River House Takes Shape

River House Apartments. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

The first two buildings in the four-building River House apartment complex are nearing completion on Milwaukee’s Lower East Side. The project is being developed by Atlantic Realty Partners on a stretch of N. Water St. just east of the Holton Street Viaduct. The challenging development site, because of its large size, location and steep incline, was long home of the Gallun Tannery. The remaining tannery buildings, closed since 1993, were demolished in 2011.

The two phase project will include 450 rental units spread over four U-shaped buildings. The first phase, with an estimated cost of $47 million, will include 243 units with a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Originally designed by Jim Shields of HGA, the project website now lists HKM Architects + Planners as a project partner. The buildings stand four-stories tall on the N. Water St. side, but six levels high along the river due to the site’s significant sloping. The lower two levels exposed on the river side are for automobile parking, and will be partially hidden by an extension of the Milwaukee RiverWalk. Unlike most other new buildings in the area, the brick facade is designed to look like the Cream City brick used in many nearby historic structures.

According to the developer’s website, amenities include “a staffed leasing office with two-story reception, a 24-Hour fitness center, resident lounge, gaming area, cybercafé / library, swimming pool, courtyard, outdoor entertainment cabana, landscaped entertainment / grilling zones, a bocce court, and a mini-amphitheater.”

The Atlanta-based developer is also leading the development of The Reserve at Mayfair, a 236-unit project in Wauwatosa, and another apartment project in Brookfield with 194 apartments. The company previously developed the 231-unit The Reserve at Wauwatosa Village in 2001.

General contracting on the project is being led by Greenfire Management Services. A sign on the site promotes the first units being available in December.

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