Real Estate
Zoning Committee Halts Empowerment Village
Although, this Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee meeting had a light schedule it did have one item of significance. Resolution 071292 and resolution 071181 made up the proposal for the re-zoning and sale of the city owned land located at the intersection of South Fifth Court and West Rosedale Avenue. This project which is better known as Empowerment Village pitted members in support of affordable housing versus environmental groups over a piece of city owned land. The environmental groups challenged the city’s right to sell the land and argued that during the Southeast Side Planning process this land had always been planned as a green space that would include a bike trail along the Kinnickinnic River. Alderman Michael Murphy pointed out that “we have to balance the needs”. But despite his words and Cardinal Capital‘s efforts to work with the environmental groups to alleviate their concerns by decreasing the size of the building, by paying for the bike trail to be built and by putting a conservation easement in place to protect much of the land as open space a compromise couldn’t be found. The committee voted to place on file these resolutions essentially denying this project from moving forward. The site location is pictured below via Google Maps Street View. View Larger Map
May 17th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Commission Approves Vacating ‘Paper’ Alleys
This was one of the shorter and less volatile City Plan Commission meetings in recent times. Resolution 071564 proposed vacating two alleys in the Park East redevelopment area to allow for construction of the Palomar. These alleys were referred to as “paper” alleys indicating that they had been plotted but never actually constructed. The commission unanimously approved this resolution and forwarded it on to the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.
May 16th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Pabst Brewery Redevelopment Update
Over the past couple of years I have followed the redevelopment of the former Pabst Brewery intently.
May 16th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
The Residences Above? Nope
Rumors had circulated for weeks regarding the demise of The Residences Above portion of Ruvin Developments’ Aloft hotel project. Indications such as the website for The Residences Above being down for weeks and their sales sign coming down in record time combined with the market’s downturn made it appear likely that a change in the project was coming. As of last week the final decision hadn’t been made regarding the status of the condominiums. At the time Rob Ruvin had indicated that they would “most likely eliminate the condos” and that they would “possibly increase the size” of the hotel but they were still working it out. It appears now that decisions have been made and The Residences Above have been eliminated from the project.
May 14th, 2008 by Dave Reid
East Side Apartment Building to be Built Within Existing Zoning
Wangard Properties LLC is in the process of demolishing a vacant nursing home at 1824 E. Park Pl. and plans to build a 61-unit four-story apartment building in its place. Although this development seems fairly minor in comparison to many larger projects it is a great example of building by right. This is a case where the developer recognized that the East Side has seen its share of battles between developers and homeowners. For example in recent years homeowner’s have fought against the re-development of Downer Avenue, the Park Lafayette project, UWM RiverView Hall and the Hillel Student Center arguing “it’s too dense, too tall, it will impact parking, and it doesn’t fit the neighborhood”. The net result of these arguments have been, reduced tax base, less residents to support local business and slowed development. How this project fits into this discussion is that by legal right Wangard Properties LLC can build to their intended height and density according to their existing zoning and stay outside of the public planning process. Although this may concern some, it is important to note that this is the intention of zoning regulation and it is good to see smart developers continuing to develop projects despite the growing difficulties presented by this ever present NIMBY attitude on the East Side.
May 12th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Breaking Down the 2008-2012 Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee
The 2008-2012 Common Council committee appointments were announced this week and it appears Common Council President Willie Hines, Jr. put together a qualified group to sit on the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee. Alderman James Witkowiak, Chair Alderman Willie Wade, V-C Alderman Michael Murphy Alderman Robert Bauman Alderman T. Anthony Zielinski The biggest change comes at the top of the committee where Alderman Witkowiak will be replacing out going Alderman D’Amato as the committee chairman. Alderman Witkowiak is a good choice for this role because the 5th Ward is starting to take off and the new Chairman will play a large role in shaping future development in the district. Additionally he has extensive experience working on neighborhood issues, from his time as Chairman of the License Committee, that should translate well to ZND. This ability to work with neighborhoods will be critical to the success of the committee due to the consistent need to work on neighborhood complaints surrounding development projects. Returning members Alderman Wade, Alderman Murphy, and Alderman Bauman have not necessarily always agreed on issues but generally work well together and come at an issue with solid arguments. Alderman Wade has shown he understand the value of density and of growing the city through development. Alderman Murphy’s knowledge of passed Common Council actions and his work on water related issues makes him a vital member of this committee. As the City of Milwaukee moves forward on mass transit efforts such as the KRM project, BRT, or the downtown streetcar effort Alderman Bauman’s history with mass transit issues should also be invaluable. Although Alderman Zielinski is new to ZND he brings a background in environmental efforts that could lead the committee to explore more green based zoning initiatives. As a group it will be interesting to watch their handling of projects as they have the characteristics to continue the steady march of redevelopment the City of Milwaukee has seen in recent years.
Apr 27th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Ald. Bohl Pushes Commission To Deny Density
A land division request to create twelve lots for single-family housing on the South Side of W. Bobolink Ave and West of W Appleton Ave met criticisms of being to dense and not being consistent with the neighborhood. Although this development is not indicative of the urban development happening throughout the City of Milwaukee it points out the divide between the urban and suburban parts of the city. Throughout the vast majority of the city you’ll find density numbers far in excess of 2.9 households per acre where in this part of the city local Alderman Jim Bohl argued that 2.9 households per acre was too dense for the neighborhood and therefore undesirable. Despite these tremendously low density numbers and evidence presented showing that there are developments in the area with similar density numbers it was apparent Bohl would push for less housing to be built on the site. The commission held this resolution to allow the developer to work with Bohl and the neighborhood on a reworked plan.
Apr 22nd, 2008 by Dave Reid
BOZA Approves 2040 Lofts Variance
Scion Group‘s $16 million expansion of 2040 Lofts went before the Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA) to obtain a dimensional variance allowing for less parking spots than required by current zoning. Having received conditional approval and support of the local Alderman previously this project has begun construction on the foundation work and is scheduled to be completed in 2009. Despite one neighboring property owner’s concerns regarding parking the board recognized that this is a student housing development and that the demand for parking would be lower than a typical development of this size. In a further attempt to alleviate parking concerns and allow students from Marquette University, MSOE, MIAD and UWM to live within the development, the Scion Group has plans for shuttle buses to run from 2040 Lofts to various destinations throughout the city. Finally it was pointed out during the meeting that if this project was zoned as an apartment building, instead of a rooming house, it would already meet the zoning requirements. The board followed the local Alderman’s recommendation and approved this variance.
Apr 21st, 2008 by Dave Reid
5th Ward’s Growth Continues
Work has begun on at the former Transpak buildings located at 235 E. Pittsburgh Ave. The first is a smaller more recent building which had significant structural problems and is in the process of being demolished. The second is a larger warehouse building that is in the process of being gutted for a mixed-use redevelopment. To accommodate a first floor retail component the City of Milwaukee recently vacated the turning lane adjacent to this property. The new 102-room Iron Horse Hotel located at 500 W. Florida St. has been under construction for several months and should open during the summer of 2008. It will be run by Miami boutique hotel operator Desire Hotels. Desire Hotels operates numerous high-end hotels throughout the country including the The Strand and The Sagamore. The Iron Horse Hotel will bring this same level of style to Milwaukee by featuring exposed brick and timber, down pillows, high-end linens, walk-in showers, flat screen TVs, Wi-Fi and covered parking for motorcycles. Additionally, the redevelopment of 234 W. Florida is making good progress. New windows have been installed throughout half of the structure and the gutting and reconstruction of the second half is well underway. The 5th Ward has shown to be one of the emerging neighborhoods in Milwaukee and these project are just a small portion of the redevelopment efforts that have been ongoing.
Apr 15th, 2008 by Dave Reid
RTKL to Facilitate 2008 Downtown Planning Process
On Tuesday April 8th the Department of City Development held its first Plan Advisory Group (PAG) meeting for the 2008 Downtown Plan. The PAG will work with the Department of City Development (DCD) and the urban design firm RTKL throughout the planning process. Specifically over the next seven months PAG members who are primarily made up of business owners, residents, and other stakeholders will meet three or four more times to voice their opinions and shape the future of downtown Milwaukee. RTKL is a worldwide planning firm that focuses on creating great vibrant places where people live, work and play. RTKL has an extensive background in urban planning and has been involved in numerous planning projects. Recently they’ve been involved in plans for Mockingbird Station, Dallas Main Street District, and the Oklahoma City Downtown Action Plan all of which attempt to create lively urban environments. Additionally Terry Wendt, of RTKL, has experience on the Power and Light District project where he managed site development. This extensive experience with large urban planning projects gives hope for a successful planning effort here in Milwaukee that may one day lead to Milwaukee’s own version of the Power and Light District.
Apr 13th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Alderman D’Amato’s Parting Gift to Milwaukee
City of Milwaukee essentially came to end on Wednesday April 9th, 2008. Despite what some residents of the 3rd district may believe this is a significant loss for the City of Milwaukee. Over the years Alderman Michael D’Amato has had conflicts with UWM students and certain residents groups over specific issues but more importantly he pushed for Smart Growth initiatives, encouraged development, was key in the development of new student housing options for UWM, worked to bring Manpower to downtown Milwaukee, and most importantly improved the city as a whole. At his last ever Common Council meeting Alderman D’Amato, along with Alderman Tony Zielinski and Alderman Bob Bauman, entered one more resolution that showed his strong support for the City of Milwaukee. This resolution, his last gift to the City of Milwaukee, encouraged UWM to expand within the City of Milwaukee. It is still unknown what is next for Alderman D’Amato but clearly his leadership on the Council and desire to grow Milwaukee will be missed.
Apr 10th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Community & Economic Development Holds North End Training Plan
Resolution 071618 would authorize the terms of a job training program utilizing part of the $500,000 that the North End development received as part of its TIF funding. Dick Lincoln, from the Mandel Group, presented an overview of the North End development highlighting their environmental remediation efforts, the creation of new public places and then covered the job training component of the project. Dick Lincoln said that “the focus of that job training program was going to be on developing the capacity of existing business rather than job skill training and workforce development. Essentially they will work with Emerging Business Enterprise (EBE) firms to grow their business with the goal of being able to participate in the development of the North End development in the future. The committee felt this plan needed further review and additionally breakdown of the costs so it was held at the call of the chair.
Apr 9th, 2008 by Dave Reid
