The Buckler?

The Buckler. Photo by Jack Fennimore.

The 401, now known as The Buckler, is still under construction. The former office building at 401 W. Michigan St. is being converted into an apartment complex in the hope that it brings life to Downtown.

The 11-story, 236,218 square-foot building was the Wisconsin headquarters of Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance until 2006 when the company abandoned the building for Summit Place in West Allis. The building has been empty since.

In March of 2014, DJ Acquisitions LLC, an affiliate of Phoenix Development Partners, filed their plans for the apartment conversion project with the city Board of Zoning Appeals, as reported by Tom Daykin. They were granted a special use permit in April and started the project in November of 2014.

John Mangel, DJ Acquisitions’ managing partner, along with his partner Peter Jensen, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the demand for upscale apartments is growing on Downtown’s west side. They also said that the building is within walking distance of major employers such as We Energies and Assurant Health, the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, the proposed future Milwaukee Bucks arena and Marquette University.

The $30.6 million project is being developed by Phoenix Development Partners and with general contracting led by Tri-North Builders Inc. Partners also include CA Residential, PNC Bank, Laramar, Dimension IV Madison Design Group and Daccord.

The apartments will have “curated floor plans and high-end features including granite countertops, upscale cabinetry, designer fixtures and modern flooring” as well as “high ceilings and grand windows” that “offer fantastic views of the city,” according to The Buckler’s website. Amenities include a basketball court, dog spa, 24-hour concierge, 24-hour fitness gym, TV lounge, club house, on-site maintenance, wi-fi cafe and social room, outdoor amenity deck with individual grill stations and lounge seating and ButterflyMX – a smartphone video intercom system. Apartment amenities include an air conditioner, dish washer, refrigerator and in-unit washer and dryer.

According to the pricing and availability page on The Buckler’s website, monthly rents for apartments range from $1,185 to $1,495 for studios, $1,465 to $1,900 for one-bedroom units and $2,015 to $2,525 for two-bedroom apartments. Residents will be able to have dogs or cats for an initial fee of $250 and additional $25/month per pet, so long as they’re under 75 lbs. and non-aggressive.

At the time of writing, there are 19 studio, 102 one bedroom, and 85 two bedroom apartments available for reservation, a total of 206 apartments. The building will house around 300 residents. Move-in starts on Oct. 1st.

You can contact The Buckler at (414) 301-6697 or message them through their website for more information.

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