Historic east side building to become apartments
A historic industrial building on Milwaukee’s east side will be converted into 17 apartments.
The two-story, 30,000-square-foot building, 1617-1633 E. North Ave., is a former milk distribution center known for its Art Deco design. The property is owned by an investment group led by developer Ken Breunig.
His projects include the redevelopment of downtown’s former Pritzlaff
Hardware Co. buildings into apartments, offices, event venues and other new uses, and the conversion of part of the Plankinton Arcade offices into apartments.
Breunig is seeking a zoning change from industrial to local business for the east side building. The Plan Commission and Common Council will review that request.
“This would allow me to build 17 apartments instead of self-storage that I had it approved for initially,” said Breunig.
Breunig told the Journal Sentinel he plans to create one- and two-bedroom apartments, along with 21 indoor parking spaces on the building’s first floor.
Breunig is seeking a zoning change from industrial to local business for the east side building.
“Cars would drive though the building using the same drive through as the original use of the building for milk trucks to drive through and load and unload,” he said.
Breunig’s group bought the building in 2017.
He’s proceeding with conversion plans mainly because he can no longer use the building for self-storage.
That’s because his company, Sunset Investors LLC, last year sold several EZ Self Storage centers which Breunig operated throughout the Milwaukee area.
That sale agreement included a covenant barring him from competing with his former business.
Breunig said his conversion plans are still being developed and could include setting aside some of the streetlevel space for commercial use.
The building was constructed in 1946, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. It was initially used by Dairy Distributors Inc.
Trombetta Corp., which makes solenoids and other industrial power products, moved to the building in 1964 from Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.
Trombetta eventually moved out and the building has since been used as a warehouse.
Breunig plans to seek state and federal historic preservation tax credits to help finance the building’s redevelopment.