City gets nearly $1 million; Grant will go toward new jobs, building renovation

Five projects - three in the city's 30th St. industrial corridor - will receive nearly $1 million in federal funds to create jobs and businesses, and renovate buildings under legislation signed Tuesday by Mayor Tom Barrett.

The money comes from a pool created by the city with federal Community Development Block Grant funds it receives from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

At a signing ceremony at Capitol Stampings Corp., 2700 W. North Ave., Barrett said the money will help create jobs and business incubators, and eliminate blighted buildings in the city.

"We want to use all the available tools in a concerted way to get the most out of federal dollars and match them with other resources to create a large impact," he said.

The three projects in the 30th St. industrial corridor - five miles that stretch from W. Hampton Ave. south to W. Highland and from N. 27th St. to N. 35th St., include:

* The 30th St. industrial corridor employment training pilot program. With a grant of $100,000, three area businesses, Capitol Stampings, DRS Technologies and Masterlock, will work with Milwaukee Area Technical College, the business improvement district, the Department of City Development and the Milwaukee Area Workforce Development Board to develop a skills-specific training program to meet the needs of the companies. An estimated 20 new jobs will be created and the program could be expanded after the pilot.

* The Milwaukee Technology Incubator Center. A $141,790 grant for the Northwest Side Community Development Corp., the DCD, and the 30th St. Industrial Corridor Corp. to renovate the DRS facility at 4625 N. 30th St. to create a small business incubator for five to seven companies. The incubator will offer state-of-the-art testing facilities with modern security and communication systems. An estimated 15 to 20 jobs will be created.

* The Handsome Plaza/Teutonia Gardens. A grant of $290,000 to rebuild a blighted corner at Teutonia and Center streets into a new commercial building that includes affordable family housing and a teaching garden designed by the Michael Field Agricultural Institute. The garden will be fed by a stormwater cistern designed to divert more than 500,000 gallons of stormwater away from the sewer system. Partners in the project include Maures Development Group, Horizon Development, the DCD and the Wisconsin Housing Economic Development Authority. An estimated 25 new jobs will be created.

The other two projects are:

* The Latino Geriatric Center. With a $125,000 grant, the United Community Center will complete its Generations Park and provide screening and outreach services at its new center designed to assist elderly Latinos with Alzheimer's and other dementias. An estimated 12 jobs will be created at the center, operated in cooperation with the Alzheimer's Association of Southeast Wisconsin, the Medical College of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin Medical School and the Bradley Foundation.

* The SoHi building renovation. A $275,000 grant to turn a building at N. 27th and Wells St., which was gutted in a fire and set to be razed, into a new office and retail center. Partners in the project include the Hennessy Group Inc., the SoHi Main Street District, West End Development, Avenues West, the DCD, and the Local Initiatives Support Corp. An estimated 23 jobs will be created.

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