Milwauke is about to take-off

In a Columbia University lecture hall in Manhattan last week, a visiting professor showed a slide of a misty cityscape with docked yachts, a riverfront row of rehabbed loft buildings and outdoor café tables. Without naming the city, the professor said U.S. Census data suggests that the fetching downtown is poised to add new residents and the commerce and urban life that they bring.

The graduate students, who come from around the world, could not name the city when asked. But they were "flabbergasted" to learn it was Milwaukee.

This does not surprise me. Milwaukee has done a lot to turn itself around. Its major drawback is its image, not its reality. In reality, Milwaukee is a fun, hip place to live. It has a thriving downtown, with 2 major colleges, 2 major professional franchises, a world class art museum, and new developments and re-developments popping-up all around. It also has a large, youthful, diverse population, of 25-35 year olds.

Its image is its problem. Nationally, it has the unfortunate reputation of being the most segregated city in the country. There is also that concern of losing all of its foundational strength - industry - as a crumbling example of the failing Rust Belt.

So, articles and studies like those mentioned in this article are great for the city and Wisconsin. It keeps smart Wisconsin residents in the state (instead of having them move to California) and draws outsiders in. An important next step for Milwaukee's growth is establishing a quick, efficient transportation connection to Chicago. Ehem, high-speed train, anyone?