A Tosa State of Mind
Alderman Dennis McBride represents Wauwatosa's 4th District. An attorney and graduate of Wauwatosa East High School, Ald. McBride strives to be an effective, thoughtful, and nonpartisan representative for his constituents and for his hometown.
Competing in the 21st Century
Do you ever wonder how Milwaukee and Wauwatosa will thrive in the 21st century? The answer is right in your neighborhood.
An economic impact analysis prepared by Vandewalle & Associates, Inc. lists the following facts about the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC), which is located on the County Grounds in Wauwatosa:
- In 2009, MRMC had a total direct and indirect economic impact of $2.964 billion on metropolitan Milwaukee (Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties). The direct impact was $1.235 billion and the indirect impact was $1.729 billion.
- MRMC employed 16,889 individuals in 2009 and stimulated an additional 17,600 jobs in the metro area.
- The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) received $157 million in research funding in 2009, and the Blood Center of Wisconsin received another $16 million.
What does MRMC do for Wauwatosa?
- MRMC's annual economic impact on Wauwatosa is $410 million.
- MRMC is Wauwatosa's largest employer.
- 2,040 MRMC employees and 870 medical students and residents live in Wauwatosa.
Nearly 23% of MRMC's growth has occurred since 2006. It expects to add another 3 million square feet of development by 2020, which will result in an additional 8,800 jobs on site and thousands of additional jobs throughout the metro area.
If Milwaukee is to compete globally in the 21st century, it will do so by supporting the kind of research and innovation occurring at MRMC.
One thing holding MCW back is that it is one of only six "stand alone" medical schools in the U.S. It has stated that it wants a partnership with a comprehensive research university. That university is the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This is why MCW is so keen on bringing some of UWM's research capabilities out to the County Grounds, and why UWM is so eager to be MCW's partner.
Let's hope that UWM has the money to carry through on its purchase of the land for its planned "Innovation Park" from Milwaukee County. If it does, Wauwatosa will lead the metro area into the 21st century economy.
We only need to embrace the vision that MCW had when it moved to Wauwatosa more than 30 years ago.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.