Milwaukee has a rich industrial past that played a significant role in shaping its identity and economy. The City’s industrial development can be traced back to the mid-19th century when it became a hub for manufacturing, particularly in brewing, tanning, machinery, and heavy industry.
Located in historic Walker’s Point adjacent to the Third Ward, the Lindsay Bros Building was constructed in 1892 in the Romanesque Revival design style, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. The heavy timber post, beam and mill floor structure is widely cited as one of the largest historic Cream City Brick warehouses in the area.
The Walsh Building was built in 1899 in the same architectural style as the Lindsay Bros Building. In 1911, after dissolving a distribution agreement with Milwaukee’s Lindsay Brothers, John Deere moved its regional sales offices, tractor showrooms, and parts operations into the Walsh Building, playing an important role in the company’s early regional growth.
The L&W redevelopment project is founded on the principle that adaptive reuse is the most sustainable approach to providing a new residential offering. As developers, we understand our responsibility to positively impact the community with this transformative project for Milwaukee. Tanner White Properties is working alongside the nearly 4-decades tenured owner on an adaptive reuse strategy that will reactivate the buildings as 220+ apartments. The project has been formally approved by the Wisconsin State Historic Office and the National Park Service.
A key objective is to reappropriate an alley separating the two historic buildings to create a physical link. The resulting large atrium utilizes clear glass and also serves as the main lobby entrance set back from the street to expose residential activity within the buildings as a modern counterpoint.
Perhaps the greatest design challenge posed by the adaptive reuse project was to provide daylighting to residential units given the vast industrial floor plan. Three large interior courtyards were created to maximize natural light penetration while remaining invisible from the buildings’ exterior. This key objective is achieved by carefully maintaining harmony with the scale and size of the courtyard interventions.
Additional design interventions include a vertical expansion at the Lindsay Bros Building to add a new 5th level comprised of a double-loaded corridor with penthouse units plus an expansive rooftop deck thereupon. The vertical expansion is achieved by limiting the rooftop addition to one story in height to minimize its visibility and its impact on the historic character of the building.
New volume scarcely visible above the Lindsay Bros Building. View from the Milwaukee RiverWalk.
Located in the popular arts district, Walker’s Point, and adjacent to the most sought-after neighborhood in Milwaukee known as the Third Ward, the Lindsay & Walsh Project features 220+ units averaging 763 square feet. Each unit offers sophisticated design, market leading finishes and an extensive amenity package.
The two well-maintained historic warehouse buildings are to be converted into a progressive multifamily project with an artisanal-meets architecture bent in the highest demand housing location in Milwaukee within walking distance to the Milwaukee Central Business District. The Project will be well parked at 247+ rentable stalls (plus additional tandem shared spaces).
112 – 160 S 2nd St Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Developer
Tanner White Properties
Executive Architect
Ramlow/Stein Architecture + Interiors
Design Architect
Sid Lee Architects
General Contractor
VJS Construction Services
Total Development Cost
$90 Million
