Near West Side Partners Pursues Major Redevelopment Opportunity with MUSIC/MDC Support

Near West Side Partners, Inc. (NWSP) was formed three years ago as part of an unprecedented public-private partnership to revitalize and sustain Milwaukee’s Near West Side as a thriving business and residential corridor. Led by five of Milwaukee’s most recognizable organizations – Aurora Health Care, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, MillerCoors and Potawatomi Business Development Corporation – the partnership is working to celebrate and enhance this historic part of Milwaukee. Their efforts have included innovative programs to promote commercial corridor development, a nationally recognized public safety approach that has resulted in double-digit decreases in crime, new neighborhood identity and branding, and programs to promote better housing.

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Most recently, NWSP announced it had secured control of an entire city block along Wisconsin Avenue, creating an opportunity to bring a significant, catalytic new development to the Near West Side. The organization is currently seeking development opportunities for the entire block bordered by West Wisconsin Avenue, North 27th Street, North 28th Street and West Michigan Street – often called the “Travis Block.”
 
This is just the latest in a series of efforts to gain control of problematic properties and parcels in strategic corridors to provide opportunities for future development. One of the most important partners in this effort has been Milwaukee Urban Strategic Investment Corp. (MUSIC) and Milwaukee Development Corporation. In 2016, MUSIC became one of the first major contributors to NWSP’s $5 million Challenge Fund, providing critical resources for NWSP to invest in priority projects in the Near West Side. That partnership has continued through 2018, with MUSIC’s investment in the Travis Block.
 
The Near West Side is an area with both tremendous potential and a comprehensive strategy to address its challenges, made possible through strong partnerships.
 
For more information or to join the effort, contact Keith Stanley, Executive Director of NWSP at or call at 414.933.0640. You can also visit our website at www.nearwestsidemke.org and ‘like’ us on Facebook at /NearWestSidePartners.

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