Depending on which news sources you follow, Milwaukee is going through either a “renaissance” or a “reinvention.” Or maybe it’s a “reboot” or a “reimagining,” like that crappy Tim Burton version of Planet Of The Apes. However you want to define it, it’s safe to say that Milwaukee is currently building a lot of new and wonderful things.
• A developer wants to build a five-story, 79-unit apartment building along the Milwaukee River. Sounds simple, right? Hell, a good 75% of these columns probably include five-story, 79-unit apartment buildings along the Milwaukee River. But when those five-story, 79-unit apartment buildings along the Milwaukee River involve 60 affordable, below-market-rate units—including 16 units for people with disabilities—things get real NIMBY real fast.
So it goes with developer Brandon Rule and nonprofit developer Movin’ Out’s planned EIGHTEEN87 Place building at 1887 N. Water St.—a.k.a. the site of that vacant and forever-tagged Pro Graphics building. In a neighborhood meeting last week, a nearby resident raised concerns about the project, and asked, well, we’ll let Urban Milwaukee tell it:
But real estate agent and Highbridge Condominiums resident Christine Caponigro, in a speech lasting more than five minutes, said Rule’s project didn’t have enough parking, could have up to six people per unit living in it and would negatively impact her property value. She pledged to form a coalition of nearby condo associations to object to the project and address other neighborhood issues.
Caponigro asked if the disabled residents would include drug addicts. [Movin’ Out representative Megan] Schuetz said the disabilities were determined by federal standards, evaluated by a doctor and did not regularly include drug addiction.
The real estate agent said she has lived in her unit since 2019, moving from Brookfield, but was very familiar with the neighborhood. She said the East Side, including her building, were already diverse.
A resident of a multi-story residential building with no commercial space, she asked Rule multiple times what his building, another multi-story residential building with no commercial space, would add to the neighborhood.
Oh god, that last sentence is gold. Kudos, [Urban Milwaukee]
• Josh Delaney wants to build a three-story office building for his internet business, as well as four adjoining townhomes “along N. Jefferson St. between E. Pleasant St. and E. Lyon.” Delaney would live in one of the townhomes and rent out the other ones “for between $7,000 to $9,000 each per month.” [Urban Milwaukee]
• The Marcus Performing Arts Center is entering Phase 2 of its renovations (those trees, you may remember, are long gone), and the Marcus Corp. Foundation is kicking in a $2.5 million matching gift to help things along. [Milwaukee Business Journal]
• 3rd Street Market Hall is still planning to open this September (the future food hall, you may remember, used to be the main entrance of the Shops of Grand Avenue), and the Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. is kicking in a $2 million loan to help vendors build their booths. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• The RedLine art gallery, 1422 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., is going to be turned into a church. “Our hope is to really serve the city of Milwaukee well. It’s part of our mission statement,” says pastor Jon Talley of Christ Church Milwaukee. RedLine closed in 2019. [Urban Milwaukee]
• And what did we learn this week? Well, they’re always building something. Isn’t that right, old song from my old band?
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