UPDATE: On Sept. 26, the City of Milwaukee announced it received a $14.7 million grant to support the Milwaukee Harbor District Harbor View Riverwalk project. Construction is now expected to begin in spring 2025.
When we shared renderings in November 2022 of a new section of Riverwalk planned for the new Komatsu headquarters property in the Harbor District, the plan was to begin work the following year.
That didn’t happen.
On Thursday, Tia Torhorst, CEO of the Harbor District, shared this update...
“As you may remember, in 2018, as part of the negotiation between the City of Milwaukee and Komastu, $15 million was set aside to build a generational investment in public access to the waterways in Milwaukee.
“Before designs began, we worked with residents and neighbors of the Harbor District to learn what was important to advocate for inclusion in the design. Hundreds of people helped shape the ideas we took to the designers. Harbor District took the community’s feedback very seriously and have strongly advocated for the themes we learned about.
“From 2021 (beginning of design) to 2023 (end of design) we worked closely with the City of Milwaukee and their design consultant to ensure the community’s wishes were incorporated. Over the past few years, iterations of the designs have been shared at our events and publicly on a variety of news sources as they have gone through the process at the City.
“Over the last year, the City issued two requests for proposals to build the riverwalk as designed. Both had to be rejected because they were over budget. The City recently applied for a state grant to complete the project.
“Because of federal requirements on the money the riverwalk would need to get built in two phases. The first phase would build the basic components of the riverwalk. It would put in the actual trail people could bike or walk on, the new bridge that will go over an inlet, the lighting and other infrastructure.
“Once that phase is built, the City will do a second phase to build the amenities that the community prioritized including a building that allowed a public gathering space with a public restroom, an improved kayak and canoe launch and dock, and an area we call the “Node.’ The ‘Node’ is a green space that would allow people to connect more directly with the water and have a space for reflection.
“Our goal is that Phase One will be in 2025 and Phase Two will be in 2026.
“We wanted to share this information with you in advance. Harbor District and the City are both committed to making this generational opportunity for public space on the water the best it can be and the input you gave us along the way continues to be prioritized. As construction costs have escalated over the last few years, everyone has reinforced their commitment to the original ideas and ideals.
“While this hasn’t been a fast or smooth project we continue to believe it will be worth the wait! If you want to refresh your memory on what the ultimate goal will be, here are some of the images of what we are working towards. We have labeled the major items that will be in the second phase. Not everything has been marked but this will allow you to have a general understanding of what will be in the second phase.”
You can sign up here for updates on the project and submit comments, too.
Another section of Riverwalk in the Harbor District was announced earlier in 2022 for the stretch of waterfront adjacent to the property occupied by Boone & Crockett, The Cooperage, Taco Moto and Brew City Kayak.
"We are waiting on some new designs to be approved by the city," says Boone & Crockett's Emily Dell Revord. "We were hoping to start to this fall but may be early spring 2025.
"Sometimes it's a waiting game, but we are still proceeding."
Yet another section of Riverwalk is also planned in the near future as part of the construction of the Milwaukee Dog Park and Foxtown Crossing on the west bank of the Milwaukee River between Clybourn Street and St. Paul Avenue.
Work on that project is expected to begin soon.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
