Department of City Development

City Could Spend $100,000 To Argue Over $100,000

Fight between City Attorney Tearman Spencer and Common Council getting worse.

2021 Mayor’s Design Awards Announced

From big to small, the mayor picks 25 winners in 10 different aldermanic districts.

Mayor Barrett to Announce Recipients of the 2021 Mayors Design Awards Monday, June 7

Deshea Agee Leaving King Drive BID

Executive director leaving to pursue undisclosed new opportunity.

Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant program now available for local businesses

Variety of local grant opportunities also available

Vacant Building To Become Creative Hub

Tonda Thompson has big dreams for small building in Harambee.

OWNS program aims to bring rental properties to local owners

$140 Million, 32-Story Third Ward Tower Revealed

Residential tower would rise along Milwaukee River across from Milwaukee Public Market.

New Housing for Human Trafficking Victims

Foundations for Freedom will offer emergency housing for women forced into sex work.

Plan Seeks To Transform South 13th Street

Organizers are working with residents and business owners on improvement effort.

Meet The 1500s

Office building and four townhomes planned for Jefferson Street.

A County Opinion on City Legal Dispute?

Dispute between council and City Attorney gets ever stranger, as committee requests county corp counsel's opinion.

SmithGroup Will Design Harbor District Riverwalk

Survey underway to solicit community feedback.

Ald. Coggs introduces legislation aimed at creating new development policy

Would require any development or business downtown requesting City assistance to invest in surrounding area

Bucks Advance Development Plans

Ongoing effort to grow Deer District neighborhood includes new hotel, office building and apartment complex.

Report Finds Affordable Housing Problems

Wisconsin Policy Forum says more housing for low-income renters needed, particularly near suburban job centers.

Element Apartments’ Construction Begins

6-story building with 66 units. Redesign of S. 5th St. big draw for neighborhood investment.

City Creating Affordable Housing Action Plan

Seeking shared public-private agenda. 45% of households are "cost burdened" by housing.

Milwaukee Tool Deal Gets First Approval

But labor leaders call for community benefits agreement for service sector workers.

Bauman Proposes Moratorium On City Demolitions

Alderman proposes fixing all deteriorated city-owned homes using federal stimulus funds.

88Nine’s Tarik Moody Joining City Plan Commission

Moody will put his background in architecture to good use in new role.

TIF District Will Support Central City Housing

Revenue from surging Sigma chemicals TIF district will help three struggling TIFs.

Deer District Hotel Secures First Approval

Plan Commission okays Milwaukee Bucks high-end hotel across from Fiserv Forum.

Granville Connection takes step forward

Statement of Alderwoman Chantia Lewis March 24, 2021

City Selling Commercial Buildings

Looking to buy? City has buildings and lots for sale in three areas of town.

North and Summit Apartment Proposal Revised

Seven-story building drew substantial opposition when introduced last year.

Council Approves New Deal for The Couture

After infighting, City Hall clearing way for $188 million tower.

Deal on The Couture Pending

Common Council will review revised agreement for $188 million tower Friday morning.

Redevelopment Authority Wants Riverfront Parking Lot Developed

Plus: Bucks get permission to continue to use Park East land for parking for two more years.

Harbor District Developer Seeks New Tenants

Six-building campus along KK River formerly used by fire damage repair company now part of Harbor District renaissance.

City Attorney Blocking The Couture

Spencer won't sign off on revised deal for downtown tower, saying Ald. Bauman overstepped his authority.

Solving the Townhome Design Dilemma?

Committee okays New Land's downtown apartments and townhomes project. Redesigned patio aims to be public-facing yet private.

Troubled Tavern Could Become Veteran’s Housing

Southside-focused real estate firm buying S. 6th St. building.

Stimulus Bill Provides Major Funding to Local Governments

Bill will funnel millions into local services, housing assistance, health care, childcare tax credits and unemployment.

Plan Commission Okays New Land Apartment Project

251-unit complex Nova would rise on busy downtown street where Buca's once stood.

Big Changes for Craft Beer Lovers

Camino moves to new location. Central Standard Distillery opening in July. Plus: new Mexican and Thai-Laotian fare.

Do New Apartments Lower Rents?

Study finds prices increase, or decrease, based on what price tier they're in.

Nacho City Planned For 38th and North

Restaurant would sell nachos and tacos in the city's Washington Park neighborhood.

Hintz Doubts Foxconn Electric Car Project

Foxconn's partnership with Fisker Inc. the latest in long list of failures.

City Pushes Century City to Make USPS Trucks

Council members and mayor urge Oshkosh Corporation to consider Milwaukee location.

City Updating Downtown Plan

Equity and inclusion at forefront of latest effort.

New Event Venue Planned for Third Ward

Black Swan plans new venue in historic-looking building it would construct.

Phase Two of City Place Apartments Advances

Groundbreaking planned this year for 38-unit, four-story building on vacant site.

Nominations Open for 2021 Mayor’s Design Awards

City looking for "design excellence" across Milwaukee.

New Apartment Building for Walker’s Point

Heavily-altered 1880 building on 5th Street to be demolished for six-story, 66-unit building.

McKinley School Project’s Final Design Okayed

'Worst building ever seen' by city DNS will be turned into 35 apartments.

Anti-Displacement Grants Double in 2020

To prevent gentrification, 116 greater downtown homeowners received help with property taxes.

City Creating Plan to Develop and Preserve Bay View

New area plan would create shared vision for future of neighborhood.

Committee Okays City Funds for Convent Project

School Sisters of St. Francis transforming south-side home into 63 apartments.

Hunger Task Force Targets Food Deserts

Mobile Markets makes two stops every week day bringing fresh, affordable foods to neighborhoods.

Mayor Could Lose Control of Historic Preservation Commission

Bauman and council committee support council president appointing HPC members.

Daycare Owner Buying Lloyd St. Building

Charlotte Randolph has been paying rent to tax-delinquent owner for nine years and will now buy the building.

Former Gimbels Will Be “ThriveOn King”

$84.5 million MLK Drive project to have 77 apartments and offices for medical college and Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

Wiegand Still Redeveloping Wisconsin Avenue School

Ambassador Suites' completion moved forward to 2022, part of bigger vision for West Side.

Virtual 6th District town hall meeting set for Thursday, January 21

Event will include announcement of 2020 Difference Makers Award winners

Homeless Program Expands Urban Agriculture

MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary buying city lots for urban gardens food program.

Baptist Church Buying MPS Building

Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church will launch new school on 37th and Keefe.

Housing support and anti-displacement files among those to be heard by committee

2020 Mayor’s Design Awards Announced

23rd annual awards program goes virtual, but still finds 31 winners across the city.

Willie Smith Named to City Plan Commission

Northwest Side CDC Director would replace Darryl Johnson, whose term expired

Forest Home Library Not Historic, Clinic Approved

Council clears way to demolish old library, build new Children's Hospital southside clinic.

Royal Capital Purchases Former Gimbels Complex

ThriveOn Collaboration construction will begin in February.

Couture Plans August 2023 Completion

City agreement requires groundbreaking for 44-story lakefront tower by February 1st.

Forest Home Library Not Historic, Alders Vote

Committee overturns historic designation for 1960s building, full council vote to come

Rite-Hite Expands Planned Headquarters

Warehouse equipment specialist will relocate from Brown Deer to Milwaukee.

City Selling 10 Parking Lots

Looking for land redevelop in the city? DCD may have a deal for you.

Historic Commission Protects Forest Home Library

Gives it historic designation. But Common Council will have final say.

Dilapidated Building To Become Community Resource Hub

Plus: A recap of the week's real estate news.

Council approves sale of city-owned foreclosed property to be used as a resource hub

Melissa Allen Planning Harambee Development

Plus: A rundown of the week's real estate news.

Virtual Housing Resource Fair will take place Saturday, November 21

Event will feature workshops, live Q&A sessions, drive-up resource packet pickup and more

300-Unit Bay View Project Gains Zoning

ZND Committee okays former factories to become city's largest mixed-income housing development.

Riverwest Apartment Complex Planned

Affordable housing project with 91 apartments and food accelerator on E. North Ave.

Riverwest Workforce Housing and Food Accelerator

Milwaukee Restart 2.0 Begins Grant Distribution

Program Provides Assistance to Small Business During Pandemic

Brown Appointed To City Plan Commission

City Hall veteran, former DCD Deputy Commissioner Martha Brown to fill vacant seat.

Bay View Housing Project Gets First Okays

Plan Commission, alderwoman, DCD endorse what could city's largest private affordable housing complex.

Amended 2021 budget addresses key community issues including public health and safety, housing and more

Short Lines At Polls So Far

Massive absentee voting lowers in-person turnout. But observers were on hand

Committee Approves Over 20 Amendments To Milwaukee Budget

Amendments target violence prevention, housing, lead abatement and more.

Committee recommends approval of omnibus budget amendment

Amendment provides funding for healthy food access, lead abatement, CART teams and Community Collaborative Commission, among other initiatives

Almost Half of Budget Amendments Are Policy Footnotes

Footnotes call for a racial equity audit, benches in vacant lots, lead-safe property database and much more.

Ald. Stamper offers budget amendment to strengthen home ownership & stabilize neighborhoods

Alderman Rainey targets fresh food access and neighborhood infrastructure in budget amendments

45 Projects To Improve Century City Area

Trails, parks and road diets designed to improve residents' health and safety.

Bay View to Get City’s Biggest Private Affordable Housing Project

Biggest in history. Filer & Stowell project plans 210 affordable apartments.

Hmong American Peace Academy Leaders Celebrate New Building

New high school will serve growing charter school on city's northwest side.

Historic Commission Adopts Mural Guidelines

Guidelines would prohibit murals on historic buildings on all but the least seen sides.

The 23rd Annual Mayor’s Design Awards Goes Virtual in 2020

Honors for Great Additions to Milwaukee’s Built Environment Will Be Revealed Next Week in a Multi-Day Online Celebration

New Hotel for 124th and Bradley

City envisions hotel on vacant site near Sam's Club and Woodman's

Council Okays Expanded King Dr. Business District

14-0 vote by Common Council. Neighborhood association had opposed it.

Utilizing TIF funding to strengthen housing and improve homeownership a win for residents

Joint statement from Alderman Khalif J. Rainey and Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II

Virtual Town Hall Meeting to Focus on 2021 City Budget, City Services

South Side Tanning Company Expanding

Law Tanning buying tax delinquent building for storage of specialty leather products.

A Future Vision for Villard Avenue

Plans call for protected bike lanes, new park, food halls and pet-friendly beer garden.

The Couture Developer Applies For Federal Loan Guarantee

Barrett Lo claims it has raised necessary funding to access critical guarantee.

Construction Underway on Largest New Urban Manufacturing Plant in US

Komatsu Mining building $285 million manufacturing and office complex in Harbor District.

Safe & Sound Announces Building Neighborhood Bridges Campaign

4-Unit Building Would Replace Fire-Damaged Home on Downer Ave

New owner of commercial corridor would build townhomes at E. Park Pl.

Spec Industrial Building Planned for Granville

Plus: A roundup of the week's real estate news.