Those driving along North Harbor Drive near Milwaukee’s lakefront these days can see plenty of evidence of the construction progress underway at the Summerfest grounds.
Work on Henry Maier Festival Park’s new north gate and community plaza and U.S. Cellular Connection Stage continues as crews work to finish the projects in time for this year’s festival.
The new north gate’s structure – which includes a lofty arch and steel canopy – is now installed.
Concrete pours are ongoing for the plaza area. When completed, the space will include benches, interactive play structures, landscaping and interactive lighting effects.
The project, which is part of Madison-based American Family Insurance’s 10-year sponsorship of the festival, is designed to better connect the grounds to downtown Milwaukee.
Milwaukee-based Eppstein Uhen Architects Inc. is the lead designer, with Milwaukee-based Pierce Engineers Inc. performing the structural engineering and Milwaukee-based C.G. Schmidt Inc. managing construction.
Construction on the new U.S. Cellular Stage is also progressing. The stage and roofing structure are now complete, with roof decking work beginning soon. When completed, the area around the stage will feature new amenities, including a 25-foot LED video screen, mobile device charging stations, benches with charging ports along the lakefront, and a redesigned bar area. The new stage is expected to seat 9,000 spectators.
