Derrick CainionOwner and founder of Artificial crossbreeding MKEis planning to expand its operation, but a zoning change must be done first. Cainion plans to build an outdoor gallery and community space at Art Intersection MKE, 3542 W. Vliet St. in Milwaukee. Cainion currently owns properties 3530 and 3542 W. Vliet Street and is seeking to rezone residential lots 3516-3602 to commercial so he can buy the city-owned lots for his project. Currently, there is a mix of residential and commercial lots in that area, Cainion said, but they all need to be equal so the lots can be consolidated for the expansion project. The city-owned residential lots in that area are vacant, he said. Cainion will present at the Aug. 19 City Planning Commission meeting, where a hearing on that proposed zoning change will be held. He said he is confident the zoning change will be approved and the project will move forward. “From what I understand, if all goes well, the building permit will be issued at the end of September and the land acquisition will hopefully happen soon after that,” Cainion said. “And then we want to start construction soon after that and build out our space.” The first phase of the project will cost an estimated $900,000, Cainion said. “I was able to raise over $500,000 for this phase of the project,” Cainion said. “The funding will come from a mix of grants, in-kind donations, financing and my own infusion of money.” Cainion said he plans to build a 4,000-square-foot bioswale and an outdoor gallery with sculptures and murals. “The idea is to use public art to change the face of the neighborhood, spur economic development, create a destination, basically create a place that brings the community together,” Cainion said. (gallery size=”full” td_select_gallery_slide=”slide” ids=”595412,595413,595414,595415,595416,595417,595418,595419″)
Art Intersection MKE plans expansion on Vliet Street
