Lake Michigan, if you’re from Milwaukee, may not be as impressive as it is to the outside world. But around the globe, especially in certain circles, Milwaukee is known as the “Water Hub of North America,” according to Peter Moede, developer of Reed Streets Yards.
The parcel of land his company owns in Walker’s Point is home to the Global Water Center and The Water Council — two concentrations of water research and technology in Milwaukee.
Today, some 200 companies and organizations have a shared connection in Walker’s Point on that plot of land between 3rd and 6th Streets on Freshwater Way.
The work there aligns with other research happening right down the street. The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences recently expanded its campus on Greenfield Ave., and a second Global Water Center is set to open in 2017, further solidifying Milwaukee’s position as a freshwater leader.
But why does it matter? And how did this section of Milwaukee transition from urban decay to a internationally respected research park?