88Nine: Urban Spelunking

This week, Nate and Bobby are talking about the Charter Communications building located on North Martin Luther King Jr Drive. The large brick building used to be home to power-generating equipment and coal.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/commerce-street-power-plantProduced & edited by Kiri Salinas

This week, Nate and Bobby are talking about a south side landmark: the Howard Avenue windmill. Located in the Tippecanoe neighborhood, the bright red home known for its attached 1920s Dutch windmill replica is officially up for sale. They look back at the businesses and families that have lived within the walls for decades. Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/howard-avenue-windmill Produced & edited by Kiri Salinas

Organ Piper Pizza has been a staple in Milwaukee since the late 70s and decades later, it still has the same feel as it did back then. The owner, Derek Paikowski, shows Nate and Bobby around the restaurant -- making stops behind the organ and in the kitchen to watch how the dough is made fresh every day.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/organ-piper-pizzaProduced & edited by Kiri Salinas

This week, Nate and Bobby are touring the Redeemer Lutheran Church with the help of Rev. Dr. Lisa Bates-Froiland. The 1915 building is currently undergoing a major renovation which will include added mental health services to the community, a new kitchen, a totally redesigned community hall and lots of structural repair.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/redeemer-lutheranProduced & edited by Kiri Salinas

This week, Nate and Bobby take us on their tour of the Alano Club -- located on Prospect Avenue. The building is a recovery center and clubhouse that provides an inclusive place for folks battling addictions of all kinds. While Nate and Bobby explore, we also hear from one of the board members.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/alano-club-fred-kraus-houseProduced & edited by Kiri Salinas

The Milwaukee Public Museum has revealed its latest gallery coming to the Future Museum. Nate and Bobby break down what you will find inside the We Energies Foundation Gallery -- including a rainforest exhibit, a butterfly vivarium and a rooftop terrace.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/mpm-future-museum-rainforestProduced & edited by Kiri Salinas

This week, Nate and Bobby are getting schooled at Marquette University High School! The building located on the city's near West Side holds so much history within its walls -- and it's even inspired an amazing upcoming field trip.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/marquette-high-spelunkingProduced & edited by Kiri Salinas

Nate and Bobby are breathing a sigh of relief now that it's been confirmed the popular snake button is moving to the Future Museum! This week, the Milwaukee Public Museum unveiled more details about its 'Living in a Dynamic World' exhibit and two flexible gallery spaces called "Mixing Zones."Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/mpm-reveal-living-in-a-dynamic-worldEdited & produced by Kiri Salinas

Big plans are in store for Milwaukee's downtown area. The Department of City Development has released a draft of Connec+ing MKE: Downtown Plan 2040, which it includes ideas like adding four route extensions of The Hop, redeveloping the site of the Marcus Center parking structure and removing I-794 through Downtown.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/connecting-mke-plan.Project website: www.milwaukee.gov/downtownplan.Dialogue encouraged at www.connectingmke.com.

Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) leaders and exhibit design partners at Thinc Design have unveiled sketches of the Future Museum's Milwaukee Revealed gallery. This is the gallery that is the "spiritual sucessor" to the Streets of Old MIlwaukee. Nate and Bobby talk about some of the exhibits people will get to experience.

This week, Nate and Bobby go grocery shopping in Wauwatosa! Their destination is the Sendik's Food Market located on 86th and North Avenue, which used to be home to the first Kohl's arched-roof store.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/sendiks-kohls-tosa

This week, Nate and Bobby are talking about the Pabst Mansion's pavilion and the new steps being taken to deconstruct and rebuild the addition that was made in 1893. They discuss what it takes to attempt to preserve the structure for the future. Plus, the process is also giving UW-Milwaukee students a great hands-on experience.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/pabst-pavilion-deconstruction

This week, Nate and Bobby are talking to the exhibit designers of MPM's Future Museum as they unveil sketches and details of the "Wisconsin Journey'' gallery. Plus, they ask what is the one thing that nobody is talking about when it comes to the Future Museum.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/mpm-unveiling-wisconsin-journey

This week, Bobby and Nate are talking about a cool Milwaukee Airbnb that used to be a former Schlitz saloon. They talk about the history behind the building and how it went from a place to grab a drink and some groceries into a place to stay for those visiting the city.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/schlitz-tied-house-airbnb

There's been lots of buzz around Milwaukee Public Museum's new building coming in 2026 and instead of talking about what's going to be inside, this week Nate and Bobby are talking about the building itself. MPM's Chief Planning Officer Katie Sanders, and architects Jarrett Pelletier of Ennead and Chris Ludwig of Kahler Slater share the inspiration behind the Future Museum design.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/mpm-future-museum-talks

This week, Nate and Bobby get a first look at one of five new exhibitions planned for the Future Museum. They talk with Oronde Wright, senior exhibition designer at Thinc Design and Katie Sanders, chief planning officer at Milwaukee Public Museum about their plans to take iconic MPM exhibits and reimagine them. Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/mpm-time-travel

This week on Urban Spleunking, Nate and Bobby take a look inside a local home that was built back in 1852. The Brown's Folly double house on Astor Street was long home to Zita's dress shop and is one of very few Federal Style buildings left in the city. Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/urban-spelunking-zita-building

With a little over a year until its grand opening, the new Wisconsin Center expansion is forging ahead with construction. This week on Urban Spelunking, Nate and Bobby are live onsite -- checking in on the progress made so far. Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/wisconsin-center-progress-report

The Clark building in downtown Milwaukee currently is home to lots of storage, but before that it was a busy transportation hub. Bobby and Nate talk about the former Greyhound station and the changes that could be in store now that the Iron District is under construction. Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/greyhound-station-clark-building

An expansion of the Wisconsin Center is in the works on the block between Kilbourn, Wells and 6th Streets and Phillips Avenue. But well before this more-modern structure, there was another convention center that called the location home. On this episode, Nate and Bobby look back at the Milwaukee Exposition and Convention Center and Arena, also known as the MECCA.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/urban-spelunking-mecca-convention-center

Nate and Bobby look back at the history behind the New Holy Ghost Tabernacle Church located on West Garfield Avenue. The 1887 Gothic Revival church has recently been sold to a developer, and its future has yet to be decided. Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/second-german-epworth

The building recently known for the giant Giannis Antetokounmpo mural actually has decades of history behind it. On this episode, Nate and Bobby take a look at how 600 East Wisconsin Avenue came to be and the ghost sign that still stands today.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/600-east-wisconsin-spelunking

This week's episode is part two of our tour at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. Nate and Bobby go inside the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility and learn what makes up the locally-made Milorganite fertilizer.Read more at OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/deep-tunnel-pump-room

Three hundred feet below the surface of Jones Island lies deep tunnels that prevent pollution from getting into Lake Michigan. This week, Nate and Bobby got a tour of the deep tunnel pump room and see how the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District keeps the city's water clean. Read more at OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/deep-tunnel-pump-room

It all happens here -- all the maintenance for the entire Milwaukee Fire Department engine fleet, plus small engine repair, oxygen tanks, carpentry, leather and textile work, it's all concentrated in a two building complex in Walker's Point. This week on the podcast, we visit the MFD's maintenance facility and get a personal tour from MFD's Construction & Maintenance Division Deputy Chief Schuyler Belott.Read more at OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/mfd-repair-shop

After 100 years, the Milwaukee Athletic Club is getting a major upgrade. The 1916 building now has everything from multiple apartments to a fitness center and gym and, of course, a beautiful ballroom. Nate and Bobby discuss the new renovations and Milwaukee's love for rooftops.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/urban-spelunking-mac-finished

The former Journal Sentinel offices on 4th and State in Milwaukee have been completely transformed, with the third and final phase now complete. The 1924, three-building complex now offers 141 apartments, plus a charter school and student housing for MATC students. Nate and Bobby discuss the renovation, and Bobby shares his insider take as a former Milwaukee Sentinel employee.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/first-look-journal-commons

When you think of Milwaukee's architecture, chances are your mind goes to the Milwaukee Art Museum expansion designed by world-famous architect Santiago Calatrava. But did you know Milwaukee almost green-lit four more Calatrava-designed buildings, skywalks and bridges? On this episode, Bobby and Nate talk through each plan, and they share as much as they know about why they didn't materialize.

Whether you remember one building as RC's Bar and the other as Clutch, La Piazza, Glass Nickel Pizza, Buddha Lounge, Node Coffee Shop or the original home of OnMilwaukee.com, this pair is packed with memories. Take one last "look" this week at these North Side buildings as demolition is underway. Read more at OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/1504-e-north-avenue-spelunkinghttps://onmilwaukee.com/articles/rcs-last-look

Milwaukee historian John Gurda and director Claudia Looze are debuting a documentary highlighting the colorful history of Jones Island. "People of the Port: A Jones Island Documentary" premieres Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. on Milwaukee channel 10.1. On this week's Urban Spelunking, Nate and Bobby chat with the filmmakers and learn about the five distinct chapters of the island's documented history. Listen to the interview here, and read more at OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/gurda-jones-islandhttps://onmilwaukee.com/articles/gurda-jones-island

Built in 1903 and renovated in 1995, the pavilion at Lake Park has been welcoming locals to the lakefront for more than 100 years. If you've been there in the last 27, you've only known it as Lake Park Bistro, but its history goes much farther back and offers a rich glimpse into Milwaukee life in the early 1900s. (Hint: we still loved outdoor summer concerts.) Listen to this week's episode for an in-depth look.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/urban-spelunking-lake-park-pavilion

Nate and Bobby are back at the former downtown Boston Store, this time with an update on its new tenant. Fiserv is moving its corporate headquarters from Brookfield to the former retail space, the company announced last week. Nate and Bobby discuss the move with the backdrop of the Westown neighborhood and its surge of recent developments.Read Bobby's complete story: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/fiserv-downtown-milwaukeeOriginal Boston Store episode: https://radiomilwaukee.org/story/urban-spelunking/former-downtown-boston-store-reopens-as-business-space-hub-640/

Mitchell Street State bank has always been a community bank serving an immigrant population at near 10th and Mitchell on Milwaukee's South Side. Now as First Federal, it remains committed to maintaining that same local feel and as has opened its offices to various community groups, as well. Listen to this week's episode to learn how.Read Bobby's complete story at OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/first-federal-mitchell-bank-spelunking

How did Milwaukee build the massive peninsula now home to Harbor House and Discovery World? It's earliest roots date back to the mid 1800s and its current footprint was completed in 1960. On this episode we look into the past of Pier Wisconsin and its impact on the lakefront landscape.Read Bobby Tanzilo's full story at OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/harbor-house-spelunking

This October, the Milwaukee Art Museum marked the 20th anniversary (one year belated due to covid) of the completion of architect Santiago Calatrava's iconic design. Calatrava himself was in town for the occasion and spoke to co-host Bobby Tanzilo. In this episode, Bobby shares his experience meeting the world-famous architect, and we discuss the lasting impact of the Calatrava design.More at OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/milwaukee-talks-calatrava

The big ones get all the attention, but what about the lil baby streets? In this episode, with the help of City of Milwaukee Central Drafting & Records Manager Yance Marti, we definitely reveal Milwaukee's 10 shortest streets. Can you name any on the list? Find Bobby's full story here: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/shortest-streets-in-milwaukee

Historic Milwaukee "Doors Open Milwaukee" is back to it's full scale this year, offering behind-the-scenes tours of 100+ buildings and places normally closed to the public, free of charge. On this week's podcast, we've got a list of our must-see destinations, featuring many places we've visited on Urban Spelunking.Find the full list here: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/doors-open-picks

Doors Open Milwaukee returns to the city Sept. 24-25 and will offer a behind-the-scenes tour of a stunning Frank Lloyd Wright-designed church on the city's northwest side, among hundreds of other spaces. Learn about Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church on this week's Urban Spelunking, and stick around to the end to hear why the KGB was seen on site at the church's consecration.Read more: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/annunciation-greek-frank-lloyd-wright

Bobby and Nate spelunk the Skinner Organ Co.'s Opus 849, a 38-rank organ that was built into the fabric of the 1921 Van Ryn & DeGelleke-designed building on 6th and State streets. Check out the full article and amazing pictures of this glorious old organ here: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/matc-skinner-organ

We both attended UWM, but one of us entirely missed this campus building hiding in plain sight. We go inside the Greene Museum & Stahl Center for Jewish Studies this week on Urban Spelunking to learn more about its past and present. More history and photos here:https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/uwm-greene-museum

After years of slow to no movement in the construction, Bobby went inside for a look at the former McKinley School soon-to-be veterans housing on 20th & Vliet. Here is the article complete with some awesome pictures, https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/progress-report-mckinley

Full article and images from Bobby Tanzilo at https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/wgema-gym-pool