Redeveloping and Diversifying Port Land in Milwaukee

The redevelopment of the Port of Milwaukee's North Harbor Tract was based on an enlightened, sustainable approach to revitalizing both the built and natural features of this important downtown Milwaukee urban lakefront property. While the project was planned to provide numerous environmental, economic and social benefits to the Greater Milwaukee community, this complex process was fraught with technical, political, and financial challenges. This paper analyzes how this Port land revitalization project led by the Port Authority of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Board of Harbor Commissioners fused best practices in planning and engineering with public facilitation and partnership building to create a vibrant and successful urban/community interface.