Revamped neighborhood taverns, downtown high-rises among winners of 2025 Mayor's Design Awards
Tom Daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
5 min read
Milwaukee projects ranging from revamped neighborhood taverns to downtown high-rises are among the winners of the 2025 Mayor's Design Awards.
The 28th annual awards were presented on May 16. They fall into four categories:
The annual awards honor Milwaukee sites which add value to their neighborhoods by restoring, constructing, or enhancing their properties in a way that respects the urban fabric, and contributes to the character of their surroundings.
The Couture apartment high-rise is among the winners of the 2025 Mayor's Design Awards.
Places & Spaces
Milwaukee Recreation’s Carmen & Stark Playfields. They were "reimagined into inclusive, community-driven spaces, offering features like splash pads, basketball courts and accessible walking paths," said a Department of City Development statement. Quorum Architects, Site Design Group and Poblocki Paving.
Milwaukee Public Schools Green & Healthy Schools – Cohort 6. School yards at Forest Home School, Greenfield Bilingual School, Lincoln Avenue School, Story Elementary School, and Milwaukee Sign Language & Morse Middle School were transformed from asphalt "into vibrant, accessible green spaces." Milwaukee Public Schools, Reflo, SmithGroup and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning.
Right-Turn Slip Lane Mural Project. Two right-turn slip lanes, at North 27th Street and West Highland Avenue and South 16th Street and West Lapham Boulevard, were beautified and made safer for pedestrians and cyclists. LUNA LLC, Near West Side Partners Inc., Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Kozi Youth, UMOS Raices and City of Milwaukee.
National DIY Skatepark. A Walker's Point parking lot was converted into a community skatepark through a grassroots effort, and includes safe, well-lit amenities. National DIY Skatepark Inc. and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Beerline Plaza. An abandoned rail line now has a community space featuring murals, sculptures and repurposed shipping containers linking the Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods. Riverworks Development Corp., House of RAD, Community Design Solutions, MPS and UWM Construction Camp.
Vel R. Phillips Plaza. It blends transit access with public art, green infrastructure and community gathering areas, creating a downtown landmark. HNTB, TKWA, Saiki Design, American Design Inc., HDR Inc., Thunderbird Engineering and Spire Engineering.
Davidson Park. The near west side park features green lawns, a garden and an amphitheater at “The Hub.” Harley-Davidson Foundation, HGA Architects, Greenfire and Heatherwick Studio.
Vibrant Corridors
Havenwoods Taproom and Beer Garden. A former industrial site is now a neighborhood destination and social hub next to Havenwoods State Forest. Choice Neighborhood Initiative.
Biersal Tavern. The renovation honored the Washigton Heights building's historic legacy while introducing modern design elements. Eric Gutbrod, Randy Gutbrod, Andy Guidinger, Biersal Tavern Staff, Bulldog Builders and PURE Architecture Studio LLC.
Akara Arts. This south side tattoo studio "has become a cozy and welcoming part of the neighborhood." Scott LaShay and Daniel and Stacy Dahl.
At Random. The renovated Bay View lounge "blends historic charm with modern design, creating a lively destination for both neighbors and newcomers." John Dye.
Station 1846 converted a Walker's Point into a co-working space, coffee shop, bar and event venue. MKE City Tours, Galbraith Carnahan Architects, Design Theory 19 and Midwest Construction Group.
Gallery 507. This space "celebrates local artists and serves as a cultural hub for the Bronzevillecommunity." Bronzeville Center for the Arts, Quorum Architects Inc., Jordan Construction Services, DSK LLC and Emem Group LLC.
Neighborhood Renaissance
CDA Model Homes. Community Development Alliance led the development of three model central city homes − part of a larger plan to build 150 homes to help close the racial home ownership gap. Lange Bros. Woodwork Co., Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity and VIA CDC.
Eighteen87 on Water. The 79-unit apartment building includes 60 affordable units on a former industrial site along the Milwaukee River north of downtown. Rule Enterprises, Principal Continuum and LEED AP.
Riverwest Apartments & Food Accelerator. This 91-unit affordable apartments development includes space for food education programming through a partnership with FoodRight Inc. and honors the legacy of the late Alderman Jonathan Brostoff. General Capital Group, KG Development Group, The Sigma Group and Catalyst Construction.
The Fitz Apartments. This east side apartment building combines contemporary design with a strong respect for the neighborhood’s historic character. DeMichele Co., HGA, JLA, Groth Design Group,Trio Engineers and Catalyst Construction.
333 Water. The 31-story tower in the Historic Third features 333 apartments and 22,700 square feet of amenity space. Hines, S&H Systems, SCB and W.E. O'Neil Construction Co.
The Couture. The 44-story tower on downtown's lakefront features 322 apartments, more than 45,000 square feet of retail space and a transit hub. Rick Barrett, Findorff, RINKA, Thornton Tomasetti, GRAEF, Giles Engineering Associates Inc., AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County.
Urbanism Redefined
UWM Chemistry Building. The 163,400-square-foot facility strengthens UWM’s role in scientific research and education. UWM, CannonDesign, VJS Construction Services Inc. and the State of Wisconsin Division of Facilities Development.
Marquette University College of Nursing. This 103,000-square-foot adaptive reuse project, known as David A. Straz Jr. Hall, blends 1950s and 1980s architectural elements with labs, classrooms and collaborative space. Marquette University, J.H. Findorff & Son Inc., Ring & DuChateau, OTIE & Staff Electric, J.M. Brennan and HGA.
Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy. This $31 million project, located near the Bronzeville area, merges a former campus with a new high school facility. Rodney Lynk, Engberg Anderson, Royal Capital, and CG Schmidt.
ThriveOn King. The former Schuster’s/Gimbel’s department store was redeveloped into a 350,000-square-foot hub for health, education, housing and community services in the Bronzeville area. Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Engberg Anderson Architects, Royal Capital and CG Schmidt Construction.
Concordia 27. Created within a long-vacant building, the near west side center has nonprofit offices, retail spaces, affordable housing, and essential services focused on housing stability, nutrition, and wellness. Wiegand Enterprises LLC, Quorum Architects, Greenfire Management Services, Pierce Engineers Inc., Preserve Design Studio LLC, Near West Side Partners, Zoe Engineering LLC and Payne+Dolan.
Baird Center expansion. The $456 million expansion doubled the downtown convention center’s size to 1.3 million square feet. Wisconsin Center District, EUA, Gilbane Building Co., C.D. Smith Construction, CAA ICON, TVS Architecture and Interior Design, Graef, and Kapur & Associates.
