Apartments pitched for Port Washington school site
A historic Port Washington school near the downtown lakefront would be converted into market-rate apartments under a new proposal, which is seeking city financing help.
Ansay Development Co. wants to redevelop St. Mary’s Catholic School and the neighboring parish center, according to a proposal filed with the city.
Ansay would create 25 to 32 apartments at the historic school building, 446 Johnson St.
The two-story school building was constructed in 1916 for St. Mary’s Catholic Church, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
An addition was built in 1952, according to the society. Most of that addition would be redeveloped, said Ian McCain, Ansay’s design construction manager.
St. Mary’s Church, now part of the St. John XXIII Catholic Parish, is located just across Johnson Street from the school.
The parish announced last year it was selling the St. Mary’s School and parish house to Ansay for $625,000.
The parish plans to use the sale proceeds to remodel and expand St. Peter’s School, 1802 N. Wisconsin St. That project could occur in 2019, said Mike Burch, parish administrator.
Ansay’s proposal calls for demolishing the St. Mary’s School boiler room addition, at the building’s northeast corner, to create an accessible entrance and possible street-level retail space, McCain said.
The project also would redevelop a corner of the parking lot into public space. That would include art, as well as seating, landscaping and outdoor lighting, according to the plans.
The firm doesn’t yet have specific plans for the parish house, McCain said.
The apartment development would be valued at roughly $3 million to $4 million, the proposal said.
Ansay is speaking with city officials about possible financing help for the project, McCain said.
Those funds would be paid to the developer through new property revenue generated by the apartments.
That financing plan, involving a tax increment financing district, would need Common Council approval. Converting the school into apartments also would need council approval.
The proposal is undergoing initial conceptual review by the council.
The St. Mary’s apartments would be the latest in a series of new housing developments near Port Washington’s downtown lakefront.
They include Newport Shores, a four-story building with 22 condominiums and street-level commercial space that Ansay wants to develop at 407 E. Jackson St., and Lake Pointe Townhomes, 11 three-story condos that Stephen Perry Smith is building at 351 E. Pier St.
Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.