All In...

I think the fact that the Historic Third Ward is a National Historic District is wonderful. The original purposes of the usage of the Third Ward speaks of the history of the district, and the history, fabric, evolution, personality, and character of our city. My personal hope is that more districts similarly would be preserved in Milwaukee. This is one of the most historically segregated cities in the United States of America; while this is not a positive trait in our history in some respects, speaking from a standpoint of diversity in a city or county, it is a very interesting fact. I believe that this should be exploited in the preservation of architecture in the old ethnic areas of Milwaukee. How many architects would be lucky enough to live in a city, or design for a city, where the ethnicity and history of a neighborhood is as plainly seen as it is here? I never was raised to think of myself as different than anyone else; in fact, I grew up in a neighborhood where I was the minority. That being said, I remember driving around the city as a child and instinctively knowing where one neighborhood or district started and another began. It was never about the people, it was always about respecting the spirit and architecture of place. Aesthetically and historically, I believe this should absolutely be maintained.

The design guidelines for the Third Ward, while seeming immense at first glance, offer much creativity and ingenuity on the parts of designers, architects, and business owners. There are many opportunities for businesses to thrive in the area, as the property value, street traffic, and mean income of residents continue to rise. The opportunity provided by the design guidelines of the district offer not only these mentioned above, but also a chance, a challenge, to exist creatively, uniquely, and individually within a design community. Compared to other historic districts, the Third Ward guidelines can offer so much freedom for developers and business owners because the district already held so many design aesthetics, so many design styles form different periods. One of my favorite guidelines when reading was that ghost signs need to be maintained. I think that is wonderful way to preserve the history of the design of the area. Those ghost signs are landmarks to residents.

The only weakness that I noted in researching the guidelines was that the district lacks a certain homogeneity that some might expect or desire; it also seems that the district's buildings lack much preservation, and instead seem to be more renovated shadows of the past. However, I think this is a benefit to the area. History is being celebrated, shared, built upon, adding to the area's history, and making it a living and breathing entity, rather than a shell or a ghost of the past. I have friends and relatives who live all over the world, and when they come here to visit, I always brag about the Third Ward, because I feel that it expresses both the past and the future of what Milwaukee was, is, and can be. It is everything I love about the spirit and the grit of this town. I only wish more neighborhoods in the city would take ownership as the Third Ward has.