Fromm Nieman Brands shows plans for 28,000-square-foot taproom, restaurant along Milwaukee River

A local pet food brand revealed plans to build a multi-story development next to a proposed dog park along the Milwaukee River.

Fromm Nieman Brands announced on Wednesday a concept plan to build a 28,000-square-foot development at the northeast corner of St. Paul Avenue and Plankinton Avenue. Dubbed the Foxtown Landing, the multi-story development will house a taproom, distillery and restaurant adjacent to the proposed downtown dog park, brand officials said.

Fromm Family Pet Food, an affiliate of Fromm Nieman Brands, will be the title sponsor of a future off-leash dog park nearby under the Interstate 794 freeway, brand officials said.

“Milwaukee is rich in history, as is the Fromm brand and our family. When we learned about the dog park project, we began exploring the larger opportunity to develop a true ‘dog district’ where people and their pets can gather along the river at the nexus of where the Historic Third Ward and Downtown meet,” Fromm Family Pet Food President Tom Nieman said in a statement. “With dog ownership rapidly increasing in recent years in the greater downtown area, we see this as a natural fit for us and a game changer for the City of Milwaukee.”

The dog park and commercial development would be tied together by a nearly 400-foot segment of the new public Riverwalk and would contribute to the city’s property tax base, brand officials said. Foxtown Landing, the dog park and the Riverwalk expansion would redevelop nearly 1.4 acres of land from St. Paul Avenue to Clybourn Street.

The announcement was a “generational opportunity to reinvent a long dormant, underutilized but highly visible area of downtown into what will be a true destination that enhances downtown’s quality of life and bridges the gap between the Historic Third Ward and Westown neighborhoods,” Economic Development Director of Milwaukee’s Downtown, BID #21 Matt Dorner said.

The project milestone was a bode of confidence from one of the country’s largest specialty pet food manufacturing companies, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Public Market and Third Ward, BID #2, Paul Schwartz said.

“Fromm Family Pet Food has a widely respected reputation as a business leader, pet food innovator and community builder which they’ve built over five generations as a family-owned and operated company. We’re thrilled to have them provide their leadership and vision as our title sponsor and are grateful for their investment in this legacy project,” he added.

Fromm signing on as a title sponsor for the downtown dog park helps it meet its fundraising goal, brand officials said. Plans for the park were announced in 2021 and included fenced areas for small and large dogs and opportunities for community programming.

The company also celebrated its ninth annual Fromm Petfest at Henry Maier Festival Park at the close of Milwaukee’s festival season. The company is also building a multi-phase town center in its hometown of Mequon, where Foxtown Brewing stands at 6411 W. Mequon Road.