New MKE Fashion District banners are now up along Water Street between Clybourn and Michigan Streets. 

Milwaukee’s Third Ward has become the clear fashion and arts leader in the past 8-10 years.  As early as 2005, one of the leading fashion publications, WWD, highlighted it.

The New York Times and others also have mentioned the neighborhood’s growing fashion activity.  

So, it’s good to see that a rise in tides lifts all fashion boats as the stores along Water Street just outside the Third Ward are branding themselves around fashion too.

Seven years ago Clai Green of Luci Boutique and Ronald Krinn, owner of Fred Boutique, opened their stores on Water Street and recently Milwaukeean Patrice Procopio was inspired to create signage around MKE fashion.  Procopio also is opening a new boutique on Water Street called Third Coast Style.

"In addition, I will have a gallery space, and a single chair salon for cutting and styling. My store will be called Third Coast Style.  This style is not imposed upon us by designers from the East Coast nor is it the weekly fads of the West Coast. This style is a collective reflection of the Milwaukee community living on the Third Coast," said Procopio in a news release.  

New banners promoting the MKE Fashion District are flying in front of the stores and boutiques on Water Street. They look good while helping to create a connection to the Third Ward.   Eventually, the banners also will fly on  portions of Milwaukee Street and Wisconsin Avenue.  

Boutiques can purchase the MKE Fashion District banners for $150. The new MKE Fashion Association is paying for the banners.  The City granted permission to hang the banners.  

Creating recognizable areas and neighborhoods works and even though one street does not a make a district it does enhance greater Downtown's appeal and the entrance to the fashion that continues in the Historic Third Ward.

WSJ.com joins the Milwaukee residency requirement debate by talking to Fire Captain Rich Matiszik who says he can't leave the city and move to the suburbs without quitting his job.

The article, "Get me out of Milwaukee," ran this past weekend and is written by Joe Barrett (no relation to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett).  

What are your thoughts on requiring City employees to live within Milwaukee's borders?  

Weigh in via Facebook and the talkbacks.  

And, as you're probably not accessing WSJ.com via google you may not be able to see the full article.  It's copied here:

MILWAUKEE—Rich Matiszik loves this city, with its lively festivals, soaring ballpark and miles of lakefront. But the struggling schools have him weighing a move to avoid private high-school tuition for his two kids.

"That's $100,000 I don't have for retirement," said the 48-year-old fire-department captain.

But Mr. Matiszik can't leave Wisconsin's largest city without quitting his job under a local law in effect here since 1938. A proposal by Gov. Scott Walker to end such restrictions on municipal workers statewide is the latest battle in the Republican leader's drive to overhaul the relationship between government and its employees.

 

Joe Barrett/The Wall Street Journal

A long-standing local law prohibits Milwaukee Fire Captain Rich Matiszik from leaving the city and moving to the suburbs without quitting his job.

Battles over residency rules have popped up around the country for years, with police and firefighters often leading the charge to drop the rules and city leaders arguing that keeping the workers in the city helps the tax base and holds together neighborhoods.

But the fight playing out here in budget talks this month is particularly bitter, coming in the wake of Mr. Walker's other hard-fought proposals. Two years ago, he pushed through legislation that stripped public workers, except emergency personnel, of most collective bargaining r…

The sidewalk areas passing under I-794 between the Historic Third Ward and Downtown are dark, gloomy and uninspiring.  

Some may say that’s what freeways and sidewalks are.  They are, if you will, what they are.  Yet this passage way serves as the main gateway between Downtown proper and the Third Ward.  It’s used daily by residents, workers and visitors.  

Even on the brightest and most beautiful day, it’s gloomy.  At night, it’s (of course) even darker and intimidating for many.

Design matters.  Always.  And while there’s been some thought and idea making around how to improve this eyesore there’s been no movement.  Things happen as they should, I know, but it’s time to do something to better activate this dank space.  

Greg Patin from the City of Milwaukee tells me that a recent design contest to "brighten the passage," has momentum and that the City has been "working with WISDOT at regular meeting trying to get the concepts incorporated into the design of the new replacement freeway."  Patin added that he’s "hoping (for) significant impact.  This is good news. 

My thoughts?  Add lighting, a public park, swings (like here), painting, public art, mini soccer fields. dodge ball fields, creative outdoor patios.  Anything, really, would make this area more attractive.

I love Downtown and the Third Ward.  Yet, better connections will help both continue to grow.

Kanye West continued his creative kick Friday night in Downtown Milwaukee and 21 other North American cities by projecting images of himself singing his latest single "New Slaves" on a building near Catalano Square in the Third Ward.   

The artist showcased projections from his latest release "Yezzus"  in 22 different locations across North America, including Oakland, Brooklyn, Chicago and Montreal, as well as a number of places across Europe; including Dublin, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Brussels and Paris. 

It was a cool way to promote his new release and generate buzz.  

Video projections also were slated for other Downtown Milwaukee locations but several people reported that they didn’t happen as the Milwaukee Police Department shut them down.  Similar shut downs happened in other cities too.

I reached out to the MPD via Twitter for comment, but haven’t heard back.  

Several people reported that the projection in the Third Ward was aired to a receptive, "chill" and well behaved crowd.  

If you saw the Kayne projections, use the talkbacks to tell us about it.