MILWAUKEE — The Juneau Avenue campus belonging to motorcycle goliath Harley-Davidson is set for a major facelift that includes the introduction of a massive park and events space for the Milwaukee public.
As announced by Harley-Davidson on Weds., January 11, the plan to transform part of this campus into a public park is the next step in an effort to establish its presence in the Milwaukee community while providing a nice space for employees.
Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson, hopes to build a deeper bond with Milwaukee as the company celebrates its 120th year.
“Milwaukee is the place we have proudly called home for 120 years,” Zeitz said. “We want Harley-Davidson’s presence in Milwaukee to be more relevant than ever before, for our community, employees and our customers.”
To see its vision through, Harley-Davidson has commissioned Heatherwick Studio to help design and lead the project. This group of acclaimed designers are responsible for innovative architectural and design achievements across the world. They are known for designing private projects that enrich wider communities including the ‘Little Island’ green-space on New York City’s Hudson River.
At the center of the park would be “The Hub,” which is effectively an events space modeled similarly to an amphitheater. It will be equipped with accommodations for motorcycles and other special events, Harley-Davidson shared.
“The ambition is to highlight and celebrate renewed life in the Near West Side of this very special city,” Thomas Heatherwick, Founder and Director of Heatherwick Studios said. “We want to make an exciting community space where people can come together with friends and family and experience the wildness of nature alongside spaces for food, performance and play.”
Mark Kass, Editor-in-Chief of the Milwaukee Business Journal joined Wisconsin’s Morning News on Wednesday morning to discuss his reporting on the topic.
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