Vel R. Phillips Plaza is opening on downtown Milwaukee's west side. Here's what to know
The long-awaited grand opening of downtown Milwaukee's Vel R. Phillips Plaza took place Friday. Mayor Cavalier Johnson and other city officials, were joined by Phillips' son, Michael, for the ribbon cutting ceremony at 401 W. Wisconsin Ave.
"I see this as a place for people to come and eat and socialize," Johnson said. "I see this as an opportunity also for people to learn. To learn about Vel and the legacy that she has left behind for all of us.”
Michael Phillips praised a public art installation that is expected to be a part of the plaza.
“The city has just spent $600,000 on a centerpiece of art that it is going to be right here," he said. "The commitment to art and to invigoration of this part of downtown is unprecedented."
Here's what to know about the newest addition to downtown.
Vel Phillips: The woman behind the tribute
Born Velvalea Hortense Rodgers in Milwaukee in 1923, the influential public figure was ahead of her time.
She received a scholarship to attend Howard University, in Washington D.C., where she obtained her bachelor's degree. Phillips continued her studies at the University of Wisconsin Law School and was the first African-American woman to graduate there. She and her husband then opened a Milwaukee law firm.
Phillips became the first woman and African-American on the Milwaukee Common Council. She was also the first female judge in Milwaukee County, and the first woman elected Wisconsin Secretary of State.
Phillips was active in such organizations as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the League of Women Voters. Her involvement in the civil rights movement included participating in many peaceful protests, including one which led to her arrest.
From former hotel to parking lot to plaza
The public space honoring Phillips has undergone quite the transformation. The Randolph Hotel, constructed in 1927, occupied the site for several decades.
The 12-story building was demolished by dynamite in 1985 to create space for future development. The site drew proposals from developers, including several hotel plans.
But none proceeded − even after the late '90s construction of the downtown convention center, now known as the Baird Center, just north of the site. It remained a city-owned parking lot for decades.
The Common Council in 2023 approved the Johnson administration's proposal to fund the plaza with $15.75 million from a tax incremental financing district in the Park East area. New commercial developments in that area generate property tax revenue − some of which was used to finance the plaza.
Construction started last year, with the council later appropriating another $1.5 million in TIF funds.
What you can expect at the plaza
To pay tribute to Phillips, there will be a kiosk with information on her life as well as an art display. The 30,000-square-foot plaza will also feature a garden, a rapid bus transit station and a potential streetcar extension.
A 2,900-square-feet building will offer a place to buy food and drinks starting this fall under a lease with the operator of the Draft & Vessel taverns in Shorewood and Wauwatosa. Public restrooms will also be accessible.
The plaza also will provide space to host community events, including farmers markets and food trucks.
Plaza in the heart of downtown's Westown
The plaza is in the heart of downtown's west side, known as Westown.
Along with being just south of the newly expanded Baird Center, it is just west of HUB 640, the former Boston Store building that was recently redeveloped to house a Kohl's department store and Fiserv Inc.'s new headquarters.
It also is just east of the Hilton Milwaukee City Center, downtown's largest hotel.