Zenith Condo Tower Wins First City Approval

September 2026 rendering of Zenith. Rendering by Korb Architects.

Milwaukee’s first new condo tower in more than a decade received its first endorsement Monday.

The City Plan Commission unanimously endorsed New Land Enterprises‘ plan to develop a 25-story, 226-unit condo tower at 711 E. Kilbourn Ave. known as Zenith.

But not before a handful of nearby residents and property managers objected.

“I’m totally against it. Not that it matters,” said Susan Roberts. She said the building would take away “her sunsets.”

David Guzman, who lives south of the development site, said the development would not solve the city’s housing crisis.

Curtis Oquist, a property manager at 835 N. Cass St., said the development would take away his sunlight when it is built immediately west of his building. He said Ascent and the Aya restaurant at Ascent have already taken up street parking in the area. “Where are my tenants going to park?” asked Oquist. “Big business, you don’t give a damn about the rest of us … what the hell, who’s greasing these guys?”

The development would include 412 parking spaces.

Department of City Development Planning Manager Tanya Fonseca said the proposal complies with the 2040 Downtown Plan, which encourages more housing and particularly more owner-occupied homes. She said it would increase the city’s tax base and would fund services citywide.

Area Alderman Robert Bauman also testified in support of the project. He said it was a better use of the site than the gas station that was removed in the 1980s.

“I think the architecture is outstanding,” he said.

Zenith would be Milwaukee’s first new condominium high-rise since the urban condo boom came to an abrupt halt during the Great Recession. While Downtown has gained thousands of rental units since then, including two apartment towers exceeding 30 stories that were completed in 2024, the supply of newly constructed housing for sale has remained effectively frozen.

Architect Mark Larson of Korb Architecture said the building would be a bookend to New Land’s Ascent tower, a 25-story luxury apartment tower that is the tallest hybrid mass timber building in the world.

Ascent is located across Kilbourn Avenue. New Land once envisioned two towers, The Bookends, and secured initial zoning approval for them almost 20 years ago, but neither tower advanced to construction.

Larson said Zenith’s design is intended to activate both its Kilbourn Avenue and Van Buren Street frontages. In addition to glass for the lobby, a brick facade would wrap the parking podium, which starts on the first floor.

The metal panels on the seven-level parking podium would be uplit.

“We are really trying to glow up. We don’t want to flood the night sky,” said Larson.

Commissioner Allyson Nemec, an architect, asked if New Land had explored scaling back the size of the podium to let in more sunlight for neighboring buildings. “I really feel like it would be a stronger development,” she said.

Larson said it was studied, but it would mean losing up to eight parking spaces per floor on the seven parking levels and one unit per floor.

He said parking was an important component in encouraging buyers over renters. The building would also include 20 guest spaces. Fonseca said New Land was proposing more parking spaces per unit than many contemporary buildings.

Nemec encouraged the company to continue exploring the concept.

New Land would develop Zenith by merging two parcels, a gravel lot at 711 E. Kilbourn Ave. and a surface parking lot at 822 N. Van Buren St.

Planned amenities include an on-site concierge, resident coworking space, two-story fitness center, golf simulator, indoor pool and spa, club room and amenity deck and rooftop lounge.

The commission endorsed the zoning change on a 5-0 vote. Commissioners Stephanie Bloomingdale and Catrina Crane were excused from the entire meeting.

The Common Council’s Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee is expected to review the proposal in early October.

Joey Wisniewski, New Land senior development coordinator, said the company hopes to start construction next summer. But to reach that point, it must presell a number of units. Falk Ruvin Gallagher is handling pre-sales.

Renderings – September 2026

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Renderings – June 2026

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