MILWAUKEE – A unique housing project planned for Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood received the public thumbs up from Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson Friday.

In front of what will eventually be the River Trail Commons cohousing development, the Mayor signed a public file advancing the project. Mayor Johnson also signed a second file authorizing the Environmental Collaboration Office to seek clean energy tax credits to support various projects like the new Martin Luther King Jr. Drive library branch in the Harambee neighborhood.

In addition to the advancement of the project, Friday’s public ceremony served as a chance for several Milwaukee city leaders to show their solidarity with the man who pushed heavily for River Trail Commons and other ideas like it: late Third District Alderman Jonathan Brostoff. The alderman died by suicide earlier this month at just 41-years-old.

Thousands gather to honor late Alderman Jonathan Brostoff

“A big part of the reason why I wanted to sign these files publicly was to honor Jonathan, and to recommit ourselves to Jonathan’s approach, was to be forward thinking,” said Mayor Johnson.

Nine of the 14 living Common Council members flanked Mayor Johnson and Alderman Brostoff’s widow Diana Vang-Brostoff during the event.

“When Jonathan took an oath of office, he decided he would work very hard to create affordable housing in the Third District. The use of this space for townhomes and condos would make him proud at accomplishing an important goal of adding diverse housing to the city,” said Vang-Brostoff.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Planned Milwaukee cohousing project gets first city approval

The cohousing project would be the first of its kind in the city, including 39 housing units at a site formerly occupied by the Milwaukee Beer Bistro and then Big Daddy’s BBQ & Soul Food near Humboldt Boulevard and Center Street. The goal of the project according to its leader, attorney Nola Hitchcock Cross, is to build a community of neighbors around sharing resources.

“We’re creating a new-old fashioned development, where everybody knows your name,” says Hitchcock Cross. “It’s got secret sauce, and the secret sauce is the community.”

As part of the community-building mission, Hitchcock Cross says the development will include a public gathering space for meals, a community garden, library, play room, workshop, guest suites, multifunction room, and outdoor lounge space. There would also be a shared electric vehicle on site.

According to Realtor.com, in July of 2024, the median listing home price in Milwaukee was 219,900 dollars, trending up 15.8% year-over-year. Of the 39 planned units, 13 will be sold at below-market prices to those who meet income restriction requirements. It’s still not known what the rate on the below-market price units will be.

Groundbreaking on River Trail Commons is anticipated sometime in 2025, with the hope of completing the development the same year.

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MILWUAKEE — The Milwaukee Public School Board heard some encouraging news Thursday night. Board members found out that there are currently twenty-six applicants in the mix as they search for the next superintendent.

“This is a critical decision for MPS and for Milwaukee,” associate with Hazard Young Attea Associates, Pat Neudecker said.

Hazard Young Attea Associates is the firm Milwaukee Public Schools hired to help with the superintendent search after Keith Posley resigned back in early June amid a financial crisis in the district. Eduardo Galvan stepped in as Interim at the end of July.

Watch: Community members provide input on MPS superintendent search

‘This is a critical decision for MPS’: Community members provide input on superintendent search

“Know that we are going to bring the best candidate,” Neudecker said.

Neudecker said she met with Mayor Cavalier Johnson, County Executive David Crowley, Governor Tony Evers, students, and parents in the last six weeks. She also got to meet with other community leaders for input.

“We asked everyone the same. What’s great about MPS, what are the challenges, and what do you look for in a new superintendent,” Neudecker said.

The firm got about 850 responses in the survey that was conducted.

“Which is low for the size of your community. But again, good responses,” Neudecker explained.

One of the qualities many are hoping the candidates can bring to the district is transparency.

“I think a lot of the issues we had in the past could have been avoided through transparency,” Rufus King Senior, Manuel Ishag said.

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Ishag is a leader on the Superintendent Student Advisory Council. He is passionate about the district and what a new leader could bring to the table.

“I like to see tangible progress. I’m a numbers guy. So, I’d like to see maybe a little more focus on academics and test scores,” Ishag explained.

TMJ4’s Megan Lee asked Ishag if he wants a thriving school district. He said, “Oh I would love that, I’m already proud of my district.”

The district plans to name a new superintendent in late February.

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A Milwaukee rapper is going to prison for 40 years in connection with a crash last year that killed a pregnant Shorewood woman.

Frank Mosley Jr.’s mother fainted in the courtroom as Circuit Court Judge David Swanson handed down the sentence against him on Thursday afternoon.

Mosley, 21, of Milwaukee, was convicted in September of multiple felonies in the Nov. 2, 2023, crash in Milwaukee that took the lives of Erin Mogensen and her unborn child.

Mogensen was two months pregnant at the time of the crash, which occurred on the day of her fourth wedding anniversary.

“All her dreams were about to come true until she crossed paths with evil,” her father Mark Hagen said, calling Mosley “an extreme danger to society.” “Her killer should have been in jail. He was the one who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, not Erin.”

Prosecutors said Mosley, a rapper known locally as Lil Frank, led police on a chase that began in Wauwatosa for not having a license plate. The fleeing vehicle at one point hit speeds of 116 mph before police called off the pursuit.

Moments later, the officer came upon a crash scene between the BMW and a Toyota at Capitol and North 100th Street in Milwaukee. Mogensen, 32, was at the wheel of the Toyota.

In court, Mosley apologized to Mogensen’s family, and took responsibility for the crash, but asserted it was an accident. Swanson said although Mosley didn’t intend to hit anyone, he made the choice to drive a car “at an absurdly high speed.”

“If you didn’t hit Mrs. Mogensen, you could have hit someone else,” the judge said.

Mosley also was ordered to serve 10 years of extended supervision when he is released from prison.

This is a developing story. Stay with jsonline.com for updates.