A South Milwaukee apartment project will receive a $756,752 loan to build 20 units in a former clinic building.
Gov. Tony Evers along with the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) announced the loan in a June 19 news release as part of $2.5 million in funds supporting three new housing developments across Wisconsin.
The South Milwaukee project at 100 15th Ave. is the result of multiple proposals over the last few years to redevelop a 23,000-square-foot building that has been vacant since 2018.
The split-level building, constructed in 1970, sits on approximately 1.8 acres and was formerly home to Lakeshore Clinic. The new apartment complex is tentatively called South Shore Landing, according to the release.
The agreement between South Shore Landing, LLC and the City of South Milwaukee says the project will create 16 two-bedroom units and four studio units inside the existing building.
The total project cost including acquisition of the property and construction is $3.2 million, South Milwaukee City Administrator Patrick Brever told the Journal Sentinel in February 2025.
In February 2025 it was estimated the project could be completed by the end of April 2026.
Evers says workforce housing is a big issue across Wisconsin
Gov. Tony Evers said in the release that housing is one of the issues he hears about most.
“I was proud to sign into law the largest state investment in workforce housing in our state’s history, and it’s great to see these funds go out the door to communities across our state,” Evers said in a statement.
The funding for the newly announced loan comes from the Vacancy-to-Vitality and Infrastructure Access programs. These bipartisan loan programs are supported with $525 million – the largest state investment in workforce housing in the state’s history, according to the release.
Also getting a portion of the $2.3 million loan is a 76-unit workforce housing development in Dane County, which is getting $1 million, and Indianhead Conversion in Chippewa County, which is getting $562,807 for 27 housing units, the release said
South Milwaukee project also getting city loan
Khalek Building Services is working with Scott Crawford, Inc. to execute the project in South Milwaukee. Scott Crawford, Inc. is also working on a $50 million multi-use development on the former Bucyrus campus in South Milwaukee’s downtown.
South Milwaukee will provide a loan of up to $100,000 through the Bucyrus Foundation as incentive to the developer to be paid in monthly installments as the project progresses, according to the development agreement. The loan must be repaid by 2029.
The project has gone through various iterations including an 18-unit apartment complex along with a Community Based Residential Facility for up to 50 live-in residents. The CBRF proposal ran into potential issues with state code and didn’t move forward.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: South Milwaukee apartment project to get $756K loan via state workforce housing program
Reporting by Erik S. Hanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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