Froedtert Planning New Southside Clinic

A former CVS convenience store and pharmacy on Milwaukee’s South Side would be redeveloped into a primary care clinic under a proposal from the Froedtert Health & Medical College of Wisconsin health network. North Shore Bank, based on city permits, would occupy a small portion of the building.

The clinic would open in the 16,684-square-foot building at 1302-1338 W. Forest Home Ave., near the street’s intersection with W. Historic Mitchell St. Despite the fact that city records indicate it was constructed in 1995, the building is located in the Mitchell Street Historic District and subject to Historic Preservation Commission oversight.

According to a file with the commission, the new clinic will occupy approximately 75% of the building. The facility would include a primary care clinic and physician residency training program. It is intended to open in June 2023 to match the residency program schedule.

The proposal, based on an application, calls for 16 exam rooms, one consultant room, one lab/blood draw area, two central nurse areas, two doctor training rooms, 10 offices and one multi-purpose conference room. It is expected the new facility would house 24 to 28 staff members and residency students.

The property is owned by El Rey Properties, a real estate investment firm associated with the Villarreal family. Brandon Ciebell of Colliers International is serving as the owner’s representative on the project according to the application. Interior demolition work has reportedly already been completed. El Rey acquired the property in July 2021, the same year the CVS closed, for $2.15 million.

The facility would operate Monday through Friday. Eppstein Uhen Architects is leading the design of the facility and submitted the application.

According to drawings submitted by Eppstein, an unidentified bank tenant would occupy 2,420 square feet of space at the southeast corner of the building. Outlot buildings in the development are currently occupied by Domino’s Pizza and Reflections Jewelry pawn shop. City building permit requests indicate the bank is North Shore Bank.

The commission is to review the application at its Oct. 10 meeting. Its oversight applies only to the exterior of buildings.

Just a few blocks to the southwest, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin opened a new clinic and building earlier this year. It replaced the Forest Home Library; a building that the historic commission attempted to historically protect before being overruled by the Common Council.

The last new facility Froedtert and MCW opened in the city proper was the McKinley Health Center, 1271 N. 6th St., in 2017. It is attached to the Milwaukee Bucks‘ training facility. Eppstein also designed that clinic.

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