Construction begins on downtown dog park in Milwaukee

Construction of a first-of-its-kind dog park in downtown Milwaukee will be completed this winter.

Officials from Milwaukee Downtown Business Improvement District #21 and the Historic Third Ward Business Improvement District #2 on Thursday broke ground on a nearly 22,000-square-foot turf park for large and small canines. Butler-based Berghammer Construction is the general contractor for the $2 million project and officials expect the project to be completed before the end of the year.

The park will have fenced areas for big and small dogs, a washing system for the turf and new lighting at 103 W. Clybourn St. underneath the Interstate 794 Freeway. Fromm Family Pet Food is the title sponsor of the dog park and is planning to build a brewery close to the site.

Matt Dorner, the economic development director for BID #21, said the park was a much-needed amenity for a growing number of dog owners in the downtown area.

“Several years ago, it was certainly identified that the downtown area was underserved by pet amenities,” Dorner said at a news conference. “You have to go four miles north or four miles south to find an off-leash pet facility. At the same time, downtown Milwaukee has seen incredible growth,” he added.

In addition to the new dog park, the project includes a new section of the Riverwalk between East Clybourn Street and West Saint Paul Avenue, said Robert Bauman, alderman of the third district.

The park has been in planning since 2018, said Paul Schwartz, the executive director of the Milwaukee Public Market and Third Ward BID# 2.

The project has a list of private supporters including its general contractor, and public partners such as the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Milwaukee County.

Downtown officials are continuing their fundraising efforts and will have more conversations with potential future sponsors, Dorner said. But they felt comfortable with the cash flow they had currently, he added.

South of the incoming dog park is the site of Foxtown Landing, a proposed 28,000-square-foot taproom overlooking the river from North Plankinton Avenue. The Historic Third Ward Architectural Review Board approved project plans in February.

Milwaukee-based Stephen Perry Smith Architects performed design services for both the dog park and Foxtown Landing. GRAEF is a project partner for the dog park.