City Selling 1880s-Era Building Near Downtown

The Department of City Development is looking for a new owner for a mixed-use building just northwest of Downtown.

The city is selling a 2,436-square-foot commercial building, 1606 W. Walnut St., which includes first-floor commercial space and a three-bedroom apartment.

The two-and-a-half story, brick building was constructed in 1886, but has spent the past year under city ownership as a result of property tax foreclosure. It sits on a 7,803-square-foot corner lot but is set back substantially from N. 16th St. A garage is included on the alley.

DCD is asking $40,000 for the property. Any sale would need to be approved by the Common Council.

Suggested uses include an office, retail or service business, recording studio, sandwich shop, cafe, catering operation or a studio for an art, dance or photography business. A listing flyer indicates DCD will not consider offers for a “parking lot, pawn shop, cigarette or cigar shop, gun shop, liquor store, payday or auto-title loan store, medical service facility, child daycare or other uses prohibited by zoning.”

The building has played host to a number of tenants according to city directories and recent permitting records. It was home to multiple taverns, a baker, a meat store, Jim Dandy’s Pool Hall and Portia’s Steak House. It was occupied by A&V Financial approximately 12 years ago.

The property was most recently owned by Larry Hopson. According to assessment records, Hopson lost the building to property tax foreclosure in 2017, before buying it back for $70,200. Hopson at one time owned several rental properties in the city for which more than $500,000 in back taxes was owed. The city successfully challenged his chapter 13 bankruptcy plan in 2018.

More than a decade ago the building was owned by Jennifer Epps-Addison, the organizer and former director of Wisconsin Jobs Now! who currently lives in Los Angeles.

The new owner will receive a new street. The Department of Public Works is planning a road diet for Walnut Street that will include narrowing or removing travel lines while adding protected bicycle infrastructure. Construction is expected to take place next year.

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