This is a place to store information and foster communication to advance the greenest possible development for the tentatively named “KK River Village,” 10 acres of land near KK River and the crossroads of Bay View, the Walkers Point, and the Third Ward.

Here is a first invitation to those who would wish to brainstorm and advance this vision.

Josh Fraundorf and Steve Lindner have invited me to help Steve and his team configure a process that would find the 6.5 acres just purchased (and another 3.5 hoped for) by the KK River and Lincoln Ave. (Ward to the south, rr tracks to the west, Robinson to the east, Beecher to the north) transformed into the greenest possible “village” inside the city. This means permaculture inspired habitats with roof gardens, renewable energy sources, rain barrels and rain gardens, 4 season veggie gardens, fruit trees, design to foster neighborly experiences, and other gifts for the inhabitants and their/our city our collective imaginations can conceive.

Steve has been given permission to create 46 building lots, 2 apartment buildings totally 50 or 60 units, a cul de sac, and a ground water retention system.

Location: Beecher, Robinson, Ward, Railroad Tracks; see the Google map pointing to Robinson and Ward.

I have invited some people to begin brainstorming this opportunity on-line and in-person over the next couple of weeks, at the end of which I hope to pull together some concepts to present to Steve, Josh, and team.

Our first gathering will be tomorrow (this Wednesday, August 29), at Paul Bachowski’s vacant lot to be transformed into a community garden, at 3292 N. 3rd, at 2 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. Or, at the UWM School of Architecture Commons between 3 and 4 p.m., where the N.E.Planning Group’s work will be presented from 4 to 6 p.m.

Some of the people who will most likely meet tomorrow are Josh and Jamie Fraundorf, Community Roofing & Restoration and MPS respectively, Stephanie Phillips of the Reclamation Society, Mary Beth Driscoll of MUG, Erik Lindberg of Community Building and Restoration, Paul Bachowski, commonwealth developer of MLK and Harambee, Howard Hintertheur, Director of Marketing, Goth Design Group, Swee and Lisa of Future Green, Jon and Ann Bales, Urban Aquaculure Center, Nik Kovak “Riverwest Currents,”, and others I’ll mention another time.

Please e-mail me at Godsil.James@gmail.com if you would wish to be part of these brainstorming circles.

James J. Godsil, President
Community Roofing & Restoration, Inc.

Summary on the Topics Discussed

Week 3 – Meeting 9/26/07
Andrew; Ben; Dan N; Yvette

Waste:
Anaerobic
Digestion: use compost and heat (if underground)
For Ag Group: Milk cartoons, Glass for Greenhouse
Methane Gas: from waste for heating
Black Water: could use solid from it
Incineration: waster (negative – air pollution)
Ideas: Add trash shoot for sorting trash
4 ½ lbs of waste per day person (767lbs/day) with at least 167 people (1 per apt, 2 ½ per home)
3rd party removal for diapers, batteries, electronics
Need ways to consume all waste
Questions to ask tomorrow at tour:
Demographics?
Houses - size? types?
Waste?
Zoning restrictions?
Budget?

Thermal (Heating/Cooling) and Water
Sources: Force Air – traditional systems
Geothermal
Flexsys System – underfloor ducts
Desiccant Cooling System - use of mechanical features of water vapor; good for apartments
Thermoacoustics: pressurize to heat and cool
Geothermal Systems
Biodiesel
Natural gas
Passive heating and cooling
Magnetic Refrigeration: use magnetic field to disrupt to heat and take away to cool
Use central system vs individual
Need water consumption from each group
Underground homes
Water – rainwater, city, ground, recycling (gray/black water), condensation of HVAC Systems
Energy efficient systems
Heating water

Electricity
Wind Power: Likely to be eliminated (noise problems)
Solar Power: Need 10 panels (61” by 310” or 5’ by 20 ½’ total) in series; houses with other
saving sources
Methane Gas: From waste as a power source
Uses Rankine cycle, lamps
Other Sources: Changing the size and shape of the homes
Use energy efficient appliances
Sound for energy
Solar power street lights
Biodiesel: CHP in the apartments – need zoning requirements for power
Water power

Agricultural:
Greenroofs: reduces external temperature of the buildings; retains moisture and water in soil (requires less water to maintain); need regulations for roofs; maybe place green house in top
Worms: Makes topsoil from waste; 2lbs of worms for every 1lb of food needed; Add worm farms in basements (9lbs worms per person for waste control); sell soil, worms (tea or excrement) to fund garden
Alternative
Farming: Soil-less planting and growing; types of crops; compost in soil increases water retainage; hydroponics
Greenhouse: great for year round growing; need to determine size, location and cost; backup heating and lighting system (metal halide or high pressure sodium)
Aquaponics: edible fish and produce; aquarium (recyclable – fish to plants back to fish) water maybe needed from evaporation

Metrics:
Start to develop a plan: Cost/Budget; Capital Operating; Efficiency; Marketability; Reliability; Constraints; Climate; Ordinances; Aesthetics; Space (Site Location)
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Original email #1

From: Swedish, Michael J [swedish@msoe.edu]
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 4:43 PM
Subject: RE: Brainstorming the Greenest Possible Development at the 10 Acre “KK River Village”

30 August, 2007

Professor Michael Swedish
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Original email #2

From: Ciepluch.David [David.Ciepluch@we-energies.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 4:23 PM
Subject: RE: Brainstorming the Greenest Possible Development at the 10 Acre “KK River Village”

We Energies and Focus on Energy have New Construction programs through 2008 that include energy modeling. It is likely that programs will advance beyond that into future years. When the project plans become serious with preliminary building designs and brainstorming, that is when modeling should occur. Cost can run $10,000 to $20,000 or more for each modeling effort and technical support. So before a supporting program would invest in modeling, you need the core team together to begin the approach. Right now it appears early in the brainstorming process unless I am missing something more imminent happening.

You can maybe set a goal of LEED Gold for some buildings and LEED Gold for neighborhood. Mike is familiar with this since that is how the Brewery Project is working through it.

There are still a lot of old buildings along this area that either need renovation or clearing plus any environmental issues.

This KK area was my playground as a kid in growing up in Milwaukee.
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Jill F Lackey’s Reply

We at Urban Anthropology Inc. have a critical interest in this project. We have a settlement museum just up the street (and another one in the works in BV), have our offices just up the street, and are the organizers of the Old South Side Public Market to begin in 08 at Kosciuszko Park. However, we are fully booked today and for over a week to come and cannot make these meetings. However, we would surely want to be invited to any in the future and also any online discussions. No doubt Lincoln Village Business Association and Neil White would want to be involved.
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