Royal Capital Plans $200 Million ‘Lifestyle Campus’

Royal Capital Group is planning its biggest project yet. Known as Cudahy Farms, the $200 million “lifestyle campus” development aims to redevelop a 51-acre former YMCA property near N. 91st St. and W. Brown Deer Rd.

The first phase would include 153 apartments for seniors and 224 apartments for families in largely two-story buildings. Future phases could include homes for sale. More than 1,100 units are eventually planned at the site, 9050-9100 N. Swan Rd. Some units could be subsidized through affordable housing programs.

“It’s a very intentional development using the existing site as a baseline for the design,” said Engberg Anderson Architects senior associate Tom Joy.

The existing, 40,000-square-foot YMCA building would be maintained as a healthy living center. It would include the YMCA’s early childhood program as well as a Black-owned dentist office and other wellness offerings. The playground and sports amenities at the site would be maintained. A network of sidewalks would connect all of the offerings.

“One of the things I think renters and owners are looking for right now is more than just a place to live. They want activities, they want a lifestyle,” said Joy.

The firm introduced the plan to the Granville Advisory Committee Wednesday morning.

“We are very intentional about how we develop, we are not perfect at it, but we stay at it,” said firm president Kevin Newell.

The design of the buildings would be “stacked flats” with exterior doors leading to each unit. “What that does is it gives people more immediate access to the outdoors,” said Joy.

“I love the plan, I love the layout, I love the concept, but what do you need from the city to really make it work?” asked advisory committee member Robert Dodds.

Newell said his firm would be requesting a tax incremental financing (TIF) district to pay for the project’s infrastructure costs.

But the developer said the development wouldn’t include a thru-street the city is requesting. “We refuted that from a security standpoint,” said Newell. He said the development would rely on a 24-hour security team. “It’s going to be important for us to protect this investment.”

Royal Capital development manager Terrell J. Walter said “lifestyle coordinators” would be hired in addition to property managers to connect residents to programming options and support services. All of the amenities would be built in the first phase.

The YMCA’s Miracle League, a baseball league for those with special needs, would continue to operate at the site. Royal Capital envisions adding a golf simulator, pickleball courts, a putting green and other offerings for residents.

Walter said the idea with the sidewalks was to create 30-minute walking or running routes within the complex for residents.

A number of connection points are also planned.

“We are trying to focus on flexible, central community gathering places,” said Joy. That includes outdoor gathering spaces where food trucks could assemble and a demonstration kitchen to teach residents about healthy eating. A small grocery store could eventually be added to the former YMCA building.

“I think it’s going to be a phenomenal thing that they’re doing out there,” said Natasha Dotson, a committee member.

Committee chair George Hinton and Dotson pushed for the development to include housing opportunities for single fathers. “We are having a very difficult time getting men into places to live in this city,” said Hinton. “I think it’s playing out in terms of other kinds of behaviors you see from our males.” Dotson, who leads the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative, has pushed each of the new developments planned for the area to include options targeted at single fathers.

The committee unanimously endorsed the design.

The development is known as Cudahy Farms because it was donated to the YMCA by philanthropist Michael Cudahy in 1999. An affiliate of Royal Capital acquired the property for $1.5 million in May 2021. Royal Capital said the YMCA agreed to continue to operate from the site for 10 years as part of the purchase agreement.

Royal Capital is serving as the developer on the $105 million ThriveOn King development in partnership with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and Medical College of Wisconsin. The firm is also completing the redevelopment of the former Phillis Wheatley School into affordable apartments. It previously developed the Five Fifty Ultra Lofts near Fiserv Forum and the Fortitude Apartments above the Good Hope Library.

Renderings