East side: Apartment wins rare ‘green’ honor.

A new apartment building on Milwaukee’s east side has received a rare award for its high level of environmental sustainability.

Sage on Prospect, a 34unit development at 1825 N. Prospect Ave., has received platinum LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a program that recognizes buildings for using sustainable construction and operating methods.

Platinum is the highest level and is unusual for an apartment building. Sage on Prospect is just the second market-rate apartment building in Wisconsin to achieve LEED platinum status.

The first was Sage on Jackson, another east side building at 1509 N. Jackson St. Dominion Properties developed both properties, with Sage on Jackson opening in 2014 and Sage on Prospect opening in September.

Sage on Prospect was created by converting and expanding a former nursing home that was built in 1961.

Its features include a so-called blue roof, where rainwater pools and then slowly drains, long after the storm passes, to reduce the impact on the sewage system.

The building has solar panels to provide power, and two dozen geothermal wells pumping water from 325 feet below the earth’s surface to both heat and cool the five-story building.

“Sage on Prospect offered our team a unique opportunity to completely gut and renovate an existing building that was at the end of its life cycle,” Mike O’Connor, co-principal of Dominion Properties, said in a statement.

“The outcome is a stellar example of what can be accomplished by those who are committed to sustainable development, and we are proud, once again, to bring this unique offering to the Milwaukee market,” O’Connor said.

All but one of the building’s apartments is leased, he said.

Dominion’s project partners on Sage on Prospect include Sustainable Building Solutions, a LEED consultant; architect Striegel-Agacki Studio; and construction firm Venture Development Group.