A look at the East Side's current state and where it's going

You can read the full article from OnMilwaukee here

From an entertainment perspective, Milwaukee's East Side neighborhood celebrates iconic establishments while working to stay innovative with new business. It's not an easy line to walk, but new BID director David Smulyan is up for the journey.

It had been five years since real estate developer and business owner Mike Vitucci and I sat down and chatted about the future of Milwaukee’s East Side – specifically the North Avenue and Farwell Avenue corridor.

The area is near and dear to both of our hearts, and so, we decided to meet up again, this time also with Executive Director of the East Side BID David Smulyan to look back on what we projected five years ago as well as to predict where the neighborhood is headed.

Art is at the heart

Since 1973, East Side Gallery & Framing Shop has housed fine art and provided matting and framing devices to the neighborhood. UW-Milwaukee’s Institute of Visual Arts (INOVA) nurtures and showcases the work of visionary young artists.

And art is very much a part of the East Side's future.

In recent years, the East Side has reimagined its artistic offerings and become the pinnacle of mural art in Milwaukee. Black Cat Alley filled a grungy alley with color, creativity and righteous messaging in 2017 and continues to draw traffic from residents and visitors.

“The East Side’s art movement is blossoming. People come from all over to visit Black Cat Alley,” says Vitucci.

In the summer of 2020, the East Side Art Lot in between Beans & Barley and Von Trier converted a parking lot into a vibrant gathering and lunch spot with ten picnic tables hand-painted by local artists.

But indeed, there is room for more art. Creativity is at the heart of the neighborhood and like the Third Ward, Milwaukee’s East Side can and should be a flourishing, forefront art district.