The son of the late philanthropist Jane Bradley Pettit, whose $90 million gift to the community led to the building of the BMO Harris Bradley Center in 1988, says the facility should be demolished to make way for a new Bucks home. Credit: Rick Wood

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The son of late philanthropist Jane Bradley Pettit, whose $90 million gift to the community led to the building of the BMO Harris Bradley Center in 1988, has spoken out in favor of a new sports and entertainment complex that he says will save the Milwaukee Bucks and "jump-start the renaissance west of the river."

And to accomplish that, architect David V. Uihlein says, the BMO Harris Bradley Center should be demolished.

"The Bradley Center, amazingly, is obsolete by NBA standards," Uihlein wrote to stakeholders involved in the arena discussion. "What reason is there for preserving this place as we contemplate new construction?"

Uihlein, a prominent architect at the Uihlein/Wilson firm in Milwaukee, said in his letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, that building a sports and entertainment complex "will require unity and teamwork, and financial support from the private and public sectors."

"As a lifelong Milwaukee sports fan and a practicing local architect, my concern here is less about the financial problem, more about the proposed site of the venue. What we build and where we build it will influence the rebirth of W. Wisconsin Ave., and support the development of the Park East corridor."

Uihlein specifically targeted Kilbourn Ave., between N. 4th and N. 6th streets, for the new arena, which is where the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and Milwaukee Theatre currently stand.

"The new complex should extend over two blocks and likely span State St.," Uihlein said. "The rest of the Bradley Center site north of Highland has the potential to support the complex as well as serving the needs of the Park East corridor."

Uihlein said all construction costs — no one has forwarded an estimate — should come from the private sector, while operating costs should be supported by the current tax structure under the control of the Wisconsin Center District.

Uihlein's letter will likely change the community conversation in terms of a site for a new, multipurpose arena in downtown Milwaukee. Uihlein has until now been silent on the debate over a new arena and what to do with the BMO Harris Bradley Center. His sister, Lynde Uihlein, who runs the Brico Fund, a local foundation, told the Journal Sentinel in March that she had elected to refrain from any comment involving the arena.

Tired, dated, patched

Urging leaders to think boldly, Uihlein said he would pledge "a significant contribution to the selection and acquisition of architectural/engineering talent to design this facility."

Uihlein suggested that all existing sports venues downtown be demolished. In addition, he suggested that developers "recognize the ceremonial power of Kilbourn Ave., and build on the original home of the Bucks." That would be the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, originally known as the Milwaukee Arena and opened in 1950.

Uihlein called the UWM Arena "beautiful on the exterior" but obsolete with "tired, dated and patched together finishes."

The Milwaukee Theatre, rebuilt between 2001 and 2003 at a cost of $41.9 million, "was a hastily conceived effort that has proved to be an underperformer in a town with too many theater seats." Uihlein said the theater was "occupying the premier ceremonial location for a new facility."

The letter also puts new pressure on the Wisconsin Center District, led by attorney Franklyn Gimbel, to sacrifice the 64-year-old UWM Arena and the Milwaukee Theatre in favor of a new arena and, presumably, additional development linked to the convention center and the rest of downtown. Gimbel has been a vocal opponent of demolishing both the UWM Arena and the Milwaukee Theatre, arguing they are financially viable and in good operating condition.

Uihlein said the taxes collected by the Wisconsin Center District — a food and beverage tax, two hotel taxes and a car rental tax — provided enough money to run the convention center, the UWM arena and Milwaukee Theatre.

"The Wisconsin Center District must relinquish the benefit of this tax to the new entity," Uihlein said.

The Wisconsin Center District, which also owns and operates the Wisconsin Center convention center, this year signed a 10-year agreement with UWM. The university has an opt-out clause in its operating agreement with the district.

As for the theater, there is still debt totaling $27.1 million on the property.

Gimbel could not be reached for comment.

An 'explosive charge'

Uihlein said the land along W. Kilbourn Ave., between N. 4th and N. 6th streets, was close to the convention center and to W. Wisconsin Ave. He called the site an "explosive charge to restaurant/hotel development."

Uihlein said the community should not be intimidated by the deadline set by the National Basketball Association that a new arena be in place in the fall of 2017. Instead, he said, there should be a "dialogue that will convince Messrs. (Marc) Lasry and (Wes) Edens and the NBA that Milwaukee intends to get this done right for the long term."

A Bucks official was not immediately available for comment.

Marc Marotta, chairman of the BMO Harris Bradley Center board of directors, said in a statement that Uihlein's letter had interesting thoughts and intriguing ideas.

"The future of the BMO Harris Bradley Center is our board's primary responsibility, and we as a board continue to examine the significant fiscal and operational issues facing our facility in the next few years," Marotta said. "David's letter serves a very useful purpose in helping to generate and promote positive discussion not only about the future of the BMO Harris Bradley Center, but also about the future of downtown Milwaukee and what we want our community to be."

Uihlein also vetted other potential arena sites. The Park East, he said, is available but "it drives the locus of sports/entertainment too far from Wisconsin Ave., and the convention center. Likely it would mean all three existing venues will remain to compete for limited attractions."

City officials have expressed similar concerns about the Park East, saying it would not make sense to locate a nontaxable property like an arena on Park East land.

Uihlein also was unenthusiastic about a potential site at N. 4th St. and W. Wisconsin Ave., which would potentially include demolition of the Boston Store, which is adjacent to the Shops of Grand Avenue. Most of the land is currently a city-owned parking lot.

"The Grand Avenue site is simply not big enough and the demolition of a portion of the mall forecloses the possibility that retail can be viable on W. Wisconsin Ave.," Uihlein wrote.