Atlantic Realty Partners first approached the city of Milwaukee in 2015 seeking permission to construct a four-building, 450-unit apartment complex along at stretch of Milwaukee River frontage between 1785 and 1811 N. Water Street on the Lower East Side.
Now, five years after completing the first two buildings in 2017, and three years after selling them to Kirkland, Wash.-based Weidner Apartment Homes in 2019, the Atlanta-based developer is looking to commence the second half of the project and is seeking an amendment to the original plan to allow for 15 more units than was originally planned. Under the new proposal, 222 units would be spread across the two new buildings. Added to the 243 units constructed as part of the first phase, the changes would result in total of 465 units once the two new buildings are constructed.
The first two U-shaped, six-story buildings in the complex, called River House Apartments, are located immediately to the north of Holton Street and were constructed on top of a site once occupied by the former Gallun Tannery building. The second two of the four buildings will be constructed just to the north of those at 1801-1881 North Water St.
The amendment isn’t expected to impact other elements of the project, which includes extending the RiverWalk from the current development site to 1887 N. Water St.
The first two floors of each of the two new buildings will have parking for residents, totaling 295 spaces for both structures. Entrances to parking floors will be located off of the driveways between the buildings.
Pedestrian access will be provided for residents from Water Street and along the RiverWalk. Bicycle racks will be provided both inside the buildings in the lower levels and in the front of the buildings along Water Street. Each building will also have exterior public bike stalls.
The amended plan is slated to go before the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development (ZND) Committee on Tuesday for a recommendation to the full Common Council.
