Brady Street’s Keystone Apartments

Construction on a new apartment building in the middle of Milwaukee’s eclectic E. Brady St. is now underway. The foundation is being formed for Keystone Apartments, a project by Ogden Multifamily Partners on the site of a recently demolished one-story building.

Demolition of that building at 1701 N. Humboldt Ave. ceremonially kicked off on June 30th, but it took at least another month for something more serious than people in suits swinging sledge hammers to arrive on site. Once the right equipment was found, the wrecking crew made quick work of a building no one will miss. Built in 1948, far later than most everything else on the busy street, it was most recently home to the Zoom Room, which billed itself as a “canine social club.” Prior to that it was the long-time home of a laundromat.

It will be replaced by a new, 22-unit building whose design is being overseen by Tim Wolosz of Engberg Anderson. Ogden Construction will serve as their own general contractor, with North Shore Bank providing financing.

The L-shaped, four-story building will have a 3,300 square-foot, first-floor commercial space that fronts E. Brady St. Ogden hopes to lease the space to a restaurant. As part of the design changes requested by various bodies along the way, the fourth floor will only contain a club room and fitness center.

The apartments will be a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units built on the .26 acre site.

Twenty-three vehicle parking stalls and a bike parking room will be included in the building, with most being located underground. Tenants will access the garage and building lobby from N. Humboldt Ave.

Photos

Rendering

Groundbreaking Ceremony Photos

 Aldermanic Approval

During a post-sledgehammering interview in June, area alderman Nik Kovac praised the outcome of the design process, saying he “appreciates (the developer’s) flexibility” and there was “a good community process.” Warming to the topic, Kovac said “I think this is a great building, and it came out of many different and often conflicting opinions about what should be here. But at the end of the day I think it’s well designed. It will be a new icon on an iconic street.”

Regarding the zoning change, Kovac noted that the building was within the height maximum of 60 feet for the street, but needed a zoning variance for additional density. The alderman said the density request wasn’t out of character for the street, matching the floor-area ratio of the three-story building at 1234 E. Brady St. That building is most readily identified as the long-time home of a hardware store and now houses eight apartments and a newly-opened Harry’s Bar and Grill.