MILWAUKEE | The Couture | 537 FT | 44 FLOORS

[Boisebro]

Eeeet eeees ALIVE.

Financing secured. At last.

Article from jsonline

[Steely Dan]

WTF?!?

2020 just keeps getting stranger and stranger.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Insane if they just pulled this off in the middle of a global pandemic of all times.

[the urban politician]

Congrats Milwaukee!

[Tom In Chicago]

Great news. . .

. . .

[Steely Dan]

Update.

Is there a chance that this infinitely delayed project might finally be heading toward construction?

Common Council gives final approval to Couture development agreement changes
Developer says construction to commence in coming weeks

By Alex Zank -Mar 2, 2021 2:18 pm


The Milwaukee Common Council today approved the latest changes to the Couture development agreement, likely clearing the way for the developer to close on financing for the project and begin building the $188 million luxury apartment tower.

Milwaukee-based Barrett-Lo Visionary Development has long planned to build the 44-story, 322-unit tower at 909 E. Michigan St., near the downtown Milwaukee lakefront. The latest change to its development agreement may have represented the last obstacle between the developer and closing on project financing.

The new agreement places responsibility on Barrett-Lo for up to $1.4 million in federal grant money that the city might have to repay if any construction deadlines are missed on the transit component of the Couture. It also requires Barrett-Lo principals Rick Barrett and Tan Lo donate $100,000 to the city’s anti-displacement fund.

Source: https://biztimes.com/common-council-...ement-changes/

[JMKeynes]

Chicago’s little cousin is looking good!

[Steely Dan]

update.

more good news, the construction loan has closed!

The Couture Construction Begins May 5th
After years of delays, financing secured for complicated project to build 44-story lakefront tower.

By Jeramey Jannene - May 3rd, 2021 01:18 pm





Construction on Milwaukee’s most anticipated real estate development will begin May 5th.

Barrett Lo Visionary Development closed Friday on a $104.7 million loan to support the development of The Couture. The approximately $190 million, 44-story tower will include 322 apartments and 40,000 square feet of commercial space

The loan comes from Old National Bank. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is providing a guarantee on the loan.
“This is the largest FHA loan amount HUD has executed in the state of Wisconsin and the largest amount for HUD’s Midwest region since the year 2000,” said HUD spokesperson Gina Rodriguez on Monday.

First proposed in 2012, the building will be located on a 2.2-acre site at 909 E. Michigan St. near Milwaukee’s lakefront.

“We are thrilled to have closed on the site and to enable the Findorff team to begin construction work for the Couture, a transformational project for our community,” said developer Rick Barrett in a statement. “I want to thank the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, and all of the partners who have worked so hard alongside us to ensure that this important project has been able to move forward.”

The tower is being designed by RINKA and will be constructed by J.H. Findorff & Son.

Initial site work will be underground, including construction of a multi-level parking structure, with vertical construction beginning in early 2022. The Downtown Transit Center previously occupied the site and was demolished in 2017.

full article: https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2021/05/0...egins-may-5th/

[Steely Dan]

A new video posted on BizTimes Media's FB page shows equipment on site literally breaking the ground!

link: https://www.facebook.com/BizTimesMedia


site prep has officially begun (again).

[Steely Dan]

here's a link to a slideshow from this morning's official kick-off meeting at the site:

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwauke...tower-set.html

[skysoar]

Great things happening in Milwaukee, a very underrated Midwest city..

[sentinel]

OMG it's really happening!!!!

[Busy Bee]

Pop the corks everyone, we've lived to see the day!

[SIGSEGV]

this is awesome! Milwaukee has a great lakefront.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Pop the corks everyone, we've lived to see the day!

yep!

and it only took a short little 9 years.

talk about playing a good long game.

[Steely Dan]

here's a current shot of the site from an SSC forumer:

Originally Posted by "exchilango

Here's what the site looks like this morning, all equipment in use.

source: https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threa...34188/page-143

[Altoic]

https://twitter.com/stevepalec/statu...699739136?s=20

[Steely Dan]

here's a pretty dope drone shot of the site from an SSC forumer.

I hope we get more of these during the construction process.

Originally Posted by VVisconsin08

From today - I happened to be in the area so I figured I’d snap a quick shot of the site. We’re almost 1 month in at this point.

[Steely Dan]

still mostly pushing dirt around, but apparently sheet piling is now on site for them to start properly excavating a foundation pit.


from SSC:

Originally Posted by WisBearcat, post: 174130310, member: 1217639

Not very many noticeable changes over the last two weeks. Hole is slightly larger and it looks like the sheet metal is on site to hopefully begin forming the sides of the hole as they continue to dig.

[Steely Dan]

here's a link to a very cool earth cam set up for the project.

the time lapse gives a good sense of the excavation that's taken place thus far.

https://earthcam.net/projects/thecouturemilwaukee/