Milwaukee announces Riverwalk extension after securing state money

Milwaukee has secured state funds for an extension of the city’s Riverwalk, pushing forth plans to improve the walkway for pedestrians.

The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee has secured $128,000 for The Node, a 3,000 square-foot aquatic habitat in the Harbor District, the city said in a statement. The funds were from the State of Wisconsin’s Coastal Management Program, which Gov. Tony Evers announced in June 2022. 

The Node, at 611 E. Greenfield Ave., will be part of a 4,300 linear-foot extension near Komatsu Mining Corporation’s South Harbor Campus, the city said. The plan calls for a modified dock wall to develop an aquatic habitat and spawning zone and will include ADA-accessible ramps and stairs to give the public better access to the edge of the water. 

“Thanks to the State of Wisconsin, this grant will add to our positive momentum by making The Node a reality, which will provide residents, visitors and tourists the ability to view and touch the water,” Milwaukee Department of City Development Commissioner Lafayette Crump said in a statement. “Projects like The Node will help offer more education opportunities in the harbor, promote equity on our waterfronts and allow our youth to experience everything Milwaukee has to offer.” 

Seven other planned development and improvement projects for the Milwaukee Riverwalk

• A new residential development, including a 480-foot walk extension, at 1887 N. Water St. The project was approved for $2.1 million, the city said. The extension is currently under construction. 
• A 32-story residential tower with a public connection to the walkway, along with a dock-wall replacement. This project is expected to break ground at the end of the summer. The city approved $903,000 for the walk connection and dock wall. 
• The Tap Yard at Schlitz Park, a beer garden at 1555 N. River Center Drive. 
• Outdoor improvements along Lakefront Brewery’s section of the Riverwalk.  
• A nearly three-quarters of a mile long stretch of Riverwalk adjacent to the new Komatsu Mining Headquarters, the city said. The project, estimated at $14.5 million, is expected to break ground in early 2023. 
• $3.4 million in dock-wall work and Riverwalk work near River1, a riverfront restaurant.
• The development of a new Riverwalk near Boone and Crockett, a Harbor District bar and restaurant.

The city first developed the Riverwalk in 1993, from the site of the former North Avenue Dam through Downtown and the Historic Third Ward to Lake Michigan, the city said. The Riverwalk will extend throughout the Harbor District along the Kinnickinnic River.

“Our waterways are a great natural resource, and as we add connections to the water, we celebrate this asset. Our Riverwalks have become centers of commerce and recreation that add to the vitality for all of Milwaukee,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in a statement. 

The public-private partnership between property owners and the city is an exchange for permanent public access with financial assistance from the city for constructing private Riverwalk improvements.