects, programs, initiatives, events, grants, activities, plans or other aspects for update, discussion, review, and/or approval.
Minutes note: a. Bronzeville Creative Arts and Tech Hub (6th & North Ave.)
Ms. Turim commented. Before the committee was a project update from FIT Investment Group. The Bronzeville Creative Arts and Tech Hub project was selected by the committee previously via the RFP process. City public hearings and processes would occur in the near future relating to approvals for the sale of the property, certified map, overlay, and tax incremental financing. Closing deadline was August 31, 2024.
Appearing:
Michael Adetoro, FIT Investment Group
Barbara Wanzo, Black Arts MKE
Eric Tillich, Wisconsin Conservation of Music
Tanzania Seewell, Beyond Stem
Amanda Koch, AIA
TeHanna Robinson, FIT Investment Group
Mr. Adetoro gave a presentation. The project team has grown. His development team included himself as the Developer, Elizabeth Adetoro was Development Associate, TeHanna Robinson as Community Engagement Specialist, Jibril Odogba as Development Intern, and Oluwapelumi Oguntade as Development Intern. Development partners included Co-Developer Dennis Hanson of Lutheran Social Services, Owner's Rep Michael Emem and Project Manager Thomas Marshall of Emem Group, Consultant Scott Fetters of 2112 Chicago, and Project Architect Amanda Koch of AIA. Lutheran Social Services would be a non-profit housing developer and offer property management and supportive services. Their vision with the development was to highlight Bronzeville as a center of excellence for creative entrepreneurship and technology; build community ties and community wealth; provide business education, networking, talent pipeline development, and access to capital; attract new businesses; and connect greater Milwaukee to Bronzeville's history as a hub of African American arts, culture, entertainment, and commerce.
The development consisted of 48 affordable and 12 market-rate units with a mix of 1 through 4 bedroom apartments, 2-story walk-up units, 3 live/work units for creatives, STEM education and programming for youth via Beyond STEM, and sustainability installations (solar panels, EV charging, LEED Silver Certification, green infrastructure). The commercial component would have an ecosystem of 29,000 sq. ft. hub space for non-profits, start-ups, entrepreneurs, and content creators to use for arts and tech programming and relevant services. The Hub space types would include studio, workshop, office, collaborative, mentorship, business support, access to capital, boutique cafe, music and arts education, and performance. Creative professionals would be limitless. Examples would include creatives in film, photography, media, fashion, branding, gaming, software, writing, and visual art to name a few. Anchor commercial creative arts tenant partners were Black Arts MKE, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and Beyond Stem.
Ms. Wanzo presented. Black Arts MKE was celebrating its 10th anniversary for MKE Black Theater Festival this August 7-25, 2024. Their mission was to increase the availability and quality African American arts and culture. They strived to take theater and spoken messages out into the community. They have worked with community artists, city actors, and youths. They were holding high school youth summer camp in July. The festival would face a challenge due to the RNC. The arts and tech hub site would provide them with great access and space to offer programming in the community.
Mr. Tillich presented. The Wisconsin Conservation of Music was celebrating its 125th anniversary. They were intentional to come into Bronzeville to operate and provide music education to k-12 youths and adults from the community with a space at the site. They have increased financial aid for private lessons and provided instruction to about 50 charter choice and public schools. Their early childhood education program was growing. They have partnered with Next Door Foundation and were working with other community partners. They would continue community outreach to assess community needs.
Ms. Seewell presented. She was the founding Executive Director of Beyond Stem, which offered regular STEM programming for students k-12 and families. They would continue to grow and serve more people with a space at the site. The new space would be their first physical space.
Mr. Adetoro continued presenting. Total project cost was $29 million with the housing and arts/tech hub components at $18.5 and $10.5 million, respectively. The project would create an estimated 100 temporary construction jobs and 65 permanent FTE direct and indirect jobs initially. Development milestones consisted of closing and construction start of both the resident and commercial core and shell in September 2024, commercial NWTC financing approvals in December 2024, commercial core and shell construction completion in June 2025, residential construction completion in September 2025, and commercial TI build-out completion by November 2025. They have secured all residential financing, were awaiting TID approval, submitted permit design set for plan review, received LOIs from anchor commercial tenants, started initial design discussions with commercial tenants, continued outreach to creative entrepreneurs and businesses to promote space, and had major progress on raising capital for the commercial build-out.
Ms. Koch presented on the project site plan. There were not many differences from the original site plan. The major difference was increasing the commercial component to 4 stories instead of 3 to match the residential component's 4 stories. The first floor plan would have all walkup units with direct entrys, 17 surface parking spaces in the back, 30 indoor parking spaces, and 32 exterior and interior bike stalls in total. First floor plan at North Ave. had the same features and concepts with open closet space, cafe seating, indoor and outdoor cafe, and indoor performance space. The residential portion featured landscaping, raised terrace for the live/work units, 15 feet of frontage for commercial use, residential lobby at the center, leasing office, and Beyond Stem space. The second floor plan consisted a variation of 1 through 4 bedroom units, fitness and community room, and commercial space. The third and floor floor plans consisted more of the same residential units and commercial units. The elevations have not dramatically changed. The commercial component has gotten taller. Color scheme was the a bright dual tone color pallet for both the residential and commercial portions. Art and sculpture opportunity was along the base of the building. The south elevation had landscaping, seating lobby, commercial cafe seating, entry, and tentative signage subject to further refinement and City approval. Residential entry at the street level featured accessible ramping, steps to entry way, seating, and landscaping. The commercial lobby main entry would lead to upper floors. The commercial first floor had movable planters and outdoor seating.
Commercial building stacking would have primarily the cafe and performance space at level one, Black Arts MKE and upper half of the performance space at level two, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and available private office at the third level, and an incubator/shared creative space at the fourth level.
Ms. Robinson presented on community outreach. There would be ongoing community outreach with creative professionals, which began in 2020. Surveys were distributed in Bronzeville and surrounding neighborhoods. They have participated in Bronzeville Week in 2022 and 2023, and they will do so again in 2024. They have also engaged with Thrive On Block Party, Food of Health, MCW, ABHM, and Northcott Neighborhood House. They would speak at future neighborhood association events. They would continue to discuss with entrepreneurs, local businesses and residents. They would collaborate with Bronzeville organizations to better understand community needs.
Members were congratulatory and excited to see the project's evolvement, anchor partnerships, youth inclusion, STEM programming, and jazz music opportunities.
Chair Vernon inquired about the type of tenants able to rent the live/work spaces, opportunities to own, what was being asked from the committee, and any required City approval processes.
Ms. Turim replied that the committee should indicate its support or nonsupport of the project relative to its project status, partnerships, and financing. Next City processes related to the project included RACM, City Plan Commission, and Common Council approvals as earlier mentioned.
Vice-chair Hill moved to support, seconded by member Moore, Sr., of the project based on the updates presented. There was no objection.
Chair Vernon requested for the committee to be invited to those future creative discussions or to be given information on those opportunities so that it may be shared out to their network of creatives.
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| | 5. | | Public comments and/or announcements.
Minutes note: LaRisa Lynch, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, questioned the configuration of the performance space and type of performances to be held there.
Ms. Koch replied. The performance space was a flexible black box theater that would be able to hold different event configurations based on tenant needs. There would not be permanent theater seating. Risers would be availalbe, if needed. | | | |
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