East Side BID Director, Liz Brodek, noticed on one of her daily walks that the city-owned parking lot at 1915 E North Ave. between Von Trier and Beans and Barley was shockingly underutilized. Support for this art lot has grown since Brodek’s initial realization.

It’s called the East Side Art Lot. And it will breathe new life into the underutilized city-owned parking lot at 1915 E. North Ave., between Von Trier and Beans and Barley. “The East Side Art Lot will bring together our local community, local artists and local restaurants and shops that make the East Side so special.”

A new public space coming to the oft-empty, city-owned parking lot at 1915 E. North Avenue. Businesses stepped forward wanting to do light programming if we could make this happen. We also saw an opportunity to pay local artists to help make the space feel more vibrant.

The East Side Business Improvement District in the city of Milwaukee is taking over a parking lot to provide restaurants additional outdoor seating while highlighting the work of local artists. The BID is creating what it calls an art lot, which will be in the city-owned parking lot at 1915 E. North Ave.

The East Side Business Improvement District (BID) is tackling this issue with its new initiative to create a space for restaurant patrons to go if outdoor seating is at capacity or simply if someone wants a quiet, outdoor space to relax. This space is called the East Side Art Lot and will be located at 1915 E. North Ave.

East Siders pitched the idea of using the city parking lot on East North Avenue between Von Trier and Beans & Barley as a place for additional outdoor dining space for area restaurants and now the idea is moving toward reality. On Wednesday, the East Side Business Improvement District (BID) officially announced the East Side Art Lot at 1915 E. North Ave.

These Milwaukee restaurants are seeing success with on-street dining program. Restaurants on Brady Street and East North Avenue are the most active in setting up new outdoor tables for customers this month, and those participating in the new city of Milwaukee program gave it high marks.

A city-owned parking lot in the heart of East North Avenue later this summer could be transformed into a gathering space with picnic tables painted by artists. The concept by the East Side Business Improvement District would help restaurants reopening after the pandemic by providing outdoor seating for people buying carry-out, said Liz Brodek, executive director of the East Side Business Improvement District.