See Harley-Davidson’s new $20 million park » Urban Milwaukee

CEO of Harley Davidson Jochen Zeitz cut the orange ribbon to formally open the motorcycle company’s new park Monday morning, welcoming a new era in the 121-year-old company’s history.

Davidson Park was created by converting underutilized employee parking spaces along W. Highland Avenue into a publicly accessible park, with the goal of better connecting the company to the surrounding community and riders.

It also represents the first step in the company’s renewed commitment to maintain its 121-year-old campus where its founders William Harley And Arthur Davidson built their first motorcycle. Additional changes to the building complex, 3700 W. Juneau Ave., include a science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education laboratory, a permanent home for the company’s racing team and the relocation of the LiveWire electric motorcycle arm from the company. . (Ed: Look for more information in an article later Monday.)

“A lot has changed in 120 years, but there is one thing that has not and never will, and that is that Juneau Avenue is our home,” Zeitz said while mayor Cavalier Johnsonincluding members of the Davidson family Willie G Davidsonleader of Near West Side Partners Lindsey St. Arnold Bell and dozens of company employees watched. “We couldn’t be more proud to be part of the Near West Side and part of the community here in Milwaukee.”

The central feature of the $20 million park, The Hub, is a sunken space that can be used for motorcycle events or any number of public events. A circular path with many levels spirals down to the central stage path. Brick blocks, with one of 24 unique designs, line the path and serve as parking spaces for motorcycles. Stairs intersect the concentric rings, providing direct pedestrian access and additional seating in addition to those built into the sides of the cliffs.

At the top of The Hub, a lighted walkway called “Main Street” separates The Hub from W. Highland Avenue. It is designed to host farmers markets and other events. Along the walkway is a shipping container bar, 1903 Tavern, as well as spaces for several other mobile vendors. A linear children’s playground with a natural theme runs parallel to the wide path. Seating is scattered everywhere.

A 10-foot-tall weathered steel sculpture with the company’s logo serves as the gateway to the park.

The project, according to Zeitz and Harley-Davidson Chief Human Resources Officer and chairman of the foundation Tori Termaat, came in on time and on budget. The first point is especially critical: the company will hold its second annual Homecoming ceremony in late July.

More than 100 employees continue to work off campus every day, with more expected to start working as part of the future phases announced Monday. Zeitz said in an interview that the company maintains a hybrid work environment in which employees work in the facility “out of necessity” and just as comfortably at home. “We maintain a flexible budget, but always ensure we come together for those projects and collaborative initiatives that require everyone to be present,” said the New Mexico-based CEO.

Park design

Using the parking lots for a park was one of several items identified during a three-day visioning session the company held in 2021 with community stakeholders and other partners. Zeitz credits The B Team, a nonprofit executive leadership group he co-founded Richard Bransonas a contribution to setting up and implementing the ‘Appreciative Inquiry Summit’.

“We are so excited to celebrate Davidson Park today as a new cornerstone for our connection to our community,” said Zeitz.

The park was designed by London-based Heatherwick Studio, known in the United States for designing Little Island in New York City. Heatherwick, Zeitz said, was the first and only designer the company pursued to create the space.

“As a designer, the greatest honor is to work on something for the public,” says the permanent director Thomas Heatherwick.

The Harley site presented an unusual challenge for the company.

“I don’t think we’ve ever seen so many large parking garages,” Heatherwick said of the 10 acres of parking that occupied the site until a year ago. “Large stretch of asphalt.”

The company, the architect said, set out to create a design that “was people first, but could have a bicycle life every now and then, maybe once a month.”

Using the circle is not a mistake. It is visually embedded in the motorcycles produced at the site from 1903 onwards. It is also something that is embedded in human nature. “There’s something very powerful about the circle,” Heatherwick said.

Heatherwick, who revealed a trick of the trade, said the renderings depict the space with large trees. He said he was pleased with how the design turned out, even with smaller, newly planted trees, and looks forward to it getting “better and better” as the trees grow and mature.

He also praised Greenfire Management Services for constructing the park to a high standard and working with HGA, who acted as architect and engineer. The involvement of the Forest County Potawatomi community did not stop with providing the general contractor. Community members also provided information on the design of the rest area atop The Hub and led a drum circle that cut the ribbon on Monday.

Students from nearby Milwaukee Public School’s Story School designed the motorcycle parking lots. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design student Megan Huss, who has since graduated and joined Barthell Digital, won a design competition to create a central emblem in The Hub. Both contain symbols and images of Milwaukee.

Zeitz previously hired Heatherwick to design the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, South Africa. Before becoming CEO of Harley-Davidson, Germany’s Zeitz founded the art museum and began building a collection of African art. The building opened in 2017.

The adjacent park

The park is bookended by Harley Park, the old Highland Park that is part of the Milwaukee County Parks system. Harley received a name change in 2023 in exchange for a $350,000 contribution and a 10-year maintenance agreement for the 3.4-acre green space. Overgrown trees or shrubs have been pruned or removed to make the Harley buildings immediately north of them more visible.

How and when to visit

According to a sign at the property, Davidson Park is open daily from 7 AM to 9 PM unless otherwise noted.

Organizations wishing to use Davidson Park for an event are encouraged to contact the company via the Davidson Park web page. NEWaukee has been hired to assist with park events.

The first listed event is HD Homecoming Rev Up on July 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Near West Fest, a 10-year anniversary celebration of Near West Side Partners, will take place on September 13 from 4 to 10 p.m.

How does Harley judge success? “It is used as much as possible, not only by riders, but also by visitors,” says Zeitz. “It is a multifunctional park that will hopefully attract a lot of people.”

photos

Cutting ribbons

Renderings and Little Island photos

Location photos 2022

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