Bear with us while explain the concept for this series of articles: we take two seemingly unrelated Milwaukee icons, then pit them against each other in 10 categories. In each category, we assign them points, one through 10, then add them up and name the winner.

No, it's not scientific, but yes, it's fun. How does our hub of highways, the Marquette Interchange, stack up against the newly renovated Bayshore? Read on to find out ...

Affordability:

Marquette Interchange, 3
The original interchange cost a mere $33 million when it was completed in 1968. The redesign, however, is slated to cost $810 million. It's vitally important, but also immensely expensive. On the other hand, it's free to use, unlike toll highways to our south.

Bayshore Town Center, 6
The $300 million renovation came from a combination of a Glendale TIF and private funds. So for Glendale residents, some of the project came from tax funds that will be paid back. For Milwaukee residents, it didn't cost us a dime. In terms of shopping, the mall certainly sports higher-end, more expensive stores than it did before. But it also has your typical, cheap mall fare, from Sears to Kohl's to Rocky Rococco, and is on average, only a little less affordable than your run-of-the-mill mall.

Value to city:

Marquette Interchange, 9
For commerce, you can't really overstate the important of a freeway design like the Marquette Interchange. It connects Milwaukee from points south, north and west. The only thing keeping it from scoring a perfect 10 is that doesn't incorporate mass transit, and like all highways, it forces drives to skip over neighborhoods en route to a destination.

Bayshore Town Center, 1
Bayshore isn't at all valuable to Milwaukee -- except as a shopping destination -- as it's located in Glendale. Instead, it's punch to the gut for anyone who wanted to see Pabst City come to fruition. It actually draws business into the suburbs. For Glendale, it would score a 10, but this series of articles is called the "Milwaukee Face Off."

Popularity:

Marquette Interchange, 10
By the early 2000s, the interchange carried 300,000 vehicles per day. It provided access to 37 percent of the state's jobs. It carried 7 million visitors annually to Downtown destinations. That's pretty popular.

Bayshore Town Center, 7
Bayshore has done a brisk business, with new shops that are one-of-a-kind in the area. Still, it's largely outside design has made winter weather shopping a little challenging.

National name recognition:

Marquette Interchange, 1
Engineers aside, most Americans have no idea what the Marquette Interchange is, and why should they?

Bayshore Town Center, 1
See above, but replace "engineers" with "retailers."

Design:

Marquette Interchange, 10
The interchange would be an engineering masterpiece if it had been built from scratch this time around. But considering that it stayed open (despite pesky detours) throughout the entire construction phase, and it's on time and on budget, the project is even more impressive.

Bayshore Town Center, 6
Bayshore looks great in the summer. Unlike any other mall in metro Milwaukee, it sports a convincing "village" feel, and busts out of the mold of Mayfair, Southridge, Brookfield Square and Grand Avenue. But Milwaukee is cold for at least half of the year. In the middle of January, walking outside from store to store is sheer lunacy.

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3 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by curlyboy1978 on March 19, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. (report)

And the point of this article is? Why bother mentioning that Bayshore is not in Milwaukee and it is hurting the city, yet it's in an article called "Milwaukee Face Off"? Confused.

Posted by littlelamb on March 18, 2008 at 10:57 p.m. (report)

Bayshore does have a free concert series in the summer... Last summer it was Robin Pleur, 5-Card Studs, Milwaukee Youth Symphony among others. Friday and Saturday the stores are open 'til ten. It's fun to go out to dinner or a movie, have a drink and walk around outside and shop. However there is no mall manager and the mall doesn't seem interested in going anywhere further. Rents are very expensive and some of the long-time tenants have been priced out (Hallmark, for one). Full disclosure: I work in a store at Bayshore. I have seen theft increase exponentially with the outdoor concept and mall security made up of Barney Fifes. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Posted by KIDJRVILLA on March 18, 2008 at 12:58 p.m. (report)

I really dont like the bayshore project, it feel like a tons of building cramped in one spot. The outer area looks like warehouse buildings - Not appealing for the hwy...In which millions of cars pass by. The little plaza is nice but not a big deal. Comparing it to Schaumburg. The Woodfield Mall is very very nice from the interior and the area has plenty of space to expand or add more retail stores. Bayshore doesnt!