'I think it's going to be a real winner for Milwaukee': Gov. Evers' budget calls for $5 million Bronzeville investment

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Governor Tony Evers' 2023-2025 Capitol budget includes funding for several Milwaukee initiatives, including funding for the city's new Iron District, funding that would keep the Brewers in Milwaukee for at least another two decades and funding for a new community center in the city's Bronzeville neighborhood.

"Being in the Bronzeville area and hearing all their plans; very exciting news and just love being here," Governor Evers said during a visit to Milwaukee Wednesday morning. "There's a great story to be told here and talk about the African American experience not only in Milwaukee, but in America."

Governor Evers' administration plans to provide $5 million of the state's $7 billion surplus to the Bronzeville Center of the Arts for the completion of a new destination arts museum.

The BCA recently purchased the 3.4-acre parcel of land on the northeast side corner of the North Ave. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. intersection with the plans of building a new facility focused on art, education and the African American culture here in Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin.

"This is a huge project that we believe will bring lots of tourists, not just from around the country but around the world," explained Kristen Hardy, chair of the BCA's Board of Directors. "We look at this as a state asset."

M&E Architects+Engineers have been chosen as the lead architects for the project which is expected to cost roughly $50 million with a 2026 completion date in mind.

Hardy says the success of Bronzeville businesses, including Honeybee Sage, where the governor stopped for some tea on his visit, are examples of the success stories the neighborhood has and can continue to provide.

"There already have been so many people who have worked to kind of build up Bronzeville with that renaissance," Hardy said. "We have it. It's all right here on King Drive. We got it. You can see it."

Governor Evers feels a $5 million investment to provide an important community asset is one that will be able to help the neighborhood continue to grow.

"We have a $7 billion surplus. We have lots of needs in this state. A small example is investing in this project here in Bronzeville," Governor Evers said. "It's going to tell a powerful story about the Black experience here in Milwaukee. It's critical to learn from that, but it's also critical to be a place where people want to be, where they want to live and frankly, have people come from all across the country, all across the state. I think it's going to be a real winner for Milwaukee."

While some Republican lawmakers have been critical of the Governor's budget proposal, he's hopeful it will be successful.

"They (Republicans) have to have discussions. They'll be able to talk to the people from Bronzeville that are doing this great work and make their pitch to Republicans," Governor Evers said. "Let's move beyond the rhetoric and actually do work for the people of Wisconsin."

Those looking to learn more about the Bronzeville Center for the Arts can visit its website here.