From Drag Racing to Design District

1101 West Saint Paul Avenue,Milwaukee WI 53233

05 June, 2021

Description

St. Paul Avenue has changed over the years from bustling manufacturing corridor to mostly vacant to MKE's growing design district. When Milwaukee was the Machine Shop of the World, the Menomonee River Valley was its engine. The Valley was a prime location for industry because of its easy access to the railway and canal network. With more than 20 historic industrial buildings on the street, W St. Paul Ave has a rich collection of historic industrial buildings that haven't changed much over time, but their uses have. When Sobelman’s Pub & Grill opened in 2000, there wasn’t a lot of action on the street apart from the drag racing. Today there are a dozen locally-owned businesses that are part of the growing St. Paul Avenue Design District. Businesses are renovating historic buildings and repurposing them to showcase furniture, lighting, decorative stone, antiques, and more. This didn’t happen overnight and was made possible by people coming together. Join us on a stroll through the street’s history, visit a couple of the businesses, and hear how this street transformed from drag racing to design district. This is a one-way walk. We’ll begin at Brass Light Gallery (1101 W St. Paul Ave) and walk seven blocks west to Riverview Antique Market. You can stop by some of the shops on your way back to Brass Light Gallery at the end of the walk. Grab lunch at Sobelman’s and then a beer at Third Space Brewing to add some local flavor to your walk! This 7-block walk is accessible for all, using city streets. The walk will occur rain or shine. Buses 12, 14, 30, 31, 57, 81, and BLU have stops near Brass Light Gallery. Or you can take The Hop to the Amtrak Intermodal Station. Street parking is available. Learn more about the St. Paul Avenue Design District at: https://www.thevalleymke.org/st-paul-avenue-design-district Jane's Walk MKE COVID-19 Policy Pre-registration is required for all participants. All participants must wear a mask. Based on the leader's discretion in where your walk will take place, leaders have limited attendee numbers to ensure those from different households can socially distance. For tours between 10-25 attendees, the leader will either use an audio system or conference call so participants can socially distance at the recommended minimum 6 ft but still hear. If you feel ill or suspect you may be experiencing symptoms of a COVID-19 infection, please do not enter attend any walks. ___________________________________________ Find more walks, bikes, paddles, and rolls at janeswalkmke.org/calendar or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pg/janeswalkmke/events/ Find out how to lead your OWN at janeswalkmke.org Sign up to receive Jane’s Walk MKE newsletters at http://eepurl.com/giPDKL ___________________________________________ As a program of Milwaukee Turners at Turner Hall, Jane’s Walk MKE is part of a worldwide movement of over 200 cities hosting free, resident-led walking tours inspired by urbanist and writer Jane Jacobs. Milwaukee is unique by expanding Jane’s Walk from one weekend to the whole month. Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) was a writer, urbanist and activist who championed the voices of everyday people in neighborhood planning and city-building.