Milwaukee Best Place to Visit and Grow

Cities are often classified one of two ways: a great place to live but not visit, or a great place to visit but not live. Of course they could be considered good for both or bad for both, but that's pretty rare. Milwaukee has increasingly been recognized for culture and other features that make it desirable to visit, but it gets blasted (rightly so) for socio-economics especially racial disparity. But as much as people, especially native Milwaukeeans, like to dwell on the negatives, the hope by some like myself is that eventually the good things will spread and make things better for all its citizens. Recent news points to Milwaukee continuing to raise its reputation including National Geographic naming it a Top 25 Place to visit, and more news on growth downtown.

The Brewtown Rumble motorcycle show at Deer District

As Visit Milwaukee points out, the NatGeo list included only 5 spots in America, and only 5 communities of which Milwaukee is in both lists. They even recognize that "traditional neighborhoods are getting fresh development projects, such as the planned arts and cultural center in Bronzeville focused on African American art." in addition to the obvious things about Milwaukee like motorcycles, beer, and the Bucks (natch).

Some recent and future development includes: Milwaukee Tool is renovating a building downtown to be its HQ, moving from Brookfield back to the city of its namesake. Today we found out that Fiserv is moving its HQ downtown as well, also from Brookfield. Maybe the tide is turning from the flight to the suburbs back to returning to Milwaukee. The couture is finally under construction. We have the (for a moment) tallest timber frame building in the world. New music venues are being planned after the amazing work done on the Bradley Symphony Center, the new home of MSO, and we are getting a pro soccer team with its own new stadium. The plans for the new public Museum look like it will rival the Calatrava wing of the Museum Art Museum. Our river walks are expanding. The harbor district and the aforementioned Bronzeville neighborhood, Haymarket and MLK Drive areas are seeing a renaissance. The Century City Business Park is finally being developed, and yes, Northridge may finally be torn down.

Of course we have things to work on, some of them big, but that's no reason not to celebrate our successes. Success often breeds success and the more good things that happen here the better it will be for all.