Former Blatz Brewery Buildings Getting Converted To Apartments
Project involves complex effort to retain space for remaining office tenants.
252 E. Highland Ave. in 2020. Photo by Mariiana Tzotcheva
A collection of three historic buildings once used by the Val. Blatz Brewing Company would be converted from office space to housing under a proposal by developer Kendall Breunig of Sunset Investors.
Breunig, who specializes in adaptive reuse projects, intends to build about 30 apartments in mostly vacant office space in the former Blatz Boiler House, Brew House and Mill House buildings along E. Highland Avenue.
An investment group led by Breunig acquired the office space on Nov. 13 for $2.7 million. In July, the group also acquired parking spaces in the attached parking structure for $1 million.
Four office tenants would remain, Breunig told Urban Milwaukee. The remaining tenants are mostly located on the upper levels of the Cream City brick buildings at 252 E. Highland Ave.
City assessment records indicate the three buildings have about 56,000 square feet of space. About 30% of the building would remain as office space, said Breunig.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027. Breunig said he intends to rely on state and federal historic preservation tax credits to support the project.
Blatz effectively vacated the complex in the late 1950s when the brewery was sold and the remaining buidings were redeveloped into apartments and offices in the 1980s by Minneapolis-based Dominium Group. At the same time, the neighboring Blatz Wash House was redeveloped by David Uihlein into office space.
The original apartments, which face N. Broadway, were converted to condominiums in 2006. The new apartments would share mechanical systems and a parking structure with the condominium complex, but would have their own amenities and access.
Breunig told Urban Milwaukee he now owns 125 parking spaces in the multilevel structure, 270 E. Highland Ave. Newspaper accounts of its opening indicate it has 360 spaces.
Office tenants publicly listing addresses in the complex include music composition firm Tanner Monagle, law firm Hennessy & Roach and Barrett Lo Visionary Development.
Breuning acquired the office buildings from GG 262 Highland LLC, an entity affiliated with real estate broker Patrick Gallagher.
The Boiler House, the furthest west of the buildings, was constructed in 1904. The Brew house and Mill House were constructed in 1906. A driveway runs through the first floor of the Brew House to provide access to an interior courtyard.
Other nearby Blatz buildings have been redeveloped by the Milwaukee School of Engineering, of which Breunig is an alumnus, regent and major donor.
Breunig’s best-known historic preservation project is The Pritzlaff, a mixed-use complex created from a large former hardware store. In recent years he’s also redeveloped a former dairy at 1617-1633 E. North Ave into apartments.
Commuters stuck in Interstate 94 construction will have plenty of time to watch his latest project, the redevelopment of the former Geuder, Paeschke & Frey factory, overlooking the freeway at 324 N. 15th St., into apartments. Breunig is currently repairing all of the windows in the Menomonee Valley building in advance of starting construction on the units. He told Urban Milwaukee he expects to open the project to residents in fall 2027. The property has been vacant for more than two decades.
The developer remains interested in another possible office-to-residential conversion. The Wisconsin Gas Building, known for its weather-signaling light, was recently sold at a sheriff’s sale, but Breunig is interested in converting it to housing. He said he hasn’t heard back from the loan servicer since the sale.
Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
