overlooks , the bridge is equipped to carry people across the Chippewa River , host events , and provide a place to appreciate downtown Eau Claire .
Grand Avenue Pedestrian Bridge Rehabilitation
The Menekaunee Harbor Park Restoration project also won a Best of State Award . Filled with contaminated sediment and weeds , Marinette ’ s Menekaunee Harbor at the mouth of the Menominee River had become virtually unusable . In 2010 the City of Marinette hired Ayres to begin transforming the harbor area into a flourishing park and boat launch , giving water enthusiasts and anglers direct access to the river , the Bay of Green Bay , and Lake Michigan . The City and Ayres also began securing funding for this culturally significant site ’ s multiphase rebirth . Applications brought in nearly $ 8 million in grants .
After designing a massive harbor dredging project , the City and Ayres designed and developed the park surrounding the harbor , adding a parking lot , boat landing , restrooms , transient docks , two pavilions , a boating plaza , an accessible kayak / canoe launch , and a pedestrian bridge .
Menekaunee Harbor Park Restoration
Awarded a State Finalist Award was the Harbor View Plaza project in Milwaukee . Harbor District Inc . wanted to create a unique catalyst project for Milwaukee ’ s Inner Harbor just south of downtown . The goal : to reconnect nearby communities to the waterfront and create a welcoming , comfortable , and functional public space that allows people to enjoy the waterfront . Ayres overcame multiple challenges to provide all of the desired amenities for the small urban greenspace : the first accessible kayak / canoe launch in the area , a plaza accommodating small and large gatherings that will connect to a future riverwalk , multiple play features , a fire access lane , artistic elements in the gateway entrance and donor sign , and accommodations for large ship docking .
Harbor View Plaza
The Waunakee Alloy brownfield ’ s transformation into the site of a new public library won a State Finalist Award . A property once home to a defunct foundry loaded with toxic contaminants and decorated with debris has been remediated and transformed into a stunning , state-of-theart public library in the heart of the Village of Waunakee , thanks largely to Ayres securing $ 650,000 in grant funding to clean up the disheveled site and helping the Village plan for site redevelopment while navigating twists and turns in
42 | TRENDS Waunakee Alloy Site Conversion
Ingenuity , Integrity , and Intelligence .