Genke Plans New Bay View Development

Developer Scott Genke of SG Property Development + Management is in the early phases of planning a new housing development at the southeast corner of Bay View.

Architect Josh Ehr of Studio Ehr Architects filed for preliminary review of a residential new construction permit Thursday for the property at 2501 E. Oklahoma Ave. near the street’s eastern terminus at S. Superior St. and the lakefront.

The description of the proposal originally said Genke was exploring building six duplexes on the property. But after Urban Milwaukee inquired with the developer and Department of Neighborhood Services, the description was modified to say “prelim.”

The developer declined further comment until a future date, but did say the original description was not accurate.

Genke owns the 1,294-square-foot, single-family home at 2501 E. Oklahoma Ave. and the adjacent 1,111-square-foot commercial building at 2509 E. Oklahoma Ave. Combined the parcels, located just east of S. New York Ave., cover 10,320 square feet according to city assessment records.

The commercial building currently has a painted sign for Swift Roofing. An occupancy permit indicates it was used by New Vision Landscaping in 2019. It was historically used by automotive businesses.

Genke previously redeveloped the former auto repair shop across from his planned development into a home for SmallPie, a cafe.

SG acquired all three properties on the same day in 2017, paying limited liability firms connected to Alyssa Moore and Tim Olson a combined $650,000. The two adjoining properties are now held by Renew Bay View LLC.

Genke has engaged in a number of small and medium-scale development projects in Bay View.

His most recently completed project is the BV+ development, a new building at 2557-2565 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., that is designed to complement the adjacent Bay View Building, 2569-2573 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. SG redeveloped the latter building into a home for Honeypie restaurant with apartments above.

SG is also in the final stages of replacing a surprisingly complicated exterior wall at 2266-2268 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. so that Interval can open a new cafe.

And a mixed-unit building is in the pipeline for the former American Legion site at 2860 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

The developer has also renovated or expanded a number of other buildings, including expanding the King Building into the King Lofts.

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