Gov.-elect Tony Evers tours Sherman Phoenix and talks economic development on first visit to Milwaukee since election

Gov.-elect Tony Evers used a first public stop in Milwaukee since his Nov. 6 election to tour the successful transformation of a fire-damaged former bank building in Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood into a cluster of 28 small businesses set to open Nov. 30.

After looking inside Sherman Phoenix, the redevelopment project that took over the former BMO Harris Bank, the incoming governor applauded the vision that made a home for 27 black-owned businesses and the promise of 150 or more jobs for the community. The one non-minority business is a second store for the woman-owned Purple Door Ice Cream.

"This is a great effort in a part of the city that needs lots of great efforts," Evers said after his tour of the project in a low-income neighborhood. "Things like this is where we're going to grow jobs in the state of Wisconsin."

The bank was one of six Sherman Park buildings burned in the protests that followed the 2016 shooting of Sylville Smith by a Milwaukee police officer.

RELATED:Tony Evers denies Scott Walker a third term as Wisconsin's governor

The $3.5 million project by co-developers Juli Kaufmann and JoAnne Sabir received a $250,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and a $225,000 grant from the City of Milwaukee.

While Evers said Tuesday he intends to follow through on a campaign proposal to dissolve WEDC, he didn't describe what he had in mind to take its place.

"It's important that economic development is part of state government," he said. "It will be important to spur job-creating projects in all of the state's counties and the expertise for that could be "in the Department of Commerce or some new entity."

Inside Sherman Phoenix, Sabir will operate a restaurant, Shindig, with her husband, Maanaan.

The redevelopment of the bank damaged in the fire, like the mythical phoenix that rises from its ashes, was Sabir's idea. She wanted to start a second location of the restaurant the couple runs now on North Avenue.

Sabir reached out to Kaufmann, owner of Fix Development LLC, when she realized the building had potential as a neighborhood hub of many small businesses.

Kaufmann, the fundraiser for the project, has set goals for Sherman Phoenix to become a permanent location for these businesses and a self-sustaining generator of jobs and commerce for the neighborhood.

RELATED:Sherman Phoenix development project gets $250,000 from WEDC

RELATED:City approves funds to help redevelop torched Sherman Park building

Among the other businesses here are a pizza restaurant, silver smith, artists, salons, and barber shop, as well as shops offering gourmet popcorn, yoga, confections, spring rolls, and vegan foods.

On Tuesday, Evers walked into each of the businesses for a close-up look at setups even as workers continued installing appliances and making necessary finishing touches before the end-of-month grand opening.

Several of the workers walked up to Evers to congratulate him on the election victory and shake his hand.

There is a spot for one more business, which would be number 29, and Kaufmann and Sabir are continuing to review the proposals of several hopeful entrepreneurs.    

The Sherman Phoenix website describes the project as "a model for healing our city by generating positive economic and social returns in communities of color."

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