City Selling Building At 58th And Burleigh

The Department of City Development is seeking a buyer with a vision for a two-story, mid-century building in the city’s Saint Joseph neighborhood.

The 8,087-square-foot building at 5725 W. Burleigh St. is being offered for $35,000 through a request for proposals (RFP). Responses are due May 31.

Constructed in 1955, the building includes first-floor commercial space split into two units and a three-bedroom apartment on the second floor.

Suggested uses include office space, a retail store, professional services business, foodservice operation, live-work artist space, photography studio or catering operation.

A series of automotive businesses used the property from 1988 through 2000, including a used car dealership, automobile repair shop and transmission repair center. Three large garage doors face N. 58th St. as part of an attached, brick garage. The east side of the building includes a high overhang and large driveway.

The RFP says buyers must improve the windows facing both W. Burleigh St. and N. 58th St., implement landscaping consistent with city design standards and complete all renovations to the property within 18 months of closing on the purchase.

The City of Milwaukee has had quite the history with the building in just the last seven years, twice acquiring it via property tax foreclosure. In 2015, the city took ownership from Pak Rentals & Construction, a firm owned by controversial landlord Mohammad A. Choudry. The city filed a racketeering case against Choudry in 2016 that ultimately forced the landlord to give up his remaining properties.

The Common Council approved selling the Burleigh building in 2017 to Ammon Corp., a construction firm, that was to result in a $331,000 redevelopment. But the sale never closed.

In 2018 the council approved selling the property to William Yeager for use by his United Heating and Air Conditioning business. The business was to relocate to Milwaukee from Waukesha. Yeager purchased the property in June 2018 for $15,000, but by July 2020 the city had again taken ownership via property tax foreclosure.

The Saint Joseph neighborhood is named for Ascension‘s St. Joseph Hospital, located five blocks east of the building for sale. A variety of businesses, churches and apartment buildings line the street between the listed building and the hospital.

A full copy of the RFP is available on Urban Milwaukee.

Photos