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Waukesha City committee prioritizes Freeman Alley for CDBG arts funding, names Riverfront Street second
Summary
The committee voted to make Freeman Alley its first choice for potential 2026 Community Development Block Grant arts funding and Riverfront Street its second choice; staff also announced a $50,000 Vibrant Spaces grant and plans for a summer RFP and utility-box art installs.
The Waukesha City committee voted to designate Freeman Alley as its first choice for potential 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) arts funding and named Riverfront Street its second choice, moving the projects forward for future grant planning.
Beth Holton, a committee member, made the motion to prioritize Freeman Alley and the chair seconded it; the chair then announced the motion passed. The committee did not record a detailed roll-call tally in the transcript, and members described the vote only as the motion being approved.
Staff said the committee will issue a request for proposals this summer to develop design concepts similar to past Freeman Alley work and to determine accurate cost estimates. "We're gonna be doing an RFP this summer out for artists to bring back to this committee so we can review," a staff member said, describing plans for murals, seating and lighting.
The committee also learned that the group received a $50,000 Vibrant Spaces grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). "It's a $50,000 grant and it's matching funds," the staff member said, adding that the award will help fund signage, lights, murals and seating in Freeman Alley. Committee members discussed local funding that could be combined with the grant: a member said the city budgeted about $50,000 this year for lighting and infrastructure and that the committee had identified roughly $130,000 more that might be available to complete the alley, while also noting final art costs remain uncertain.
Staff provided an update on other related projects: utility-box art wraps, previously delayed while funding was clarified, are in contractor review with installation targeted for late May or June; past projects funded through CDBG include a 2023 outdoor sculpture and 2024 utility-box wraps. Staff said some 2025 awards were applied to Freeman Alley as part of the planning process.
Next steps include issuing the RFP, reviewing artist proposals with the committee, and reconvening for a meeting slated for June 3 at 5 p.m. to review RFP responses and provide feedback on display cases, seating and other design elements. The staff member said the WEDC grant requires matching funds and that committee decisions about which projects to prioritize will inform where matching money is allocated.
