WHAT: Near West Side Partners, local elected officials and key partners to cut ribbon at, officially open Concordia 27 – a comprehensive community center developed based on neighbors’ vision.
The event is open to the community, and will include tours of the newly-finished space, a program featuring remarks from Near West Side Partners Executive Director Lindsey St Arnold Bell, DOA Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and Marquette University Acting President Dr. Kimo Ah Yun. Alderman Bob Bauman will present an award during the program, before the group cuts a ribbon.
WHO: Program will feature remarks from:
- Near West Side Partners Executive Director Lindsey St Arnold Bell,
- Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld,
- Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and
- Marquette University Acting President Dr. Kimo Ah Yun
WHERE: Concordia 27
801 N. 27th Street, Milwaukee, WI
WHEN: Tuesday, June 25
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Open house, tours
3:45 p.m. Suggested media arrival time
4:00 – 4:30 p.m. Remarks, ribbon cutting
4:35 – 6:00 p.m. Celebration! Live music, refreshments, tours
About Concordia 27:
NWSP partnered with Wiegand Enterprises to develop Concordia 27 based on the community’s vision – as identified during the 2021 Harley-Davidson Foundation Appreciative Inquiry Summit – with a goal to catalyze health, social and economic improvements for the Near West Side, City of Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin residents. The space represents the culmination of nearly a decade of collaboration between neighbors, business owners and NWSP and is the embodiment of neighbors’ vision for their community.
Concordia 27 is part apartment building, part hub for resources and career development, and part gathering space. It includes a cafe, six retail spaces available for small business owners or local artisans, a community event and meeting space, and offices for NWSP, the Centers for Independence (CFI), Fruition MKE, and Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM). Onsite, neighbors can access health and wellness resources, engage with others in beautiful, creative spaces, and grow into new full-time job opportunities, and entrepreneurs and small businesses will be supported as they grow and generate additional jobs.
In addition to the community spaces and storefronts on Concordia 27’s ground level, the vision for the development includes 33 affordable housing units on levels two, three and four of the building. These one- and two-bedroom units, once complete, will be made available to individuals and families of those making about $15 per hour.
A true private-public partnership, Concordia 27 is supported with funding from the State of Wisconsin, Milwaukee County, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other generous partners.
About Near West Side Partners
Near West Side Partners (NWSP) is a non-profit organization that works to revitalize the Near West Side of Milwaukee in four key focus areas: safety, housing, attracting and retaining businesses, and promoting the well-being of our neighbors. NWSP was founded through the support of business and civic leaders, including the organization’s five anchor institutions – Aurora Health Care, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, Molson Coors and Potawatomi Ventures.
