Millennium Momentum Project is located on the Henry Maier Festival Park at 200 North Harbor Drive. These grounds first hosted Summerfest in 1968 on an abandoned air strip, Nike missile base, and landfill site using wooden platform stages built on concrete blocks. Although improvements were made over the years, the venue suffered from tired buildings, an overwhelming amount of asphalt, and a lack of shade. Upon completion of their Master Plan efforts which provided a solid foundation for the transformation of the North end of the grounds, the two-year multi-phase Millennium Momentum Plan project began in 2001 to update the remaining park. Hunzinger was hired as the construction manager for the project which had a diversity contracting goal of 25%. Hunzinger exceeded that goal by achieving 32%.

Significant demolition was required at each project location and we worked closely with MWF staff and environmental consultants to develop an approved materials management plan to address any spoils that had to be disposed of at a licensed landfill. We developed approved methods of utilizing spoils at various onsite project locations thus minimizing the amount and expense of off-site disposal. The first phase of the project included an updated mid-gate entrance that gives the grounds a more substantial front door and provides views of a new fountain and Harbor Island. Other aspects included an 18,000-square-foot pavilion that houses the Johnson Controls World Stage, an ethnic village with numerous food vendor buildings, and improved restroom facilities. A unique feature of Phase 2 was the aggressive reuse of excavated spoils which had a significant positive impact on project costs. We were able to utilize these soils around a number of the new buildings and the South Park Plaza. Projects completed in South Park Plaza included raising the grade of the multi-purpose area adjacent to the Marcus Amphitheater, decorative masonry retaining walls, ornamental fencing, concrete curbs and stairways, landscaped promenade, and complete asphalt paving. This project was made possible through savings realized on the combined Phase 1 & 2 projects and provided an opportunity to avoid costly landfill charges by utilizing project spoils to raise the grade of this low end of the site.


Bob Gosse
Director of Design and Construction, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.