The plan for a brewery taproom and restaurant in Foxtown Landing was approved by the Third Ward's Architectural Review Board last summer, but it was back for approval on Wednesday. The images in this post are new.
The changes to the plan were outlined in a letter to the Historic Third Ward Association. The changes were approved conditionally on a few key items, but well-received, according to Jim Plaisted.
The exterior site is designed.
The number of firepits has been reduced to two, and the riverside terrace has been changed into a single larger terrace, with the option to add more later. The letter said that the main terrace functions better operationally to give the necessary flexibility for programming various seating scenarios and keeps people together in a larger more comfortable setting. ADA access to the terrace has been shifted to the north side of the site and stepped seating along the riverwalk has been changed. Foxtown Landing will be separated from the Downtown Dog Park by a circular area at the east end of the alley. The architect says that it will be a focal point and overlook that will serve as the landing for the gangway ramp.
A covered bandshell has been added to the northeast corner of the site.
Several building design modifications have been necessitated by the programming and design of the building. The back of house kitchen spaces on each floor were moved to the west side in order to maximize the visibility of the more active areas of the corner of N. Plankinton and W. St. Paul Avenue. The City of Milwaukee Health Department considers the use of glass in kitchens to be a health issue. We propose to use an internally lit shadow box behind the kitchen windows to display digital art on both the ground and second floor in order to identify upcoming events. The digital display of art we feel is in keeping with the artistic spirit of the Historic Third Ward and allows for this area to be activated and be easily changed, so it is not a static element.
The screening of mechanicals on the building's west facade and on the roof has been changed, and the north atrium of the third floor will be replaced with copper roofing to maximize occupant comfort. The use of multiplace garage doors to connect the interior and exterior spaces is being reduced. The ground floor will have control over access to the terrace, but there will be a corner bar that overlooks the terrace and a folding glass partition above the bar. The ground floor will serve as the social hub of the bar and will be back-to-back with a central interior bar. The south end of the third floor will have access to the balcony areas via multiple large folding doors on the second floor.
A fully enclosed trash area has been added and a reduced basement footprint will include space for a classroom distillery.
The building will have wall sconces on each column in order to look like the lighting across the street at The Pritzlaff Building. A marquee sign is planned for Plankinton Avenue.
The developer of the project was represented at the meeting by the owner of Fromm Family Foods and Foxtown MKE, as well as the director of the Downtown BID. They shared new sketches of the project with the changes outlined in the letter. According to Plaisted, the ARB still expects to review the materials and signage, as well as the shadow box windows facing Plankinton Avenue, but gave approval with conditions on the display windows on Plankinton that are masking back of the house operations. "We had to make a case for it since it was against our storefront guidelines."