Debate Over Future of Vacant Menomonee Valley Building Could Be Reaching The End

324 N. 15th St. in 2023. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

The Department of City Development (DCD) could be quietly dropping its opposition to Kendall Breunig‘s attempt to redevelop a long-vacant Menomonee Valley factory into housing.

Breunig, who previously redeveloped the Pritzlaff Building and several others, wants to repurpose the four-story building at the intersection of N. 15th Street and W. St. Paul Avenue into housing, likely apartments.

However, he’s faced opposition from DCD and Menomonee Valley Partners (MVP), the area business improvement district, because they would like to see the property maintained as industrial due to concerns with conflicts with other industrial tenants.

Breunig, who has a purchase option through the end of the year on the property at 324 N. 15th St., wants the council to consider his request for a zoning change in November. It’s been pending since the spring. “I have been working with MVP to see if we could find some alternative uses. They have sent me some leads,” said Breunig during an Oct. 2 Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee hearing ostensibly about designating the building as historic.

He said the 24,000-square-foot, Cream City brick building has many issues tied to its prior uses. “I had to commit to spending a lot of money on due diligence to determine ‘can the building be saved?'” He said the exterior, despite graffiti and broken windows, is in good shape. But environmental issues abound on the interior that will need to be remediated.

There are also structural issues, as surveyed by Spire Engineering, that would impact its future use. “The building structurally anymore, in its current condition, cannot support office loads or industrial [loads],” said Breunig. He said it would need expensive structural reinforcing to handle the weight of anything but residential uses.

“I have been working on this thing since 2017. This is not an easy task on this building.” said Breunig.”The building, as it stands right now, basically doesn’t even have a feasible use under the current zoning.”

“If we don’t get this project completed by Mr. Breunig, I think this building is coming down,” said Claude Krawczyk, a board member with Milwaukee Preservation Alliance. Krawczyk, a friend of Breunig’s, nominated the building for historic protection at Breunig’s request. The developer is seeking the designation to protect the structure and enhance his case for a housing redevelopment.

And he appears to be poised to get his wish.

“The department’s position has evolved on the zoning change issue,” said area Alderman Robert Bauman, who supports Breunig. “I believe it’s their current stance that they will take no position.”

Zoning committee Alderman Jonathan Brostoff said everyone involved in the debate has been “good faith” actors.

A handful of DCD staff members were in the room for unrelated matters, but didn’t come forward to clarify the department’s position. Planning manager Sam Leichtling, said Brostoff, was traveling.

After the meeting, DCD issued a statement that didn’t quite clarify if the department changed its position.

“DCD is committed to supporting and expanding upon the Menomonee Valley’s vibrant industrial and job-generating focus. The building in question presents unique challenges, and we have been working with the Alderman, the developer, Menomonee Valley Partners, and others to find a workable solution, with all potential outcomes on the table,” said a department spokesperson.

The committee endorsed the historic designation on a 4-0-1 vote, sending it to the Common Council for final adoption Tuesday. But one council member wants to hear more, given the written letters of objection to a zoning change by MVP, Potawatomi Casino Hotel and others. “This file is giving me some pause because of that,” said Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa, who represents a portion of the Menomonee Valley. She abstained.

About The Building

The structure was built in 1890 for the Geuder, Paeschke & Frey Company, a maker of tin products ranging from bath tubs to kitchen utensils. Milwaukee, said Historic Preservation Commission senior planner Andrew Stern, produced one third of the tin ware in the United States by the 1890s and GPF was the largest supplier.

The structure was designed by famed Milwaukee architect firm Ferry & Clas, the designers of the Central Library, Pabst Mansion and the Northwestern Mutual headquarters, for the company. The complex eventually grew to encompass 10 acres and several surrounding properties, many of which have been demolished. By the 1930s, said Stern, GPF said it was one of the 12 largest manufacturers in the city and the largest producer of kitchen utensils in the United States.

The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1983 and was acquired by General Press and Fabricating Company in 1984, when its Menomonee Valley plant shuttered.

The property is currently owned by an affiliate of the Read family, an old-money Milwaukee family that had a role in starting many Milwaukee companies and, more recently, sustaining several nonprofit institutions. It, said Breuning, has been listed for sale with The Barry Company since 2000 and is the company’s oldest listing.

The building sits on a two-acre site between Third Space Brewing to the west and an administrative office building, 313 N. 13th St., to the east owned by Marquette University. Plum Moving Media has its office directly across the street, next to a wedding venue. But to the east of the venue sits a Materion plant used for “advanced chemical products.” The chemical company is one of many Menomonee Valley businesses to submit a letter of opposition to the zoning change. Located to the south of the site is the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railroad’s main line through the city, the Menomonee River and the city’s recycling plant, which Breunig supports relocating.

On Oct. 2, Brass Light Gallery (1101 W. St. Paul Ave.) owner Steve Kaniewski was the lone Menomonee Valley stakeholder to appear. He spoke in favor of the historic designation.

In March, the City Plan Commission, on a 3-2-1 vote, endorsed the zoning change.

Photos

Legislation Link - Urban Milwaukee members see direct links to legislation mentioned in this article. Join today

Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.