10-06-2013 11:00 PM

Grocery, gas station in two unsuccessful proposals for Park East block

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A view of Wangard's proposed building design, including a corner grocery store on North Water Street.




The two unsuccessful proposals for a Park East block owned by Milwaukee County called for a grocery store in a six-story building with 250 apartments and a suburban-style retail center with a gas station. See the attached slideshow for images of the two unsuccessful development plans.
Also this week, a book on the life of Milwaukee developer and philanthropist Joesph Zilber is ready for release.
The two Park East proposals from Wangard Partners Inc. and HSI Properties LLC, respectively, were for a 2.3-acre block at North Water and North Milwaukee streets in the Park East corridor, just north of downtown Milwaukee. The Business Journal received copies of those proposals, which were not publicly released, through an open records request to Milwaukee County.
County officials opted against the Wangard and HSI Properties offers this summer, instead selecting a $60 million plan from Opus Development Co. and Mercy Housing Inc. for 190 apartments, retail and offices. County officials recently signed an up to two-year option for the developers to buy the land, said Julie Ledger, vice president and general manager of Opus Development Co. in Milwaukee.
Ledger said they are aiming to start construction on the project in fall 2014. The project includes retail space for a restaurant and potentially a pharmacy on the first floor, offices on the second and apartments on the upper floors.
“We’re actively marketing the retail and office components of the building,” Ledger said.
Of the two competing proposals, Wangard’s is most similar to the Opus plan. Wangard had challenged the county’s selection of the Opus proposal last summer.


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Sean Ryan reports on real estate, construction and public transit in southeast Wisconsin


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