Plan that envisions eventual transformation of Milwaukee's Harbor District wins early OK

A plan that envisions a dramatic, long-range transformation of Milwaukee's Harbor District into housing, offices and other new uses has received its first city approval.

The Plan Commission unanimously endorsed the Harbor District water and land use plan, which also needs Common Council approval, after a Monday public hearing.

The projects presented in the plan are conceptual, and lack specific developers, cost estimates and time frames.

However, such plans are typically the first step toward large developments eventually occurring. That was the pattern for the Menomonee Valley, the downtown RiverWalk and the Park East corridor.

Milwaukee's 1,000-acre Harbor District is bordered roughly by S. 1st St., the lakefront, the Milwaukee River and Bay St./Becher St., covering a big piece of the Walker's Point neighborhood.

The single largest site is the 47-acre former Milwaukee Solvay Coke Co. site, 311 E. Greenfield Ave. That site is owned by an affiliate of We Energies, which is conducting an environmental cleanup.

The Solvay site is primarily south of E. Greenfield Ave., along the harbor and Kinnickinnic River, roughly two blocks east of 1st St. It could be combined with a 13-acre former coal storage area that the city owns just to the east, south of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences.

The plan envisions light industrial and office buildings on that combined site's northern portion. Mixed-use residential and commercial buildings could be on the southern part, and there also would be a waterfront park.

The waterfront park would connect to a new RiverWalk running roughly 3 miles along the Milwaukee River, harbor and Kinnickinnic River, from the E. Pittsburgh Ave. bridge to S. Chase Ave.

Other new Harbor District uses envisioned include the area near Nidera's harbor front grain elevator, 960 E. Bay St., which could be developed for light industrial use, a marina and mixed-use residential and commercial buildings.

The inner harbor area has been attracting more attention from private investors in recent years.

The biggest new project is Freshwater Plaza, developed by Wangard Partners Inc. at E. Greenfield Ave. and S. 1st St. It includes a four-story, 76-unit apartment building with street-level retail space, and a stand-alone Cermak's Fresh Market.

Wangard has preliminary plans to develop a six-story building at Freshwater Plaza with 76 apartments, enclosed parking and street-level retail space.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com, and followed on Twitter and Facebook.