STREETCAR MEETING SET

PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION SET

FIRST FOR RAIL PROJECT

By Michael Horne

The public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed Milwaukee Connector streetcar at a meeting at the Zeidler Municipal Building, 841 N. Broadway on Thursday, October 8th 2009 from 3 to 7 p.m.

This is your chance to see what Mayor Barrett plans to do with the $54 million the city has received in funding for a fixed rail system.

It will be interesting to see the routes the mayor has mapped for his plan. If it matches, more or less, earlier streetcar routes, this could be good news for the redevelopment of downtown and adjacent areas. One reason: much less disruption of utilities will likely be necessary. There tends to be but little infrastructure buried beneath old rail lines in the city's streets. Perhaps the supporters of the connector will set up a Facebook page for the event to spur interest.

JC'S PUB AND GRILL CLOSED
Pleine Air Downtown Painting Show Tonight


There has been no life at JC'S Pub and Grill, 628 N. Water St. lately. The bar / restaurant opened at the site of the old Edgar's Calypso (not really that old) in March, 2009. ... Just down the street, paintings will be on display today, Friday, September 18th, 2009 beginning at noon at 610 N. Water St. The works are part of the annual Plein Air painting competition that unloosed 88 artists onto the streets of downtown to create the works. Don't touch! The paintings will likely still be wet, especially the oils. Thirty per cent of the proceeds will benefit Artists Working in Education. ...

An Adventure in Baby Showerdom

I couldn't resist it -- I answered the call of Sonya Jongsma Knauss and submitted a story to Milwaukee Moms, of all places. It's a true tale of the travails of a 55-year old male who decided to purchase a gift for a baby shower. A very clueless male, indeed, with no idea of the sex of the child, lost in a world of pink and blue. You can read it here. ...
--Michael Horne

Moderne Times


Ald. Bob Bauman says he is not opposed to support of the Moderne development, but says the proposed New Land Development tower at E. Kilbourn Ave. and N. Van Buren St. would be a greater priority for his district. He says the New Land tower request calls for a loan guarantee on a 19-story apartment building in a densely populated part of his district.
The Moderne would call for a $10 million loan on an apartment / condo building across from the Park East corridor, which is at this time a less desirable area.
New Land should get precedence, he feels, he could support them both, he adds -- he's not against the projects. But Bauman adds we may approach a point where the Comptroller will say "this is enough," and worthwhile projects may go wanting in the future.
-- Michael Horne

[Publication of this column was delayed due to a Time Warner service outage Friday. --Ed.]