This is part 3 of a series of articles regarding the proposed Couture development in downtown Milwaukee. Part 1 about the (now demolished) Downtown Transit Center can be found here, and Part 2 concerning a possible lawsuit can be found here.
It’s been nearly 2.5 years since Preserve Our Parks decided not to appeal a court decision clearing the way for the construction of The Couture lakefront high-rise, and over 1 year since the Downtown Transit Center (DTC) building was demolished to make way. Yet here we sit, no longer with “the saddest building in Milwaukee” gracing our lakefront gateway but instead “the saddest empty lot in Milwaukee”. What gives?
Well, for starters, there’s no longer anyone chosen to build the dang thing.
All photos by Joe Powell for The Squeaky Curd.
The Couture’s driving force, Barrett Lo Visionary Development, had chosen Madison-based J.H. Findorff & Son Inc. to tear down the DTC last winter, and in April of last year announced them as general contractors for the construction portion. A groundbreaking was planned for December 2017, with a 30-month build time.
As recently as September, Findorff was actively sourcing building materials for the project. By early December, there was still no indication of a delay. In fact, a flyer was even published that month with potential leasing opportunities for space within the upcoming Couture. Yet December came and went without shovels taking to earth, and January nearly followed before disquieting reports came out about a “reopened…bidding process for general contractor“. That ain’t good.
It would seem Barrett Lo had two concerns with the Findorff plans:
- Cost: Reports were that Rick Barrett was not content with the purported costs of the whole project, and may have been having issues securing all necessary financing for the $120 million project. This seems like an odd point: shouldn’t the costs of a high-profile skyscraper have been both anticipated and planned for before, you know, choosing a general contractor and tearing down the existing building? Especially considering the millions in city cash already offered via TIF (tax incremental financing) district.
- Timeline: There have also been grumblings about the 30-month build time being too long, with indications Barrett is looking to get the first people into the high-rise in two years. If this were really the case, already being behind 2 months from the original scheduled groundbreaking (December 2017) doesn’t indicate expeditiousness.
To be fair, a slight delay was inevitable after a forgotten 1970s sewer line was discovered crossing the site after DTC demolition ($2 million from the city to move that out of the way was found quickly). But the Milwaukee Streetcar‘s starter route is well-underway, and the “Lakefront Extension” route to the Couture’s first-floor transit area will begin construction in spring, without an end destination.
Time is ticking for Barrett Lo to (once-again) choose a general contractor and get digging, before their signature Couture becomes a literal and figurative pit of despair for Milwaukee.
Milwaukee’s signs are even waiting…