Post from Community: Local artist brings the community into an industrial corridor | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Riverworks Development Corporation
September 30, 2021
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Riverworks, in collaboration with local artist Vedale Hill and Hood Design Studios of Oakland, CA, kicks off the development of the Vienna accessway with the juxtaposition of residential life and industry in two new murals on the Beerline Trail. By transposing 1st street homes in the Harambee neighborhood onto the largest industrial building along the soon to be linear park, Vedale was able to not only bring residential life to a space flanked by industry but also pay homage to the work-life culture that existed when these buildings operated at full capacity and the people who lived in these homes worked at the nearby factories. The second mural boldly identifies the Beerline Trail and the work that’s still going on today.
Implementation of the murals along this stretch of trail is an early action item in the Lifeways Plan linear park design by Walter Hood of Hood Design Studios in collaboration with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders from the Harambee and Riverwest communities. The murals will become the backdrop for a $1.2 million development along the Vienna access way that includes opening up a pathway on both the east and west side of Vienna into the neighborhood from the trail, a 7,000 square foot state of the art performance stage, autonomous boxes that can be used as sitting areas, barbecue areas, a tree canopy, open activity areas and oversized gateways that welcome all to this destination place. Murals sponsors include the Knight Foundation, Department of City Development Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC), the Milwaukee Arts Board, and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
We encourage all to stop by, take a seat, take a selfie and enjoy the beauty of seeing the neighborhood on the trail.
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