Developer revives Goll House plans

Application calls for tower, moving house

The owner of the historic Goll House recently renewed calls to develop the property, after failing twice to get his plan approved for a 27-story apartment tower at the site on Milwaukee’s east side.

A limited liability company affiliated with Madison developer Chris Houden last week submitted a zoning change application, in which it proposed relocating and restoring the house and constructing a new “multi-story apartment building” on the property.

The site is located at 1550 N. Prospect Ave.

The application does not contain detailed design plans regarding the building, but it restarts talks to develop the property.

The Department of City Development, which received the application, so far “has no indication that the renewed proposal is substantially different from last year’s submittal,” spokesman Jeff Fleming said in a statement Wednesday.

However, detailed design plans have yet to be finalized and made public. They can be submitted as early as July.

Houden said in a statement that he looks forward to continuing discussion on the project, which he said will bring in tax revenue, create jobs and ensure the restoration and revitalization of the Goll House.

“I remain committed to investing in Milwaukee and continue to explore opportunities at 1550 N. Prospect,” the statement said. “We look forward to continuing conversations with the City and elected officials to advance a project that will be a win-win-win for our community.”

Houden tried twice before to gain approval for plans to develop the site.

Both times, the plan failed to get approval from the required super majority of the council after neighbors adjacent the building protested the plan.

A one-year bar was placed on Houden from resubmitting proposals to develop the property.

Now, with the zoning change application, Houden is starting up that approval process again.

His original proposal last year for the $55 million project included moving the Goll House about 30 feet closer to the street and putting up a 192-unit apartment tower and a parking structure.

The typical approval process will involve detailed design plans being submitted to the City Plan Commission, then the Common Council’s Zoning and Neighborhood Development Commission and then the full council.

Fleming, with the Department of City Development, said there is not enough information to speculate how the new proposal will fare.