Milwaukee Will Present Red Arrow Park Design Concepts
Local operators can review proposed site changes on October 13, 2026, to understand how the park redesign may influence downtown foot traffic.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Openings & Closings
Live Poll
Should local governments prioritize community input when redesigning public spaces in your area?
City officials and designers will present two competing design concepts for Red Arrow Park during an open house at City Hall on October 13, 2026. The session aims to gather final community input following the March 2026 feedback period.
Why it matters
The park redesign is part of the Connec+ing MKE: Downtown Plan 2040, which seeks to revitalize public spaces to drive commercial activity. Operators should track these designs to anticipate future pedestrian flow and potential new opportunities in the park's commercial space.
Officials will present two design concepts for Red Arrow Park, which is funded through the TID #48 tax increment district. The project follows the closure of the park's commercial anchor, Biggby Coffee, in March 2026.
The players
The Kubala Washatko Architects
An architectural firm recognized for public space design and cultural projects in the Midwest.
OLIN
A landscape architecture firm specializing in high-profile urban planning and public realm design.
The details
The design team, consisting of The Kubala Washatko Architects and OLIN, will display renderings developed from community feedback collected earlier this year. This process moves the project closer to selecting a preferred design, which will serve as a foundational catalyst for the city's long-term downtown implementation strategy. Business owners should monitor these layouts to gauge future access, as the park seeks to recover from the vacancy left by the March departure of its prior retail tenant.
Timeline
Summer 2024: Request for Qualifications was issued.
March 2026: Previous community input session held; Biggby Coffee closed.
October 13, 2026: Public open house session at City Hall.
Market Landscape
The project follows the patterns established by the Connec+ing MKE: Downtown Plan 2040 for redeveloping underutilized urban parcels. It marks a critical step in revitalizing the 920 N. Water St. corridor after recent commercial turnover.
Operators in the downtown area should evaluate the two presented designs for their potential to increase foot traffic and improve neighborhood accessibility. Reviewing these plans will help owners prepare for future utility or zoning changes in the vicinity of the park.
The takeaway
The park redesign signals a major shift in city planning that could reshape the surrounding commercial landscape. Local business owners should attend the October 13 session to provide input on how the new layouts might affect regional transit and customer access.
Further reading
For more on evolving local retail environments, see the latest updates in Milwaukee Openings & Closings.
More information
Review project updates and venue details at the Red Arrow Park Redesign initiative.
Source note: This article includes information reported by OnMilwaukee.
Live Poll
Should local governments prioritize community input when redesigning public spaces in your area?
