The sprawling six-story former F. Mayer Boot and Shoe Co. warehouse in Milwaukee’s Brewers Hill neighborhood will become the city’s next multifamily building early next year as preparations near completion.
Madison-based developer the Alexander Company and Janesville-based construction firm J.P. Cullen & Sons have spent the last year redeveloping the 125-year-old building into 132 apartments and commercial space.
The 193,988-square-foot building, which was built in five phases, has many of its original floors and nearly 1,400 restored windows. The $55 million project will include a community room, fitness room, courtyard and rooftop deck when residents arrive in January.
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- Milwaukee Fortress Building
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- View from the roof.
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- Milwaukee Fortress leasing office.
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- One-bedroom apartment with original metal safe door.
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- Original wood beams hang on many of the apartment ceilings.
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- The first floor commercial space sits slightly below grade.
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- The first floor commercial space can be divided into three spaces.
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- The courtyard area.
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- J.P. Cullen & Sons lobby with original fire place.
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- J.P. Cullen has the original building safe in its lobby.
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- J.P. Cullen break room.
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- The penthouse suite will lease for $3,700 a month.
On the south side of the building, just below ground level, commercial space totaling about 11,000 square feet is available.
This spring, J.P. Cullen & Sons relocated its Brookfield office to about 12,000-square-feet on the first floor of the building.
Milwaukee developer Rick Wiegand originally planned to redevelop the Milwaukee Fortress building but later sold the property to the Alexander Company.
The company also plans to restore six buildings to their original purpose of serving veterans at the Milwaukee VA Soldiers Home on the grounds of the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. That work is expected to begin in January.
