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| | 4. | | Review or update on Bronzeville RFPs, listings, projects, programs, initiatives, events, grants, activities, plans, or other aspects.
Minutes note: a. DCD Commercial Corridor grant(s)
Mr. Little said that member Claypool was no longer with his office, he would serve as the contact until further notice on DCD Commercial Corridor grant updates, and that $44,828 in commercial foreclosure funding was awarded to Niche Book Bar at 1937-39 N. MLK Jr. Dr. since the last meeting.
b. ARCH program
Mr. Helt presented. He was a new DCD Housing Programs Manager. The ARCH loan was created in 2017 in the amount of $100,000. All of the amount had been exhausted. First two projects awarded were to Fatima Laster (Five Points Gallery) and Vedale Hill (Homeworks: Bronzeville). NIDC had approved four other projects at $25,000 each (Valor Creative on 6th St., a second Homeworks: Bronzeville project on Meinecke Ave. and Vel R. Phillips Ave., Meeting Point MKE in the 4th aldermanic district). NIDC would continue to try to fund the ARCH program creatively and administratively out of its in rem account. There were two new projects pending closings. There have been creative adaptive reuse and ideas through the program.
Chair Vernon said that more assistance and resources should be identified and sought to reduce financial barriers for creatives, perhaps there could be an endowment fund, creatives were not developers, and creatives may not have traditional financial means through bank lending.
Member Boynes said that he was open to assist in any capacity with ARCH funding such as doing fundraising.
Members questioned who to contact for further discussion.
Mr. Little said that those at the table today were relevant to the conversation.
Ms. Turim said that past ARCH recipients could provide further insights on how they were funded and the partnerships, collaborations, and connections that they had established to be successful; that buyers should identify a property location followed by getting community support and doing early fundraising, and that social media could be utilized.
Chair Vernon said that she does get contacted directly by creatives, she would further have dialogue with them, and asked for further updates on the ARCH program in the future.
Mr. Helt concurred that the committee should look at who already has been funded, perhaps Vedale Hill's team could present in the future, and his office would continue to look at other non-bank leveraging options.
c. Bronzeville District Overlay
Mr. Leichtling and Ms. Oeth gave an update presentation.
As recommended by the committee, an Interim Study Overlay Zone was approved by the Common Council last year and was implemented while a permanent overlay zone would be studied and proposed. DCD has done and will continue doing stakeholder/community meetings and was coming to the committee to provide an early update on preliminary land use recommendations.
Significant related planning projects contributing towards the Bronzeville district overlay study zone would include the Bronzeville Redevelopment Plan (2005), Northeast Side Plan (2009), Bronzeville Charette (2013), and Equitable Growth Through Transit Oriented Development (TOD) - King Drive (2018). The TOD public engagement resulted community recommendations related to housing, business and retail, history and character, and streets.
An overlay was an area of the city with unique situations where special approaches to development may be necessary to protect incompatible development and to advance develop goals for the area by adding new standards for use and/or design to ensure that new developments would not adversely impact surrounding areas. The Bronzeville Overlay Zone Study boundaries were I-94 freeway on the west to 2nd St. on the east and properties mostly fronting North Avenue on both sides. The intent of a new zoning overlay was to make sure future development supported the growth of Bronzeville as a cultural and entertainment destination that highlighted African-American arts and culture. The overlay would set the rules for development in land use and design.
Land use goals consisted of expanding mix uses relating to retail, restaurant, culture, entertainment, and complementary uses; that first floor use reinforce and support the vision for Bronzeville as a cultural, arts, and entertainment district; that there be spaces for artists to live and work; that development provide affordable commercial spaces; and that there be a mix of market-rate and workforce housing to ensure a range of options.
Design goals consisted of facades and buildings promoting the district's image as a cultural, arts, and entertainment district; that historic architecture be restored and preserved; that new developments complement the existing architectural character; that there be pedestrian-oriented development with active facades, lighting, and gathering spaces; that art be integrated in building design, adjacent right-of-ways, and gathering spaces; for parking lots to not be located in front of establishments; and for shared parking to be encouraged.
Almost all current zoning in the overlay was Local Business (LB2) and allowed for the following uses as a matter of property owner rights: multi-family housing, general office, general retail, artist studio, personal/business services, sit-down restaurant and tavern, and hotel. Uses requiring special use approval from BOZA included community center, social service, assembly hall, religious assembly, health clinic, motor vehicle use, drive through restaurant, and agricultural use.
There were land use recommendations. On retail use, some types of retail would continue to be permitted but others would be prohibited due to not supporting the development goals of the district. Permitted retailers would include apparel and accessories, art works, art and craft supplies, antiques, household goods, media such as books and music, toys and games, food and beverages such as baked goods and specialty food stores, and chain (formula) retailers larger than 11,000 square feet (only if approved though a public hearing and foudn to support district goals). Prohibited retail uses would include auto parts, beauty products, firearm, major appliances, pharmaceutical products, tobacco products, liquor, furniture or appliance rental, telephone, adult retail, currency exchange, payday, title or installment loan agency, cash for gold, and pawn stores. Existing businesses in these categories would be allowed to continue operations.
On 1st floor use limitations, uses that were permitted but not on the 1st floor of a building would include residential, general office, government office, medical office, health clinic, animal hospital/clinic, animal grooming or training facility, and health club. These uses would not provide cultural and entertainment amenities.
On prohibited non-retail uses, currently allowable uses under LB2 zoning would be prohibited in within an overlay and would include day care center, garden supply, nursing home, adult day care, funeral home, furniture and appliance rental and leasing, household maintenance and repair service, animal boarding facility, light motor vehicle, rental or wholesale facility, car wash, non-restaurant drive-through, parking lot as principal use, wholesale distribution facility, and light manufacturing. These uses would not generate foot traffic and further the goals of the district.
On conditional uses, conditional uses (a mix of allowed or limited uses in LB2 zoning) in the overlay would include furniture and floor covering store, hardware store, second-hand store, college, office on first floor, bank, personal service, business service, laundromat, and dry cleaning. These uses could potentially further the goals of the district but required additional review.
Special uses in LB2 zoning would be prohibited in the overlay and would include auto uses, industrial type uses, convenient cash establishments, and medical and social service facilities. These special uses would not contribute to the goals of the district.
Next steps consisted of an online Land Use Survey until May 24th at engagemke.com/Bronzeville and a public meeting in June on height and density.
Members had no comments.
Mr. Leichtling added comments. Ald. Milele Coggs had envisioned having rules and regulations properly in place to advance the Bronzeville culture, arts, and entertaintment district; that uses be aligned with district goals; that conditional uses obtain additional review and be permitted as long as they aligned with the district goals. Committee members have been involved with the overlay study zone process. They would come back in late summer after Bronzeville Week to present final recommendations. The goal was to undergo formal approval process in the fall.
d. Other
Ms. Turim gave an update on a RFP listing for 2673-79 N. MLK Jr. Dr. The RFP submittal deadline would be due June 30, 2022. There have been some showings. It was a local historic designated property subject to Historic Preservation Commission approval on any outside alternations. The building was basically a shell with significant disrepair on the inside making it a very big lift for any developer. The asking price was $15,000. Potential resources were available such as up to $50,000 in historic preservation grant funds. Historic King Drive BID had produced conceptual designs.
Members inquired about the level of interest in the property, proposed ideas, past uses, historic significance, and historic preservation interest in the building.
Ms. Turim replied. Each showing so far resulted in 4-5 people. People were aware of the challenges with the building. The RFP sheet listed permitted uses such as restaurant, retail, office, business, and multi-family with first floor. Prohibited uses included parking lot, pawn shop, cigarette or cigar shop, gun shop, tavern, liquor store, check cashing, payday, auto-title loan store, and medical service facility. The building was only designated historic locally. Any federal historic tax credits would not be available unless application was made for national historic designation. There was a strong historic preservation community in the City, and demolishing the building or appealing historic preservation standards on a historically designated building was generally challenging. Further information about the historic significance of the buliding would be found within a historic designation report that was link to the RFP listing sheet. The building was historically significant for its Romanesque Revival design, being a significant corner site, and was designed by a well known master architect Charles Kirchhoff, Jr. There was a Historic Land Use Report giving further details on past uses. The property had mostly been a tavern. Other uses in the past included restaurant, barbershop, extract shop, shoe store, and residential dwellings on the upper levels.
Vice-chair Agee said that he was glad the building was being made available, ACRE projects should be considered, and the building should be historically restored if at all possible. | | | |
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| | 5. | | Public comments.
Minutes note: Sara Daleiden, Homeworks: Bronzeville, said that her team would be happy to discuss their two ARCH housing projects in more detail, she wanted to see more support given to the ARCH program, they had worked with the Wisconsin Conservation Fund, other creative solutions or entities should help handle the financials for creatives, DCD and NIDC partnership were helpful to them, home based businesses should be advocated, and an overlay zone would be great.
Amy Dummann said that she had expertise in many areas such as the historic designation process, that she was responsible for many successful ideas in the City such as the Bucks live block and those from many other entities, that she had made others successful and would be able to provide her services to promote events or initiatives, and that she had many followers on social media.
Chair Vernon directed Ms. Dummann to refrain from general solicitation and to discuss further offline her services to anyone interested. | | | |
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