If you've been in Westown recently, you'll likely have noticed that even in these economic times, the Aloft Hotel at 1230 N. Old World 3rd St., at Juneau Avenue, is making progress toward its planned December opening.
Other projects, like the Park Lafayette condo construction on the East Side, for example, are also moving ahead.
According to Aloft General Manager Lisa Aldrich, the work is on schedule.
"The building has all five floors up and is topped off. The brick work is being completed on the outside at this time along with pouring the cement base floor inside. They are also in final stages of running all the wires, duct work, etc. We are on pace to have the hotel open the beginning of December," Aldrich told me today.
The 160 rooms in the hotel -- which is a member of W Hotels -- are described as loft-like (hence the name). They boast nine-foot ceilings and large windows to create an open, spacious feel.
There is also an indoor pool, the W xyz bar and a riverwalk with boat slips, among other amenities.
It's great to see progress on these kinds of projects. Maybe they're a sign that we back on the upswing. Not a minute too soon, either.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
