New Owners Hope To Salvage Former Layton Park Auto Body

The City of Milwaukee has a list of environmentally-contaminated properties it could seize in property tax foreclosure, but it won’t unless someone steps forward to buy one immediately. It’s appropriately called the “Do Not Acquire” list.

Infrequently, someone comes forward with a plan to redevelop one of these sites. Whether it’s a top-to-bottom cleanup or a new use that can skirt any issues, the city will initiate foreclosure and transfer the property to the new owner on an as-is basis.

A growing contracting firm is going to attempt to make a go of it with a former automobile repair shop on the city’s Southwest Side, relocating from West Allis in the process.

Borda Enterprises is purchasing the former Layton Park Auto Body property at 3322 W. Forest Home Ave. The 15,594-square-foot parcel includes a 3,117-square-foot building that husband-and-wife team David and Jennifer Borda will rehabilitate. They’ll also have to clean up all the garbage dumped at the rear of the lot, which borders Union Pacific railroad tracks and a salvage yard.

“It’s only suspected of having environmental issues,” said Department of City Development (DCD) real estate specialist Matt Haessly to the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee on Nov. 15. DCD adds properties to the DNA list based on historical records and a visual survey but does not perform a more-costly detailed analysis. The Bordas, should their use require it, would be responsible for a more detailed analysis.

Borda Enterprises was formed in 2012, two years after Layton Park Auto Body owners John and Linda Kosmatka stopped paying their property taxes. John passed away in November.

David, according to a DCD report, got his start in sidewalk snow removal. He’s now a state-certified contractor with between four to 16 workers depending on the season. The service offerings run the gamut now from foundation repair to roofing.

“We currently have our office in our home,” Jennifer told the committee. The new location will give them more space and a better place to meet with clients.

Area Alderman Mark Borkowski said that he was very excited about the proposal. “This is a great opportunity for the 11th aldermanic district,” said the alderman.

The council unanimously approved the acquisition and sale. The Bordas are to pay the city $5,000 and cover the 2021 taxes, the latter of which was not yet foreclosure eligible. The city acquired the property on Dec. 16 according to assessor records. The Kosmatkas, according to Haessly, owed more than $200,000 in back taxes. Because the property was already transferred at the time of this report, detailed figures are no longer immediately publicly available.

The building, according to city records, was built in 1923. The property was formerly used as a lumber yard. The autobody shop had been on the property for several decades before closing.

In recent years, a handful of other properties have been acquired and sold from the DNA list including Law Tanning’s purchase of the vacant International Harvester power plant at 1875 W. Bruce St. and childcare provider Tree House Enrichment Center‘s purchase of the building at 1726 W. Lloyd St. that it was already leasing.

Want to know if a property near you is on the list? DCD maintains a map. You can also browse the list, which has approximately 150 properties on it at any given time.

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UPDATE: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to David Borda as Dan.