corner #1: 48th and W. North ave
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The corner of 49th and North Avenue is a rather quiet place of neighborhood shops. It’s also the site of Milwaukee Police Deparment’s District Three Headquarters. The architecture is relatively modern considering the surrounding homes, and with residential areas to the south and east, the corner hosts a variety of ethnic shopping options including a family-owned Vietnamese grocery.
The police headquarters, which was built in 2001 under then-mayor John Norquist, is the imposing structure that dominates the corners skyline and drives its economic activity. Although crime statistics have this as Milwaukee’s most crime-reported corner, there was little evidence of a sense of fear. Owner of Star Food Mart, Abdul Salim said that he would be shocked to hear of crime in the neighborhood and has never experienced an issue in his 13 years at that location. This was echoed by shoppers in the store. One explanation could be the presence of the police department itself. Residents feel comfortable reporting crimes in a way that other neighborhoods, farther from the station would not. This could explain 49th and North’s absence on lists of violent corners or shooting incidents. The area has historically had a high rate of crimes reported, simply because it’s is very easy to report crimes with a police department in your backyard. Salim agreed: "If there were an issue, help would be next door." |