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A number of new hotels are on the horizon for Milwaukee, but the new Kimpton property -- the first in town -- is among the most anticipated.
The Kimpton Journeyman is being constructed on the corner of Broadway and Chicago and should be open by late June. Here are some of the features that are attracting the most attention.
1. The Outsider
With retractable glass walls, The Journeyman’s rooftop lounge, The Outsider, will be open all year long, creating an al fresco experience with a view 12 months a year.
2. New restaurant with celebrity chef
Tre Rivali will bring another dining option to the neighborhood and one fronted by something of a celebrity chef. Chef Heather Terhune was a contestant on television’s "Top Chef" and she’ll oversee a venue dishing up wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta, grilled meat and more, along with a range of signature cocktails and, because it’s a hotel, it will also serve breakfast, which will be a good addition for the Third Ward.
3. Wine hour
Every day at 5 o’clock, The Journeyman guests can partake in a long-standing Kimpton tradition: a hosted early evening complimentary wine hour. Because this is Milwaukee, The Journeyman is considering tinkering with the tradition and sometimes featuring beer instead.
4. Free bikes!
A few years ago Kimpton rolled out free bikes for guests in San Francisco and the same PUBLIC-designed bikes will be available to The Journeyman guests, allowing them to explore Downtown, Brady Street, the Lakefront and more.
5. Location, location, location
It seems hard to believe that the Third Ward hasn’t been studded with hotels for years now already. It’s the kind of Downtown area neighborhood with nightlife and shopping that would appear purpose-built as a tourism landing pad. With promise of a hip and welcoming lobby, The Kimpton Journeyman could finally be the spark that spurs more hotel development in the area.
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.
