Proposed high-rise for historic Goll House site approved
A massive project at the historic Goll House property on Milwaukee’s east side was approved Tuesday by the Common Council.
The $55 million project, which would include a 27-story apartment tower, has faced heavy opposition from neighbors.
A zoning change that clears the way for the Prospect Ave. project passed the full council 12-2, with one abstention, over the heated opposition of Ald. Robert Bauman, who represents the district where the project is planned.
Bauman cited “dozens and dozens” of emails from people opposed to the project, saying a broad range of his constituents — including neighbors and nearby business owners — object to the plan, especially due to public safety and traffic concerns.
“I’m telling you this will negatively affect the quality of life on Prospect Avenue,” Bauman said. “I’m telling you the citizens are correct.”
But Ald. Nik Kovac objected to Bauman’s comments that most aldermen were overlooking public safety concerns because of the developer’s promises to bring jobs and economic development.
“That’s not fair,” Kovac said. “Traffic is worse on Prospect and Farwell than on most other streets in Milwaukee, but it is by no means unbearable. It is by no means gridlocked under usual circumstances.”
And Ald. Jim Bohl said some of the objections are due to resistance to change.
“The desire to retain what we know is a very strong and persuasive argument that drives residents to reach out to us,” Bohl said.
The project, proposed by a limited liability company affiliated with Madison developer Chris Houden, involves relocating and restoring the 1898 Goll House and constructing a nearly 200-unit apartment building on the property at 1550 N. Prospect Ave.
Project opponents have warned of traffic dangers, limited parking and bluff erosion linked to the development. Some neighbors have threatened to sue.
Rachel Fritz, chief operations officer for the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, said at a hearing last week that the school’s students already
struggle to find parking. She said the high-rise would hurt business.
And neighbor Barbara Duffy, a former firefighter, has said Houden failed to have meetings with neighbors.
Houden and architect Thomas Miller have stressed the differences in the current plan compared with their proposal that failed to pass the Common Council last year. They pointed to parking and access changes to reduce potential traffic problems and a commitment to hiring city residents and working with minority-owned businesses.
Houden said he was committed to making his best effort to meet 20% goals when it came to hiring minority workers and contracting with small businesses.
Houden tried twice before to gain approval for plans to develop the site. Both times, the plan failed to get the required supermajority of the council’s approval after neighbors protested.
Bauman and Ald. José Pérez were the only aldermen to vote against the measure. Ald. Milele Coggs abstained.
Gettelman Brewery
In other action, the Common Council Tuesday approved the designation of permanent historic preservation to a portion of the Gettelman Brewery.
MillerCoors originally wanted to tear down the homestead, offices and the malt house of the 19thcentury brewery, all of which sit on the north side of the MillerCoors campus on W. State St., to make more room for truck and employee parking.
At a meeting with MillerCoors’ west side neighbors, the brewery representatives presented a compromise that called for moving the house perhaps to the MillerCoors visitor center lot on the other side of State St.
Erik Brooks, manager of heritage communications for the company, said there are no formal plans for next steps for the building.