CULTURAL RESOURCES & HISTORIC PRESERVATION “If you want a city that will be remembered long after you are gone, make the arts an integral part of the long-term strategic plan for growth.” – Winton M. Blount 131 MILWAUKEE CITYWIDE POLICY PLAN VISION FOR OVERVIEW AND INTRODUCTION Milwaukee’s art and cultural heritage, its ethnic diversity, SUCCESS and historic resources provide a rich sense of identity, diversity, pride, and creativity that improves the quality This plan envisions the support and of life for residents and the city’s attractiveness as a destination. These resources establish Milwaukee as enhancement of the city’s robust arts unique to all other cities, and as a strong competitor as a scene, unique cultural resources, historic desirable place to live, work, and visit. and iconic structures and spaces, and Arts, culture, and history are increasingly viewed as diverse, vibrant neighborhoods as vital signifi cant economic development and quality of life assets to major cities. Every great city sustains places where elements of the community, the economy, people can experience and learn about the arts and attend and our quality of life. performances, sports, multicultural experiences, and other live entertainment. These experiences impact people’s lives in a unique and positive way, bring enjoyment and The vision of success for Cultural inspiration, and engage groups of individuals in common experiences. These same experiences also generate Resources & Historic Preservation revenue and sustain jobs, tourism, and associated includes: businesses. The diversity of activities and experiences is a main ingredient for attracting and retaining talent, residents, and businesses. Choosing to sustain and Diversity of Arts Experiences enhance these amenities will transform regional assets into a lynch pin of a leading edge, innovative community. Participation and access to diverse artistic and creative endeavors, attractions, These events, venues and resources attract millions of visitors to Milwaukee and generate signifi cant revenue experiences, and education will be from sales and taxes. The Henry W. Maier Festival Park, affordable, convenient and distributed which provides Milwaukee with a space for summer-long festivals and celebrations, generates meaningful business throughout the city. and tourism revenue for the city. The celebrations on the festival grounds generate an estimated $120 million in direct and indirect spending. The Milwaukee County Zoo, Community Support considered among the fi nest zoos in the United States, Cultural, artistic, and historic resources and includes over 200 wooded acres and 2,500 animals. The zoo attracted over 1.3 million visitors in 2008, with the creative economy will be valued and a projected economic impact of $112 million. Arts and supported as a critical element of a strong, culture in the greater Milwaukee area generates an economic impact of over $250 million, including over diverse urban community that is socially $33 million in state and local taxes. It also provides and economically healthy. approximately 4,000 jobs, engages 9,000 volunteers, and reaches close to half a million children annually through tours, programming, and access. Empowerment According to the United Nations Conference on Trade Citizen involvement in urban design and and Development, the creative economy, which includes public art has the ability to create unique enterprises that evolve from cultural or creative roots, is growing faster than any other commercial sector. districts, streets, parks, neighborhoods, According to author Richard Florida, in The Rise of engender loyalty to places, and add value the Creative Class, cities with thriving arts and cultural climates… “enjoy higher rates of innovation and high- to the public realm. wage economic growth.” Fortunately Milwaukee has CULTURAL RESOURCES & HISTORIC PRESERVATION 132 organizations like the Cultural Alliance These and other efforts established the Serbian Orthodox Church, and St. which seeks to position arts and foundation for the greater Milwaukee Mark’s African Methodist Episcopal culture as an essential asset, to help area’s current arts and culture scene Church are just a few examples of fuel regional growth. Arts and culture that includes over 250 arts and cultural religious institutions with strong ethnic enterprises reach over 4.5 million people organizations, and offers a wide variety cultural origins. Artist live-work spaces yearly in the Milwaukee area, which is of rich experiences for residents, visitors are also distributed around the city. a great foundation from which to build a from metro area and beyond. The The Kunzelmann-Esser Lofts on stronger creative economy. Milwaukee Art Museum, Symphony Mitchell Street provide 67 artist’s live/ Orchestra, Ballet, and Repertory work spaces. The building also houses Milwaukee has benefi ted from a rich Theater are four mainstays that lend a galleries and facilities such as kilns, legacy of arts and culture since its solid foundation to the city’s arts scene. a darkroom, painting studio, potters inception. When Milwaukee was just a In fact, Milwaukee has more art venues wheels, woodworking room, computer village, Henry Vianden started an artist per capita than Minneapolis, St. Louis, room, and theater. colony, which launched the careers of Cincinnati, and other similarly sized a number of great artists. The Layton cities. The presence of public art has Art Gallery, Milwaukee’s fi rst public art increased dramatically in recent years gallery, opened in 1888. The Grand Arts and cultural facilities are broadly as philanthropists and artists seek to Opera House, founded by Jacob distributed across the Milwaukee area. enhance the public realm and to expose Nunnemacher, opened in 1871. The Milwaukee’s Public Libraries own and residents and visitors to creative works. Pabst Theater, built to host German display an extensive collection of art The RiverWalk, for example, provides drama and currently home to a wide and often feature cultural education highly visible sites for public art, as do variety of performances, opened in 1895 programs. Many religious institutions some private developments. However, and was placed on the National Historic in the area also have collections of art there are numerous additional locations Register in 1972. The Milwaukee or historically signifi cant buildings that where public art could enliven the urban Symphony Orchestra was established in contribute to the area’s culture. The environment. 1959 and Milwaukee Ballet in 1970. Basilica of St. Josephat, St. Sava’s 133 MILWAUKEE CITYWIDE POLICY PLAN 76th St 124th St County Line Rd City of Milwaukee Historic Districts ! NationalNational Historic Historic Districts Districts Local Historic Districts ! LocalNational Historic and Local Sites Districts Good Hope Rd !! ! National and Local Sites !! Capitol Dr ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! North Ave !! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! !!! !! ! ! !! !! ! ! ! !! !! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !! !!!!! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! !!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! !! ! !!! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! !! ! !! Wisconsin Ave !! ! ! ! ! !! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Canal St ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! Oklahoma ! Howard Ave ! 100th St ! College Ave 27th St 02.551.25 Miles Data Source: Department of City Development AT ´ Howell Ave CULTURAL RESOURCES & HISTORIC PRESERVATION 134 Higher education continues to support • Milwaukee Art Museum inspiration for its future. Even ubiquitous arts development and education, as • Milwaukee Public Museum elements such as the traditional demonstrated by local art schools, • Marcus Center for the Performing Arts Milwaukee bungalows, parkways and including the Milwaukee Institute of • Pabst Theater boulevards, offer a unique cultural Art and Design, the Peck School of • Milwaukee Theater identity and quality of life that residents the Arts at the University of Wisconsin • Riverside Theater have come to enjoy. Milwaukee’s Milwaukee, music and performance • Broadway Theater Center neighborhoods have a strong identity arts series at Alverno College, and • Milwaukee County War Memorial and unique characteristics as well, the Haggerty Museum at Marquette Center sometimes enhances by ethnic University. These institutions are • Milwaukee County Historical Society infl uences. focused on educational and community • Charles Allis Museum engagement as their mission, attracting • Villa Terrace Decorative Art Museum Milwaukee’s historic built environment students and faculty of the arts and • Many smaller venues in neighborhoods is important to a strong and vibrant helping to maintain a steady population throughout the city and on college community that respects and celebrates of art supporters to continue the arts and campuses its roots. These well-worn assets should cultural legacy. • Milwaukee County Zoo remain vital and adapted to modern • Thousands of acres within the needs. The landmark architecture The Milwaukee County Parks system, Milwaukee County Parks system of among them will need help in attracting which provides a number of facilities and open spaces and recreational facilities fi nancial resources and investment experiences for residents and visitors, is including performance spaces at necessary for preservation and a highly valued legacy of the city’s early Washington and Humboldt Parks. restoration. It is clear that preservation leadership that envisioned a rich public further conserves and reuses materials