A Look Into The Future of The Near West Side

The Near West Side Partners CNI Planning Team is excited to announce our partnership with Torti Gallas + Partners, who will assist with the Housing portion of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Transformation Plan. Perhaps most known in the City of Milwaukee for their work at Westlawn Gardens, Torti Gallas + Partners, TG+P, is one of the largest planning and architectural firms in the United States dedicated to promoting a better sense of community through walkable community spaces surrounded by housing and amenities.

Pictured above: Images of the Westlawn Gardens on Milwaukee’s North West side which feature community spaces as well as urban architecture.

Founded in 1953 by Jack C. Cohen and initially named Cohen Haft & Associates, TG+P started with the designing of Washington, DC suburbs with projects such as the Townsend Center Apartments highlighting their portfolio. Since its founding, TG+P has been responsible for the planning and design of $78 billion worth of construction, including 485,000 housing units in 1,900 urban and suburban neighborhoods and communities.

Since the inception of the HOPE VI Program, a HUD program that looks to revitalize lower income housing projects into mixed-income developments, TG+P have planned and designed 23 successful HOPE VI grant applications and as been involved in 11 additional neighborhoods that were funded under HOPE VI before TG+P’s involvement. Today 28 of the 34 neighborhoods are fully occupied, and TG+P’s involvement in HOPE VI has resulted in the design of over 15,000 mixed-income rental and for sale homes, accounting for over 13% of the entire HOPE VI Program.

An example of their work with lower income housing is right here in Milwaukee on the 6800 block of Silver Spring Drive on the north side. Originally containing more than 700 public housing units across a 74-acre site, Westlawn Gardens had reached dire conditions in the early 2000s causing the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee to make the decision to update the deteriorating site in its entirety. Turning to TG+P and their consultant team, Westlawn Gardens is currently being revitalized into a vibrant new neighborhood. With Phase I now complete after the construction of 1,000 new apartments, townhouses, and flex units, TG+P is shifting over to Phase II of the plan which will focus on creating a sense of community for the residents.

TG+P, the Housing Authority of City of Milwaukee (HACM) and NWSP will be working with local and national partners in the planning process including residents, Quorum Architects, EUA, TCG Development, McEnroe Consulting Engineers, and Dynamic Consulting Engineers. Once funds for implementation are assured, TGP, HACM and NWSP will work with Brinshore, Gorman & Company, Maures Development Group, and One5Olive on implementation of the housing plan.