(VIDEO) The Hop L-Line fully opens to the public

The Milwaukee mayor, county executive and developer of The Couture on Thursday cut the ribbon for The Hop streetcar‘s 2-mile L-Line service extension on the ground floor of the luxury apartment tower downtown.

The concourse at the bottom floor of the 44-story Couture tower will serve as station for both the streetcar and Milwaukee County’s Bus Rapid Transit line. Both the apartment tower and its transit component were born out of a partnership between the city, Milwaukee County, federal and trades partners, officials said.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said establishment of new transit was part of the city’s goal to spur economic and population growth.

“I want everyone in Milwaukee to have good options for getting around,” Johnson said at a news conference. “We have some big ambitions in Milwaukee. To reach those goals, transportation choices are critically important. Somebody told me, ‘Where transit goes, money flows.’ That’s one reason we’re celebrating today,” he added.

Rick Barrett, leader of Barrett Lo Visionary Development, said The Couture was the “crown jewel” for him. Barrett Lo and the county partnered in 2014 to plan a transit concourse for buses on the lakefront. The apartment tower started leasing this month and is set to be fully constructed in July.

“Because our local leaders at the city and the county have such a strong collaborative vision for the community and truly embraced this project, we stand here a full decade later at the ceremonial opening of this transit concourse,” Barrett said.

Barrett added that 97% of The Couture’s ground level will be open for public use.

The project is supported by city tax increment financing, a federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant and the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust. David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, lauded the organized trades under contractor Findorff.

“As the son of a master electrician, I have to say I’m ecstatic that The Couture project is a 100% union-backed project,” Crowley said at the news conference. “I want to take a moment to show some love for many of the construction unions, our trades men and women, all our brothers and sisters in organized labor for continuing not only to build this project, but build up projects all across Milwaukee,” he added.

The L-Line route will use five existing stops and three new stops to travel east on Michigan Avenue, stop inside The Couture station and turn back west on Clybourn Street. The actual rail extension is 0.75 miles, according to Jerrel Kruschke, engineer and leader of the city’s public works department.

Kelly Brookins, the Region 5 administrator for the Federal Transportation Administration, said the project represented a larger effort to push public transit in the U.S.

“Where public transit is, people come,” Brookins said. “(The streetcar and bus route) are not representative of just exciting transit projects but also highlights how communities across the country are creating housing, recreational and commercial opportunities around bus and rail stops,” she added.

Donna Brown Martin, the head of Milwaukee County DOT, on Thursday announced that the East-West Bus Rapid Transit Line between Milwaukee and Wauwatosa will make use of The Couture stop starting Sept. 2.