A new Third residential, hotel and retail complex -- with a helipad -- called Rivianna is being planned for the corner of South Water Street and Broadway in the Third Ward. Construction may begin as early as this year and is completion is projected for 2010.
The City Plan Commission will hold a public hearing Monday, April 23 at 1:30 p.m. at 809 N. Broadway in the first floor boardroom to discuss the zoning of the land to accommodate the development.
The proposed Rivianna -- developed by Bob Schultz's Rivianna Group LLC and its team, which includes Third Coast Design Concepts and builder VJS Construction -- would have about 200 condo units, an 81-suite boutique hotel and 10,000 sq. ft. of retail space. The development would also include more than 450 parking spots and a Riverwalk with 19 boat slips.
According to the development’s Web site, "Air Rivianna will offer exclusive shared corporate helicopter memberships featuring the Robinson Raven R-44 helicopter, an economical 4-place helicopter and executive air taxi service to Chicago.”
The site also says that Rivianna will boast a yacht club and may add an art component.
“An artists co-op is also being considered to include a gallery on the main river walk level that will feature the work of the co-op artists and artists in the community they are mentoring.”
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.
