THE NEAR WEST SIDE
MISSION
Near West Side Partners, Inc. (NWSP) is a non-profit organization founded through the support of five anchor institutions: Advocate Aurora Health, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, Molson Coors, and Potawatomi Ventures. NWSP’s Board of Directors and Working Teams comprise institutional stakeholders, civic leaders, and residents.
Together, these groups work toward a collective goal to make the Near West Side a great place to live, work, play and stay by revitalizing and sustaining thriving business and residential corridors.
The Near West Side Vision
Near West Side Partners envisions a vibrant Near West Side with a well-balanced mix of residential neighborhoods and business corridors that is thriving because it offers:
A Safe & Welcoming Environment
A safe and welcoming environment for employees, residents and visitors.
A Place to Live & Work
Residential neighborhoods that are attractive to those working in the area.
A Healthy Community
A healthy community that supports the wellness of our neighbors.
A Vibrant Commercial Corridor
A vibrant mix of commercial corridor development that serves the needs of those living and working on the Near West Side.
The
HISTORY
OF THE NEAR WEST SIDE
Since its inception in 2014, Near West Side Partners has demonstrated its ability to make transformational change in the Near West Side.
That year, Harley-Davidson convened a group of anchor institutions – legacy companies and organizations with deep roots in the neighborhood, including Advocate Aurora Health, Marquette University, Molson Coors and Potawatomi Ventures – to commit to supporting the revitalization of the neighborhood. Working with business owners, community leaders, and residents, this team developed a new, innovative approach to leveraging the neighborhoods’ many positive assets to address its challenges. Near West Side Partners became the vehicle for that work.
In 2015, NWSP launched its first major program, the Promoting Assets Reducing Crime (PARC) initiative; an innovative, data-driven, and place-based model of community collaboration to address neighborhood challenges. PARC is a cross-collaborative, private-public partnership that works to address the needs of the community in four areas: (1) safety, (2) housing, (3) commercial corridor development and (4) neighborhood identity and branding.
This initiative has set the tone for the work NWSP has undertaken ever since, guided always by its collaborative nature and mission to be a positive force for revitalization.
The Near West Side Team
The Near West Side Board of Directors
OFFICERS
Rana Altenburg
President
Marquette University
Nkem Iroegbu
Vice President
Advocate Health
Joe Tesch
Vice President
Potawatomi Business Development Corporation
Steven Brown
Treasurer
Molson Coors
MEMBERS
- Lindsay Blumer, WRTP | BIG STEP
- Captain Raymond Bratchett, Milwaukee Police Department – District 3
- Donna Brown-Martin, Milwaukee County Department of Transportation
- Heidi Chada, Milwaukee Center for Independence (MCFI)
- Mick Hatch, Foley & Lardner
- Jim Hill, The Common Good, LLC
- Vanessa Koster, City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
- James Madlom, Mueller Communications
- Jay Mack, Town Bank
- Polina Makievsky, Penfield Children’s Center
- Leo Ries, Wisconsin Preservation Fund
- Brian Scotty, Quorum Architects
- Tori Termaat, Harley Davidson
- James Washington, City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works
- Rick Wiegand, Wiegand Enterprises
Anchor Institutions
That year, Harley-Davidson convened a group of anchor institutions – legacy companies and organizations with deep roots in the neighborhood, including Advocate Aurora Health, Marquette University, Molson Coors and Potawatomi Ventures (formerly Potawatomi Business Development Corporation) – to commit to supporting the revitalization of the neighborhood.
