September 6, 2010

Good Day Museum Milers™,

Three months ago I presented, or mailed, hard copies of the letter you see below to many movers and shakers here in Madison.

In addition, emailed copies were sent to elected officials in Madison and Dane County.  Here is a partial list of the hard copies that I shared:

• Pleasant Rowland,
• Linda Baldwin,
• George Austin,
• Jerry Frautschi,
• Vince O’Hern,
• Randy Alexander,
• Jim Doyle,
• Rich Lynch,
• John Hutchinson,
• Eliot Butler,
• Barbara Lawton,
• Todd McGrath,
• Marty Rifkin,
• Carol Mullins,
• Harold Langhammer,
• Kenton Peters,
• Dave Cieslewicz,
• Kathy Falk,
• Bob Dunn,
• Brad Binkowski,
• Tom Neujahr,
• David Helbach,
• John Taylor,
• Terrence Wall,
• Eric Minton,
• William Kunkler,
• Cliff Fisher,
• Mark Pocan
• and Mike Slavish

This 8 page document was intended to continue the call for “museum attention” which I have consistently been advocating for many years.   It was also intended to influence Mr. Fred Mohs to start saying “Yes” to the MuseumMile™ Plan, and with that “yes”, a real opportunity to accomplish his goals with respect to the “Edgewater” discussion.  (Without going to civil court.)

One day after Mayor Cieslewicz’ State of the City speech, Mr. Mohs filed a civil action in Dane County Court to halt the Edgewater plans as approved by the city council.  (6-17-10)

Here now is the electronic copy of the letter:

Dear Mr. Mohs,

This is my annual “State of the Downtown Plan” letter (no jokes please, I am still homeless) to some community leaders, but I am largely addressing it to you because I think I can help you improve the Edgewater discussion without you having to go to civil court to accomplish your aims.  Electronic copies of this letter will go out to elected officials.  But first, let me share with you information on: 1) Public Market issue 2) Peace Park issue and 3) Overture in Tier I of the Cultural Tax Alternative.

PUBLIC MARKET

Don’t you think we need a local history museum more then a public market?

How can this community have an intelligent discussion of the Public Market issue when we can’t even discuss the danger at the current farmers market?   Each Saturday you can look out your office window and see the ‘system’ allowing a public safety crisis. (Coffee waiting line using same busy traffic lane.) Hey, just a few days ago a lady crashed into the Cosi Restaurant on State and Johnson hurting a few individuals.  Now just imagine what would have happened if that same lady had been on the square during the farmers market, trying to pick up her plants and produce but accelerating instead?   I don’t think the “No Double Parking” signs the vendors just put up are an answer to the public safety crisis, do you?   But I believe it would be so much fun for this community to answer the question:  Can we improve the Dane County Farmers Market? (What do you think?)

Please see ImproveTheMarket.WordPress.com for a more detailed understanding of the potential that little ole’ Garlic Muse™ sees for the DCFM.

Currently, the latest news in the plan is to include built-in (rain or shine) farmers market vending stalls into the new library block—the Fiore design, on Henry Street—see art card above.  Remember Mr. Mohs, as part of the MuseumMile™ Plan, we just doubled the market vending opportunities by offering the DCFM on Sundays too, when the square is available.  (I believe this additional day will increase hotel stays for the local hoteliers.)

Peace Park or Carousel Park™

My job is to ask the question:  How is the redesign of Peace Park building up the MuseumMile™ Brand?  First, Mr. Mohs, I don’t think we can change the atmosphere of Peace Park and still keep that Peace Park name.  The MuseumMile™ Plan moves that brand name to the Central Park area and builds a first class Wisconsin Skateboard Museum™ in the New Peace Park.  Next, the plan focuses on Harold’s Carousel, Cops on Horses, Bucky Ducks™ and promoting Wisconsin heritage tourism.  (Please see MuseumMile.WordPress.com for a detailed account of the Carousel Park™ invention.)

The CULTURAL TAX ALTERNATIVE SUPPORTS OVERTURE

In my last election against Board Chair McDonell we met briefly in front of Carol Carstenson of the League of Women Voters for their Know Your Candidate video debate.  In Scott’s opening statement he said: “I will say, to rebut a little bit of what Dennis said, you know Denver has a regional transit authority, has trains.  They also have a cultural district like he described (I talked first on the MuseumMile™ Plan), so when you start looking at communities a little bit larger than us, you’ll see that they can do both of these things.”

Imagine a time when a public forum is hosted on Scott McDonell’s quote above?   Do you believe that Scott’s observation is of strong value to lead to putting Overture in Tier I of the MuseumMile™ Fund (regardless of who owns and operates Overture)?  Please remember Mr. Mohs, a big reason to create the building boom of new museum institutions, and to market downtown Madison as “Downtown’s MuseumMile™” and/or “Madison’s Museum Mile™”, is the vision of Wisconsin’s MuseumMile™ Camp, whereby all 5^th graders in Wisconsin, get to spend one week in Madison learning on the MuseumMile™.  (Talk about a creative idea that stimulates a ‘Race to the Top’—Wisconsin Extends the Classroom through their Museums.)

Let’s End the Letter on Edgewater

I suggest you reframe the Edgewater discussion into this question:

How is the Edgewater Expansion

Building up the branding process for

Downtown’s MuseumMile?

Should you like this question (which opens up discussion on the MuseumMile™ Plan), it means you are saying “yes” too many of the ideas in the plan. (Wanting discussion.)

Again, please visit MuseumMile.WordPress.com and click on the page labeled “Synopsis Statement”, or the page called “The Edgewater”.

I believe your best gamble, without going to civil court, is to overtly put into your own words something about how the Edgewater expansion is doing NOTHING to build up the branding process.   First, you might have to ask yourself and ask those Capitol Neighbors of yours—

• Does Madison have a brand?
• Does Madison want a brand?
• What brands are out there?
• What’s wrong with the MuseumMile™ brand?
• What’s right (or wrong) with the MuseumMile™ Plan? (de Grand Brand Plan)

As always, thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Dennis Amadeus de Nure (dennisdenure@yahoo.com)

PS: Now, I’d be happy to hear your objections to extending a lake shore path from the Wisconsin Union Terraces to James Madison Park. (But no zebra mussel jokes please.) Or I’d like to know why you think a Madison Golf Museum™ is a dumb idea? (Tiger Woods jokes are ok)   Or why Madison wouldn’t succeed with a heritage tourism promotional service called “Bucky Ducks™”?   (No rhyming jokes please.)

I personally have no problem with a tall Edgewater hotel, but if we, as a community WANT a lakeshore path for Mendota, in the spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright, let’s do it organically with a shorter but longer hotel, built into the hill with the rooms facing the lake while the museum faces toward the Capitol and National Guardian Life building.

I still don’t take things personally.  Maybe I am wrong, but everyone creates their own reality, including you and me.   I chose a positive attitude even to the Pollyanna tune.  I believe the children of the future will love Wisconsin’s MuseumMile™ Camp and right now it is my duty to work toward that happening by working to convince you (and the community leaders on this list) on the value of the MuseumMile™ Plan.

PPS: Perhaps the WMMB can help with a Wisconsin Dairy Museum™? (A Building Boom for a multi-billion dollar industry without her own official historical.)

PPPS: Please note attached Helbach letter.  Also, note on 12-25-09 the Wisconsin State Journal ran a story called—“Tribal project sparks hope for Union Corners”.  In that article by Mary Spicuzza, she wrote—“It could include Ho Chunk offices and a museum…”   Perhaps you have an outlook on this multi-billion dollar industry?