Gregory Oberland named president at Northwestern Mutual

Ohio to invest $50M in Wis. real estate fund

Bucks buyers like big-time investing, poker, mountain climbing

Laacke & Joys lands new building after long search

King Building proposal includes retail space and 32 luxury apartments

There will be a public meeting to discuss the redevelopment of the King Building, 2534 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Wed., March 5, at 6pm on the second floor of the King Building (between the firehouse and Bay View Library). The redevelopment plans for the structure, originally an automobile showroom erected in 1929, include 32 luxury apartments and more than 4,000 square feet of commercial space. The building’s original features include large arched storefront windows, 17’ ceilings and terrazzo floors. Rent for the one bedroom, one bedroom + den, and two bedroom units will range from $1,150 to $1,750. The plan provides for 24 indoor and 12 outdoor parking spaces. The project designer and developer is Scott Genke of SG Property Management, LLC. SGPM currently owns and manages properties in Bay View, Walker’s Point and the East Side. In 2010 SGPM received a Cream of the Cream City Award For Outstanding Contributions to Historic Preservation in the City of Milwaukee for the 1887 Schroeder Building in Walker’s Point.

Mandel charts 250 apartments, two buildings for North End’s final phase

Ogden remembered for generosity, devotion to the Milwaukee community

In the late 1940s or early 1950s, John Ogden Sr. was at the front desk of a resort in the Cape Cod area when another guest asked how he could get some cash to play golf. The front desk couldn’t help the man, so Ogden offered to loan him the money. The man got Ogden’s address and said he would send the money when he got home. Several weeks later, Ogden got a certificate in the mail for a share of stock in the Walt Disney Co. from the company’s founder, the man he had given the loan. Ogden, who was living in the annex of the University Club at the time after returning from the war, put the colorful stock certificate on the wall of his bathroom. Other shares periodically arrived in the mail and also were put on the bathroom wall. When he decided to move out, Ogden wisely called the company to get the certificates replaced. He would earn an impressive return on the cost of the long-distance phone call to the company — and his original loan. “He was an owner of Disney stock his entire life just by what he was given by Walt,” son John Ogden Jr. said. The loan to a stranger at the front desk of a resort is a small example of John Ogden Sr.’s good nature. “He was just one of those guys that you just don’t find very often anymore,” his son said. John Ogden Sr., the former president and chairman of Ogden & Co., died Monday at his home at St. John’s on the Lake in Milwaukee with family members at his side. He was 97. A member of an old-line Milwaukee family, Ogden was active in the community throughout his life. “He was just a guy who loved life and loved to meet people,” John Ogden Jr. said. Ogden was a former president of the board of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the University Club of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Board of Realtors. He served as a director of the American Cancer Society — Milwaukee Division and the Milwaukee County Historical Society. He was on the boards of Columbia Hospital and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. And he was a trustee of Immanuel Presbyterian Church “He had a great love for Milwaukee,” said Christopher Ogden, another son. Born in Milwaukee on Oct. 23, 1916, Ogden earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel management from Cornell University in 1939 and then worked briefly at the Statler Hotel in Buffalo, N.Y., before entering the U.S. Army Air Force in December 1941. He served in the Pacific, where he was captain of PT boats that rescued airmen. In 1946, he joined Ogden & Co., a real estate and property management company started by his father in 1929. He later would marry Elizabeth Harnischfeger, his wife of 51 years, who died in 2007. Ogden was president of Ogden & Co. for 22 years and chairman for 18 years. His sons describe […]

New coffee roaster launches in Milwaukee

Even if you’re paying close attention, it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with the latest in food news here in Milwaukee. So, here’s a taste of what’s new and notable – including information about the newest coffee roaster in town, a new location for Pacific Produce, a cheese class featuring Parmigiano-Reggiano, a Madison cocktail competition hosted by a Milwaukee favorite and two cooking classes at Mason Street Grill. Longtime coffee industry professional launches new endeavor There’s a new coffee company in town. Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, launched by former coffee buyer Steve Hawthorne, has begun sourcing and roasting a selection of top quality, seasonal coffees in a roaster in West Allis. Hawthorne, who is currently the general manager at Rocket Baby Bakery in Wauwatosa, has worked in the coffee industry for more than 13 years. From making lattes behind the counter, to climbing the hills of El Salvador in search of top quality coffees, to spending weeks at a time jet-setting around the world to find unique coffees and build relationships, he’s seen the best and the worst of the industry and says he’s prepared to tackle the challenge of perfecting his own brews. In addition to a limited number of coffees, Hawthorne has also created a unique espresso blend using coffees that he’s sourced. Beginning today, Hawthorne coffees will be available online at hawthornecoffeeroasters.com. Hawthorne says that he is also in the process of talking to local restaurants and cafés who may be interested in carrying his product. Look for a more in-depth article about Hawthorne’s new venture on OnMilwaukee later this week! Pacific Produce to add new location North siders are in for a treat. Pacific Produce will be opening a new location at 8340 W. Appleton Ave., in the former Kohls Department Store. If you’ve never experienced the wonder of the current Pacific Produce at 5455 S. 27th St., it’s worth a trip. I toured the store this past year with Wolf Peach chef Dan Jacobs, who provided expertise on the many Asian specialties they carry. The large store offers Milwaukee’s best pan-Asian food shopping experience, offering everything from fresh produce to frozen foods, meat and fish counters, and aisle upon aisle of canned and packaged goods, bottled condiments and sauces. Pacific Produce purchased the 62,000-square foot building on Appleton, which had been sitting dormant for over 10 years, for $1.5 million last spring and has been working on renovations to the space. Recently, a sign appeared on the property that indicates that Pacific Produce will be opening soon. Cheese class demystifies Parmigiano-Reggiano It’s time to shake off the cold and travel to Italy for the afternoon. Cheese experts and owners of Larry’s Market, Steve and Patty Ehlers, will offer a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese class and tasting on Feb. 8 from 1 to 3 p.m. In addition to a guided tour of three different ages of the famous cheese, participants will experience Italian wine pairings and treats made with Parmigiano-Reggiano. The Parmesan class will take place at Larry’s […]

Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Church

Shiny new Red Star Cocktail Club opens next weekend

Next weekend, the Red Star Cocktail Club, located above Trocadero, 1758 N. Water St., will open to the public. For the past five years the space was used for private events and prior to that, it was a bar called RedLight. We went for a sneak peek of the space last night – and to sample a few of the cocktails. Red Star officially opens on Nov. 21. “The overall focus is on craft and cocktail drinks,” says Chad Ellingboe, general manager. “Basically classic cocktails with a twist.” Ellingboe says someday there might actually be a cocktail club at Red Star, but for now, the addition of the word “club” in the bar’s name is more to suggest a close-knit feel and a sense of camaraderie. The decor is similar to the RedLight space, but the exposed-brick walls have been repainted with a rich brown. There’s also ambient lighting, a comfortable “living room” area featuring cream and turquoise vintage couches and a large, square bar with ample seating on two sides. The bar “stools,” made from tractor seats purchased and shipped from Belgium, are one of the most interesting features of the new space. But perhaps the best aspect of the space – which indeed feels like a step back in time – is that’s it’s on the second floor and there are plenty of windows to remind guests of this. There’s also a staircase in the middle of the lounge that leads to a mystery third floor, giving the bar even more of a unique feel. (One employee started out joking that the stairs lead to haunted rooms from a long-defunct boarding house, but later admitted the third floor is simply where they store extra supplies. Aw, darn.) Because the cozy lounge only accommodates about 60 people, reservations are suggested – you can make them online – but are not required. There is a separate entrance to the lounge on Pearson Street, marked, aptly, by a red neon star, and a doorman sits inside the glass doors to greet and check in guests. “We really want to avoid over-crowding,” says Jessica Sobojinkski of the Lowlands Group, which owns Trocadero and Red Star. “We want it to feel like a classy cocktail lounge and not a night club.” The drink menu features about 20 different cocktails. They are divided into three categories – small, tall and up – and range in price from $8 to $10. We tried the Vanilla Fizz, a sweet-but-not-overly-sweet darling of a cocktail made with Kentucky Bourbon, confectioners sugar, fresh rosemary and Sprecher cream soda. We also sampled the Missed Flight To Warsaw which blew our minds; we never had anything that taste quite like this. Its name is a nod to one of its ingredients: vanilla-infused Roaring Dan’s Maple rum, house orgeat syrup, fresh lemon and lime juice, Angostura bitters and MKE Brewing Polish Moon milk stout. The mixing of beer into cocktails is always a good idea in our Milwaukee-based book. Next time we’re […]

Thomas Hauck of c.1880

If you’ve been to c.1880, you’ve experienced the masterful cooking of Chef Thomas Hauck. And you’ve likely been wowed by his take on modern French cuisine – fresh, seasonal foods thoughtfully escalated by expert technique and intermittent flourishes of molecular gastronomy. Hauck hails from Port Washington, where he lived with his family until the age of 8. From there, he moved to Stone Mountain, Ga., where he took his first service industry job at a place called The Grill. “I worked from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for $50 cash,” he told me. “I was dishwasher and bus boy with some other random tasks thrown in.” Hauck did various odd jobs during his teen years. But at 19, after moving to Roanoke, Va., he started working in the restaurant scene again. It was also there, in Roanoke, that the work began to inspire him. “I stumbled upon ‘The French Laundry’ cookbook, and thought to myself: ‘Holy cow what is this stuff?'” he recalls. “I was 20 years old, at the bookstore, and it was just sitting there, this big beautiful book. I have a strong cookbook addiction to this day.” Hauck says his first cookbook was actually Escoffier’s “Le Guide Culinaire,” but at the time he couldn’t make much sense of it. It wasn’t until he attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., that things started coming together. “I did my externship at the Ritz Carleton with Fabio Trabocchi,” Hauck says. “He was a demanding dude. It was stressful, I got yelled at a lot. But, I got to make beautiful food.” When he graduated from the CIA, Hauck moved to Cincinnati, where he worked with Jean-Robert De Cavel, who assisted him in making a trip to France that would further change his life. Hauck honed his skills in France, training at the Michelin-rated L’Essentiel in Chambéry, and then in Perpignan, before realizing he’d need a work visa to remain in the country. “I bought the most expensive plane ticket ever on two days’ notice, and came back to the U.S..” Hauck recalls. “I was broke, sleeping on my sister’s couch, and needed a job. So, I called Citronelle.” Hauck spent four years at Citronelle, French chef Michel Richard‘s four-star, fine-dining restaurant in Washington, D.C., before deciding it was time to move home and open his own restaurant. And that, my friends, is where the story of c.1880 begins. I sat down with Hauck this week to chat about his humble beginnings, his inspiration and the best meal he’s ever eaten. OnMilwaukee.com: Describe your relationship to food as you were growing up. Thomas Hauck: My mom was a very good baker, and she still is. She won baking contests and such. But, as far as food, it was… well, I mainly grew up with jolly Green Giant beans in a can. I mean, my mom makes the greatest lasagna in the world, she still does. But, I don’t have a story about a […]

R.I.P. Bill Faust, Founder of Bay View’s Faust Music