Although it received preliminary design approval from the Third Ward’s Architectural Review Board last summer, the Foxtown Landing plan for a brewery taproom and restaurant Downtown along the Milwaukee River returned Wednesday afternoon was back seeking approval for changes made to the plan.
The changes to the plan – which was first announced by the Mequon-based brewery in November 2022 – were outlined in a letter to the Historic Third Ward Association dated Feb. 2.
According to Historic Third Ward Association Executive Director Jim Plaisted, the changes were, "approved conditionally on a few key items, but well-received."
Included in the letter, signed by architect Stephen P. Smith of project architects Stephen Perry Smith Architects, were these updates:
Exterior site design
The riverfront terrace, which had initially been designed with two smaller terraces, has been changed into a single larger terrace and the number of firepits reduced to two, with the option to add more as necessary later.
“This main terrace functions better operationally to give the necessary flexibility for programming various seating scenarios and keeps people together in a larger more comfortable setting,” the letter noted.
ADA access to the terrace has been shifted to the north side of the site and stepped seating along the riverwalk was altered due to the change.
A circular area that juts out into the river has been added at the east end of the alley that will separate Foxtown Landing from the adjacent Downtown Dog Park.
It will, the architect says, be, “a focal point and overlook, that also serves as the landing for the gangway ramp following the ADA compliant ‘Recreational Boating Facilities’ Guidelines to access the new proposed boat docks.”
A covered bandshell with a copper roof has been added to the northeast corner of the site for live music and other programming.
A loading dock in the northeast corner has been removed from the plan and replaced with recessed loading area in the northwest corner.
Building changes
“The programming and design of the building and the operational issues of running several floors have necessitated several building design modifications,” the letter noted.
Among those are the move of the back of house kitchen spaces on each floor to the west side of the building, “to maximize the glazing of public areas overlooking the more pedestrian active areas of the corner of N. Plankinton and W. St. Paul Avenue(s), the river terrace and the Milwaukee River.
“It should be noted that the use of glass in kitchens is considered a health issue for the City of Milwaukee Health Department. As such, for purposes of maintaining the original glazing shown on the west façade, we are proposing the use of an internally lit ‘shadow box’ condition behind these kitchen windows that displays digital art on both the ground and second floor, in addition to identifying upcoming events. The digital display of tasteful art we feel is in keeping with the artistic spirit of the Historic Third Ward and allows for this area to be activated and be readily changed, so it is not a static element.”
Screening of mechanicals on the building’s west facade and on the roof has been changed, and glazing on the north atrium of the third floor will be replaced with copper roofing to maximize occupant comfort, maintenance and operating costs.
The use of multiplace garage doors to connect the interior and exterior spaces is being reduced, due to “programming and operational requirements.
“The ground floor will have controlled access to the terrace but will feature a ‘corner bar’ that is located at the inside corner overlooking the terrace as the building steps back, which will have a folding glass partition above the bar and will be entirely open to the porch and terrace areas. This bar will be back-to-back with a central interior bar and will serve as the social “hub” of the ground floor. The second floor will retain multiple large folding doors to open to the balcony areas as well as the south end of the third floor to access the south balcony.”
A deck on the north side of the building has been expanded and will now run the entire length of the building overlooking the dog park, and a fully enclosed trash area has been added.
Intriguingly, a reduced basement footprint will include space for, “a classroom distillery.”
The building will also get LED wall sconces at each column to create an effect similar to the lighting across the street at The Pritzlaff Building.
Proposed signage includes a sign similar to the one at the Milwaukee Public Market across the river: red metal letters illuminated by white LEDs. A vertical marquee sign is planned for the Plankinton Avenue side of the building.
The developer of the project – Tom Nieman, owner of Fromm Family Foods and Foxtown MKE, LLC – was represented at Wednesday’s meeting by Smith, fellow architect Eric Nesseth – also of Stephen Perry Smith Architects – and Downtown BID #21 Economic Development Director Matt Dorner.
They also shared new renderings of the project, showing the changes outlined in the letter. These follow updated renderings that were released just before last year’s ARB meeting.
According to Plaisted, the ARB still expects to review the materials and signage, as well as the shadow box windows facing Plankinton Avenue, but gave, "approval with conditions on the display windows on Plankinton that are masking back of the house operations.
"It’s a 360-degree building so it’s got to go somewhere. But since that’s against our storefront guidelines we had to make a case for it."
Nesseth said that Foxtown plans to begin footings and foundation work by summer.
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.
