The tale of two cities

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June 6, 2000The beat goes on in Madison and Milwaukee with two stimulating projects going on the boards — a Madison arts complex and a potentially world-class golf course in Milwaukee County’s evolving Bender Park.

Arts complex for Madison

Let’s start with the Isthmus, which is launching an arts complex on and around Capitol Square thanks to a $100 million gift from Madison businessman Jerry Frautschi. A nonprofit entity, the Madison Overture Foundation, is planning the project.Among other things, the former Capitol Theater on State Street, now a landmark Civic Center, and the facade of an older building would be retained. Now owned by the City of Madison, the three-story complex houses the Oscar Mayer Theater, Isthmus Playhouse and the Madison Art Center.Within the block bordered by State, Fairchild, Mifflin and Henry streets, the foundation is attempting to acquire the remainder of the properties, including the Esquire Theater, now being remodeled as a community theater. The Children’s Museum, having outgrown its capacity, will be relocated.Construction of the main performance hall is expected to begin early next year and the entire project completed by 2005.It sounds as if Mad City is cooking and has the NIMBY’s under control. Great!

County on a “Bender”?

Bender Park in Oak Creek is destined to have a classy golf course, probably links-style, relatively soon with only the degree of class up in the air.Just how classy? Well, we understand the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye have been looking at the site. An advisory panel, chaired by golfer/architect (in that order) Gary Zimmerman, the pride of Chenequa, wants the course to garner a $125 per round fee while Tom Ament, Milwaukee County Executive and owner, wants to keep the fee around $90. Somewhere a compromise will eventually be reached. Tom, of course, is vote-conscious but also recognizes the earning potential of a higher-priced spread, ala Blackwolf Run, Whistling Straits, both in Kohler, and University Ridge in Verona.Bender, or whatever naming rights might bring, would at least best Brown Deer Park in design and maintenance and has the potential for a superior course ranking. It could, of course, become a new home for the Greater Milwaukee Open, closer to the large population presence in eoutheastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, allowing for larger purses.The Zimmerman-led panel is urging a partnership with a private developer for the construction and maintenance of the new course while Ament wants the County Park Commission to build, operate and maintain it. We shudder at that prospect, but the key might be any restrictions stemming from federal grant money used by the county to buy the land.The City of Oak Creek would like to see the county build an upscale, destination course as a catalyst for development of an estimated $400 million in residential, commercial and retail building to the vicinity.The County Board’s Parks Committee will meet June 13, a week from today, to review Ament’s thoughts as well as those recommendations from the advisory panel.Perhaps this thinking is “too major league” for Greater Milwaukee, but an opportunity like this passes but once — so, just do it!

Is Port Washington “slipping”?

In a manner of speaking, Port Washington is, indeed, slipping. It wants to add a marina in the West Slip area of the harbor near the Harborside Inn and Harborside condos, close by Smith’s Fish Factory. Forty new slips would be added to the coterie of “tie-ups” already available.This, of course, would further development of the Lake Michigan side of the state, already burgeoning with wonderful harbors and docking facilities from Racine and Kenosha up to Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Kewaunee and Sturgeon Bay. Go for it, Pirates!Not to be overshadowed, Port also has plans for an 85-room Country Inn and Suites near I-43 and a 10-story high-rise condo project at Jackson and Lake Streets. Who woke them up?

Lion’s Den for Ozaukee?

Lion’s Den Gorge, a 79-acre site incorporating the natural beauty in the Town of Grafton, is going to purchased by Ozaukee County for its growing parks system.Intended as a “passive recreation area”— picnicking, hiking, nature studies and so on but no playground, ball fields or tennis courts — Lion’s Den would have a trail system providing access to Lake Michigan with boardwalks over wetlands, walkways, railings and benches along the bluffs present.Is this “urban sprawl” at its finest, or what?

Racine goes for it!

In addition to the euphoria outlined previously, let’s hear it for Racine’s St. Mary’s Medical Center for its plans to build a $46.5 million addition for a larger E.R., as well as special treatment facilities centered around women and children and lung and heart care, courtesy of the All Saints Healthcare System, also incorporating St. Luke’s Hospital in Racine — good news for yet another burgeoning community in Southeastern Wisconsin!

Is the end in sight?

We’re talking about the on-going construction growth in the state of Wisconsin and the answer is, “Hell, no!”It’s admittedly exciting to these sore eyes to observe the daily happenings in the state’s construction industry and to apply some perception to the future. We’re on a roll, a roll that started in 1986 when we began clawing our way from the bottom of the proverbial bathroom curve. All over the state, it’s happening, baby!

This is D-Day!

It’s a coincidence that this is day all hell broke on the beaches of Normandy when Americans, British and Canadian troops stormed the fortifications and redoubts held by the German armies to begin the liberation of Europe ending World War II.It’s also coincidental that Dave Cullen and his dad, J.P. of J.P. Cullen & Sons Inc. of Janesville, just returned from a tour of Normandy escorted by Steve Ambrose, prize-winning author-historian and ex-UW football player. Ambrose, whose professor and mine was the late UW Professor William B. Hesseltine and also a noted historian, has written several books on D-Day and the battles fought through France and Germany mainly through the words of the courageous participants from grunts to generals.His books are worth reading — heady stuff and easy reading for construction types!Stay tuned for more! Pics at 10!Dick Snow, the ultimate insider, has been a leading figure in Wisconsin