Wildenberg to be reused, with apartments added

Proposal would also restore historic mansion

A historic mansion on Milwaukee’s south side, later home to the Wildenberg Hotel, would be redeveloped for commercial use, under a new proposal.

Also, about 45 units of affordable housing would be added to the grounds behind the hotel — last home to a mobile home court that was demolished.

Developer Que El-Amin is seeking an exclusive right to negotiate a purchase of the city-owned property, located at 3774 S. 27th St., according to a Common Council resolution filed Tuesday.

El-Amin said the mansion would be restored “to pristine condition” for an unspecified commercial use.

A 2016 city study recommended converting the historic building into a restaurant or brew pub.

El-Amin also plans to develop a three-story apartment building, and two- to three-story townhouses, on vacant lots next to the mansion.

Those would total around 45 apartments. Most of the rental units would be in the townhouses, he said.

El-Amin’s company, Scott Crawford Inc., plans to seek federal affordable housing tax credits to help finance the development.

Developments that receive those credits, which are issued through an annual competition, are required to provide apartments at below-market rents to people earning no higher than 60 percent of the local median income.

The Wildenberg development would create a small community within the South 27th Street commercial corridor, El-Amin said, while also serving as a bridge to the residential neighborhood just to the east. El-Amin’s project would