Third Ward Riverwalk Wins International Award

Contact: Nancy O'Keefe, Executive Director
Historic Third Ward Association
414-273-1173
November 15, 2005

(Milwaukee, WI) The Historic Third Ward Association and City of Milwaukee Business Improvement District No. 2 are proud to announce that the Historic Third Ward Riverwalk project has won an Honor Award at the 2005 Excellence on the Waterfront Awards from The Waterfront Center.

Out of 74 entries, 12 projects were awarded an Honor Award. The Third Ward Riverwalk project was recognized for a quality waterfront project in the category of Parks, Pathways and Recreation in the juried competition. Planning for the $11 million dollar Riverwalk project began in 1999 and the nearly one mile long boardwalk was opened to the public in sections beginning in 2004. A connection to the Milwaukee Downtown Riverwalk was completed in the summer of 2005.

The Excellence on the Waterfront Awards program was initiated in 1987 to recognize high quality waterfront projects and to encourage communities, developers and design and planning firms to produce high quality designs and development work. Entries are accepted from around the world for both built projects and plans.

Partners in the project included Engberg Anderson Design Partnership, Milwaukee Department of City Development, Beyer Construction, Milwaukee County, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development and artist Mary Miss.

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The Historic Third Ward Association , established in 1976, works with neighborhood residents, businesses, merchants, real estate developers and brokers, community organizations, and civic leaders to foster, promote and encourage business retention, expansion and recruitment in the local area. The Association is a private, non-profit, financed through a combination of the BID, City and membership support.

The City of Milwaukee Business Improvement District No. 2 (BID No. 2), a state statute-enabled entity created in 1987, which has the power to levy assessments on business property. The BID promotes economic development in many ways including streetscaping, construction of capital projects, enforcement of architectural guidelines and support of property owner interests.

The Waterfront Center is a nonprofit, public interest educational organization based in Washington D. C. that works to assist waterfront communities make the wisest long-term use of their urban waterfront resources.