Convention Center Expansion Inches Forward

New convention center. Rendering by Populous.

The planned expansion of the Wisconsin Center is moving forward, at least a little. The Wisconsin Center District is proposing to hire investment bank Morgan Stanley as the lead bank on a bond offering to finance the $250 million expansion.

Proceeds from the bond sale would be used to expand the downtown convention center from 265,000 square feet up to 437,000 square feet, Tom Daykin reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The district will also soon look for an architecture firm to design the expansion.

Architectural Studio to Purchase Four Buildings in Menomonee Valley

Zimmerman Architectural Studios is proposing to purchase its Menomonee Valley home and three other nearby buildings.

The four buildings at 2122-2215 W. Mt Vernon Ave. form the City Lights complex originally built in 1895 for the Milwaukee Gas Light Company. Zimmerman would purchase it from its long-owners, the Giuffre brothers who are now embattled in a legal dispute over the sale of their assets. 

Zimmerman is seeking support from the city-affiliated Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation for the $7.4 million purchase, Alex Zank reported in BizTimes.

The 82,000-square-foot complex is also home to City Lights Brewing and the Four Seasons Skatepark.

West Allis Office Building Could Be Demolished for Hotel

Milwaukee-based Catalyst Partners is seeking approval from the City of West Allis to demolish an office building and quickly build a Holiday Inn Express hotel in its place.

The mostly-vacant building at 10201 W. Lincoln Ave. is planned to hope as soon as summer 2020 in time for the Democratic National Convention. The hotel would rise four stories and contain 107 rooms, Sean Ryan reported in the Milwaukee Business Journal

In Other News:

• Lurie Still Planning Bay View Project
• Cheeseheads Maker Adding Event Space
• A Town Square for Downtown Milwaukee
• InterLace Boutique Apartments in the Historic Third Ward

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