Phillis Wheatley Redevelopment Progressing

The former Phillis Wheatley School at 2442 N. 20th St. will soon reopen as 42 apartments. It’s the latest former Milwaukee Public Schools building to be converted to affordable housing.

A new, four-story building, addressed as 1908 W. Meinecke Ave., will contain an additional 40 apartments. It’s being developed on what was a paved play area at the south end of the 3.8-acre site.

Fifteen of the units will be rented at market rates, with the remainder set aside at reduced rates for those making no more than 60% of the area’s median income. The majority of the financing for the $22 million project comes from low-income housing tax credits competitively allocated by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). Rents are expected to range from $370 to $1,125 per month, with many classrooms directly converting to an apartment unit.

Led by Royal Capital Group‘s Kevin Newell, a one-time student at the school, the development team has spent years working to bring the project to fruition. The redevelopment was first publicly proposed in 2018 and the city approved a tax incremental financing (TIF) district in 2019 to close a financing gap in the project. The TIF district is developer financed, with Royal Capital putting up the initial capital and then being rebated the funds, up to $1.05 million plus interest, via incremental property tax payments. The structure puts the risk for repayment on the developer.

The project, according to TIF documents, relies on low-income housing tax credits ($11.18 million), a mortgage from Chase Bank ($2.77 million), historic preservation tax credits ($2.67 million), the TIF district ($1.05 million), a grant from the city’s allocation of federal HOME funds ($400,000), a Federal Home Loan Bank grant ($900,000) and a deferred developer fee ($453,100).

Engberg Anderson Architects is leading the complex’s design. Greenfire Management Services is serving as the general contractor.

The 84,000-square-foot school building was constructed in 1902 with additions completed in the 1960s and 1970s. The original building was designed by Van Ryn & DeGelleke. MPS closed the school in 2005.

During a May 2021 groundbreaking, Newell said the school was a place where he was suspended twice in one week as a first grader and asked not to come back at the end of the year. It was the first school he attended after moving to Milwaukee. “I get to tell the folks I am back anyway,” he said to applause.

“Our purpose is not just to build and rebuild a school, but to rejuvenate a community,” said area Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II at the groundbreaking. He praised Newell and Royal Capital development manager Terrell J. Walter. “They know this area, they’re from this area and, most importantly, they have love for this area.”

The building is located in the city’s 53206 ZIP code, which is infamous for having the highest incarceration rate in the nation. It is one of the city’s most impoverished ZIP codes.

Walter, at the groundbreaking, told Urban Milwaukee the firm is planning a cafe operated by a third party, a shared commercial kitchen, resident fitness center and community room.

The firm paid $465,000 for the property.

Royal Capital celebrated the completion of the long-delayed Good Hope Library project in 2020. The firm developed an affordable housing complex, Fortitude Apartments, above the new, first-floor library. Its market-rate Five Fifty Ultra Lofts development also opened across from Fiserv Forum. It is the developer behind the delayed ThriveOn King project.

Who was Phillis Wheatley?

Phillis Wheatley, who lived from 1753 to 1784, was the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry and the first to make a living from writing. She was emancipated from slavery in 1773 after the publication of her book.

During the 2021 groundbreaking, Barrett mentioned researching her on the way over, Stamper added he recently learned about her as well.

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