Most Popular Real Estate Articles of 2022

The world’s tallest mass timber building. A $456 million convention center expansion. Dueling concert venues. A proposed soccer stadium. Designs for a new natural history museum. 2022 was a big year for Milwaukee real estate news.

But what got the most attention from Urban Milwaukee readers? It’s an unusual list.

Yes, Ascent, the world’s tallest mass timber building, made the list, as did the soccer stadium. But you won’t find the convention center expansion, the FPC Live Deer District venue or the Milwaukee Public Museum on the list. Those projects were popular, but, due to a confluence of factors, a host of other articles got far more attention.

The Top 10 list, calculated based on pageviews, includes the conversion of a funeral home into apartments and the demolition of a nondescript house. There is also a political article: Milwaukee’s new mayor Cavalier Johnson makes the list, though not for anything Johnson did in office.

10. City Selling 1880s King Drive Building

Jan. 10 – Classic Cream City brick building designed by prominent Milwaukee architect in very rough shape.

January 2023 update: The Department of City Development has yet to announce a buyer, but its website lists the property as “proposal pending.”

9. ‘100,000 Parts’ Complex Listed For Sale

Aug. 22 – Former Bay View store includes 4 properties. Another 3-property site available across the street.

January 2023: It’s still on the market, as is the other site in the article. The price has been cut on both.

8. The ‘Red Castle’ Is For Sale

March 13 – Schuster Mansion at 32nd and Wells listed for $2.2 million

January 2023: The listing was converted to an auction, with an opening bid of $500,000 and a Dec. 17 closing date. But no sale has been posted in state real estate transfer records. You can see inside the house in our November article.

8. Funeral Home Becoming Apartments

May 26 – Kinnickinnic Ave. building proposed for apartment conversion.

January 2023: Little visible activity at the site since the article was published. Permit still listed as open.

6. Inside Wisconsin’s Largest Private Affordable Housing Complex

Dec. 30: Former factory in 30th Street Corridor finds new life as The Community Within The Corridor.

January 2023: This article was published three days ago and rocketed up the list.

5. Lonely East Side House Will Disappear

April 10: Purchase of property at 2137 N. Oakland Ave. puts entire block under control of Thermo Fisher Scientific company.

January 2023: You wouldn’t know it was ever there. Thermo Fisher entirely cleared the site.

4. Inside The World’s Tallest Mass Timber Building

July 7, 2021: Partially completed, 25-story Ascent a radical change in how to build a downtown tower.

January 2023: The building opened to great fanfare in July 2022 and was certified as “the world’s tallest timber-concrete hybrid building” in August. The final units were completed this fall. A series of proposed buildings in other cities are vying to steal the world’s tallest claim.

3. Mayor Johnson’s New House

Aug. 29: A new house for new mayor, who buys historic mansion on Near West Side.

January 2023: Joining the Schuster Mansion, this is the second Concordia neighborhood mansion to make the list. Each is more than 120 years old and still making headlines.

2. Group Unveils Plans To Replace 794 With Boulevard

Oct. 17: Rethink 794 thinks replacing elevated freeway with boulevard could lead to $1.5 billion in development, better city.

January 2023: Call for state to formally study proposal generated lots of buzz, but will it result in any action?

1. Soccer Stadium, Concert Venue Planned For Downtown

May 20: 6th and Michigan complex would transform Westown and impact local concert business.

January 2023: The apartment building is going up and former Ramada Hotel is coming down, but questions remain on the rest of the Iron District project. The stadium, hotel or concert venue could each move forward independent of the other components. Financing the soccer stadium could prove tricky.