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Earlier this month, Jennifer Buck was captivated by what she saw at The Yard at Bayshore. The public square had recently opened to visitors, and children and families had gathered on a sunny, serene fall day. Kids were playing football. Families were having picnics. Some people were walking around Bayshore, enjoying the art they discovered at every turn. To Buck, it was perfect.
“There’s nothing better than seeing people enjoy the space,” she says. “It makes it all worth it.”
Buck spent most of 2020 as, “the boots on the ground” for the Bayshore project. While her title is, “Owner's Representative," the seasoned leader and licensed Architect prefers to think of herself as a “projects leader." She manages and coordinates several different projects for Cypress, including the art program, the apartment renovation, the overall redevelopment construction and more.
“I love diving into the details, but I also love building relationships and working with artists, architects and designers,” she says. “That’s what makes this job so special.”
Jennifer Buck, photography By Samuel Li
Buck began her Projects Leader role in February 2020, having previously been part of the redevelopment design team. Then, of course, the pandemic arrived. Buck had never worked with a large number of artists before, but she quickly discovered that it was one of her favorite parts of the entire Bayshore experience.
“I think my role became even more vital to the success of the project,” she says. “We were literally doing everything remotely and troubleshooting design issues. The art is bringing something truly unique,” she says. “In one neighborhood here, we’re going to have over 30 local art pieces. I don’t know where else you can have that type of experience. I think it’s a bright spot in these hard times.”
Tiger Rider by CERA
Monster Meters by John Kowalczyk
That’s what Buck was thinking while she was watching the children and families enjoy The Yard. For months and months, she worked alongside dozens of creatives and collaborators, each of them putting hours of hard work into the Bayshore project. Now, as she says, she could see that “it was all worth it.”
“So much time and love went into this,” Buck says, “and we did it for the people. That’s the big picture.”
Jennifer Buck is an Associate and Project Leader for Milwaukee-based architecture, interior design, strategic advisory and environmental branding firm Kahler Slater.
To follow more of the Bayshore art project, visit www.thebayshorelife.com or follow @thebayshorelife on Instagram.