Carmen Breaks Ground On $55 Million High School
Charter network will combine its South and Southeast high schools.
Rendering of proposed Carmen School of Science and Technology campus. Rendering by Ramlow/Stein Architecture + Interiors.
Construction is underway on a new high school for one of Milwaukee’s largest charter school networks.
Carmen Schools of Science and Technology broke ground Thursday on the $55 million development, which is expected to house 1,100 students. It hopes to open the complex in time for the 2026-2027 school year.
The new facility is being developed on a 6.2-acre property at 2025 W. Oklahoma Ave. The site was most recently used as the “Medical Arts Pavilion” extension of Ascension‘s nearby St. Francis Hospital. The existing building on the site will be demolished.
“At Carmen, we take great pride in developing students who are college bound, career ready and community engaged,” said CEO Aaron Lippman in a statement. “By designing this new facility for our students, families, staff and community from the ground up, we will create an improved learning environment that will allow us to further deliver on our promise to develop critical thinkers and self-directed learners. The impact of this ambitious project will be felt throughout our entire Milwaukee community as we prepare the next generation of students for a life of choice and opportunity.”
In October, Milwaukee Public Schools ended any uncertainty about what portion of Carmen’s five-school network would occupy the building by ending co-location agreements. The network’s South and Southeast high schools will be merged into the new facility.
The MPS board voted to end building sharing agreements for the nearby Casimir Pulaski High School (2500 W. Oklahoma Ave.), site of Southeast, and ALBA School (1712 S. 32nd St.), site of South.
MPS continues to charter Carmen’s high schools and houses its Northwest High and Middle schools in an unused building.
“Carmen officials have been exploring opportunities to build our own facility for several years, yet recent decisions by the MPS Board underlined why advancing this project is so important – and urgent,” said Lippman. “When our South and Southeast High Schools come together on a campus that we own, our students, families and staff can rest assured that our future is far more secure, permanent and predictable.”
The nonprofit school network reports more than 1,900 current students. It launched in 2007.
“Our mission is to graduate all students prepared for success in college, meaningful careers, community involvement and family life,” said board chair Ivan Gamboa. “There is a tremendous need for more high-quality education options in Milwaukee, and we are proud to be part of the solution for the past 17 years. Today, we are laying the foundation to accomplish even more. This new space will allow us to become more innovative in how we teach, successful in how our students learn and proud of our positive impact on Milwaukee.”
According to its recently-released state school report card, Carmen Southeast had 676 students in the 2023-2024 school year. It scored two stars (“meets few expectations”) with a 57.1 score. South had 399 students, with four stars (“exceed expectations) and a 72.7 score.
Final design work is still underway on the project. Renderings show a simplified facade from an earlier release. Ramlow/Stein Architecture + Interiors is leading the design. Catalyst Construction and Gilbane Building Co. will lead the construction.
The new building would have approximately 124,000 square feet of space. A rendering depicts a full-sized, turf soccer field along W. Oklahoma Avenue, near Pulaski Stadium and the Milwaukee County Parks‘ Kinnickinnic Sports Center.
According to an earlier Board of Zoning Appeals filing, the three-story, U-shaped building would open towards Oklahoma Avenue and include a gym, art and music area, cafeteria, library and administrative offices on its first floor. The upper floors would contain classrooms. The primary entry would be from S. 20th Street.
Its Carmen Northwest school, a combined middle and high school campus, is located at 5496 N. 72nd St. in a former MPS school. It received a two-star, 51.2 rating in its latest report card. Stellar is located at 2431 S. 10th St. in a property purchased from MPS and received a 55.9, two-star rating in its last report. Carmen Middle School South is at 2433 S. 14th St., in a former parochial school. It received a 63.6, three-star rating.
The Oklahoma Avenue property is being redeveloped for the third time in the past 50 years. Before becoming a medical office complex in 1991, the building was built by a predecessor of Zilber Ltd. as Jewel Food Store’s largest grocery store in Wisconsin. Until the current building was constructed in 1975, the site was part of a sprawling Mueller Climatrol factory complex that relied on the now-defunct Green Line rail spur that paralleled S. 20th Street.
Carmen is soliciting donations to support its project.
“We are thrilled by the overwhelming support we have received from our families, students, staff, neighbors and business leaders who welcome our future presence in the community,” Gamboa said. “We know we cannot accomplish this alone. For Milwaukee, we believe the return on this investment will be remarkable: Nothing less than helping to develop the next generation of our high-performing employees, strong families and engaged citizens. We welcome anyone who wants to find out more about our vision to reach out to us.”
Renderings
Photos and Earlier Renderings
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