New Plans for Walker’s Point Site

Perhaps the fourth time’s the charm?

Developer Ryan Bedford is the fourth developer to attempt to develop the mostly-vacant lot at 234 S. Water St. just across the Milwaukee River from the Historic Third Ward.

Bedford, through his firm Bedford Development, is seeking to build an 11-story, 133-unit apartment building, known as Admiral’s Wharf, on the 31,700-square-foot site. The site is currently owned by an affiliate of VJS Construction Services.

His proposal, which was formally submitted to the city this week as part of a zoning change request, follows Robert Schultz‘ Rivianna tower complex (with helicopter landing pad) from 2009, David Winograd‘s 2015 plan to develop apartments at the site and Peter Renner‘s 2017 plan for condominiums. All were canceled.

Bedford, based in Waukesha, previously developed the Walker’s Landing complex on the Beerline near N. Humboldt Ave.

The project has an expected cost of $41 million. And while a helicopter landing pad isn’t planned this time, a rooftop dog run is.

Alro Expanding Central Steel & Wire Facility

A highly visible south side building is about to get bigger. Alro Steel Corp. has plans to expand the former Charter Steel & Wire building at 4343 S. 6th St. The 108,000-square-foot building is seen by thousands daily as they drive Interstate 43 and 94 thanks its location near the curve in the freeway.

The company, which acquired the building earlier this year, is planning to add 96,000 square feet of warehouse space to the facility and rebuild the existing warehouse and office space. The news was first reported by Alex Zank.

Alro bought the building and its 10.2-acre lot for $7.1 million and plans to invest over $10 million in the expansion.

The company plans to eventually relocate to the expanded building and may vacate its Wauwatosa facility.

Central Steel & Wire was acquired by Ryerson Holdings in 2018.

Senior Housing for South Side

General Capital Group and the School Sisters of St. Francis are advancing a plan to covert a portion of the St. Joseph Center into apartments for seniors.

The partners would convert a portion of the facility at 1501 S. Layton Blvd. into 58 apartments, as well as adding 10 two-story townhomes.

Details on the development were first reported by Tom Daykin.

The $17 million proposal, pending before the Board of Zoning Appeals, relies on a mix of historic preservation and low-income housing tax credits.

The complex dates back to 1890. A mix of new construction and adaptive reuse projects has resulted in portions of the complex being converted into housing, including for the organization’s nuns.

Sushi Demolition Underway in Bay View

Development of the long-anticipated Sushi Yuki restaurant is underway in Bay View.

Demolition work is underway on the vacant, one-story building at 2349 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. A crew from Duffek Construction is making quick work of leveling the wood-framed structure. City records indicate the 1,308-square-foot building was constructed in 1947.

Its replacement, slated to be home to Sushi Yuki restaurant, is being designed by Galbraith Carnahan Architects. The new, one-story building will have a black exterior with wood accents. “Inside the space there will be exposed wood and steel roof trusses.  The bar will feature a live edge wooden bar top, harvested from local trees,” said architect Joe Galbraith via email.

The new restaurant will be run by executive chef Jin San Koh who also owns the land with his wife Sung Hee Kim.

See what’s left of the building.

KinetiK Climbs on KK

The final look and shape of the KinetiK apartment building at the north end of Bay View is emerging.

New Land Enterprises, through architecture firm Korb + Associates Architects and contractor Catalyst Construction, is building the six-story, 144-unit apartment building at the southeast corner of N. Kinnickinnic Ave. and E. Bay St.

The massing of the building is complete and construction crews are now installing the brick facade that will clad much of the structure.

See the photos.

Futsal Courts for Burnham Park

The non-profit Layton Boulevard West Neighbors is in the final stages of a $100,000 fundraising campaign to transform the tennis courts at Burnham Park into three futsal courts.

“Based on feedback from community meetings, we learned that soccer was the number one preferred sport in the neighborhood,” said LBWN director of outreach and engagement Jonatan Zuñiga. Futsal, an urban variant of soccer that is played on a hard surface instead of a large grass field, was identified as the ideal use for the tennis courts in part because the surface is similar and the courts are in a dilapidated state.

In partnership with neighborhood group Burnham Park Task Force, LBWN is seeking to raise the final $25,000 to complete the transformation and establish a fund for future maintenance. The existing tennis courts are located at the northwest corner of the park near S. 35th St. and W. Mitchell St.

Learn more or contribute to the campaign.

Northridge Lawsuit Filed as Anticipated

The fight over the future of Northridge Mall has officially entered its next phase.

The vacant mall’s Chinese ownership group, U.S. Black Spruce Enterprise Group, has filed for injunctions to prevent the City of Milwaukee from moving forward with condemnation orders to demolish the portions of the structure it deemed hazardous.

The filings, submitted Friday to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, come in response to the city’s move to raze the complex in early April. Read on.

Walker’s Point Parcel for Sale

A central Walker’s Point property has hit the market.

The two-story light industrial building at the intersection of S. 1st St. and E. National Ave. is listed for sale for $1.5 million.

The 28,017-square-foot building became available following the sale of its longtime tenant, Select Sound Service, to Iowa-based Communications Engineering Company in May. Select Sound Service was founded and led by Bob Paquette who passed away in December 2018 at the age of 88.

“It is a great building in a really dynamic location,” listing broker Joe Carollo told Urban Milwaukee. The JLL vice president said the property has drawn a lot of interest, so much so that it’s already under contract for purchase. Read on.

City Gifting Slumlord $128,000?

A series of well-intentioned city programs may have ended up gifting a duplex to a landlord that is creating issues for neighbors and drawing the ire of area Alderman Robert Bauman.

The city, through its Housing Infrastructure Preservation Fund, invested $128,000 in repairing the exterior of the former “Packers House” at 2807 W. State St. before selling the house to Hosea Bates in May 2018.

The preservation fund, used on approximately 50 homes in the last 10 years, is designed to improve neighborhoods by rehabilitating city-owned properties acquired through property tax foreclosure and selling them to owner-occupants who become stabilizing influences in the neighborhood. The program is often used where market-based home prices wouldn’t justify the investment requirement.

Bates, who paid $7,500 for the home, is required to live in one of the two units for a period of five years per terms of the sale agreement.

But according to multiple city inspections, and the report of neighbors, Bates does not live there. Read on.

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