MILWAUKEE | St. John's On The Lake | 250' | 21 fl | UC

[EastSider]

http://www.saintjohnsmilw.org/expansion/news/art/view2.jpg

http://www.saintjohnsmilw.org/expansion/news/art/view1.jpg

Website: St. John's on The Lake (http://www.saintjohnsmilw.org/expansion/about/index.shtml)

88 unit expansion of current senior-living facility. Located on Prospect Ave on a bluff, overlooking Veterans Park and Lake Michigan on the east side.

Expected Completion: Mid-2011

[EastSider]

Biz Times: St. John's completed bond sale, will break ground Oct. 15 (http://www.biztimes.com/daily/2009/9/29/saint-johns-completes-bond-sale-for-expansion-will-break-ground-oct-15)

Saint John's on the Lake, a senior apartment complex at 1840 N. Prospect Ave. on Milwaukee's east side, has successfully sold $83 million in tax free municipal bonds for its planned 21-story, 88-unit expansion project, spokesman Rick Romano told BizTimes Milwaukee today.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the project will be held on Oct. 15, Romano said, the same day that the financing package will close.
The expansion will be one of the few large commercial real estate projects in southeastern Wisconsin to achieve financing in the past year.
"We think this is a pretty extraordinary accomplishment in a tough economic climate," Romano said. "We're very excited for ourselves, but also for the community. There are going to be 150 to 200 workers on this construction project."
Pewaukee-based VJS Construction Services is the general contractor for the project.
The tax free municipal bonds were made available through the Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority.
Saint John's hired Ziegler Wealth Management, a division of B.C. Ziegler and Company, to handle the bond sale.
Saint John's executives decided to sell bonds for the project when they determined that was a better option for them than obtaining financing from a bank. Bank financing for major real estate developments has been extremely difficult to obtain since the U.S. financial market meltdown last year.
So far, about 75 percent of the 88 apartment units in the planned expansion have been reserved.
Construction for the expansion project is expected to be complete in mid-2011.

[Green Bay 4 Life]

Is it 21 floors or 20 floors? The article and looking at the rendering say 21, however your title states 20.

The number of floors should put it in the 220' to 240' height range you think?

[honest86]

Why is senior housing tax exempt?!? BAH!! :bash:

[Warder]

Honest: perhaps not for much longer, at least in this case?

See the last article at the bottom of the page: http://www.milwaukeeworld.com/blog/2009_09_20_archive.html

[EastSider]

I got the floor count from Emporis, so your guess is as good as mine. :)

[MilwaukeeMark]

I got the floor count from Emporis, so your guess is as good as mine. :)

It's 21. I'll correct it on Emporis soon.

[bjkeys321]

beautiful expansion :) Is it just me or does this building remarkably resemble Park Lafayette? I think it's the same floor count and everything.

[MilwaukeeMark]

beautiful expansion :) Is it just me or does this building remarkably resemble Park Lafayette? I think it's the same floor count and everything.

It's just you I think.

http://www.pappageorgehaymes.com/images/properties/high-rise/ParkLafayette/image-2.jpg

[cargue]

I was the tower crane operator on the South tower of Park Lafayette. I'll be the operator on the tower crane at St John's also. The only similiarities I see in the two towers is the height and the brick exterior.

I've been waiting for well over a year for this project to start. They originally told me that I'd leave Lafayette early to start this one. I'm scheduled to start there Nov 1st on a hydraulic crane and the tower crane is tentatively scheduled for Dec. I'm ecstatic!

[Paule]

I was the tower crane operator on the South tower of Park Lafayette. I'll be the operator on the tower crane at St John's also. The only similiarities I see in the two towers is the height and the brick exterior.

I've been waiting for well over a year for this project to start. They originally told me that I'd leave Lafayette early to start this one. I'm scheduled to start there Nov 1st on a hydraulic crane and the tower crane is tentatively scheduled for Dec. I'm ecstatic!
That has to be an awesome job, well paying too!

[cargue]

That has to be an awesome job, well paying too!

Thanx Paule, it is an awesome job. And it pays pretty well, which will be nice since this last year has been really slow in construction. I love the work, a highrise keeps you super busy, with an occasional slow day. But it's nice being up there where you can see the city go to sleep and come to life.

[Jschmuck]

^^ what kind of training and where do you get it to be a crane operator? I know there is a diesel training school off of US 151 between Sun Prairie and Columbus that offers a lot of different training for different machines. I drive an 18 wheeler and we had 2 weeks of boot camp for that, that was pretty scary I admit but now its a walk in the park.

[cargue]

Hi J, it's a fairly long process that starts with apprenticeship. I actually joined the Operating Engineers Union in FL in 1980 and then moved back North in 1989.

I started out as an apprentice oiler on cranes and learned from older journeymen. After that it's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. I know some guys who worked with companies and got a shot at a tower crane without a lot of experience because the company liked their potential. Other guys just never get in the right place to get their first shot at being in the seat.

Our trade is very diverse with building construction, sewer and water, highway work, pipeline work, excavation and site work, etc. So it usually takes a lot of hard work and a bit of luck to end up with a tower crane. Two years ago, there was a shortage of trained tower crane operators. Right now there's a surplus, so I was very lucky to have worked with VJS in the past and they requested me back.

If anyone is ever interested in joining the Operating Engineers our apprenticeship is in Coloma, WI and covers the State of WI. But honestly, right now is not a good time to join because of the economy. Hopefully that will change soon.

BTW, the official groundbreaking was yesterday, Thurs, Oct 15th. I hope to be out there on a rough terrain crane around Nov 1st and the tower crane should go up in Dec.

[Coldwake]

Thats pretty neat! I'd love to see pictures of this building rise from your point of view. Would you be willing to take pictures of this as you go along?

[cargue]

Thats pretty neat! I'd love to see pictures of this building rise from your point of view. Would you be willing to take pictures of this as you go along?


Sure, I'll take pictures. I usually do. I have some from Park Lafayette. If anyone would like a copy send me a PM and I'll email them to you.

[cargue]

BTW, they have broke ground. I think the rain has slowed the dirtwork a bit. As soon as they get enough done, I'll be out there on a rough terrain crane to pour the foundation and the tower crane is scheduled to go up in Dec but it may be Jan if the rain slowed them too much.

[Paule]

Sure, I'll take pictures. I usually do. I have some from Park Lafayette. If anyone would like a copy send me a PM and I'll email them to you.
I'll do that but I'll wait until you get way up there in height. :)

[EastSider]

Welcome to the forums cargue. Pretty sweet we have a guy on the inside.

[cargue]

Welcome to the forums cargue. Pretty sweet we have a guy on the inside.

Thanx EastSider, I got the call today (Fri 11/6) that I start there Monday on a 90 ton rough terrain crane. The tower crane should be up within 4-6 weeks. I'm jacked!

[Paule]

The number of floors should put it in the 220' to 240' height range you think?
Does anybody know what the height is supposed to be?

[cargue]

Does anybody know what the height is supposed to be?

I asked the Field Supt today and he said it will be right at 250'.

[Paule]

Ah, great, thanks cargue!