QUICK BITES

After opening The Bridgewater Modern Grill (2011 S. 1st St.) in 2022, Benson’s Restaurant Group is set to open its new venue at 322 N. Broadway St. in Summer 2023. The former Wahlburgers space will become the fourth Historic Third Ward location for the hospitality group, alongside familiar favorites Onesto, Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria and Smoke Shack. With 3,460 square feet of dining space, the new location will offer bar, indoor and outdoor dining, along with the ability to support 60 jobs upon opening. bensonsrestaurantgroup.com

Los Angeles-based fast-casual restaurant sweetgreen will make its mark in Wisconsin by opening its first location in the Third Ward at 310 E. Buffalo St., inside the former Hudson Business Lounge. The restaurant features a plant-heavy menu offering a variety of seasonal grain bowls, salads and sides. sweetgreen.com

Also opening its first Milwaukee location, Grace Coffee Co. will be located at 102 N. Water — nestled between The Starling and Vino Third Ward. The roastery and cafe is expected to offer a similar menu to its Madison-area cafes, serving up awardwinning cold brew, coffee, espresso, brunch, lunch, bakery items and more. gracecoffeewi.com

Due to open any day at press time, District Fore, 233 E. Chicago St., and Salty Paws, 121 N. Jefferson, are set to call the Third Ward home sweet home. From the owners of Sweet Diner, District Fore is bringing sports, games and New York-style pizza to the neighborhood. It will feature high-tech TV walls, golf simulators, interactive dart sections and a playful “American classics” menu and craft beverages. At Salty Paws, you can spoil your fur babies at Milwaukee’s first doggie ice cream shop. You’ll find treats, accessories and more for your VIP (Very Important Pet).

The Copper Turtle Brewery and Taverne opened at 330 E. Menomonee St. in January in the former Bavette la Boucherie space (now at 217 N. Broadway). Stop by for a brew (including 6 of the brewpub’s own beers on draft), signature cocktail or glass of wine — and to marvel at the chic space, punctuated by signature copper serving tanks. The brewery has an outdoor patio as well as a taproom that accommodates more than 100 guests.

Go Grocer is now open at 415 E. Menomonee St. Offering fresh grab-and-go meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner — as well as fresh produce and staples like bread, eggs and milk — the Milwaukee location is family-run by brothers John and Edgar Rivera. The store emphasizes local products and offers an extensive beer and wine selection. A variety of gluten free and vegan products are also available. Stay up to date by following the store on Instagram at @gogrocerthirdward.

A cleanup of the Milwaukee River is currently underway. We Energies is partnering with local, state and federal agencies to remediate approximately 45,000 cubic yards of sediment material impacted by the former manufactured gas plant that operated in the Third Ward between the 1850s and 1960. Two areas within a .6 mile stretch of the Milwaukee River — between the confluence of the Menomonee and Milwaukee rivers and south of Trestle Park Bridge — will be remediated using dredging and capping approaches. For more information, visit mkewaterwaypartners.org.

Construction began in 2022 on a new 31-story building at 333 N. Water St. Developed by Houston-based real estate developer Hines, it will be the first multi-family high-rise in the Third Ward and one of the tallest buildings in Wisconsin. Located near the Milwaukee Public Market, the building is expected to create 333 new luxury rental units alongside over 22,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities. In addition, the development will include a new connection to access Milwaukee’s award-winning Riverwalk off St. Paul Avenue.

Further east, a new building with about 260 apartments is another step closer to construction after its developer bought the threeacre project site. Located on the south side of the Italian Community Center property (east of Milwaukee Ballet), Kaeding Development Group is leading development of the high-end, five-story apartment community with amenities including a pool. In addition, the project will expand East Corcoran Street east to connect with Lincoln Memorial Drive.

At April’s Historic Third Association annual meeting, our board president, Jack R. Lemmon, will be stepping down after six years of leading the organization. Jack left the Skylight Music Theatre after 7 years as their executive director in December 2022.

On behalf of the HTWA board of directors and our staff, we want to thank Jack for his leadership, vision and diligence in guiding the HTWA mission since 2017. He has overseen the Strategic Plan process, increases in membership, enhanced engagement with our varied constituencies, growth of our public events, diversification of our revenue streams, the origination of THREE and The Guide publications, and skillfully guided us through the pandemic.

Jack’s impact and work at Skylight Music Theatre and as president of HTWA has left an indelible mark on our community. We wish him well in his future endeavors — and know we will bump into him soon, seeking his favorite lunch haunts here in the Historic Third Ward. - Jim Plaisted