Milwaukee, WI, Approves 50-Story Mass Timber Project

The world’s tallest mass timber building could be built over a snow pile site after the City of Milwaukee selected The Neutral Project—the developer behind The Edison, a 32-story timber-hybrid building under construction—to develop an even more impressive 50-story timber skyscraper, as part of a $700 million activation of the Marcus Performing Art Center garage snow pile, Wood Central reported (7-25-24).

“Designed by MGA | Michael Green Architecture, a global leader in mass timber buildings,” The Neutral Project said, with “the project eventually including the tallest mass timber in the world and the tallest building in Wisconsin.”

A short hop, skip and jump from The Edison—which is now using 100,000 cubic feet of cross-laminated timber panels and glulam beams over a post-tensioned concrete base—the timber building is part of a scheme which includes “multiple mixed-use building(s),” delivered over several phases. The project could consist of “up to 750 residential units, 90,000 square feet of office space, 40,000 square feet of retail space, 300 hotel rooms, 1,100 structured parking spaces, and public plazas/walkways.”

Wood Central understands that Milwaukee has granted the developers a one-year exclusive hold over the project to shore up financing. In approving the proposal, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said the “one-year window” gives the development team time to secure tenants, secure financing, and finalize the project plans.

Commenting on the project, Milwaukee Mayor Johnson said:

“As Mayor, I have not been shy about my goal to grow our city’s population to one million Milwaukeeans. To do that, we must be aggressive and reach new heights. This project will help us do just that, aiming to set local and global records and add density and activity to an underutilized City-controlled parcel in downtown Milwaukee. It also represents a forward-thinking Milwaukee, open to outside investment and ideas, and I thank The Neutral Project for their confidence in Milwaukee’s future.”


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