Construction on Milwaukee, WI, Mass Timber Tower Paused Amid Rising Costs

Construction of a new 31-story, 378-unit mass timber tower in downtown Milwaukee has been temporarily halted as the developer, Neutral, faces higher costs from tariffs, inflation, and property taxes, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported (9-9-25).

Neutral said in a September 18 statement that the pause on its Edison project is intended “to address cost pressures and optimize the project’s budget.” The foundation has already been completed since the project broke ground in the spring.

“Recent tariffs and broader inflation have materially increased key input hard costs,” the company said, adding it is working with C.D. Smith Construction on cost reductions and value-engineering.

“Pausing to value-engineer is a difficult but prudent step to safeguard the long-term success of 1005 N. Edison,” said Nate Helbach, CEO of Neutral. “Our focus remains on delivering a resilient, exceptional building for Milwaukee.”