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Streetcar MKE Streetcar "The Hop": Development on the Route

Edited by John December / Updated 2024-04-02 / johndecember.com/mke

Under Construction

As cities have proposed new streetcar systems and evaluated current systems, the relationship between streetcars and development has been under study. While there has been motivation to find a causal relationship, research has revealed a more complex and symbiotic relationship between streetcars and new buildings. In 2010, a synthesis summary of literature documenting streetcar impacts on the built environment concluded with "the need for further empirical analysis" (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2010). Later, researchers Mendez and Brown (2019) studied Portland and Seattle and found that "in certain contexts, streetcars are associated with increased development activity," but the results suggest the need for a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between streetcars and development. The researchers Brown and Mendez (2018) cautioned that the function of the streetcar system as transportation is critical: "The more effective a streetcar is as a transportation service, and the more widely used it is by patrons, the more likely it is to have development effects."

While some research shows that streetcars can promote spatial planning (development) but not transit planning (King and Fischer, 2016), the hundreds of streetcar systems worldwide demonstrate their use as transit. Ramos-Santiago, Brown, and Nixon (2016) examined the role of streetcars for transportation and as a development motivator and pointed out that both functions operate.

The long-term, transformational power of streetcar stations on urban real-estate value is apparent from research by Brooks and Lutz (2019). They examined land use and population density near historic streetcar stops on The Los Angeles Railway, which ceased operation in 1958. Their findings showed that even after over fifty years of not operating, the land near the historic streetcar stops showed statistically significant higher population and building density that diminished with distance from the historical stops. They suggest that "the weight of the evidence is most consistent with land use regulation and agglomeration acting as mutually reinforcing pathways." Streetcars build value in adjacent land, and that value persists.

The profitable nature of land proximate to rail stations is best demonstrated in Hong Kong's currently operating rail system. The Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) makes a profit, including money to run the entire rail line. It uses a "transit + property" model where the MTR operates real estate on its service corridor and makes profits based on commercial enterprise and real estate values near the rail service. The MTR Corp posted a HK$9.55 billion (US $128 million) profit for 2021.

This research indicates that the relationship between streetcars to development is one of catalytic, dynamic, and mutually-reinforcing factors. On The Hop route, I see the value of streetcars as providing a transit link to support development that is existing, planned, or still in the conceptual stage. Then, the completed development draws people to use it, leading to trip generation and increased transportation demand. This relationship is interdependent. Each component--development and streetcars--must each meet their goals well and be oriented to supporting and gaining from each other.

Most notably, since The Hop has been in operation, significant buildings--The Ascent (the world's tallest timber structure), BMO Tower, The Huron Building, Nova MKE, The Couture, 333 North Water Street, Holiday Inn Express, Tru Hotel, Home2 Suites, 321 N Jefferson Street, and the Cambria Hotel all have been built to replace surface parking lots, parking garages, or abandoned or underutilized sites. For example, The Ascent was completed in 2022 on the site of a former pizza restaurant which had sat vacant from 2007 to 2002--13 years--as a crumbling structure attracting blight and vandalism. Similarly, the NovaMKE apartments site also sat as an abandoned restaurant for many years, attracting blight and vandalism. Once The Hop opened, a developer saw the potential of the land. In both cases, I am pleased and proud to see new buildings, new housing, and new neighbors in place of blighted and abandoned buildings.

These are just the new and refurbished developments opened since The Hop began service in November 2018. Many hundreds of prior existing buildings--homes, office buildings, stores, apartments, condos, banks, art galleries, museums, government offices, financial services, restaurants, bars, cafes, and more--have benefitted from The Hop's transit service. I expect that these properties generate some incremental additional tax revenue for the city because the boost in value to their property.

Completed Development

  1. NovaMKE, 1237 N Van Buren St: Completed 2023; residential apartments; photos: April 2022, July 2022, February 2023; February 2023; formerly parking lot (2018); In use in 2024; Area: Juneau Avenue

  2. The Ascent, 700 E Kilbourn Ave: the world's tallest timber-concrete hybrid building when it officially opened on July 20, 2022; consists of apartments and ground-floor retail space; 25 floors, 284 feet, 86.6 meters; photos: site before work, site deconstruction, construction, construction 2021, Completed on July 20, 2022, "Top of the World (2022)"; Area: Cathedral Square

  3. Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall, 1025 N Milwaukee St: Milwaukee School of Engineering; this artificial intelligence research center, opened in 2019, marks Milwaukee's entry into the fourth industrial revolution; Diercks Hall at MSOE (2020); Area: Cathedral Square

  4. Milwaukee School of Engineering - MSOE Athletic Field, 1025 N Milwaukee: playing field for MSOE community members only, but you can watch softball and other games that may take place here from time to time; a pleasant walk along William E Coakley Walkway to/from the Jefferson walkway west of Juneau Village to/from Broadway; 2023: women's college baseball stadium; Area: Cathedral Square

  5. BMO Tower, 790 N Water St: 25-story building, 328.0 feet, 100 meters; Completed 2020; The Hop passing BMO Tower (2020); Area: City Hall (Wells Street)

  6. 321 Jefferson, 321 N Jefferson: apartments with an electrical substation; Area: Third Ward (Public Market); Area: Clybourn Jefferson

  7. Huron Building, 511 N Broadway: 11-story building, 129.0 feet, 39.3 meters; Completed 2020; The Hop at the Huron Building 2020; Area: Third Ward (Public Market)

  8. Cambria Hotel Milwaukee, 503 N Plankinton Ave: hotel and 414 Bar + Kitchen; completed 2019; photos: Site 2018 (formerly parking lot); Construction 2019; Completed 2019; Area: Plankinton Avenue

  9. Milwaukee Tool Office, 501 W Michigan St: major refurbishment of a former insurance company building; completed 2023; in use, 2024; Milwaukee Tool building at night (2024); Area: Intermodal Station

  10. Fiserv Global Headquarters, 640 N Vel R Phillips Ave; site (2024); Area: Intermodal Station

  11. Holiday Inn Express Milwaukee Downtown, 525 N Jefferson St; N Jefferson St Hotels; Area: Third Ward (Public Market); Area: Michigan Jackson; Area: Clybourn Jefferson

  12. Tru by Hilton Milwaukee Downtown, 515 N Jefferson St; N Jefferson St Hotels; Area: Third Ward (Public Market); Area: Michigan Jackson; Area: Clybourn Jefferson

  13. Home2 Suites by Hilton Milwaukee Downtown, 515 N Jefferson St; N Jefferson St Hotels; Area: Third Ward (Public Market); Area: Michigan Jackson; Area: Clybourn Jefferson

Major Refurbishment

  1. Hermann Viets Tower, 1121 N Milwaukee St: 12-story building, 113.1 feet, 34.5 meters, completed 1965 as Roy W Johnson Residence Hall; addition completed 2021; Area: Juneau Avenue

  2. Cathedral Square Park: a county park outside St John's Cathedral; formerly called Courthouse Square from 1836 to 1939 as the site of Milwaukee County's first courthouse on the north end; presently site of numerous festivals, concerts, special displays, and farmer's markets; Jazz in the Park; Major Refurbishment (2021-2022): Framing the Square; Area: Cathedral Square

  3. Milwaukee Athletic Club, 758 N Broadway: 12-story building, 160.0 feet, 48.8 meters, completed 1917; refurbished 2021; private athletic club with residential apartments; a secret bar (The Elephant Room) is open to the public at certain times; The MAC in 2022; Area: City Hall (Wells Street)

  4. Streetcar Flats, 828 N Broadway: refurbished office building; formerly known as the Underwriters Exchange Building; built in 1924 as an insurance exchange housing offices of many insurance companies; also known as the Association of Commerce Building; The Streetcar at Streetcar Flats (2022); Streetcar Flats being refurbished; Area: City Hall (Wells Street)

  5. Central Standard, 320 E Clybourn St : Craft Distillery; downtown Milwaukee distillery experience; Area: Wisconsin Avenue; Area: Clybourn Jefferson

  6. Drury Plaza Hotel Milwaukee Downtown, 700 N Water St; Area: Wisconsin Avenue

  7. Kinn Guesthouse, 600 N Broadway: hotel and Uncle Wolfie’s Dinner Diner dining; The Hop on Broadway (2022); Area: Wisconsin Avenue

  8. Uncle Wolfie’s Dinner Diner, 600 N Broadway: The Hop on Broadway (2022); Area: Wisconsin Avenue

  9. Riverwalk Commons: west of Milwaukee Public Market and Water St on the Milwaukee river; includes pickleball courts and greenspace; Area: Third Ward (Public Market)

  10. The Explorium Brewpub, Pritzlaff Building, 143 W Saint Paul Avenue: beers and dining; small batch, hand-crafted beer; Area: Plankinton Avenue

  11. Pritzlaff Building, 315 N Plankinton Ave: historic building built from 1875 to 1922, former Pritzlaff Hardware store; Area: Plankinton Avenue

  12. 3rd St Market Hall, 275 W Wisconsin Ave: 3rdstmarkethall.com; A food hall, shopping, events, and gathering place; includes food vendors, a market bar, games area; part of The Avenue, which includes residences, offices, media studios, and more; it is just a short walk from the Intermodal stop to The Avenue: up N Vel Phillips Ave and then cross through Zeidler Park to the south entrance of The Avenue at 3rd and Michigan, about a 5 minute walk, 375 meters; Area: Intermodal Station

  13. The Avenue, 275 W Wisconsin Ave: multi-story, mutli-use, mixed-used, multi-building complex; includes 3rd St Market Hall, Plankinton Clover, Playbill Flats, offices; formerly The Grand Avenue Mall; Area: Intermodal Station

  14. HUB 640, 640 N Vel R Phillips Ave: mixed-use building including retail, office, and residential; major refurbishment of a former Boston Store department store; Area: Intermodal Station

Under Construction

  1. 1333-1339 N Milwaukee St: UNDER CONSTRUCTION 2023; a six-story, 197-unit apartment building; Area: Ogden Jackson (East Pointe)

  2. Juneau Village Towers Resident Amenities Building, 1029 N Jackson St: residential amenities building for this three-tower residential complex UNDER CONSTRUCTION 2023; Area: Juneau Avenue

  3. 333 North Water Street: UNDER CONSTRUCTION 2024 apartment tower; 31-story residental apartments; expected 31 floors, 342 feet, 104 meters; under construction 2023 as viewed from the Hilton Hotel; photo under construction (2024); (2024); Area: Third Ward (Public Market)

  4. Foxtown Landing, approximately 490 N Plankinton Ave: an IN-DEVELOPMENT riverside restaurant and riverwalk right next to the proposed dog park; in-development 2023 (not yet open); Area: Plankinton Avenue

  5. Michigan Street Commons, 915 W Michigan St: affordable apartments; 2024; Area: Intermodal Station

  6. Vel R. Phillips Plaza, a transit hub and pedestrian plaza: includes retail, flex space for markets or food trucks, art, and green space at the southwest corner of West Wisconsin Avenue and North Vel R. Phillips Avenue (first proposed in 2019; re-introduced in 2023; under construction 2024); View from the Hilton (2023); View from the Hilton (2023); Under construction 2024; Under construction 2024; Area: Intermodal Station

  7. The Couture Apartments, 909 E Michigan St: 44-story apartment building, 537 feet, 163.6 meters; completed 2024; tallest residential building in Wisconsin; located at the Lakefront; retail space across the first four floors of the building; expected restaurants; construction photos; Area: Lakefront Station

Proposed Development

  1. 1550 N Prospect: UNDER DEVELOPMENT 2023; 25-story residential apartment tower at the historic Goll Mansion site; Goll Mansion built 1898 will remain as part of the development; Area: Burns Commons

  2. Renaissance site at N Farwell : PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT at the site of the Renaissance Place event center at 1451 N. Prospect Ave, the Mexican Consulate, 1443 N. Prospect Ave and the parking lot to the west on N Farwell; a proposed residential apartment tower; photos: parking lot site; Area: Burns Commons

  3. PROPOSED: Convent Hill South, near 455 E Ogden Ave: proposed affordable and mixed-income tower; 32 stories; proposed by Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee affiliate Travaux; in-development in 2020; Area: Ogden Jackson (East Pointe)

  4. Downtown Milwaukee Dog Park, approx 490 N Plankinton Ave: an IN-DEVELOPMENT dog park and riverwalk section; in-development 2023 (not yet open); Area: Plankinton Avenue

  5. The Iron District, a PROPOSED entertainment district at the southwest corner of W Michigan St and N 6th St, near the Marquette Interchange in downtown Milwaukee: proposal includes apartments, a hotel, a concert venue (3,500 seats), and a soccer stadium (8,000 seats); Area: Intermodal Station

  6. Lakefront Gateway Plaza, PROPOSED pedestrian plaza: east of The Coutre Building and the Lakefront Station stop of The Hop streetcar and BRT; includes walkway from Couture transit hub over Lincoln Memorial Drive to a four-season plaza serving as the gateway to the Lakefront; Area: Lakefront Station

References
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2024-09-15 · John December · Terms © johndecember.com