The first of five Clarke Square gateway markers has been set on the 1300 block of S. Layton Blvd. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)

The first of five dark-brown, decorative gateway markers created to demonstrate pride in the neighborhood, has been set near the corner of the 1300 block of S. Layton Blvd. after permitting problems held up the installation for nearly a year.

The unfinished marker on South Layton Boulevard still needs to be fitted with a glass-like panel that will contain a logo and text about the history of the neighborhood.

The city of Milwaukee denied permits to the CSNI at three of the five original sites for the markers last year because the locations didn’t meet certain requirements set by the city, said Dawn Schmidt, civil engineer for the city, in an interview with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service last August.

Workers placed numerous neighborhood banners on lampposts throughout Clarke Square in early March.

It’s all part of an effort by the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative (CSNI) to “brand” the neighborhood to its residents.

“We want residents to know the neighborhood they live in so when we go door to door and talk about the steps the initiative is taking to improve quality of life here, they know the area we’re talking about,” said Paul Grippe, chairperson of CSNI.

The gateway markers, fabricated by Ascend Design and C R Industries Inc. of Cudahy, Wis., sat in storage at the company before the first one was set into the sidewalk of the busy street last month.

A date for the placement of the remaining markers has not yet been set, according to Manni Marquez, director of CSNI.

Banners identifying Clarke Square have been placed throughout the community. This one is on the 1000 block of S. 23rd Street. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)