whna.net
More tales from tom page 4 meet your neighbors page 7 the low down on downspouts page 8 washington park wednesdays page 13
THE MAGAZINE OF THE WHNA Spring 2019
NEIGHBORHO OD RUMMAGE SATURDAY, JUNE 1
WHNA 2018-2019 board of directors PRESIDENT Beth Lappen The Highlighter is a quarterly publication of the Washington Heights Neighborhood Association. Washington Heights includes Highway 175 to North 60th Street and from Vliet Street to North Ave. You can expect your Summer Highlighter online in early June. To submit an article, please contact Jane at janeekonkel@gmail.com.
VICE PRESIDENT Sarah Drillas 839.5233 TREASURER Eric Gesell
949.1577
PAST PRESIDENT Ann Navin 477.9528 SECRETARY Brandon Taylor
870.1339
REPRESENTATIVES AREA 1 Ryan Stasiewicz 364.3295
EDITOR Jane Konkel
AREA 2 Trent Muller
LAYOUT & DESIGN Nicole Julius
559.6773
AREA 3 Patrick Simonis 262.844.6232
ADVERTISING MANAGER Lynita Wolf
CONTRIBUTORS Lynn Anders Laura Burke Barbara Haig Debbie Knepke Beth Lappen
727.0345
Lisa Moulten Lyra O'Briend Jonathan Rupprecht Tom Ruttenbeck Kate Schwartz
AREA 4 Simon McConico 306.1422
DISTRIBUTION Sarah Drillias
839.5233
ADVERTISER INDEX First Weber Realty Paul Barsch............7 Shelter Real Estate-Tim Stemper........9 Focus Credit Union..............................9 St. Sebastian Fish Fry (2019)............11 St. James Lutheran Church...............12 Hoyt Park Pool..................................15 WHNA & Wine...................................15 Law Offices of Isabell M. Mueller......16 Artifactory.........................................16 Stella’s Salon & Spa..........................16 Fred’s Frozen Custard & Grill.............16
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AREA 5 Beth & Mike Lappen 727.0345
LIAISONS VLIET ST. Pat Mueller
AREA 6 Lyra O’Brien
RAINBOW ASSOCIATION John Elliot 414.248-3270
861.0387
AREA 7 Tom Rutenbeck 453.3453 AREA 8 Andy Robinson
745.9463
AREA 9 Alexa Pagley 262.444.3274 Brandon Taylor 870.1339 AT-LARGE EVEN YEARS Eric Anderson 771.7977 Dan Caruso 773.405.7071 Sabrina Eder 262.719.7477 Alec Knutson 414.412.3139 AT-LARGE ODD YEARS Jon Parks 342.4669 Matthew Mangerson 715.490.1647
933.5589
COMMITTEES NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY Dominique Leupi 720.473.2765 Sharon Heffelfinger 801.1307 COMMUNICATIONS VACANT GREEN COMMITTEE Beth Lappen 727.0345 HOUSING/APPEARANCE Tom Rutenbeck 453.3453 MEMBERSHIP Trent Muller
559.6773
WHNA PHONE NUMBER: 939.4622
AREA 5 HOSTS 2019 SPOOKTACULAR
FROM THE
PRESIDENT by Beth Lappen WHNA President
whna.net
THE MAGAZINE OF THE WHNA Summer 2018
YOUR PHOTO HERE!
Hello again, neighbors and friends! Many of you know a police investigation is underway regarding a former Board Member. Due to this unexpected event, we tread carefully through financial uncertainty. There are changes that needed to be made, and the hope is they are only temporary. While there are still many questions, all of the answers have yet to come. I assure you that we will share information when we are able. What I can tell you with confidence– WHNA has a solid, dedicated Board that is pitching in and paving the way. There will be opportunities again in the near future for us to gather and celebrate this amazing neighborhood. As always, but perhaps now more than ever, I tell you that we cannot do it alone. Your help will be needed as we find our footing on solid ground and stubbornly refuse to give up in the face of trouble. This, too, shall pass. And we will be better and stronger for having gone through it together. In the meantime, I ask that you continue to support each other and the neighborhood in the ways you have done for so many years. Remember to welcome your new neighbors by requesting a Welcome Packet for them on the WHNA website (www.whna.net). Look in the following pages for ways to get to know longtime residents even better. Share your time, talents and ideas with the rest of us at meetings and events in the neighborhood and community. After all, you love it as much as I do!
UPDATE page 5 UPDATE page 6 UPDATE page 8 UPDATE page 14 UPDATE page 16 and more!
You could be the next Highlighter cover photographer! on’t forget to submit your best summer D Heights' photos for consideration – on Facebook or to janeekonkel@gmail.com. HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT YOU’D LIKE TO INCLUDE IN OUR SUMMER HIGHLIGHTER? Email the Highlighter editor at janeekonkel@gmail.com to let us know! Highlighter online at www.whna.net Do you want the Highlighter emailed to you? Contact membership@whna.net.
community Contacts
THIRD DISTRICT NON-EMERGENCY ��������������� 933.4444 CRIME PREVENTION �����������������������������������������������935.7733 GRAFFITI HOTLINE �������������������������������������������������� 286.8715 BLOCK WATCH ���������������������������������������������������������� 588.5619
The deadline to submit articles and ads for the summer issue of the Highlighter is Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Washington Heights Highlighter, Spring 2019 ❖ 3
TALES FROM TOM by Jon Rupprecht
We met Tom in our previous issue: one of the two Toms involved with that “Trouble at the Times”. But that was only a hint of the very interesting family and personal history of Tom Shanahan. The story of our neighborhood is of course the story of our neighbors, and the Shanahan family gives us a great slice of life here in Washington Heights. And there’s a centennial involved. Tom’s grandfather Elmer was the first Shanahan in the Heights. As one of a dozen siblings on a Manitowoc County farm, there was no future in farming for him, so he moved to Milwaukee and became a meter reader for the Wisconsin Electric Power Company, a forerunner of WE Energies. Elmer was so grateful to continually receive a regular paycheck during the Great Depression that he told some of his friends and neighbors who were not thus blessed that they could go to Erwin’s Butcher Shop near 48th and Lloyd and “get what they needed for their families” and put it on his bill! Elmer and Julia Shanahan brought their son Earl, Tom’s dad, to their new home on 49th Street, across from Hi Mount School, after his birth on February 2, 1919 – there’s the centennial. Earl also ended up working for WEPCO, in sales in his case. He was known to remark, “You can’t beat working in sales for a company that’s a monopoly!” Earl had an older sister, Bess – “the brains of the family” – and two younger brothers, Bob and Tom. Bob was a storied promoter who ran the Wisconsin Realtors’ Home Show for over twenty years; created and owned The Wonderful World of Weddings – the original wedding show – and was instrumental in starting the Milwaukee Auto Show. Some of us may remember Tom Shanahan, who began his work as a local radio pioneer at age 16 for WEMP-AM, where he worked for 35 years as announcer, promotions manager and program director. He also did play-by-play alongside Earl Gillespie for the minor league Milwaukee Brewers at Borchert Field. He went on to assemble the first statewide radio network for the Milwaukee Braves when the team arrived here in 1953. Tom was inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2008. The three brothers became part of a neighborhood group known as the “Hi-Mount Rover Boys” – about a dozen guys who stuck together since their grade school years; as adults they had annual golf outings and stayed in touch in other ways. Earl was especially
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popular with this group since in the years when he had worked as an usher at the Uptown Theater he would occasionally manage to get them in for free. - Not quite on the scale of his son’s “Trouble at the Times”, but some Shanahan Shenanigans nonetheless. Earl’s marriage to Tom’s mother Betty Wells is a story of its own. Betty initially married Allen Thurwachter shortly before World War II; he was a young attorney and became a Navy pilot. He never returned from a wartime flight, and became the first member of St. Sebastian’s to die in the war. Besides being an attorney and a pilot, Allen was also one of the best fast-pitch softball pitchers in Wisconsin; at that time this was a very popular sport. His closest rival was his friend Earl Shanahan. Tom didn’t elaborate on the details, but Betty ended up marrying her deceased husband’s friend and rival. Betty passed away in the 1970’s, but she enters the picture again in 1990, after Earl’s death, when Tom discovered in the attic a book that she had checked out from the St. Sebastian School library in 1939. He took it to the priest, who said, “Hold on to that, because if we charged you the overdue fine with compound interest for all those years, you may well lose your home!” Tom’s family lived in our neighboring Washington Highlands during his youth. He tells of the day when a neighbor, Ozzie Jaeger (remember Jaeger’s Butternut Bread?) gathered a few kids that he saw nearby, Tom included, and piled them into and onto his Jeep, having some of them sit in back on a pile of fist-sized smooth rocks. He then drove them over to the old St. Sebastian School building playground. At first the kids were completely clueless, but then they noticed a tall crane sitting there with a large wrecking ball hanging from it. It turns out that this building was scheduled to be demolished the next day. Tom says, “Mr. Jaeger led the charge as we broke every single window in the original school building.” Yes, boys will be boys, at all ages, but no cops this time! Like his mom, Tom attended St. Sebastian School (his class [1968] was the first to spend all 8 years in the new building), Marquette High School and then UWM, where he graduated with a BA in sociology. He confesses that he was in no hurry to graduate, taking seven years for the process. His sister Mary, three years younger than Tom, would taunt him by saying, “I’m going to get my diploma before you do!” Tom denied that possibility, and bet her $25 that she’d be wrong. But on graduation day Mary and Tom proceeded alphabetically before the chancellor. Mary got her diploma, turned around on stage to her brother right behind her and said, “Pay up you owe me $25!” Tom did pay up ultimately, but Mary informed him while still on stage, “There’s a term for those who spend seven years at the university: usually it’s Doctor!” After graduation Tom got his securities license and worked in Houston for a large investment banking firm. He returned to Milwaukee – and Washington Heights – in 1990 when Earl, his father, developed cancer. He returned to the investment profession, in which he has worked for 30 years without a complaint. As mentioned last time, Tom also serves as our friendly Chief Inspector (the boss) on Election Days at Neeskara School. He is an avid hunter and is also a mycologist: a mushroom specialist; his photos and stories about mushroom hunting are truly fascinating.
4 ❖ Contact us at highlighter@whna.net or visit us online at www.whna.net
Tom and his wife Jackie – retired from the Milwaukee Fire Department – live near the center of our neighborhood, only a few blocks from the house where Tom and his siblings – Allen, Dan, Jim and Mary – grew up. Tom describes himself as a voracious reader, including the Wall Street Journal and various trade magazines, plus at least a dozen books a year, mostly political. He also calls himself a raconteur – story teller – and he has a never-ending supply of interesting stories, told in a compelling and often humorous manner. If you get to know Tom, ask him about some tales he told to me but for which there is no more room here for their details: the pregnant lady taken for delivery to St. Joseph Hospital during a blizzard on a toboggan; four generations at St. Sebastians; Dobke’s German bakery; Horkey’s drugsgtore; Angell’s barber shop; the guy who cleared the snow from everybody’s sidewalks in Washington Highlands; his sister Mary’s career as a cable TV producer and her husband’s music group, “The Spanic Boys”, who appeared on Saturday Night Live, the David Letterman Show, Conan O’Brien et al; and all this is just for starters. Yes, we have some mighty fine and definitely interesting folks here in the Heights; Tom Shanahan certainly proves that point!
Climate Change by Lisa Moulton
There is now more coverage about Global Warming in the media than in the past, but finding solutions to the enormous problems of switching from current sources of energy that burn CO2, to alternatives, is facing major obstacles. Certainly 'retrofitting' how we generate and deliver energy is an enormous undertaking. Also, Systems that produce the most CO2 (coal-burning industries) require near-elimination of their enterprises; they have such power and wealth (did you know that oil and gas industries are subsidized by our tax dollars?), they are resisting change. We need alternatives to how we heat/cool, transport, and consume that do not produce greenhouse gasses. It is understandable that people--with our busy, incredibly complex life-styles--don't feel we have the "time" to change our how we live, but if we are to save our beautiful Blue Planet, this is something we must do--and immediately. We must accept the indisputable fact that the earth is 'running out of resources'; ecosystems are shrinking (less habitat available), food chains are disrupted (lack of coral reefs means no food source for smaller to larger life forms), all types of containers and plastics are polluting every part of our environment. If we can drastically reduce smoking, we can face this crisis by drastically reducing burning fossil fuels (e.g., gasoline, oil and carbon products); we can slow the raising temperatures by taking care of our planet, and stop exploiting it. Some of the habits we need to change are simply going back to how previous generations lived-- when waste was not acceptable, and what people had, they took good care of (vs. the mindset of "everything is replaceable").
Did you know that rotting garbage releases Methane gas?-Methane is one of the most toxic of the greenhouse gasses (which form a 'blanket' over the earth's atmosphere, trapping the heat released by carbon being released). If we reduced the amount of food thrown away--left to rot, this alone would make a difference. There are companies sprouting up now that collect more than just food scraps--all put into huge stacks that burn so hot, what is left is "soil"! We need to be very mindful of what we 'throw away', and get into habits of reusing. Also, most effective of all is to CUT CONSUMPTION very drastically. The jobs we now have in production, transportation, distribution, etc. can be replaced by Green jobs--building sustainable industries, which are rapidlyevolving, "growth" industries. It's easy to believe, "Out of sight, out of mind", but that doesn't make our waste and toxins go away. Now is the time for us to assume our individual and collective responsibilities: our behaviors must now reflect a care and respect for our Home, each and every one of us must now change our habits. We must shift from our own personal 'comfort', to "conserving" more than wasting; we must become mindful throughout our daily lives of the consequences of our behaviors; we need to eliminate using toxins and insist distributors provide alternatives to plastic and fossil fuel products. This will take thought, patience and love. We can do it--but now, not 'later'...what will we do to ensure the next generation has a beautiful planet, too?
Washington Heights Highlighter, Spring 2019 ❖ 5
Meet Your Neighbors
Neighbors Paul Spencer and Caroline Rubitsky
by Lyra O’Brien
Four imposing gothic griffins are regally perched outside a stately brick Colonial on Washington Boulvard. To the homeowners, musician Paul Spencer and Jazz club owner Caroline Rubitsky, the mythical creatures are a whimsical addition to their home, however that sentiment isn’t shared by all. “It was during Spooktacular, so the house was decorated with lights and we had a fog machine. Kids were coming up saying it’s the witch’s house, it’s the witch’s house’. Some of them were crying on the sidewalk, and didn’t want to come up the stairs to get the candy” said Spencer. The house first cast a spell on Rubitsky back in 1991. Unfamiliar with the area and intrigued by the architecture, she decide to drive down Washington Boulevard. “Every house in this neighborhood has some feature in it that’s just awesome, unique and special,” stated Rubitsky. The home they bought was built in 1921, and Rubitsky has records stating it was built for a single woman. “You can see very feminine touches. It’s a combination of a British Colonial and an Arts and Crafts home, especially if you look at the entry way and see how it was built,” said Rubitsky. Some of those feminine touches include the lavender stained glass windows on the second floor. It’s those windows that Rubitsky said made her first fall in love with the home. Within it’s nearly 3,700 square feet there are; tall ceilings, decorative crown moulding, large windows and stunning hardwood floors. The grand staircase was stripped of white paint and brought back spindle-by-spindle to it’s original splendor. Many of the rooms have been re-configured, like the servant’s quarters being turned into bedrooms, and a sleeping porch transformed into a sunroom. While the upstairs ballroom may not be used for dancing anymore, it definitely welcomes some new foot traffic. “It had been empty for so long and unheated, so the plaster was cracking. What we did is repair the plaster, painted, and had the floors sanded. We added new light fixtures that look like they
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are orginal to the home. They have that art deco style and are incredible,” said Rubitsky. The couple said it’s important to leave behind a beautiful space for the next generation to appreciate and enjoy. In the almost 30 years they’ve lived here, the changes they stress have not been renovations, but instead, are restorations to their home.
How has the neighborhood changed? Rubitsky: It was quieter back then and a lot of large trees. I feel like when we first moved here the neighborhood could have gone either way, but the people who came here, fixed it. They uplifted it, restored it, and brought it back to the level it should have been. What is your favorite room in the house? Spencer: One of my favorite rooms is the ballroom and sometimes it will be a whole year before I get in there. The bedroom and the kitchen are really where we spend our time. Also the drum practice room in the basement. I also teach and give drum lessons there. What work have you done to the home? Rubitsky: We got a new roof last year, and we’ve done lot of painting both inside and out. All the light fixtures have been replaced. I learned how to do the electrical work, so I made and installed some new light fixtures for the home. Tell me about your neighbors. Rubitsky: We’ve had a lot of friends up the block who’s children have grown, so they’ve moved away. Now there are a whole new group of people and it evolves. We are looking forward to rebuilding that camaraderie with them now. What do you love best about living in Washington Heights? Spencer: It’s the perfect blend of urban landscape and nature. I like sitting on the front porch, just looking at the grass and the Boulevard and watching the cars go by. It’s very peaceful. If you are interested in featuring your home in the Highlighter, please contact Lyra O’Brien at lobrien@firstweber.com or (414) 861-0387.
Washington Heights Highlighter, Spring 2019 ❖ 7
Washington Heights Gets the Low-Down on Downspouts by Barb Haig
If you own a residential property in the Heights, chances are you recently received a snail-mail letter from the city Department of Public Works (DPW) alerting you to a downspout disconnection project. Like most people, you probably tossed the letter in the trash and thought you didn’t have to deal with it. Hold on. In the next few weeks, the city is launching an information campaign explaining: • The criteria for those who need to disconnect their downspouts. • If your property does fit the criteria, how you can do it or hire the city (with financial aid). • What happens if you can’t do it – or won’t comply.
PREVENT FLOODING AND OVERFLOWS Most older properties in Washington Heights are within the city’s combined sewer service area. When it rains, both rain water and sanitary sewage can overwhelm Metro Milwaukee Sewerage District (MMSD) sewer pipes and treatment plant. The downspout project will help prevent street flooding, basement sewage backups and sewage overflows into Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River. MMSD is requiring all residential roof downspouts within the combined sewer area to disconnect, which involves cutting the downspout, attaching an elbow and extension to direct the stormwater flow away from the house onto a grassy area and capping the standpipe. Nader Jaber, Engineer-in-Charge, DPW Environmental Engineering Section, says most residential properties in the neighborhood are included, but he says you don’t have to do anything just yet. “All properties will be inspected by City of Milwaukee staff both before and after the disconnection work to ensure all
disconnections meet the requirements of the city plumbing code. The city will inform residents which specific downspouts, if any, require disconnection,” Jaber said. “We have completed a study using 3D mapping from Google Earth, and we’ve determined that approximately 55 percent of homes in the city’s combined sewer area will have at least one downspout eligible for disconnection, while the other 45 percent cannot be disconnected because of the plumbing code criteria,” he explained. The order does not include commercial buildings with residents living above.
SPECIFIC CRITERIA According to Jaber, in order to disconnect, a property must meet the following criteria: • Discharge point must be at least five feet away from foundation walls and property lines. • Discharge point needs to have enough grassy or landscaped area to take the flow. • Discharge must not cause ice on pedestrian walkways, streets, or alleys or cause a nuisance to adjoining properties. For instance, if disconnecting your downspout would mean flooding your neighbor’s basement, you wouldn’t do it. • Discharge point must be level or slope away from structure but not cause erosion After the inspection, two different letters will go out: • For properties that can’t disconnect because they don’t meet the criteria, owners will get information from MMSD about purchasing a rain barrel from them. • For properties that can disconnect at least one downspout per the plumbing code requirements, owners will get information about how to complete the disconnection work themselves or sign up to have a contractor hired by the City perform the work.
GUIDE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS “The city is preparing a ‘how-to disconnect’ guide for property owners that will describe in more detail the materials and process. If you want the city contractor to do it, all you have to do is sign up, using the info in the mailers,” Jaber says. It’s unclear what the total cost will be, but the city will offer rebates of $50 per downspout, up to $100 per property. So what happens if you’re supposed to disconnect and you don’t do it right away? You have a little bit of time, according to Jaber.
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“The plumbing code will be officially amended to require the disconnections in early 2021. So during the incentive period from 2019 to 2020, no worries: you won’t be marked as non-compliant. But once the code is amended in 2021, properties that didn’t take advantage of the incentives will receive letters from the Department of Neighborhood Services alerting them that fines will be applied,” he warns. While the process might be time-consuming, Jaber says, in the long run, it’s the best thing for homeowners, the city and the environment. As a bonus, the city is planning to qualify some community groups as contractors, so the project will create local jobs. For more information, see www.city.milwaukee.gov/DDP
Nader Jaber, Engineer-in-Charge, DPW Environmental Engineering Section
DOGMA: Dogs Can Speak. You’re Just Not Listening! by Laura Burke
Humans are very verbal, but dogs speak through body language, and the dogs body language is very clear. We humans tend to listen with our ears, rather than our eyes, and miss much of what dogs are saying. We are actually very forward and can be a bit overbearing with our dogs, in terms of our attention. The way we use our bodies to speak is very different than the way our dogs use their bodies. Your dog, believes your interactions to be a bit impolite at times. Dogs for example, meet each other in an arc. It's rude, in their world, to walk a straight line towards another and make direct eye contact. In fact, polite dogs do everything they can to avoid the face to face and direct eye contact greeting that we interpret as polite and appropriate. Dogs turn their heads away, they might sniff the ground upon approach. This is good dog communication (according to a dog). So, It's easier to see why our intentions are not always clear with our dogs. Learning the very basics of canine body language will help us become good dog listeners and better communicators to our furry friends. When interacting with our dogs, keep an eye on, ears, tails, eyes, lips, and overall posture. Here are a few emotional states that dogs will display: A confident dog stands tall, tail up, ears pricked up or has a relaxed, direct look. A dominant dog stands tall over another dog, rests its chin or paw over another dog's shoulders. Staring, sometimes mounting is a way of establishing control. A submissive dog lowers its head and body, allowing other dogs to stand over them. Licking at other dogs' lips and corners of the mouth. A submissive dog often looks away from the other dog, rolling on its back and craning its head away from other dogs, tucking their tail.. A playful dog's tail and butt is in the air, while the front legs are lowered. The dog's ears are up and forward, his mouth is open in a grin and his eyes are relaxed. The classic play bow is the dog's invitation to play.
Stress or fear in a dog like looks like shaking, whining, and "submissive" urination. Often its ears are back. They pant rapidly with its tail down or tail tucked under with body lowered. They lick their nose and lips, often looking away or turning their head away and showing fear by barking. Aggression in a dog looks like lips drawn back in a snarl, or growling with teeth exposed. Some other things to look for, are lowered head; ears "pinned" back close to the head; "hackles" up, tail straight out, and intense stares. Article ideas? If you have an idea that you would like to see published, please contact Laura, The Washington Heights Pet Sitter at: Mariah969@yahoo.com. Bark at you later!
Washington Heights Highlighter, Spring 2019 ❖ 9
Housing and Appearance Holidays in the Heights Awards
Each award winner received a framed Certificate of Award, and a gift card to the new Tusk Restaurant at 5513 W. North Ave.
by Tom Rutenbeck
One function of Housing and Appearance is to provide rewards programs, to celebrate the ef-forts of our neighbors. Each December, we survey the neighborhood for outdoor Holiday decorations. The object of the survey is to identify displays that show Holiday Spirit, festive and pleasing appearance, and are worthy of recognition. One award winner was selected for each of our nine areas.
AREA 1 • JOHN O WALCH III • 1603 N 50TH ST
AREA 2 • SHARON B MAGUIRE • 1924 N HI MOUNT BL
AREA 3• KEVIN J WISNIEWSKI AND BETH A WESOLOWSKI • 2114 N 49TH ST
AREA 4 • JOEL AND SHERRI KRAUSE 2200 N 53RD ST
AREA 5 • GREGORY AND JILL HUFFER 1835 N 52ND ST
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AREA 6 • DONALD AND KRIS ZIMMER 5402 W CHERRY ST
AREA 7 • JAMES AND JOY TRUESDALE 1539 N 58TH ST
AREA 6 • TIMOTHY AND TINA MULCAHY 2044 N 56TH ST
AREA 7 • NATHAN AND KRISTI BEHNKE 5843 W ELLIOTT CIR
About the Housing and Appearance Committee
We are one of the five core function committees, required by the WHNA bylaws. The other required com-mittees are Executive, Membership, Communications, and Neighborhood Safety. Obviously, our WHNA founders thought that H&A was important. As per the bylaws our functions include: • Housing Improvement Programs such as Housing Task Force and Home Improvement Fair • Recognition/Award Programs such as Landscaping, Spooktacular Decorations, and Holiday Displays • Public Service such as Inquiry Research, Complaint Intervention, and Spring Neighborhood Cleanup We always need, and welcome new members who would bring new ideas and expertise to our Committee. We also need the WHNA community to get behind and support our upcoming events:
2019 ANNUAL SPRING CLEANUP ON 4/27/19: Volunteers needed; see other postings for full details
If you are interested in any of these opportunities to serve the WHNA community, please contact: Tom Rutenbeck • 414.453.3453 • tomrutenbeck@gmail.com
Washington Heights Highlighter, Spring 2019 ❖ 11
Summer Camp is in the Air by Lynn Anders
Ah, the birds are singing and the sun is shining! Maybe it’s the mid-winter heat wave. Maybe it’s the vision of summer camp dancing in our heads. We’re getting ready for summer camp at the Urban Ecology Center and looking forward to the highlights of the summer season as we swing with the winter weather. As summer camp registration draws near, we look forward to the activities and programs we’ll lead when school’s out.
GET READY FOR SUMMER CAMP! The Education team is gearing up for a summer full of outdoor exploration and adventures. Day campers from preschool through 8th grade can explore our parks, local green spaces and features of our city with the energetic and professional Summer Camp Staff at all three branches of the Urban Ecology Center. There are so many exciting things to do! We will build forts, hike, explore habitats, find creatures, bike, paddle our local waters, visit the Lake Michigan shore, beaches and much more. Specially-created camps also lead campers on ‘treasure’ hunts, fishing excursions, birding ventures, creating engineering feats, jumping into our favorite books and becoming artists.
niches where campers can play and discover through climbing, building forts, digging for worms, making homes for animals and swinging on swings we put up. “I’m looking forward to cultivating student relationships, both to their environment and to each other, that uniquely emerge from exploring and playing in nature together all day every day!” says Ashley Alred, Environmental Educator. Summer Camp at the Urban Ecology Center has new discoveries around every corner as we enrich and spark the curiosities of kids of all ages and inspire children as stewards of our neighborhoods and the environment. We look forward to expecting the unexpected, encountering the wonders of nature, honing outdoor skills, benefitting from the wealth of priceless local experiences and following where the wind takes us and our campers! Scholarships are available based on need. Visit UrbanEcologyCenter.org/SummerCamp for more information!
SO MANY CAMPS AND SO MUCH TO DO! Join us for adventures one week at a time, or check out our six-week camps for Kindergarten through second grades. For the fifth through eighth graders, experience weeklong excursions that include overnight camping mid-summer - learn the basics of camping, paddling and exploring, then put them to the test; or become pros with our three-week outdoor adventures program. “One of the best parts of camp is allowing our campers the freedom to explore and create their own adventures,” says Chad Thomack, Environmental Educator and Outdoor Adventurer. Exploring in nature, building friendships, and so much more. Urban Ecology Center is bringing back childhood through engaging outdoor activities and explorations. Campers have the opportunities to explore outdoors and the freedom to choose their own activities and take advantage of the benefits of play, like strong relationships with peers and their environment. Spaces like “the Willow”, a tree in Riverside Park, play host for exploration and
Summer Camp at the Urban Ecology Center
Explore nature with us at the Urban Ecology Center in Washington Park!
Look under logs, hike in the woods, climb trees, build forts and much more! Urban Ecology Center has summer camp at our Washington Park location. Camps are available for preschool through 8th grade students. Join us to expect the unexpected, encounter the wonders of nature, develop outdoor skills and follow where the winds takes us into priceless summertime experiences. Urban Ecology Center accepts Wisconsin Shares for camp fees and offers scholarships. Visit UrbanEcologyCenter.org/SummerCamp to learn more or stop in to your neighborhood UEC branch.
12 ❖ Contact us at highlighter@whna.net or visit us online at www.whna.net
Washington Park Wednesdays A Fundraiser in the Works! by Kate Schwartz
Without totally launching into the clichés of the sweet smell of melting snow and delighting in increasing sounds of chirping birds and children riding bikes, it is evident that Spring is indeed just around the corner! And we all know what Spring means: cold drinks, outdoor patios, sun, grass, beaches, picnics, park benches, road trips, grilling, and outdoor music. In other words, because we’ve learned in Milwaukee to milk every last drop out of our seasons, Spring in this town means Summer! And what better way to ring in the festival season in the festival city but with a party promoting all of it? As those first crocuses emerge through the leftover lawn snow, Washington Park Neighbors will be hosting its inaugural fundraiser to benefit the artists gracing the bandshell stage in the 2019 Washington Park Wednesdays Summer Concert Series. It is at this extra special event, held Thursday, April 4 from 5-9pm at Dandy on Vliet, that the formal announcement of the participating artists will be made. Along with a cash beer bar, there will be free food catered by many of the food vendors you’ll see at the park this Summer, including newly opened Tusk and neighborhood staple Mc Bob’s, park favorites Pete’s Pops, Vang Sisters, Karol's Kitchen, Press Waffles, Drift Cafe and newcomer Triciclo Peru! Highlighting the evening will be musical performances by K-Stamp, Dead Dove (with John Sparrow of the Violent Femmes) and media artist WC Tank. This is a special event not only because of our evening’s stellar lineup, but because it’s a concerted effort to further fold the park program into the community which it serves while showcasing our neighborhood more broadly to the city as a whole. It is also an opportunity for you, our community, to showcase your own appreciation and give back directly to the local and regional artists we are so lucky to have in Milwaukee. We told you last year the secret was out. This year, together we celebrate that fact! For more details on the April 4th fundraiser or on Washington Park Wednesdays feel free to contact our editor, Jane Konkel here at the Highlighter.
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Ready for Investment
Uptown Crossing Report Indicates Multiple Opportunities by Barbara Haig The intersections of North and Lisbon Avenues and the adjoining numbered streets has been a busy crossroad for decades. Once home to iconic banks and a famous Chinese restaurant, the area had become a pass-through for people heading west to Wauwatosa or east to downtown. But the vibrant activity of Washington Heights and expanding businesses in the area prompted the neighborhood’s business district to commission a broader study of other development opportunities. The study took the form of a six-month design charrette, which is a collaborative, often intense, design process to develop solutions to a problem. The result recently was released, with new visions for apartments, grocery stores, public plazas, restaurants and stores for large, underused properties along North Avenue, roughly between 60th and 45th streets. To download the report, go to http://bit.ly/ UptownBID. Chris Hau is a Washington Heights resident, vice president of the Uptown Crossing Business Improvement District (BID) board, and a principal at Quorum Architects. “Our intent was to study six underutilized sites within the Uptown BID boundaries. The charette process through UWMilwaukee’s Community Design Solutions really helped generate and capture a great deal of demographic information and build
upon past planning studies from the City of Milwaukee West Side Area Plan, City of Milwaukee Washington Park Area Plan and the Highway 175 Visioning Study. These studies emphasized the importance of the BID as a gateway and connector to the Uptown Crossing Neighborhood,” he says. “The past planning also identified these areas to be pedestrian friendly and ripe for improving streetscaping and safety. We also wanted mixed-use development and social gathering spaces to provide support to the surround neighborhood,” Hau explains. The charette planning process included focus group meetings for residents, developers, lenders, property owners and business owners. They identified several potential uses for the area, including: • Neighborhood retail and gathering • Housing Options • Office Incubator • Fresh Food / Grocery • Streetscaping and Branding • Placemaking and Programming “We heard some fascinating ideas,” says Carolyn Esswein, director of UWM’s Community Design Solutions, which provides preliminary design and planning services for communities, agencies, civic groups, and campuses throughout Wisconsin. “The hope is to serve as a catalyst for continued investment by developing concepts that promote positive change and stimulate funding opportunities.” Six local architecture firms and six sites were given to each firm to study: • Site 1: Former Outreach Advancement Center – HGA Architects • Site 2: US Bank – Quorum Architects • Site 3: Parking, Placemaking Streetscaping – SmithGroup • Site 4: 4700 Block W North Ave – inStudio Architecture • Site 5: Ralph’s Coffee – Galbraith Carnahan Architects • Site 6: Hwy 175 – Engberg Anderson Architects The full report contains fascinating information about our area presented in an easy-to-view display, including income statistics, home ownership and traffic figures, and stunning architectural models of what the area could look like. “We hope that the charrette process and report will build upon recent investments such as Vennture Brewing, Tusk, Bittercube and Town Bank. Right now, all of the projects identified in the report are speculative – but we are looking for partnerships from both the public and private sector to make these visions a reality,” Hau says. If you know a business that might be interested in working to develop the area, contact Hau at chris@quorumarchitects.com.
14 ❖ Contact us at highlighter@whna.net or visit us online at www.whna.net
easter egg hunt Saturday, April 13, 2019, 11:30 am
Join other neighborhood children in seeking out hidden candy stuffed Easter Eggs. The event takes place in Washington Park, promptly at 11:30am, and includes a visit from the Easter Bunny. The hunt takes place near Picnic Area 2. This event is fun for children ages 1 to 12, with areas designed for different age groups.
REGISTRATION @ COLD SPOONS GELATO • 5624 W. Vliet: Saturday, April 6, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Cost is $3 for each child of WHNA Members and $5 for nonmembers.
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