Tuesday, February 16, 2010

S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive To Get $1.968 Million Facelift

Top photo: Chavez Dr. Business Improvement District Board members, 12th District Alderman James Witkowiak, business and non-profit community base organization representatives.
Bottom photo: Graphic plan for proposed project to begin in April.
(click on photos to enlarge) Photos: HNG 

New bicycle racks, bollards, decorative pavement and colored crosswalks to be added to S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr., between W. National Ave. to W. Greenfield Ave. corridor in the South side

By H. Nelson Goodson
February 16, 2010

Milwaukee -On Tuesday, the S. Cesar E. Chavez Business Improvement District (BID) number 38 composed of numerous businesses along Chavez Dr. unveiled a $1.968 million dollar remodeling of the business srtip. The major project was funded through three grants from federal and local funds.
The project will break ground on April 5, and will end around mid September 2010, and the North bound-East side of Chavez Drive will be the first side to be constructed, according to Bret M. Swenson from the Community Engineering & Building Services, LLC.  The project will include streetscape improvements, resurfacing the drive, black colored benches at bus stops, 13 trees, 32 new lights, the parking lot on S. 15 Place in the 1200 block will also get resurfaced, striping and a landscape.
City officials estimate that at least 147,000 vehicles use S. Chavez Dr. per week, and even more when Mexican Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence Day, Mexican Fiesta weekend, Puerto Rican, Harley-Davidson motorcycle rallies, Summerfest, and other ethnic celebrations occur in the Spring and thru the Summer.
"I excited that it finally happened with the help of federal stimulus funding," said Jose Dominguez, a Chavez Board member since 2007. Some of the grants were provided by the Department of City Development, Community Development Grants Administration (Community Development Block Grant, CDBG), federal stiimulus funds, and the Department of Public Works, according to Dominguez.
"Being a board member of the Chavez Drive BID and business owner, I'm very excited and looking forward for our new business district facelift," Leslie Ann Velez, owner of E&J Records said. Velez and her husband Eduardo operate the popular music store business at the 1200 block of S. Chavez Dr.
In 2008, the BID was able to get to contract a cleaning company to remove litter once a week along the public areas of Chavez Dr. and the adjacent side streets.
The Chavez BID was successful in coordinating the project for the last few years with city officials and departments. The project involved Journey House, Sixteen Street Community Health Center, Dental Associates (founded by the late Dr. John Gonis), McDonald's, and National Muffler and Repair.
The Chavez BID reported a total of liabilities and net assets of $60,674 as of Febuary 16, 2010. In 2007, the Chavez BID reported $45,830.
Chavez Dr. was a separate development plan compared to the controversial South Side Comprehensive Area Plan (SSCAP). The SSCAP drew criticism for not promoting Hispanic business growth along W. National Ave., W. Historic Mitchell St., and W. Lincoln Ave., instead it was promoting retail growth and the plan wasn't provided in Spanish to allow the predominately Hispanic community to participate in the planning. After complaints, the Department of City Development added a brief summary of the SSCAP in Spanish on its website.
Despite community dissent, the SSCAP was passed by the Milwaukee Common Council Zoning Committee chaired by Alderman of the 12th Disrict James Witkowiak in May 19, 2009.
Even the Milwaukee Common Council Licensing Committee tried to pass a resolution, which would have affected Hispanic business growth. The city resolution would require new or re-applying persons applying for professional or commercial licenses or permits to prove their legal status or U.S. Citizenship to open or keep their businesses open. The measure was postpone, but the city attorney adviced the city clerk that he can enforce the measure.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and a majority of members from the Common Council opposed passage and enforcement of the business citizenship measure.

Related South side comprehensive development plan articles:

South Side Alderman Decides Not To Pursue Eminent Domain http://bit.ly/4CfFJk

City of Milwaukee Zoning Committee Approves Eminent Domain To Take Land http://bit.ly/3CuKC

City Zoning Committee Unanimously Adopted Resolution http://bit.ly/fMpBm

City Plan Commission Approves South Side Comprehensive Plan http://bit.ly/HS12e

WI: Latino Business Growth In Milwaukee's South Side http://bit.ly/1EEXns

Milw., WI: City Licenses Committee postpones citizenship ordinance for professional and commercial licenses or permits http://bit.ly/YUlTF

Milw., WI Mayor Tom Barrett To Keep Current Practice To Provide Professional & Commercial Licenses/Permits To Applicants; Barrett said he opposes the proposed city citizenship ordinance 090411 & says the 1996 Act is a federal issue. http://bit.ly/jL0kM

Milw., WI: Legistar posted video online of Sept. 29, 2009 hearing of citizenship requirement ordinance 090411 for licenses and permits, click on video http://bit.ly/YywZO

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