Another historic building at the former Pabst brewery is being sold. An investors group named BC Pabst Holdings is planning to buy "Building 14" (the former Pabst research lab) and plan to rehabilitate its three floors into offices and the penthouse into a conference room. They plan to apply for historic tax credits to help pay for the rehab work. According to the group, there are already three interested possible tenants, undisclosed so far, all of which come from the Milwaukee area.

BC Pabst Holdings consists of Matt Chmura, his brother Mark Chmura (formerly of the Green Bay Packers), and Sonny Bando (son of former Milwaukee Brewers player/manager Sal Bando). The group also already owns two other historic buildings in Downtown Milwaukee--the Germania Building and the Iron Block.

Brewery Project Press Release: Local Firm to Buy Historic Research Building at Old Pabst Brewery (PDF file)

Journal Sentinel: Investors buying old Pabst building - Complex's exposure to I-43 hailed as draw for prospective tenants

Business Journal: Local investors purchase former Pabst lab

Daily Reporter: Fourth Pabst Brewery building sold

Developer Afshin Ghazi announced the first tenant for Catalyst today at the Small Business Times Commercial Real Estate and Development Conference. Bar Management Group (of Charlotte, North Carolina, which is also where Ghazi's development company is from) has a concept for an upscale bowling alley, called Big City Lanes, that will have around 18 lanes and occupy between 20,000 and 25,000 square feet.

Ghazi also hopes to attract 5-7 other entertainment concepts and 4 upscale restaurants to Catalyst, thereby creating a compact entertainment district within close proximity to major draws such as the convention center, hotels, and the Shops of Grand Avenue mall.

More info about what was covered at the conference from the Small Business Times: Ghazi project lands upscale bowling alley tenant

^^^ Good news all around! Thanks for actually posting in this thread!

I am still really excited about Catalyst, should really help out downtown. What is the plan for the Pabst Brewery right now? I lost track of what was happening there after I moved down here for school.

Check out the articles I posted yesterday; some of them give a rundown of what's going on as far as the buildings that already have plans for conversions (live/work lofts, offices, retail shops) plus some possible future plans for other buildings that are still being worked out (job training center, hotel, international trade center showroom). Also head over to The Brewery Project website for more information.

LOVE Milwaukee!!
 

Although I lived in Nashville, TN from 1996-2006, and currently in Chicago, it is GREAT watching the city re-develop itself. Milwaukee is my favorite city (born and raised), and I enjoy reading the posts.

While I like the condo boom in Milwaukee, what is happening to the business development downtown? Milwaukee really needs large corporate companies in its downtown area to create more jobs, and those nice 65 floor + skyscrapers!

It's great to see Milwaukee growing, finally!

What About Rail?
 

Does Milwaukee have any serious plans for a rail system? A rail system will definitely bring more business to the CBD.

BelmontGrad99> To some extent I disagree on needing large corporate companies in downtown. Corporations are so undependable, hell we may loose Miller!, it would be better for Milwaukee to find a new niche, possible in green tech, and help many smaller companies grow.

Well the rail plans run into one political hurdle after another... and I'm with you Milwaukee needs modern rail.

They are currently deciding over whether to make light rail or stupid "guided buses" though neither are being built for sure yet.

Stupid County government messing things up, we need light rail if we are ever going to be taken seriously.

I can't wait to see this when I visit Milwaukee for Thanksgiving. It's hard to believe that old hell-hole of a station is forever gone.

The old station (by John December)
http://www.december.com/places/mke/images/amtrak.jpg

The new (by Tom Lynn/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphic...111207_big.jpg

From the bones of a mid-century dud, a gleaming gem arises
Posted: Nov. 11, 2007
Whitney Gould

At night, when its prismatic glass face and bold, diagonal beams are awash with light, you have to pinch yourself: Can this possibly be Milwaukee's old Amtrak station?

Well, yes and no. The bones of the 1965 station are still there. But the railroad depot, now the "Milwaukee Intermodal Station," has had a $16.9 million makeover so breathtaking that passengers who knew this only as a decrepit eyesore must wonder if they're really in Milwaukee.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=684930

The new station is outstanding, but it's continuing what I think is a trend that needs to reversed, or at least slowed. That trend? Whiteness!

It seems like every major project built in the city since 2000 is a certain shade of white, off-white, eggshell white, etc. The Calatrava Edition to the MAM, the 6th street viaduct bridge, the University Club Tower, and now the intermodal station and the Moderne, if it gets built. These are arguably the most significant structures the city has built in the last decade and they are ALL white. Milwaukee really lacks architectural flare in regard to color. It often seems as if cream city brick or pure, unadulterated whiteness is the only way to go.

That Amtrak station is absolutely gorgeous, every time I come home I look forward to being able to pass through it. It is truly very well done, open and spacious, yet it feels comfortable and warm as well.


I personally don't mind the white trend. I really like it actually, I think it really gives Milwaukee a sharp, modern theme and look. I also think that you can group US Bank into the white theme even though its like 30 years old. Also, the Pier Wisconsin building is white, sharp, and modern, a look which is very fitting for the new Milwaukee, one that focuses on technology, healthcare, and services, not Manufacturing and Beer (ok, maybe we can keep the beer one).

I was personally hoping that the Marquette Interchange would have been painted white like the 6th street bridge, but I guess Blue and Gold (Marquette colors) is more fitting.

Jesus in a Geo - The new station is outstanding, but it's continuing what I think is a trend that needs to reversed, or at least slowed. That trend? Whiteness!

Milwaukee is known as the "Cream City" after all. . .

haven't lived in milwaukee for 5 years. but its good to see they're still working on the river walk

below are some pics i took this past week end in Mil-town

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-24a.jpg
view from brewers hill

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-12a.jpg
Columbia St Mary's

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-15a.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-14a.jpg
Park Lafayette
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-23a.jpg
Site work has begun on "The EDGE"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-22b.jpg
rendering of the edge - croped photo of the billbord
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-16a.jpg
proposed building on Lake Dr. - St. John on the Lake
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-19b.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-18a.jpg
the Pfister continues to go down
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...3-2007-28a.jpg
some more river walk condos
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...reakwater1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...reakwater2.jpg
Break water condos - a scan of their on site pamphlet.
Site work has started on this condo, and i got a picture of it but it was to dark out to get a good shot.

^^^ Wow, thanks for that, I never heard of that St. John's expansion, is that new? Looks to be more than 12 floors and a decent design as well!

I love all of the new infill Milwaukee is getting, espeically along the river near brewer's hill and the Third Ward. I wish Chicago got stuff of this quality with that kind of modern, edgy design too!

I think it may be my goal to live in one of those sweet, modern, riverside townhomes some day.

Yes, the St. John's expansion tower is a relatively new proposal from this past year.

:banana:

I read an article (sorry can't remember where...), that said Scott Walker, the guy who mainly opposes light rail, and the Mayor have called a truce with their differences on light rail for Milwaukee. What that means is, according to the article, a committee will consider both plans (Walker/Mayor) when discussing light rail for the city. Great news for Milwaukee! Should a feasible rail plan be implemented soon, every resident in the metro area will be able to enjoy downtown Milwaukee! "build it and they will come"

^^^ Hurray! Find that article, I hope that light rail wins over those stupid Guided Buses!!!

I'm afraid that is not quite true anymore. Back in September, Walker and Barret did have a so-called "truce" on their competing transit proposals (County Executive Walker's cross-county bus rapid transit-only proposal, and Mayor Barrett's combination of a downtown streetcar loop and cross-county bus rapid transit proposal), and asked suburban politicians in joining them to discuss a more regional strategy for transit issues. That effort, however, lasted only a few weeks, literally, and nothing was really solved, no decisions were made, so the politicians disbanded. In other words, the truce was canceled.

The "committee" you're talking about is something completely different. It is the Milwaukee Connector Study Committee, whose job it is to evaluate various transit proposal options (originally for the Downtown area only, then it was expanded to encompass other parts of the the city) and make a recommendation to the Federal Transit Administration so the money that has already been earmarked for transit projects in Milwaukee can be "unlocked" and used to build whatever's being recommended. That is a local-based effort only, not regional in scope at all. So the committee is basically only advisory, it has not "teeth" to it at all, and cannot make any final decisions on what to do because the City, County, and State politicians all have to agree on what to use the money for.

So the Milwaukee Connector Study Committee has the job of analyzing Walker's BRT-only proposal Barrett's streetcar and BRT proposal, and also philanthropist Michael Cudahy's streetcar-only proposal. The committee will make a recommendation, but the actual local area decision-makers must come to an agreement before the Feds will consider anything.

More or less, the situation is a transit stalemate right now, as it has been for the past several years.

The electric guided buses (such as the Bombardier "guided light tram" and the Lohr Industries "Translohr") that were being recommended by the Milwaukee Connector Study Committee did not win the necessary votes from the City or County...so that option was eliminated well over a year ago.

:notacrook:

Then you guys need to make sure those politicians are not elected for another term! If Milwauke doesn't get a light rail system soon, the new developments aimed at entertainment downtown, will soon be vacant buildings once again.

:notacrook:

Check out this article about the benefits of the KRM Rail. I have a feeling that should this rail system succeed, Milwaukee will be more convinced that a rail system in the city can also be successful and beneficial.

http://www.sewisrta.org/pdfs/Communi...mic_impact.pdf