Milwaukee needs more skyscrapers to be taken seriously as a big city (Rome: construction, living)

[sconnielove]

Milwaukee is the state's biggest city and has like 5 tiny skyscrapers. Will the city ever build up the downtown office district to look like a big city?

[Milwaukee City]

This is has been a Milwaukee grip for many years from residents from the Milwaukee area and politicians always tell us "a city isn't measured by how many tall buildings it has" true however it's not helping. I know for many years we had way too tight of zoning restrictions that said no building can be over 5 stories high, well a lot of these zoning laws were made so long ago they didn't account for the downtown area growing out to some of these places. However recently the common council of Milwaukee finally started agreeing on certain projects and amending the zoning laws.

I too wish we had more and taller skyscrapers but I just don't see it in the future especially with our civic leaders and our pee poor business climate! Sad but true size does matter.

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by sconnielove

Milwaukee is the state's biggest city and has like 5 tiny skyscrapers. Will the city ever build up the downtown office district to look like a big city?

When the need arises, yes.

[quijote]

Originally Posted by sconnielove

Milwaukee is the state's biggest city and has like 5 tiny skyscrapers. Will the city ever build up the downtown office district to look like a big city?

At ~600,000 inhabitants (with about a million more in the metro area), Milwaukee is not really a "big" city like Chicago or NYC. It's really on the top end of the "medium" tier. So why should Milwaukee build up its downtown to look like something it's not?

[just1paul]

With no major demands for so much office space who would you suggest pour money into this?

I think our Downtown is suited well for our size. as quijote posted Why be something we are not?

[Napoleon357]

Originally Posted by quijote

At ~600,000 inhabitants (with about a million more in the metro area), Milwaukee is not really a "big" city like Chicago or NYC. It's really on the top end of the "medium" tier. So why should Milwaukee build up its downtown to look like something it's not?

We have to get out of this "stuck in the 1920's thinking that is holding Milwaukee back. There are cities with smaller populations that have more skyscrapers, and light rail as well. I guess we will forever be the only major city that has trees taller than it's skyscrapers.

[just1paul]

Originally Posted by Napoleon357

We have to get out of this "stuck in the 1920's thinking that is holding Milwaukee back. There are cities with smaller populations that have more skyscrapers, and light rail as well. I guess we will forever be the only major city that has trees taller than it's skyscrapers.

if you really look at images of Downtown in the 1920s - you will see that there have been major changes. Why make it look like every other city?

I say if you really don't like what is going on here, you have two choices - A) Do something about it or
B) Move

[quijote]

Originally Posted by Napoleon357

We have to get out of this "stuck in the 1920's thinking that is holding Milwaukee back. There are cities with smaller populations that have more skyscrapers, and light rail as well. I guess we will forever be the only major city that has trees taller than it's skyscrapers.

Holding Milwaukee back from what? Skyscraper mania in the U.S. began during the Gilded Age and boomed during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. There was a boomlet in the 70s and 80s, but it was short-lived. Today, with the increasing influence of the internet and the increasing importance of low-rise high-tech parks, skyscrapers in the U.S. are rather passé. Nowadays, skyscraper construction in the U.S. seems to be geared largely for residential living. I agree that there are smaller cities with more skyscrapers, but those cities tend to be in larger metro areas. Globally, there are very wonderful, historic cities with very few skyscrapers--Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Zurich, Montreal among them--and they seem to be doing fine. I don't think Milwaukee needs to be another Chicago or Dallas or Dubai; it does a fine job as is of blending its old-world history with modern touches. No need to jump more thickly into the skyscraper fray unless economic and infrastructure conditions actually call for it.

[city414]

Originally Posted by quijote

At ~600,000 inhabitants (with about a million more in the metro area), Milwaukee is not really a "big" city like Chicago or NYC. It's really on the top end of the "medium" tier. So why should Milwaukee build up its downtown to look like something it's not?

even when you take away the populations of both cities chicago is still bigger

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by city414

even when you take away the populations of both cities chicago is still bigger

How does this statement relate to any other post in this thread?