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Old 07-03-2010, 09:03 PM
 
180 posts, read 659,937 times
Reputation: 111

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This has always been on my mind to some degree, but I thought to pose this question on city-data based on an interaction with a user at another forum I frequent. Basically, he was in town for some convention at the Midwest Airlines Center and had this to say:

"As for Milwaukee... it is humid, cloudy, moribund, and the city comes in three colors: Rust, Gray and Biege. The only part of the city that is even remotely pleasing aesthetically is when you're walking from that arena where the Bucks play east towards the lake and cross over that bridge that goes above that river. Everything else is just decrepid and gross. Also, the bars are full of fat, sweaty men and Marquette athletes who think they're P Diddy. The chicks are all fat and gross and the food sucks. Milwaukee was honestly one of the worst cities I've ever visited (and I've been to Houston.)"

From this description, it's clear that he didn't venture too far from downtown, if at all, and he began to back away from what he said once I called him out on it. But it did make me think of how many people from out of town must leave the city with these types of impressions.

When I walk through downtown, I can't help but think of how un-relfective it is of all the diverse ethnicites, cultures and lifestyles that are well-represented in other parts of Milwaukee. In fact, I've talked to a lot of people who've lived in Milwaukee for a decent length of time, yet haven't gone "out" in downtown in years because they see places like Water Street and Milwaukee Ave as an elaborate inside joke. And yet, this is the part of Milwaukee that out-of-towners see the most. It's still the same basic downtown I remember as a kid growing up here in the 80's (which isn't helped by the fact that half the bars on Water Street still have music from that era blaring out of their doors even if it's not "80s night"). If I didn't know any better, I might swear the owners of the establishments downtown have some sort of agenda to do whatever they can to further the "set your watch back 20 years" stereotype. I've never understood why that is. Especially when so many of the areas that surround downtown (Third Ward, Lower East Side/Brady Street, Walkers Point, etc.) wrap their entire identity around how much they've progressed.

Any thoughts on why this is? Why does downtown seem so unambitious compared to the rest of the city?
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Old 07-04-2010, 06:58 AM
 
Location: Lower Eastside
402 posts, read 970,772 times
Reputation: 370
Solas,

I'm not sure downtown is unambitious, it has undergone major changes from the 1930s-1960s and then seemed to stay until the 1970s-80s. My opinion is that because the area is no longer a major shopping/business district any longer due to urban/suburban sprawl, the base just is not there as readily as it once was. In the late 70s early 80s Water Street was just beginning to redefine itself and a cycle is what? About 25-40 years? Then it all begins again?
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Old 07-05-2010, 06:44 PM
 
Location: Lower East Side, Milwaukee, WI
2,943 posts, read 5,040,039 times
Reputation: 1113
I have a theory based upon living in Denver and Milwaukee. I think our perimeter neighborhoods like the Third Ward, Walker's Point, Bay View, Brewer's Hill, the East Side, and Riverwest are as cool as they are BECAUSE they have to make up for how lame Downtown Milwaukee is. Which is a total shame, because that's the part of Milwaukee people are most likely to experience while they're here on business.

Denver, OTOH, was the total opposite of Milwaukee. Downtown Denver serves as the lively epicenter of the entire Rocky Mountain West region, however, the surrounding neighborhoods like Five Points, Uptown, Capitol Hill, and Baker, left a lot to be desired in terms of livability.

IMHO, Wisconsin Ave., from the art museum to the Central Library, should be turned into a pedestrian mall similar to State St. in Madison, 16th St. in Denver, and Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis. Downtowns, unlike neighborhoods, should be chock full of the familiarity provided by national retail and restaurant chains, and currently, I feel like Milwaukee is way behind other similarly sized cities like Kansas City and Indianapolis in this regard.
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Old 07-05-2010, 09:30 PM
 
1,092 posts, read 2,163,102 times
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No, no, no national retail store and restaurant chains. No! To have a thriving downtown, you need to 3 things as follows: try to recruit unique restaurants and retailers that nowhere else has and focus on one main st., like contual flow of uninterrupted retail district, 2. fill those parking lots and build about 25 more buildings-note* Milwaukee could use more highrise office, hotels and several more condo towers to along with sprawling housing, mixed-used projects, 3. build a unique market place like they have in Europe, Middle East and Africa that's strictly local with outdoor quad with fresh produce, music and juggling activity 7 days a week.
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Old 07-05-2010, 09:50 PM
 
358 posts, read 447,750 times
Reputation: 312
I think your forum buddy is trolling or is from the suburbs. Bad food? Fat and gross chicks? Give me a break... I think his comment attests more to his maturity level than to what most people think of downtown.

In fact, I think visitors mostly react in the opposite manner. I actually met a woman from San Diego at the art festival who told me how pleasantly surprised she was about downtown MKE. I also have friends originally from out east who choose to live downtown because they love it.

I've vacationed in many cities across the country, and I think Milwaukee's downtown is great -- especially considering the size of the metro. Sure, some cities may look newer or have clubs with breast-implanted women, but I think downtown Milwaukee is nice and will only improve.
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Old 07-05-2010, 11:28 PM
 
Location: southwestern USA
1,823 posts, read 2,116,469 times
Reputation: 2440
Rogee

I agree with you----I think downtown Milwaukee is also great. I am from the Milw, and in the many years that I have away, the city has changed greatly for the positive.

For the clown who made that quote in Solas post I feel sorry for buddy----it is similar to some quotes such as Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith made during the playoffs. These bozos dont see a lot of strip clubs within a mile of their hotels downtown so Milw sucks.

Sorry guys-----venture out and inquire---- a great full service casino off of downtown, a great east side downtown area with Brady and Water streets full of fine clubs and dining. Milw downtown has a fine lakefront area also------come on guys------athletes may not be able to make it rain very easily in downtown Milw----but yikes come on now.
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Old 07-06-2010, 08:01 AM
 
Location: Lower East Side, Milwaukee, WI
2,943 posts, read 5,040,039 times
Reputation: 1113
Quote:
Originally Posted by durf View Post
No, no, no national retail store and restaurant chains. No! To have a thriving downtown, you need to 3 things as follows: try to recruit unique restaurants and retailers that nowhere else has and focus on one main st., like contual flow of uninterrupted retail district,
We already have tons of local restaurants and boutique stores in Downtown Milwaukee and the surrounding neighborhoods. People who are in Milwaukee on business don't want unique, they want familiar. How is somebody from out-of-town supposed to know what restaurants are good, if he's never heard of any of them before?

If we want to see what a successful downtown looks like, then we needn't look any further than our neighbors Chicago and Minneapolis. Those cities have chains galore in their downtown areas. Places like Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's, Ted's Montana Grill, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Target, Apple Store, Jamba Juice, Chipotle, etc. are what business travelers and suburbanites want to see in Downtown Milwaukee.

Quote:
Originally Posted by durf View Post
2. fill those parking lots and build about 25 more buildings-note* Milwaukee could use more highrise office, hotels and several more condo towers to along with sprawling housing, mixed-used projects,
Not true. Currently, Milwaukee has an abundance of vacant office and commercial space in downtown. I agree we could probably use a few more hotels, but without the right entertainment options, then what's the point from a developers standpoint? I'm glad to hear we're finally getting a movie theater, but it's not enough by itself.

Side rant: How the **** did it take Marcus Corp. this long to decide to build a movie theater in the same downtown as their corporate offices are located?

Quote:
Originally Posted by durf View Post
3. build a unique market place like they have in Europe, Middle East and Africa that's strictly local with outdoor quad with fresh produce, music and juggling activity 7 days a week.
Hi, I'm reality. Have we met?
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Old 07-06-2010, 10:14 AM
 
1 posts, read 3,371 times
Reputation: 11
I don't think Downtown Milwaukee is lame at all. I find different ways to have fun here. I have no issue with Downtown. I love everything about Milwaukee.

Americans complain too much. Be happy you even HAVE a place to call Downtown!
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Old 07-06-2010, 10:38 AM
 
Location: Lower East Side, Milwaukee, WI
2,943 posts, read 5,040,039 times
Reputation: 1113
Quote:
Originally Posted by harrisonreed View Post
I don't think Downtown Milwaukee is lame at all. I find different ways to have fun here. I have no issue with Downtown. I love everything about Milwaukee.

Americans complain too much. Be happy you even HAVE a place to call Downtown!
Have you ever left the state?
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Old 07-06-2010, 11:52 AM
 
371 posts, read 882,046 times
Reputation: 156
I would have to agree with some of you...the downtown area needs revamping. A lot of people don't go downtown, because the parking is awful. I had an interview downtown, and I had to pay quite a bit to park.

Also, Downtown could use more shopping alternatives, as well as entertainment. Our Downtown area should be the focal point of the city. I think I would give it a C- as a grade where it stands now.
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