I walk along the Milwaukee Riverwalk almost daily. Its growth and expansion throughout the Downtown neighborhoods have been impressive, and every season there's more development, public art and plantings.

Yet, the river wall directly under the Chase Bank Building bothers me. It's ugly, an eyesore and in dire need of, at the very least, a paint job. How hard could it be to slap a funky design upon the wall? Heck, I'd even accept an ad or two there. Anything is better than ugly gray concrete.

The classic 1982 James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling article / theory on broken windows (became a book in 1996: "Fixing Broken Windows: Restoring Order and Reducing Crime in Our Communities") applies in our Downtown, too. This excerpt crystallizes the theory well:

"Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it's unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside.

Or consider a sidewalk. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of trash from take-out restaurants there or breaking into cars."

I say, consider a river and its Riverwalk. If any parts look ugly, weathered and worn, they sadly reflect on the entire area.

Downtown Milwaukee is better than this. Let's paint this wall now! Any takers? I'll help buy the paint.