Other Cities Look to the Arena District as a Model

April 9, 2015

We’ve seen it before and we are seeing it again. Another city is looking at downtown Columbus’ Arena District as a model for what they want to see developed in their back yard.
Milwaukee is looking at developing a new Milwaukee Bucks arena. These plans include more than just a new arena, according to Michael Fascitelli, a developer and team investor who is the “quarterback” of the $1 billion plan to construct a new basketball facility and ancillary development downtown.
The new development “Plaza” would be a 60,000 square foot open space on land that is currently a city-owned parking structure. The Plaza would have bars, restaurants, a water wall and outdoor fire pits.  According to a press release from the team, provided by Mark Rosenberg, Bucks Public Relations Manager, the “dynamic entertainment live block will serve as both arena forecourt and community living room. This will be the year-round destination that draws the people of the region together for unforgettable experiences and a place people will love to gather for generations to come.”
This new development would mimic many of the successes you see here in the Arena District. The developers are looking at the area with a 2020 vision and they’d like to see multiple blocks built up in a cohesive fashion to create a connected neighborhood. It is similar to the philosophy behind the Arena District build, to bring a community together where people could live, work, and play 24/7/365. Fascitelli added, “you need more than an arena, you need residents,” citing the new Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio as a successful integration of a facility and catalytic development in what was a formerly disused location. The Arena District is now said to be downtown Columbus’s most popular neighborhood.
Read More about the Milwaukee Project Here