Milwaukee Development News

[SWDetroit]

I can see why Madison (lived/worked there 27 years) ranked #4 in Outside Magazine, but Milwaukee?

[PANTHERfan]

Ignore the angry troll.

[AcctStdntUWM]

County panel delays Park East apartments plan
By Tom Daykin

A plan to revise the long-stalled Park East Square apartments proposal was delayed Monday by a County Board committee after one of the developers was strongly criticized by the local janitors union...

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/busine...rt=newestfirst

Ok, so all political leanings aside, of my own, and of others. This is just rediculous. The janitors union in just peaved that one of their own contributing firms got replaced...

This is a free market, Wangard should be able to go with any dang cleaning service they choose without having any backlash in a development/political forum with the county government. (especially since it appears they were replaced due to the quality of their work)

No reason at all to delay this.

[AcctStdntUWM]

Third phase of The North End already in the works

Another 200 apartments possible at Park East development
By Tom Daykin

Developer Barry Mandel is working on another expansion at The North End apartments, in Milwaukee's Park East area.

The next phase being considered would create 200 apartments, to be built above street-level retail space, Mandel said Tuesday. The project would be north of E. Pleasant St., between N. Water St. and the Milwaukee River, he said...

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/busine...rt=newestfirst



Software firm, gallery planned for Menomonee Valley
By Tom Daykin

Milwaukee entrepreneur plans to buy a Menomonee Valley building and remodel it for his software development firm, and an art gallery.

John Shannon has agreed to buy the 10,900-square-foot building, at 2045 W. St. Paul Ave., and plans to spend $300,000 on renovations, according to information filed with the city Board of Zoning Appeals...

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/busine...rt=newestfirst

[El Mariachi]

Originally Posted by AcctStdntUWM

Ok, so all political leanings aside, of my own, and of others. This is just rediculous. The janitors union in just peaved that one of their own contributing firms got replaced...

This is a free market, Wangard should be able to go with any dang cleaning service they choose without having any backlash in a development/political forum with the county government. (especially since it appears they were replaced due to the quality of their work)

No reason at all to delay this.

This is just another unsurprising example of why doing business in Milwaukee is a hassle. A great project for downtown Milwaukee being held up because of some minor union gripe over 12 jobs. While this is a minor story, it should be a wake up call to those who can't fathom why business often wants nothing to do with Milwaukee. Those that do are forced to jump through hoops or swatted away like BuySeasons and even Silk Exotic with jobs it would have brought downtown. This city needs to wake up, knock this crap off, and stop pretending that it's San Francisco or Manhattan.

[bayviews]

Originally Posted by CGII

I think he meant to say Holy Toledo!

[Eriol]

Action at last.

"With its last piece of financing falling into place, construction will begin in July on converting a former Milwaukee warehouse into an incubator for water technology firms.

The incubator, known as the Water Technology Research and Business Accelerator Building, is being created within a seven-story building at 223 W. Pittsburgh Ave. in Walker's Point."

"Meanwhile, work is to begin this year on roads and other public improvements on a 17-acre vacant lot just west of the business incubator to create a business park for water tech companies. The city will spend $6.2 million on the business park, with that money to be repaid through property taxes on new buildings within the business park.

That business park will be developed on a former rail yard, known as Reed Street Yards, by General Capital Group and property owner Peter Moede. UWM plans to raise private funds to locate its School of Freshwater Sciences headquarters in the business park."

http://www.jsonline.com/business/wat...159956825.html

[MarqKev]

With Washington Square going nowhere, it looks like Godfrey & Kahn's focus has shifted to an 18-story project on top of the US Bank annex garage. It still needs one additional tenant to move forward, but at least with it being US Bank property, the financing source is pretty obvious.



http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee...ice-tower.html

[AcctStdntUWM]

Well that would be a great addition next to the 40 story apartment tower Rick Barrett wants to build. Decent looking building too. Does the rendering appears short for 18 stories to anyone else? Tried counting floors and it appears to be 17 - 18 stories but especially compared to 8 story 875 E. Wisconsin building it appears quite short.

Of course it's only a rendering

[=dba=Ronin]

I thought the same thing about the height at first glance...if that is it's true scale, it is a little underwhelming. I liked it better when I was reading the Jsonline post and using my imagination.

[Dale]

Offhand I'd expect an 18 story building atop a parking garage to be well over 300'.

[AcctStdntUWM]

I'm guessing the 18 stories includes the parking structure, it appears so from the picture.

Comparing to other office towers in that floor range I'd say we could expect 225 - 275 ft

The most comparable building would probably be Cathedral Place. 19 stories, although some are residential and it tops out at 244ft according to emporis.com

Update:

Another rending on Biztimes.

http://biztimes.com/article/20120622...n-office-tower



Some other interesing info about the project, it already has commitments for a fitness center and another small tenant, and will have an outdoor terrace facing the lake and a restaurant at street level.

[Dale]

Sounds like it's almost a go-er. We'll take it down here in Orlando if you guys don't want it.

[AcctStdntUWM]

Bored at work so I'm thinking about the proposed 40 story apartment tower next door.

Taking into consideration 5 of the newest residential towers (The Moderne, University Club Tower, Kilbourn Tower, The Breakwater and Park Lafayette) I was curious about how tall it would be.

Averaging out the ft per floor/total building height they average out to 11.79 feet per floor. With a high or 12.39 ft/floor (UCL) to a low of 11.05 ft/floor (Park Lafayette).

Basically if this is the choice the county/city goes with, were looking at a tower that could be around 450-470 ft, putting it on par with the University Club tower. Could be shorter/taller, but that's an estimate.

Would really build on the dynamic of the skyline, reallllllly got my fingers crossed on this one.

[miltown]

Crazy Idea here!!! Why don't Barrett (Apartment Guy) and Irgens (Office "Tower" Team) get together and build a 58 story building??? Honestly I don't think this is the spot for a measly 18 story unimpressive tower.

[CGII]

Originally Posted by miltown

Crazy Idea here!!! Why don't Barrett (Apartment Guy) and Irgens (Office "Tower" Team) get together and build a 58 story building??? Honestly I don't think this is the spot for a measly 18 story unimpressive tower.

why not? markets drive building construction, not wishes. why wouldn't this be a good place for infill? we have too many vacant lots sitting around town to get picky waiting for a 58 floor building. besides, skylines can only be appreciated from the suburbs.

[MarqKev]

It looks like the 18 floors definitely includes the parking garage, which must be why the building appears short. The description for this photo from Kahler Slater states that the lobby is five stories tall.



A couple other images from Kahler Slater.




http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee...=image_gallery

[Paule]

Originally Posted by Dale

Sounds like it's almost a go-er. We'll take it down here in Orlando if you guys don't want it.

Well then I say take it. The design looks ok to me, in fact I'll be happy with it if it's built, but I also have to think of what could've been with what was already proposed on Mason St. for the same anchor tenent, a 30 story similar looking tower.

Hosted on http://www.flickr.com/

[ThatGuy]

Originally Posted by CGII

why not? markets drive building construction, not wishes. why wouldn't this be a good place for infill? we have too many vacant lots sitting around town to get picky waiting for a 58 floor building. besides, skylines can only be appreciated from the suburbs.

Speak for yourself, I got a great view here at 9th and Juneau

[Paule]

Originally Posted by AcctStdntUWM

Bored at work so I'm thinking about the proposed 40 story apartment tower next door.

Taking into consideration 5 of the newest residential towers (The Moderne, University Club Tower, Kilbourn Tower, The Breakwater and Park Lafayette) I was curious about how tall it would be.

Averaging out the ft per floor/total building height they average out to 11.79 feet per floor. With a high or 12.39 ft/floor (UCL) to a low of 11.05 ft/floor (Park Lafayette).

Basically if this is the choice the county/city goes with, were looking at a tower that could be around 450-470 ft, putting it on par with the University Club tower. Could be shorter/taller, but that's an estimate.

Would really build on the dynamic of the skyline, reallllllly got my fingers crossed on this one.

Yeah, this is what I'm thinking about too, skyline dynamics and what is possible! Plus I would really like to know what NWM is planning to do with their tower next door? I know they have said they need to tare down their 17 story building and build a new tower on the same spot. The question is, are they going to split operations between downtown and the Franklin property, pull all of their existing downtown operations out of the downtown and commit 100% to Franklin, or commit 100% to the downtown location? If they commit 100% to the downtown location we're looking at a possible 25ish story office tower taking the place of the current 17 story tower.

Things are really starting to get interesting in downtown Milwaukee!!