By Natalia B. Hernández
The harbor had once been a vast marsh, home to a thriving ecosystem of fish, mammals, birds, and native people.
In the 19th century, the deep river and protected harbor attracted European settlers in droves and put Milwaukee on the map, and a bustling economy replaced the ecosystem. Meandering waterways were dredged and straightened, marshland was filled in to make way for silos, lumberyards, tanneries, foundries, and an iron mill for processing and shipping goods around the world.
By the end of the 20th century, a visitor to the area would have found that the busy foundries and tanneries had closed, leaving behind toxins in the soil and river sediments.
In 2014, a number of partners came together to create Harbor District, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to creating a model working waterfront for the 21st century. The organization brings together local, state, and federal government efforts, private sector interests, and community enthusiasm to transform this area into a vibrant and productive waterfront that strengthens our community and regional economy.
–––––––––––––
Visit WMHS on Facebook
–––––––––––––
We began our work by creating the Water and Land Use Plan (WaLUP) through a public planning process that went from late 2015 through the end of 2017. The WaLUP would set the structure for planning moving forward.
Our first major investment was the planning and construction of Harbor View Plaza, the Harbor District’s first waterfront park. It was a response to the public’s request for access to the water and more public spaces. At Harbor View Plaza, you can find a forty foot shipping container play structure, water play features, and a free canoe/kayak launch. It has become a gathering place for Milwaukeeans and visitors alike and is the first addition to what will eventually be a continuous network of Riverwalk spanning much of the western shore of the Harbor District. We’d also argue that this is the best spot to see large ships at work.
Business and development has been changing in the last couple of years. Large companies like Rockwell Automation, La Farge, St. Mary’s Cement and others have been grounded in the Harbor District before we came to existence but new businesses, large and small have added to the diversity of this healthy business community. Currently you’ll find new construction like Cermak, Michel’s R1VER development, Mandel’s Harbor Yards development, and Komatsu Mining Headquarters, now on the former Solvay Coke & Co. site.
With new movement and change comes the important work of keeping the community informed and providing the opportunity for neighbors to take part in the revitalization of the Harbor. The first step was to create the Neighborhood Advisory Committee, a group of neighbors that would be our experts and advise us on best practices for community engagement. This is where the idea of Harbor Fest and Summer en la Plaza, bilingual school programming, and community science/wildlife education came into existence.
* * *
So what’s next for the future of the Harbor District? We’ve listed just a few of our upcoming projects.
Restoration of the Grand Trunk Wetland: This is one of the last remnants of the Milwaukee estuary’s historical network of wetlands. Working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Redevelopment Authority of Milwaukee, we will restore the wetland so that it can become an ecological and community asset with a focus on spawning habitat for northern pike.
Trash Collector: The Harbor District, Inc., plans to install a device on the Kinnickinnic River to collect trash and debris before it floats to the Inner Harbor and Lake Michigan. This stationary trash collector will include solar panels that will power motors to a conveyor belt. A pair of booms will direct trash floating down the river to the conveyor belt which will lift the trash into a dumpster on land for removal.
Milwaukee’s Riverwalk: The Riverwalk network will extend south into the Harbor District and up the Kinnickinnic River as properties redevelop. This new network of waterfront public spaces will span from Downtown to Bay View and will connect the community and visitors to their long off-limits waterways and provide new opportunities for recreation, habitat, and an appreciation for water’s role in our community. The largest single section of Harbor District Riverwalk will develop along the waterfront of the former Milwaukee Solvay Coke & Gas site near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences.
The Harbor District is a unique part of Milwaukee with a rich ecological and industrial history and a prosperous future. If you’d like to know more about Harbor District, Inc., or participate in its current or future work, we invite you to visit our websitewww.harbordistrict.org, sign up for our newsletters, follow us on our social media, and participate in events.
Photo at top: A rendering of what the Harbor District could look like with more green public spaces, a working port, and new development. Credit: Harbor District, Inc.
See more photos:
The Harbor District’s first major investment was the planning and construction of Harbor View Plaza, the Harbor District’s first waterfront park. It was a response to the public’s request for access to the water and more public spaces. It’s also a great spot to see large ships at work.
The largest single section of Harbor District Riverwalk will develop along the waterfront of the former Milwaukee Solvay Coke & Gas site near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences.
Natalia B. Hernández is an outreach specialist for the Harbor District, Inc., 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wis.
