NEIGHBORHOOD
LAND USE PLANNING GOALS
Residential
Today, the Washington Park Neighborhood continues to be dominated by single and two family homes. Autumn West, a transitional housing complex, the Glen View Apartments and the United Methodist Children’s Services, an affordable rental housing facility, are two of very few multi-family housing units within the community. The design integrity of most housing stock within the neighborhood remains; wood frame, two story, original ornamentation, gable roof, detached garage, back yard, front porch, shallow setback. Most of the housing stock is over 100 years old and has lacked consistent maintenance. A great deal of occupied homes are in severe disrepair and in need of rehabilitation.
According to the Milwaukee Comprehensive Plan for Washington Park, future land use planning for residential sites should “reinforce and build upon the historic development pattern and assets of Washington Park, while also improving the quality of the neighborhood’s housing stock. Provide a greater diversity of housing types to meet the current and future needs of residents. Promote construction of new housing on vacant lots and rehabilitation of existing structures” (City of Milwaukee, 2010).
Commercial | Civic
W Lisbon Avenue and W Vliet Street are the main commercial corridors intersecting the neighborhood. Many of the commercial properties along these corridors remain vacant. Traffic on W Lisbon Avenue and W Vliet Street has also affected economic growth and deters pedestrian travel. Currently, the commercial corridors house several store-front churches, liquor stores and small convenience stores.
However, more recently, both W Vliet Street and W Lisbon Avenue have exhibited productive small business growth. W Vliet Street is showing healthy development with the addition of commercial and residential construction, a small community grocery store, Eat Cake, the Hmong Friendship Gardens and the Hmong American Friendship Association. The Community Pie, Amaranth Bakery and Bus Stop Coffee Shop are some of the small business ventures on W Lisbon Avenue. Progressive Health Care Clinics, Family Dental Center, Our Next Generation, Express Yourself Milwaukee, the Washington Park Library and the United Methodist Children’s Services are significant community based organizations found on W Lisbon Avenue.
West Side Academy I, West Side Academy II and Bethune Academy are the three public school servicing the neighborhood.
According to the Milwaukee Comprehensive Plan for Washington Park, future land use planning for commercial sites should “concentrate commercial uses at corridors and nodes along Washington Park’s main arterial streets. Plan for a marketable amount of commercial land use as supported by neighborhood residents and those traveling along the main arterials from outside the area” (City of Milwaukee, 2010).
According to the Milwaukee Comprehensive Plan for Washington Park, future land use planning for civic sites should “maintain public facilities, including public schools and the Washington Park Library, as centers of community life and activity in Washington Park. Provide land for the provision of necessary City services, including fire and police facilities. Support institutional uses, including churches, private schools, health clinics, and social service providers” (City of Milwaukee, 2010).
Industrial
The Miller Brewing Company and Harley Davidson Motor Company are large manufacturing industries located south of the neighborhood.
According to the Milwaukee Comprehensive Plan for Washington Park, future land use planning for industrial sites should “consolidate industrial uses in the 30th Street corridor and along Vliet Street east of 30th Street. Encourage remediation of soil contamination and reuse of industrial lands” (City of Milwaukee, 2010).
Vacancies
There are numerous vacant lots and abandoned commercial and residential real-estate dispersed throughout the neighborhood. Many of the abandoned structures are hazardous or violating code and require demolition. However, several buildings are salvageable and good candidates for adaptive reuse projects. Many of the vacant lots remain dormant, but some have been reclaimed and maintained by the community to serve as urban gardens. Numerous commercial properties on W Lisbon Avenue and W Vliet Street as well as large industrial facilities and small mechanic/automotive shops along the Railroad Viaduct remain vacant as well. Large tracts of vacant land, although detrimental to the area, provide opportunities for large scale redevelopment projects.