Norquist's Legacy

John Norquist is today the president of CNU, but from 1988-94 he was Mayor of Milwaukee. His legacy is apparent today in the city, says blogger Urban Engagement.

1 minute read

October 6, 2009, 9:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"Norquist, now president of the Congress of New Urbanism, is best known for instituting progressive zoning changes that boosted downtown housing. This initiative led to a major downtown population spike (from 700 to over 15,000 residents today), which in turn spurred vitality. Norquist was also instrumental in dismantling a major barrier to downtown Milwaukee's future fortunes; namely, a mile-long stretch of elevated freeway that traversed through downtown - making the city the first in the nation to remove a freeway in its central-core and opening up a wide swath of land for redevelopment opportunities."

The rest of the article documents Milwaukee's downtown revitalization, focusing on its riverfront location.

Monday, October 5, 2009 in Urban Engagement blog

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