Milwaukee’s Design District (MKE Lifestyle)
Several aspects go into redesigning or creating an entirely new space — furniture, decor, paint and lighting, to name a few — and that’s just for the interior design features. And bouncing from shop to shop, city to city, to find every perfect touch can make for an incredibly long day.
So when the City of Milwaukee and Menomonee Valley Partners (a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing and sustaining the valley) were looking into the future development, one huge priority was fostering W. Saint Paul Avenue and creating a one-stop shopping area for design and decor businesses. And thus the St. Paul Avenue Design District was born. Read the rest of the story in MKE Lifestyle.
This former Menomonee Valley coffin factory is a few yards south of I-94. Its revamp is done, and features an events venue. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Milwaukee: A Hub For Art Storage? (WUWM 89.7)
Lake Effect Bonnie North speaks with John Shannon, founder of Milwaukee’s Guardian Fine Art Services.
While many of us will never own a Picasso or a Rembrandt, we probably have collections of artworks or objects that are valuable to us. Most of us also have family papers and photographs that have sentimental value — and we might even own a piece or two of antique furniture. How we handle and store these items can keep them safe for future generations or allow them to deteriorate and become trash.
John Shannon, founder of Milwaukee’s Guardian Fine Art Services, wants to make sure your valuables, whatever they are, survive and retain their value. The storage facility handles tangible items like art, antiques, arms, heirlooms and more. Items are stored at museum level standards.
Third Space Brewing growing again in 2020 as it eyes a future as production brewery (Milwaukee Business Journal)
When Third Space opened in 2016, they had a 2,400-barrel capacity. In 2020, they will have 12,000-barrel capacity. From taking a risk with a larger than usual craft system for a brewery to their intense focus on quality to their target of being a production brewery, Third Space has made tremendous strides in a little more than three years that they’ve been in business. The brewery currently employs 14 full-time and 14 part-time employees, and they are looking to add four full-time staff and at least three more part-time staff. Congrats to Third Space!
Businesses benefit from synergies as St. Paul Avenue Design District matures
Urban spelunking: Guardian Fine Art Services / The Warehouse
There are so many art- and design-focused businesses here now that the strip has been rebranded the West St. Paul Avenue Design District.
And one of the leading lights in the district is Guardian Fine Art Services, which – along with its own The Warehouse art museum, which shows pieces from the owners' own collection of around 5,000 works – occupies a nearly 100-year-old five-story building at 1635 W. St. Paul Ave.
Guardians of Milwaukee Art (Shepherd Express)
High-end Bachman Furniture's move to Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley adds to growing home decor district (Journal Sentinel)
Bachman Furniture reopens in new location (Milwaukee Business Journal)
BBC Lighting to expand showroom into Bachman Furniture’s new Menomonee Valley store (BizTimes)
The design showroom experience is expanding on W St. Paul Ave. Shoppers can now browse more than just chairs, couches and bed frames at Bachman Furniture‘s new store, which opened this week in the Menomonee River Valley. BBC Lighting is expanding their showroom into Bachman’s space. Just down the street, House of Stone is renovating their showroom and adding a Designer’s Locker Room.
Family-owned businesses partner to build St. Paul Avenue Design District
Bachman Furniture and BBC Lighting, neighbors and family-owned businesses in the Menomonee River Valley, are partnering to enhance the growing St. Paul Avenue Design District to create a one stop shop for furnishings and design.
Bachman Furniture closed its former location and has reopened a 60,000-square-foot showroom at 1741 W. St. Paul Avenue to be near complementary design showroom businesses. As Joe Bachman, owner of Bachman Furniture, and David Albert, co-owner of neighboring BBC Lighting, got to know each other during the renovation process, the idea hatched to work together. Bachman is dropping all previous lighting from his offerings and BBC Lighting is expanding their gallery and offerings into Bachman’s showroom.
“We’re looking forward to expanding our popular showroom into Bachman Furniture’s showroom where customers will be able to see the products in a real life setting alongside Bachman’s customizable furniture offerings,” said David Albert of BBC Lighting. “Our two longtime trusted companies can address customers’ needs together.”
“I wanted to work collaboratively with my neighbors, instead of in competition with them,” said Joe Bachman. “This only enhances the customer experience by giving them greater selection and ease of shopping. Seeing product in actual furniture displays helps take the guesswork out of design.”
Just a few doors down, House of Stone has been providing stone fabrication services, from kitchen countertops to custom pieces, for over 20 years. Embracing the design showroom vision for the street, House of Stone recently expanded their product line to include European cabinets and is currently undergoing a major showroom renovation expected to be complete by the end of the year. The new showroom will feature six full size kitchens with design ideas to inspire home or commercial renovations. The company is also investing in a Designer’s Locker Room, a dedicated conference room that designers can use free of charge to meet with their clients. Designers can reserve lockers to store their samples and materials.
“We’re excited about the momentum of the district and that our new cabinet line is part of its growth,” said Korkut Colakoglu, owner of House of Stone. “We’re also investing in the country’s first robotic arm for precision stone cutting. The proximity of our companies’ specialties and will provide a better offering for designers and homeowners.”
“We want the Design District to be the place people think of when redesigning a living space,” said Joe Bachman, president of Bachman Furniture. “The family-owned design businesses on the street are creatively working together to provide a comprehensive, one stop retail shopping experience, with a convenient location and free parking. As we continue to grow, we’d love to welcome another design showroom business into the space available between Bachman’s and House of Stone.”
In 2014, the City of Milwaukee and Menomonee Valley Partners, the organization leading the Valley’s redevelopment, engaged in an intensive planning process to shape a vision for the Valley’s future, Valley 2.0. One of the plan’s priorities was to foster the St Paul Ave Design/Décor Showroom District and build on the emerging cluster of design and décor businesses.
Other design and decor businesses on the street include Brass Light Gallery, Guardian Fine Art Services, ProStar Surfaces, and Riverview Antique Market. There are currently two historic buildings for sale on the street. Business owners welcome complementary businesses to be part of this growing community. Gaps in current offerings include kitchen and bath fixtures, tile, flooring, and appliances. More information on the St. Paul Avenue Design District can be found here.
How a Local Luminary Shops at BBC Lighting (Milwaukee Magazine)
A New Art Gallery Opens in the Valley
Owners of Guardian Fine Arts Services, Jan Serr and John Shannon, have opened a private museum to showcase their private selection in a unique space. The Warehouse is a 4,000 square foot gallery displaying curated exhibits of the thousands of artworks Shannon and his wife, Serr, have collected over the years.
“We see The Warehouse as a new arts hub for Milwaukee and Wisconsin,” Shannon said. “We look forward to hosting shows from our collection and of works of significant artists, as well as hold events that will benefit the arts community and arts lovers.”
The Warehouse is free to view and open by appointment. The inaugural exihibit, “Concentrations,” features 70 artworks ranging from monotypes to photographs to contemporary craft from 53 artists, including Jim Dine, Mary Frank, David Hockney, Alex Katz, Tsukioka Kogyo, Henri Matisse, Keith Haring, Sally Mann, and Robert Henri. The exhibit runs through Feb. 8, 2019.
More coverage at:
New art gallery opens in Menomonee Valley design district (BizTimes Milwaukee), 2.04.19
New Warehouse art museum names curator (OnMilwaukee), 2.04.19
3,600 artworks. No more room in the house. What to do? Create a private museum in Milwaukee (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), 1.19.19
Fine furniture showroom moving to St. Paul Ave
Bachman Furniture to open in the W. St. Paul Avenue Design and Décor Showroom District
Bachman Furniture Gallery, a 98 year old, third-generation, family-owned furniture and design showroom, will showcase their unique, European designs in a 100-year-old beautifully restored historic building at 1741 West St. Paul Avenue. Bachman’s purchased the 60,000 square foot building from LCM Funds Real Estate, which plans to recruit a complementary business in the adjacent building.
“Our business is design. I have never really felt like we are a big box type of furniture store,” said Joe Bachman, president and owner of Bachman Furniture. Bachman sees his furniture store as a place for "different and unique furniture you just can't get anywhere else." The move to a showroom in the new St. Paul Avenue Design District better reflects Bachman's vision for the business.
The new location will still contain the bold European designs customers are looking for, but in a more convenient location along I-94. Bachman's new location has easy freeway access and a convenient free parking lot, and is only 10 minutes away from their current location. Bachman states this new location will allow them to more conveniently serve their ever-increasing customer base, with a much larger complimentary custom design center and expanded shop-at-home services.
Bachman Furniture joins BBC Lighting, Brass Light Gallery, Guardian Fine Art Services, House of Stone, ProStar Surfaces, and Riverview Antiques, all established design and décor destinations on St. Paul Avenue. Bachman’s building is one of 22 buildings part of the St. Paul Avenue Industrial Historic District, listed on both the State and National Register of Historic Places.
“Bachman’s move to St. Paul Avenue firmly establishes the district as a design destination in our region for lighting, countertops, flooring, antiques, and now fine furniture,” said Corey Zetts, Executive Director of Menomonee Valley Partners.
Bachman’s expects renovations to be completed by late 2018.
Articles on Bachman Furniture:
Bachman Furniture relocating to 100-year-old Menomonee Valley building (OnMilwaukee)
Menomonee Valley's growing home decor district adding Bachman Furniture Gallery (Journal Sentinel)
Bachman Furniture to relocate to St. Paul Avenue in Menomonee Valley (Milwaukee Business Journal)
Bachman Furniture to open store in historic building in Menomonee Valley (BizTimes)
Bachman Furniture's new location in Menomonee Valley to boost thriving urban district (Milwaukee Independent)
Articles and information on W St. Paul Ave:
Vision unveiled for 40 acres of land in the Menomonee Valley
Design charette concepts revealed for six key sites
Menomonee Valley Partners, the City of Milwaukee, and UWM’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning’s Community Design Solutions revealed a vision to transform more than 40 acres of land remaining in the heart of the Menomonee Valley during an event today at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. Design concepts are the culmination of the Menomonee Valley Design Charette and lay out a vision for sustainable development on five vacant or underutilized riverfront sites as well as streetscaping for the St. Paul Avenue corridor. Concepts highlight potential for the next phase of Menomonee Valley revitalization, including new businesses, an extension of the RiverWalk along the Menomonee River, and physical connections to adjacent neighborhoods.
“The two most important factors in the transformation of the Menomonee Valley have been vision and collaboration. That is why I have been enthusiastic about the forward-looking design work that so many stakeholders have contributed to,” said Mayor Barrett.
The Menomonee Valley Design Charette, held January 31, 2018, was a full day public planning session with six local architecture firms matched to each of the sites. Using the Valley 2.0 Plan, extensive research, and focus group discussions, the firms created innovative design concepts for high-quality, sustainable, job creating development.
“These designs show the next generation of development in the Menomonee Valley, development that will bring jobs, activate the Menomonee River, and restore the environment,” said Rocky Marcoux, Commissioner of the Milwaukee Department of City Development. “What the Menomonee Valley has become, given its history, is nothing short of extraordinary. However, these design concepts suggest that the best days of the Valley are still ahead of it.”
“With the Menomonee Valley Industrial Center as our precedent, we believe the development of these sites could generate up to 800 jobs as well as transform the Menomonee River into a new front door to the Valley,” said Corey Zetts, Executive Director of Menomonee Valley Partners. “The firms who worked on the charette succeeded in demonstrating the potential of strong design to connect people to jobs, to nature, and to each other.”
St. Paul Ave listed on National Register of Historic Places
The West St. Paul Avenue Industrial Historic District, in Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley, is now listed on both the State Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. This district consists of 22 industrial buildings along 10 blocks between 11th and 21st streets. Each of the contributing properties is now eligible for historic tax credits for up to 40% of the building's renovation costs (20% at the state level and 20% at the federal level), which help offset costs associated with restoring historic buildings.
The West St. Paul Avenue Industrial Historic District represents a period of industrial growth and prominence of the Menomonee Valley from the 1880s to the 1950s. The district was built by booming manufacturing businesses that produced a wide range of products, including tin ware, wood products, heating supplies, and electronic controls. Some well-known manufacturers who built their legacy on the street include Cutler-Hammer, National Enamel and Stamping Company (NESCO), and Geuder, Paeschke & Frey. The district will now be recommended for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, which is expected by the end of January.
Menomonee Valley Partners, a nonprofit organization working to revitalize the Menomonee Valley, coordinated the district’s nomination to encourage investment along the street. The West St. Paul Avenue corridor was highlighted for its catalytic potential in the Valley 2.0 Plan, a strategic plan for the continued revitalization of the Valley, adopted by the City of Milwaukee in 2015.
“The historic district listing is an exciting part of building St. Paul Avenue’s identity and positioning the corridor for further redevelopment,” said Corey Zetts, Executive Director of Menomonee Valley Partners. In the last 15 months, four new businesses have moved to the street’s historic industrial buildings and three buildings are currently being restored, soon to become home to three additional businesses.
Read more on the St. Paul Ave Design Showroom District and see which properties are available.
St. Paul Ave is in the news at:
St. Paul Avenue declared historic district, more development on the way (Milwaukee Business Journal), 12.13.17
West St. Paul Avenue added to state register of historic places (BizTimes), 12.14.17
West St. Paul Avenue Listed on State Register of Historic Places (UrbanMilwaukee), 12.13.17
West St. Paul Avenue listed on State Register of Historic Places (OnMilwaukee), 12.13.17
Menomonee Valley district added to State Register of Historic Places (WTMJ4), 12.14.17
