Riverworks Development Corporation

Financial clinic: provides innovative solutions to help families, individuals and small businesses reach their full potential by increasing credit scores, building wealth, and learning new ways to achieve short and long-term financial goals. The clinic accomplishes this through one-on-one financial coaching, group-based education, free tax preparation services, debt management, planning, goal setting, building banking relationships, and other referral resources. In 2022, 187 clients received one-on-one financial coaching services; 1,196 individuals were referred to financial resources and programs through the financial navigator program; and 1,172 individuals were assisted in preparing and submitting their tax returns through the volunteer income tax assistance (vita) program.

Business Development hub: provides technical assistance to local entrepreneurs and businesses. Our business specialists provide business coaching and strategic budgeting sessions to help find funding and grant opportunities that fit their needs. Services available to businesses include property/business beautification strategies, security initiatives, marketing & promotional opportunities, and business planning. We connect property owners and entrepreneurs/small businesses to physical space and provide each entrepreneur with our network of partners and educational opportunities. In 2022, the hub assisted 304 businesses in starting, growing, marketing, and funding their ventures. Through the bounceback grant, the hub assisted 53 businesses in receiving a total $740,000 to fund leasing of commercial spaces, and through the brew city match grant program, 11 businesses were awarded a total of $105,000 for marketing, predevelopment and construction costs.

Neighborhood Development & creative placemaking: collaborates with residents and other stakeholders to create a vibrant community that reflects the culture and values of the harambee and riverwest neighborhoods. This includes activating and revitalizing public spaces, such as the beerline trail, with art and culture, facilitating community improvement and safety projects, and connecting residents and homeowners to resources - including those available through the harambee neighborhood improvement district (nid) #7. In 2022, residents engaged in the beerline shuffle, music on the beerline, the 53212marketplace series, neighborhood clean ups, and other events that unite the harambee and riverwest communities. Riverworks completed 3,789 housing surveys in the harambee neighborhood to address blighted properties and encourage residents to apply for funding for home repair. The harambee quality of life plan brought together community stakeholders and residents to begin planning phases for a plan to improve the neighborhood and resident quality of life. The beerline trail neighborhood Development project continued to ensure the next phases of trail Development serve the needs of the community, and that other Development inspired by and centered around the trail benefits residents equitably. Prior to the beerline trail neighborhood Development project efforts, this corridor was significantly impacted by blight, disinvestment, and a lack of perceived safety.

Real estate Development: leads catalytic residential and commercial projects which have a positive economic and social impact on the community. The four core values are: create jobs, stabilize the tax base, repurpose vacant & blighted properties, and generate revenue for rdc's programs. The Riverworks city center, completed in 2018, houses the offices for rdc staff, as well as the Riverworks coin laundry, a rotating whitebox space for local businesses, the beerline trail food court, and a spaced rented by family dollar. The Riverworks lofts, completed in 2012, has one- and two- bedroom loft-style apartments on the intersection of holton and townsend. The Riverworks commons, completed in 2004, is a shopping center on capitol drive with 21,000 feet of retail space. In 2022, rdc completed construction and landscaping on a green infrastructure project - the beerline plaza; the plaza is located at the Riverworks city center, and serves as a public place for events, music, art and much more. Rdc also continued construction on the connector building project, which will have a multi-use community space and cafe adjacent to the beerline trail, and is expected to be completed in spring 2023. Riverworks cleans: hires community members who have barriers to employment through this social enterprise program. They serve the community by cleaning up sidewalks and curbs, vacant lots and commercial districts. Services include litter and graffiti removal, event set up, minor landscaping, streetscape maintenance, and returning stolen property. Contracts include private businesses, bids, and the city of milwaukee. In 2022, Riverworks cleans worked in 7 milwaukee business improvement districts and collected 4,169 bags of litter, emptied 1,246 trash cans, returned 499 shopping carts, and removed 15 graffiti tags. Riverworks cleans also completed 1,494 illegal dump work orders issued by the city of milwaukee, resulting in 7,172 cubic yards of debris, removed from city owned properties.