BRONZEVILLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

200 E. Wells Street City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Meeting Minutes BRONZEVILLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Thursday, September 24, 2015 9:00 AM Room 301-B, Third Floor, City Hall 1. Call to Order. Meeting called to order at 9:08 a.m. 2. Roll Call. Present 6 - Manuel, Hollmon, Montgomery Baker, Crump, Garrison and McIntyre Excused 1 - Verdin Present 6 - Manuel, Hollmon, Montgomery Baker, Crump, Garrison and McIntyre Excused 1 - Verdin 3. Review and Approval of the Previous Meeting Minutes from July 23, 2015. Mr. Crump moved approval, seconded by Mr. McIntyre, of the meeting minutes of July 23, 2015. There were no objections. Mr. Verdin excused. 4. Presentation on the Milwaukee Bucks New Arena and Plaza Project. This item was heard after agenda item 6. Individuals appearing: Alicia Dupies, VP, Community Relations Ald. Milele Coggs, 6th Aldermanic District Rueben Whitmoore, Art Institute of Wisconsin Ray Nittey, citizen Ms. Dupies gave introductory remarks. She is a newly hired Milwaukee Bucks Vice President of Community Relations and a 21-year Milwaukee resident who has been involved with many organizations that a new Milwaukee Bucks foundation will partner with going forward. The new foundation will launch in 2016, and one of its first tasks is to raise money. $500 million for the arena does not include the ancillary development from private investors and owners. The street plaza on 4th Street is still in question. Ms. Dupies discussed opportunities for jobs and commitment to the adjacent Bronzeville area. The auxiliary development will create about 10,000 to 12,000 jobs primarily in the construction and building trades but will also provide about 2000 other end-use jobs. The Bucks and the City will have a workforce training program totaling $750,000 investment shared by both partners. One challenge to job placement is advance communication and notification to job seekers in the community. Her team City of Milwaukee Page 1 BRONZEVILLE ADVISORY Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 COMMITTEE is focused on making sure there is no communication breakdown. They will also leverage players when outreaching to the community. There will be a fan fest this October 3rd at the current arena, and the Bucks want to involve 20,000 to 30,000 from the local community and businesses. The Bucks have new offices at Schlitz Park with 200 employees. Members made recommendations and discussed concerns. There is a strong sentiment that the Bronzeville community can work with and provide ideas to the Bucks so that the development may have true integration, participation, ownership, and input from a broad cross section of community. The Bucks should be cognizant of the many aspects of Bronzeville and sustain a presence there to support, maintain, improve, stabilize, partner, provide, collaborate, and invest in those facets that include but are not limited to residents, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, City-owned land, vacant land and buildings, history, art, culture, artists, and professionals. The Bucks should consider nontraditional ideas, jobs, and groups; grassroots marketing and outreach; and recruit local professionals as part of the development. There should be professional end-use jobs for the community to take advantage of. Early dialogue, communication, and outreach regarding opportunities should be done to avoid criticism and a lack of transparency. The arena development is a critical opportunity for the Bucks to establish a level of leadership that other developers can emulate to change the traditional mode of operating in the City, break barriers, keep local professionals, stabilize neighborhoods, and help the City thrive. Ms. Dupies responded that for schools, youth and education are some of the major focuses of the foundation involving the front office and players, some with high passion to give back. There have been player appearances. She is focused on mentoring and establishing relationships. For businesses, careful evaluation is further needed to establish partnerships, cobranding, collaboration, and activities. Some of the evaluation may require one-on-one dialogue with local businesses. Mr. Crump added that the Bucks has partnered with My Partners Keeper to establish a mentoring network with the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The Bucks have provided spaces for advertising and player appearances at MPS schools to address issues with the student body, such as staying in school. Ms. Dupies made further comments. Many sports venues hold public art competitions for exterior and interior spaces, and the Bucks are interested to use local artists for public art activation. Contacts of nontraditional groups from the community are not institutional knowledge, and the Bucks will welcome that information. The workforce training program is a partnership between the Bucks and the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB). Construction will be a major job generator but 2000 end use jobs are expected. Opportunities are for all jobs including front office and management and not just low end jobs. The Bucks are committed to recruit locally. Ald. Coggs commented. The project will only be historic as the efforts must be for the inclusion of all levels of people across the spectrum in the community. Concrete connection, communication, and accountability must be made on how to benefit Bronzeville. Differences from the new development into Bronzeville should be seamless to avoid a tale of two cities. Collaboration is needed to utilize resources and opportunities. Small details need to be paid attention to. The Bucks can help alleviate barriers to development; provide realistic channels for resources, skillsets, and talents; and provide opportunity to shape and mode much land in Bronzeville. A City of Milwaukee Page 2 BRONZEVILLE ADVISORY Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 COMMITTEE concern from residents is that they do not want the displacement of Bronzeville history with the new development. The Bucks should work with people who are already there and keep those there to stay there. Unintended and negative impacts on the community from past developments should be avoided and not repeated. Ms. Dupies said that going forward there should be meetings between the Buck’s public relations, marketing team, owners, and developers with local business owners and other interested developers to develop strategies together for the phasing of the development, especially concerning the ancillary development. She will work with Chairman Hollmon to schedule those meetings with the right participants at the table to understand motivations, integrate urban planning, play off the visions of one another, complement one another instead of duplication, look at connections, identify barriers, and work together on urban design and landscape. Additionally, as the process progresses, the committee and participants will need to hear from others in the organization, such as the design team regarding adjacencies and ancillary development. Professor Whitmoore appeared and said that it would be disastrous to have the new development done the same way as others have been done historically in Bronzeville, such as the highway. The arena and ancillary developments need to be done right this time. Mr. Nittey appeared and said that there should be an authentic, organic, and inclusive energy from the Bucks to inspire people, shift the community, and inspire young creatives to remain in Milwaukee. He has worked with the Bucks as a local talent and performer. Ms. Dupies replied that the Bucks have brought energy from a team perspective that will continue. The owners are committed to have the energy ripple across the City and adjacent neighborhoods to bring connection without impeding the history of Bronzeville. Chairman Hollmon gave final comments. There will be ongoing discussions with the Bucks to move forward together. The feedback, recommendations, and concerns discussed today should be shared with the Bucks leadership team. Ald. Coggs is to be commended on articulating the amendments on the financing that was passed by the Common Council. 5. Bronzeville Week Debriefing. Ms. Montgomery Baker gave a debriefing. The event was very successful and keeps growing. The week spanned over 8 days full with activities and engaged many different sponsors, local businesses, offices, artists, and entertainers. Examples include JCP Construction, Maures Construction, Vanguard, Senator Lena Taylor’s office, Milwaukee Bucks, City of Milwaukee, and Alderwoman Milele Cogg’s office. Examples of some events were a new youth dance showcase, business summit at Gee’s Clippers, partnership with First Stage at MLK Library, pancake breakfast, forum at the Milwaukee Urban League, mixer at Luck’s Lounge, and paint and sip at Best Friends Night Club. Money was raised for new events. Going forward, there are plans to host programming in the community outside of the week to activate the area and strengthen sponsorship. Some ideas are an art auction fundraiser and art walk or crawl on MLK Drive. Ms. Dupies said that the Milwaukee Bucks helped put in a new hardwood floor, resembling a basketball court, inside of Gee’s Clippers. City of Milwaukee Page 3 BRONZEVILLE ADVISORY Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 COMMITTEE Ald. Milele Coggs of the 6th aldermanic district, who appeared later in the meeting, echoed the event’s success and exposure. She added that the process for the next Bronzeville Week will begin early. There will be resolution soon for a Bronzeville Week for August 6 through 13, 2016. 6. Bronzeville RFP and Project Updates. -RFPS Ms. Manuel provided updates. The former Stella’s restaurant at 2730 N. MLK Drive was approved by the Common Council to be sold to Bruce and Tamara Martin to open a food grocery and deli store called “King’s Fresh Market” by the end of the year or January 2016. An RFP will be issued in the next 3-4 weeks for the commercial property at 540 W. North Avenue in response to a number of inquiries, and further information regarding this RFP will be submitted to the committee. There are ongoing discussions regarding next steps for WHEDA and other funding options relating to the former Garfield School building redevelopment project at 2215 N. 4th Street, which did not receive credits for phase one from the most recent HIPRA round submittal. Melissa Goins may come before the committee to provide an update at the next meeting. Chairman Hollmon and Ms. Montgomery Baker said that the process of reviewing RFPs and applicants, while working alongside with the Department of City Development (DCD), needs to be clarified and developed, especially concerning interviewing all or top responders and protecting sensitive information. Ms. Manuel said that DCD staff can come at a future meeting to speak about the RFP process and have a working session with the committee so that a clear process can be in place. Mr. Crump requested more information regarding City-owned properties in the Bronzeville redevelopment area; perhaps DCD can assemble a spreadsheet with disposition, property type, and demolition information. Mr. Crump requested that there be a future agenda item for a presentation from DCD about the planning, marketing, and use determination processes for City-owned properties within and bordering the Bronzeville redevelopment area. Of particular interest are big buildings just outside of the Bronzeville district at 319 E. Center St. and another at 11th Street and North Avenue. Ms. Manual replied that DCD staff can come before the committee and present information, especially regarding neighborhood plans that impact different communities such as Bronzeville. -Public Art Competition Ms. Manual gave an update. There were 10 submittals and 4 finalists. The winner is Mr. Ammar Nsoroma for a statue on the vacant lot at 628 W. North Avenue. DCD is working with him on details, and installation of the statue may occur this October. Ms. Montgomery Baker, Mr. McIntyre, and she served on the art competition committee. City of Milwaukee Page 4 BRONZEVILLE ADVISORY Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 COMMITTEE Mr. McIntyre said that a rendering of the statue, called “Momma Bronzeville,” is available online at www.crickettoes.com. -Banner Competition Ms. Manual said that after the public art process concludes, DCD will reconvene to identify funds, start the process at the end of year, and possibly have banner installation by next spring. -Other There were no other updates. 7. Discussion regarding Common Council File Number 100626, Resolution creating a Bronzeville Advisory Committee. Chairman Hollmon said that the committee would like for her input on making adjustments to the advisory committee. Recommendations and topics of discussion from past discussions included the expansion of boundaries to be consistent with the tax incremental district boundaries, development of a process for reviewing RFPs, and modifying eligible uses or activities in Bronzeville. Ald. Coggs said that the original idea of the advisory committee was to address the concerns of the community, offer transparency and awareness to the projects taking place, and add another layer of community inclusion on advising on projects to produce successful projects in Bronzeville. The committee is a way that residents, artists, stakeholders, community representatives, and DCD can together evaluate and provide another layer of advice on the design of RFPs and RFP submittals. The committee offers a different perspective from those of City staff. Since its creation the committee has evolved to more than RFPs. With the Bucks development and more interest in the land in Bronzeville to come, the timing is right to amend the original resolution to expand the responsibilities of the committee to be more reflective of reality and to further influence, mode, and shape the growth and development of Bronzeville. A title-only resolution has been introduced, but has no context to it yet. The desire is for the members to provide feedback to her on their experiences and expectations on what else is desired. One concern is that RFP review process has been handled differently with no consistency. Of importance going forward is to establish a consistent process of handling RFPs by setting out specific parameters of inclusion of the committee in the RFP process. The committee is simply advisory but the questions and input from the committee are unique to the community, would not be produced or come from anywhere else, and hold more weight than that of those who are disconnected from the area. Members questioned the timeframe and procedure for the new resolution, updating the executive summary, and working on parameters for land uses or business uses within the broader Bronzeville plan. Ald. Coggs replied. The new resolution has no context at the moment. The committee is to submit ideas and recommendations to her at its next meeting after the City budget deliberations in October for her to collect, consider, and develop a framework for everything, including the RFP process to the expansion of the duties of the committee. Some ideas may not be included in the new legislation, including those that are duplicative, already serviced by other offices, or beyond the scope of the committee. The intent is to not circumvent other processes but to add another layer of community input as advice and suggestion for development to happen. City of Milwaukee Page 5 BRONZEVILLE ADVISORY Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015 COMMITTEE Bronzeville is included in the northeast side plan eight years ago and needs improvement based on reality. The plan is a guide for future development in the area. The committee can play in role in improving that plan. Broad language can be included in the legislation to allow a process for the committee to provide input for the plan. 8. Old Business. There was no old business. 9. New Business. Professor Whitmoore reappeared and announced the showing of a feature comedy film on November 11, 2015. Location is to be determined, but will likely be at AMC Mayfair Theaters or Marcus Theaters. The film is about a black marine female dealing with post dramatic stress disorder and features Milwaukee City residents, several notable stars, and a predominant black cast. With a specialty in feature films, he hopes the film builds rapport within the City and Bronzeville where he will like have a studio or film entity established. Chairman Hollmon asked that Professor Whitmoore forward more location information to Mr. Crump, who will share that information with members. 10. Items for the Next Meeting. Chairman Hollmon said that the priority of the next meeting will be developing recommendations to amend the resolution creating the advisory committee for Ald. Coggs to collect. Other agenda items can be determined further with clerk staff. 11. Set Next Meeting Date and Time. November 4 or 5, 2016 at 9 a.m. based on the majority of members available. 12. Adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 10:52 a.m. Chris Lee, Staff Assistant City of Milwaukee Page 6