Wisconsin Archives - REBusinessOnline https://rebusinessonline.com/tag/wisconsin/ Commercial Real Estate from Coast to Coast Thu, 17 Nov 2022 12:45:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://rebusinessonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-REBusiness-logo-512px-32x32.png Wisconsin Archives - REBusinessOnline https://rebusinessonline.com/tag/wisconsin/ 32 32 Tenants Turn to Third-Party Logistics in Milwaukee Market https://rebusinessonline.com/tenants-turn-to-third-party-logistics-in-milwaukee-market/ Thu, 17 Nov 2022 12:45:04 +0000 https://rebusinessonline.com/?p=343819 By David Hodge, NAI Greywolf The demand for commercial industrial real estate was exceedingly strong in the Milwaukee market leading up to the onset of COVID-19. The economy and labor markets were also strong and incentives for onshoring spurred on this growth. Post-pandemic commercial industrial product continues its upward trend.  The catalyst for this, however, is international supply chain disruptions. The reaction to this unfortunate circumstance is the accumulation of higher inventories of raw material and finished goods. The resulting impact is high demand, especially for warehouses, in an extremely low vacancy rate environment. Demand beating inventory According to Catylist, in the second quarter of 2022, the Milwaukee market’s vacancy rates were 3.3 percent for all commercial industrial products. This is largely due to the continued lack of available inventory. High demand in part has spurred increases in rental rates to approximately $5.98 per square foot triple net.  While this is good news for landlords who look to capitalize, it presents challenges for tenants who are expanding their operations.   The other factor driving rental rates is the rapid increase in interest rates. The upcoming election may also affect the rates in the later part of the fourth quarter of…

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Office Designs, Layouts Look Different in Post-Pandemic Marketplace https://rebusinessonline.com/office-designs-layouts-look-different-in-post-pandemic-marketplace/ Thu, 19 May 2022 11:45:47 +0000 https://rebusinessonline.com/?p=315978 It’s safe to say office space design has been transformed over the past two years in large part due to COVID-19 and the work-from-home experience. It has changed for now, the foreseeable future and maybe forever.  Though many people are still working from home, others have returned to the office, even if only for a few days a week, and many of the office spaces are looking entirely different. While this may be happening in other markets, it is a trend we are seeing in the Milwaukee office market. The idea of the design and aesthetic of the office has changed. Current trends in office design are focusing on safety and comfort, while also creating a sense of home at the office. Tenants are being more thoughtful about their space layout and design. Instead of trying to fit as many people as possible into the space, tenants are occupying roughly the same size, or even slightly smaller spaces, but focusing on making those spaces more welcoming to help ease those workers coming back into the office, as well as recruiting new employees.  Bring home into the office This design trend has the goal to provide comfort and safety at every…

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Industrial Cap Rate Spread Narrows in Milwaukee as Demand Continues to Surge https://rebusinessonline.com/industrial-cap-rate-spread-narrows-as-demand-continues-to-surge/ Thu, 12 May 2022 11:45:55 +0000 https://rebusinessonline.com/?p=315974 Like much of the country, the Milwaukee industrial market flourished over the last 12 to 24 months and has continued to shatter records across the board. Tenant demand far exceeded supply, driving vacancy rates down and rental rates up. Pent-up capital chased deals at record numbers, compressing cap rates further in this sector. And new construction continued its speedy pace, with over 8 million square feet on schedule to be delivered in 2022.  But with inflation surpassing 8 percent and interest rates on the rise, the question now is how long will we continue this record-setting pace? Just-in-time to just-in-case As supply chain constraints emerged during the pandemic, businesses switched from the widely used just-in-time model to just-in-case, meaning drastic increases in inventory storage and logistic needs for many companies. Tenants scrambled to lease additional space to house what inventory they could get in stock.   At the start of 2021, Class A industrial vacancy in Milwaukee was 9.68 percent. By the end of the year, that number had been slashed in half to just 4.39 percent as the flight to quality industrial product exceeded deliveries. In the fourth quarter of 2021, 1.65 million square feet of new industrial space…

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Milwaukee Retail: Adaptation, Creativity and Competition https://rebusinessonline.com/milwaukee-retail-adaptation-creativity-and-competition/ Thu, 05 May 2022 11:45:02 +0000 https://rebusinessonline.com/?p=315967 Milwaukee is a city known for beer, motorcycles, basketball and blue-collar workers. However, Milwaukee should also be known for having a strong retail marketplace as well. With ever-changing markets and trends, retailers are finding many ways to get creative and adapt with the trends. Due to the adaptation, the competition for prime outlots is at an all-time high and does not appear to be changing any time soon. Outlot wars It’s with absolute certainly that the Milwaukee retail market has seen a massive influx for prime outlots. So much so that the phrase “outlot wars” is regularly used when describing retail outlot developments and redevelopments. In an already saturated segment of retail real estate, we have seen many new concepts/categories pushing to secure premium outlot sites in the market. Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and fast-casual restaurants, auto and financial institutions are the biggest participants to date. Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic in 2020, we have seen a pretty significant shift in the food category from QSR and fast-casual concepts alike. Milwaukee has seen many existing concepts continue to expand or reposition within a market, but we have also seen new concepts making a push to enter the market as…

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South Central Wisconsin’s Economic Engine Continues to Set the Pace https://rebusinessonline.com/south-central-wisconsins-economic-engine-continues-to-set-the-pace/ Thu, 10 Jun 2021 11:45:41 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=292667 By William Mears, Coldwell Banker Commercial McGuire Mears & Associates What a difference a decade makes. While some may characterize the evolution of the development and investment climate of the Janesville-Beloit, Wisconsin metropolitan statistical area (MSA) with a population of 160,120 as an extreme makeover, others will note the area has been South Central Wisconsin’s best kept secret. Case in point: the numbers speak for themselves, and local real estate and economic development officials are bullish on this location’s growth trajectory. For starters, the area’s logistical friendly environment, its value-add real estate and workforce assets and its seasoned development team provide the right ingredients to facilitate development opportunities. Since 2010, the Janesville-Beloit MSA has added more than 12 million square feet of commercial and industrial space. Recognized brands such as Amazon, Kerry Foods, Fairbanks Morse Defense, SHINE Medical Technologies and Prent Corp. represent a sampling of the area’s business community. These companies and their 3,500+ counterparts drive the area’s annual GDP figure, which is nearly $7 billion. Industrial and warehousing demands from end-users seeking to leverage critical supply chain inputs are continually impacting the county’s real estate market. As a result, industrial vacancy rates are hovering around 2 percent, and…

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Industrial Companies Drive Boom in Milwaukee Office Growth https://rebusinessonline.com/industrial-companies-drive-boom-in-milwaukee-office-growth/ Thu, 03 Jun 2021 11:45:36 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=292663 By Andrew Jensen Jr., Cushman & Wakefield | Boerke Milwaukee was once known as a city of industries and beer, the hometown of Allen-Bradley (now Rockwell Automation), Briggs & Stratton, Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls, Master Lock, Rexnord and, of course, the Miller, Pabst and Schlitz brewing juggernauts. Today, Milwaukee’s economy is more diversified, and its industrial companies are quieter and not as flashy. But the area’s industrial firms are still central to its success and are now driving the area’s office market. In and near Milwaukee’s central business district (CBD), major recent office deals, all involving industrial users, include: ● Milwaukee Tool, based in the suburb of Brookfield, will soon expand into Milwaukee with a $30 million redevelopment of a vacant five-story, 333,000-square-foot office building. Milwaukee Tool will employ up to 2,000 people there, the largest-ever influx of jobs to the CBD by a suburban-based firm. The City of Milwaukee is providing up to $20 million in financing for the project. ● Utilities and infrastructure contractor Michels Corp., based in the small Wisconsin town of Brownsville, chose a riverfront development site 60 miles away in Milwaukee for an office expansion after considering Chicago and New York City. The $100 million project,…

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Reimagined Milwaukee Retail Scene Meets Consumer Lifestyle Needs https://rebusinessonline.com/reimagined-milwaukee-retail-scene-meets-consumer-lifestyle-needs/ Thu, 11 Jun 2020 11:45:06 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=264937 By Ray Balfanz, Outlook Management Group What does Milwaukee bring to mind? Beer? Cheese? TV’s “Happy Days?” Perhaps the city chosen as the site for the 2020 Democratic National Convention? Yes, that’s us — being recognized and happy about it. But since I began penning this piece in March, we’ve experienced a world of change in the realities of group gatherings: we can hardly have 10 people in a group now, let alone thousands of delegates filling our new Fiserv Forum. It’s anybody’s guess how long the multi-trillion-dollar brick-and-mortar retail industry will be effectively shuttered and how the industry will have changed when it’s over. So without a crystal ball, I’m sharing Milwaukee’s story of how our retail developments have kept relevant for our consumers, while hoping for the best possible outcome once we’re on the other side of this coronavirus pandemic. “A great place on a great lake” our tourism slogan once proclaimed — and indeed it is. Milwaukee is a largely undiscovered gem with excellent quality of life and endless spots at which to spend your hard-earned cash: a prolific culinary scene, first-rate arts offerings and vibrant retail. From the reimagined Drexel Town Square, to redeveloped Bayshore, to…

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Metro Milwaukee Industrial Market Poised to Remain Strong https://rebusinessonline.com/metro-milwaukee-industrial-market-poised-to-remain-strong/ Thu, 14 May 2020 11:45:52 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=261873 The southeastern Wisconsin industrial real estate market had a banner year in 2019 and remains strong. According to Catalyst, the industrial market in southeastern Wisconsin had a vacancy rate of approximately 4 percent at the end of 2019 and that rate has moved down slightly to 3.9 percent during the first quarter of 2020. This rate is well below the historical vacancy rate in southeastern Wisconsin, which averages between 7 and 9 percent. Several submarkets are significantly lower than the southeastern Wisconsin average: Racine, where the massive Foxconn project is underway, has a 3.8 percent vacancy rate; the large Waukesha submarket, which has nearly 83 million square feet of inventory, has a vacancy rate of 1.9 percent; and the Sheboygan submarket, which has about 27 million square feet of industrial space, has an astonishing 0.1 percent vacancy rate. These extraordinarily low vacancy rates suggest that demand for industrial space in southeastern Wisconsin remains very robust and that, particularly in certain submarkets, supply has not been able to keep up with demand. While lease rates have remained fairly steady throughout the last year, upward pressure on such rates continues to build. Nevertheless, there are some signs of the market taking a…

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Milwaukee Market Experiences Development Boom Across Neighborhoods https://rebusinessonline.com/milwaukee-market-experiences-development-boom-across-neighborhoods/ Thu, 28 Nov 2019 12:45:18 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=244837 Milwaukee has experienced development at an unbelievable rate, and within the past couple of years there has truly been a downtown renaissance worth bearing witness. The city has done an excellent job of creating value, attracting jobs and spurring development that has led to unprecedented economic and social revitalization. With both local and national headlines praising Foxconn, Amazon, Northwestern Mutual and the Milwaukee Bucks, it is no wonder things have changed. While Milwaukee continues its quest to establish itself as the Great Lakes capital, the changes happening to its culture are what appear to have everyone on their feet. Between the East Side, downtown, Historic Third Ward, Walker’s Point and Bay View, there are so many cool concepts coming online, each of which showcases the unique character of the area it serves. From the Bucks Entertainment District to Zocalo food truck park (Phelan Development), there is something different in just about every corner. It comes as no surprise much of the action is coming from the food and beverage segment, as Milwaukee is after all “Brew City.” One of these concepts is Crossroads Collective. Crossroads is the brainchild of developer Tim Gohkman with New Land Enterprises. The food hall took…

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Creativity, Flexibility Are Paramount in Milwaukee’s Retail Market https://rebusinessonline.com/creativity-flexibility-are-paramount-in-milwaukees-retail-market/ Thu, 16 May 2019 11:45:06 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=228646 Milwaukee, a city known for beer, motorcycles and baseball, is currently in a position of shifting from what was once perceived as the normal retail marketplace into the new age of retail. This type of retail is ever-changing and has a deeper focus on experiential activities and artisanal food. These two words, “experiential” and “artisanal,” are frequently being used to describe where the retail landscape is heading. Online competitors, as well as changing consumer preferences, are driving out the traditional department store models and forcing retailers to adapt to this way of life or suffer struggling sales and inevitable store closures. Adaptive reuse The story of traditional retail being dead due to online retailers’ entrances into different market segments continues to invade publications throughout the country. While there may be some truth to that for certain retailers such as Toys ‘R’ Us, Babies ‘R’ Us, Shopko, Bon-Ton and Payless ShoeSource, an argument can be made that it was also their inability to adapt in the marketplace that led to their demise. These store closures affected numerous markets throughout the country and Milwaukee was no different in seeing several of these retailers close multiple locations across the metro area, leaving landlords…

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Construction Is Booming for Milwaukee Multifamily Market https://rebusinessonline.com/construction-is-booming-for-milwaukee-multifamily-market/ Thu, 09 May 2019 11:45:43 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=228638 It is widely acknowledged among commercial real estate professionals in the Milwaukee market that we are in the midst of a renaissance of sorts — certainly the most exciting period in the past few decades to be actively involved in the industry. From the Harbor District to the Deer District (the newly branded area around Fiserv Forum), new neighborhoods and exciting destinations are sprouting up. This resurgence continues to attract residents and developers who are quickly creating the critical mass necessary to make Milwaukee a viable 18-hour city. On the multifamily front, new supply that has come online in the past few years is driving both average rental rates and overall vacancy higher. As of the first quarter of 2019, the average rental rate in the metro Milwaukee market increased 0.8 percent from the previous quarter to $1,075, continuing an upward trend that saw a 2.2 percent annual increase at year-end 2018, according to real estate data provider CoStar. The vacancy rate hovered around 5.9 percent during this same period, slightly higher than the year-end 2018 level of 5.6 percent, but lower than the recent high of 6.1 percent established in 2017. The average rental rate in the first quarter…

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How Healthcare Adds Value to Mixed-Use Developments in Milwaukee and Beyond https://rebusinessonline.com/how-healthcare-adds-value-to-mixed-use-developments-in-milwaukee-and-beyond/ Thu, 15 Nov 2018 12:45:55 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=216107 When it comes to location identification for development, you have to think creatively. In a highly competitive market like Milwaukee, mixed-use projects offer a great opportunity to showcase creativity, take advantage of complementary uses and drive tremendous value for clients and investors. The success of a mixed-use project lies in location. A high-profile location will help attract businesses, which then helps build traffic. Ideally, you want to think outside the box to generate repeat visits with businesses that will help sustain that traffic. An innovative mix of retail, restaurant, hospitality, office and even healthcare can greatly enhance a development. Mixed-use retail developments create new opportunities for healthcare projects. Health systems and physician practices are choosing to prioritize locations they may not have previously considered. There’s been a significant expansion of and increased focus on the outpatient ambulatory environment. The trend of developing specialty outpatient facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and micro-hospitals continues to gain momentum and allows for expansion to remain competitive while maintaining efficiency. An outpatient facility brings traffic. Finding a high-visibility location where customers are already engaging increases the convenience factor. Built-in traffic drivers like restaurants and retail help with trip assurance. For example, after wrapping up a clinic…

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Milwaukee Health Systems Expand, Focus on Off-Campus Settings https://rebusinessonline.com/milwaukee-health-systems-expand-focus-on-off-campus-settings/ Thu, 26 Jul 2018 11:45:42 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=206924 Healthcare properties present a tremendous opportunity for real estate developers in the Milwaukee market and the upper Midwest. The national and regional healthcare real estate sectors remain on solid footing, according to the 2018 Healthcare Marketplace Report from Colliers International. The sector remains attractive in terms of both stability and diversification. There will always be a demand for healthcare services as the U.S. population continues to age at an unprecedented rate. A growing number of Milwaukee-based health systems have announced plans to expand in bids to gain or maintain market share. The merger of Aurora Healthcare with Advocate Health Care Network to create a single health system known as Advocate Aurora Health is a recent example. There’s been a significant expansion of and increased focus on the outpatient ambulatory environment. Health systems face significant capital expenditures in order to maintain aging hospitals. Alternative developments such as specialty outpatient facilities and micro hospitals have gained momentum and allow for expansion to remain competitive while efficient. With the emerging trend toward population health management, hospitals and health systems take on the financial risk of providing care for a certain population across a certain geography. Having to take on the additional risk of…

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Milwaukee Market Displays Strong Fundamentals Despite Retailer Struggles https://rebusinessonline.com/milwaukee-market-displays-strong-fundamentals-despite-retailer-struggles/ Thu, 19 Jul 2018 11:45:58 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=206914 Like many other Midwestern markets, Milwaukee is experiencing a mixed bag in retail. While headlines have been dominated primarily by closures, there has also been an abundance of new activity in the market. While it’s taken its hits, the retail market has fought back and retail vacancy has actually decreased slightly to 4.4 percent in the first quarter, according to CoStar Group. Rents are edging up and Class A space is difficult to find. The inventory of Class B and C space is more robust. Due to low demand, landlords are not enjoying much negotiating leverage. Market turbulence On the surface, multiple big box closings that have occurred in metro Milwaukee this year paint a gloomy picture of the retail marketplace. Grocery, wholesale, apparel, toys, restaurants and other categories of retailers have closed fairly rapidly. These include Pick ‘n Save (Kroger) in Cudahy, Sendik’s in West Milwaukee, Sam’s Club in West Allis, Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us in Brookfield and iPic Theater at Bayshore Town Center in Glendale. Another ominous cloud is the Bon-Ton bankruptcy and the closure of seven area Boston Store locations, including the company’s clearance center and furniture gallery in metro Milwaukee. Compound that with…

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Downtown Milwaukee Is Experiencing Booming Development Across Sectors https://rebusinessonline.com/downtown-milwaukee-is-experiencing-booming-development-across-sectors/ Thu, 15 Feb 2018 12:45:59 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=195658 In 2017, downtown Milwaukee was unrecognizable from its former self — a year that brought additional outside investment, both public and private development and a rethinking of how we utilize office space. Developers broke a decade-long dry spell in 2016, and now nearly 500,000 square feet of office space is under construction downtown. It’s a story of persistence, as an overhaul of available office product has occurred over the past few years. Now, a vast majority of outdated Class B and C office product has been removed from downtown, bolstering rent growth and enticing the outside investment that Milwaukee deeply needed. Outside investors Prior to the close of 2017, one of downtown Milwaukee’s largest office buildings and the third largest multi-tenant office complex in the state, 310 West Wisconsin Avenue, sold to an investment group based in New York. Just as Millbrook Real Estate Co. and Fulcrum Asset Advisors finished renovating, rebranding and reopening the Two-Fifty office building — a downtown tower that struggled for years — Milwaukee’s second largest office tower, 411 East Wisconsin, sold to Middleton Partners. The repositioned property sold for $50 million more than it fetched just three years prior. Both projects are a testament to…

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Milwaukee Looks to Boost Retail Market Through Tax-Increment Financing https://rebusinessonline.com/milwaukee-looks-to-boost-retail-market-through-tax-increment-financing/ Thu, 09 Nov 2017 12:45:32 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=190153 Milwaukee-area communities have woken up and embraced tax-increment financing (TIF) as a way to stimulate retail and commercial development. Unlike our neighboring state of Illinois, Wisconsin is not afforded the same luxury of allowing retail sales taxes to flow to municipalities, which allows for greater financial flexibility and helps offset the cost of infrastructure and municipal services as a result of retail development. Wisconsin municipalities do not impose local sales or use taxes on purchases of goods and services. Based on a 5.6 percent tax rate for average Wisconsin communities, 5 percent flows to the state, 0.5 percent flows to the county and 0.1 percent would flow to a specially created district, such as a stadium or entertainment venue. TIF allows cities or villages to finance commercial development in a designated area, called a tax incremental district (TID), to promote a tax base expansion and economic development. The property taxes within the TID are placed in a special fund and are used to pay for improvements within the district. When the property values rise within the TID, the taxes paid on the increased value can be used to pay back public project costs, which otherwise can’t occur. Developers eye mixed-use…

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Why New Multifamily Construction Is Accelerating in Metro Milwaukee https://rebusinessonline.com/why-new-multifamily-construction-is-accelerating-in-metro-milwaukee/ Thu, 02 Nov 2017 11:45:41 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=190148 The Milwaukee multifamily sector is plowing forward on a number of different fronts. Development activity is continuing its impressive run with a series of high-rise towers in various stages of construction or planning. Popular neighborhoods such as Walker’s Point, Bayview and the East Side are filling in with low- and mid-rise projects, many of which feature a mixed-use component. From an investment standpoint, multifamily is still the sector du jour, with a widening investor pool of both local and out-of-state buyers. Leading the charge on the development front is Northwestern Mutual’s 7Seventy7, which is currently under construction in downtown Milwaukee with an anticipated opening in summer 2018. The 34-story complex will feature 322 apartments, ground-floor commercial and 1,400 parking spaces, many of which will service employees at the company’s recently completed 1.1 million-square-foot headquarters located only one block away. Other major projects yet to break ground but slated to reshape the skyline in the coming years include: • The Couture — Barrett Lo Visionary Development is planning to build a 44-story tower with 300-plus units, retail and parking across the street from the planned Lakefront Gateway Plaza, which will connect the area between the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Summerfest…

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Millennial Workforce Drives Development Wave in Downtown Milwaukee https://rebusinessonline.com/millennial-workforce-drives-development-wave-in-downtown-milwaukee/ Thu, 20 Jul 2017 11:45:01 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=181649 There’s never been a better time to live and work in downtown Milwaukee. With the recession in the rearview mirror, a massive resurgence in the multifamily and office sectors has originated in Wisconsin’s largest city. Since 2011, 2,500 multifamily units have been completed, with an additional 1,500 units under construction and 2,000 proposed. The office market has seen a similar trend with nearly 2 million square feet of new development being created, the bulk of which is Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.’s new $450 million, 32-story office tower. After decades of decline, downtown Milwaukee is experiencing a surge in population growth largely attributed to the development influx. This has changed the makeup of the city’s job market and molded a new workforce hinged on modern factors. With an increase in residents migrating to urban areas to work and reside, companies are shifting gears to tap into this ever-evolving talent market. Catering to millennials Known as the job-hopping generation, millennials are the focus of companies’ recruiting tactics.  Combined with competitive compensation packages, businesses have begun leveraging their chief incentive: the physical office space. A prime example of this development, the Third/Fifth Ward on the city’s southeastern side has become one of…

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Reaffirms Subsidized Housing Valuation Methods https://rebusinessonline.com/wisconsin-supreme-court-reaffirms-subsidized-housing-valuation-methods/ Thu, 08 Jun 2017 11:45:55 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=179182 In a major victory for subsidized housing developers and investors, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has reaffirmed longstanding principles governing the assessment of these properties. The Dec. 22, 2016 decision in Regency West Apartments LLC v. City of Racine confirms that the assessment of a subsidized housing project is a property-specific exercise that must take into account the type of federal program involved, specific restrictions on the property, and actual property income and expenses. The decision also affirms that the value of a subsidized property cannot be determined by comparison to conventional apartment properties that have no restrictions and can charge full market rents. Historical context The Wisconsin Supreme Court first upheld these principles in a 1993 case involving a Milwaukee apartment project subject to rental and other restrictions imposed by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The assessor had valued the property based on market rents at conventional apartments, ignoring the property owner’s inability to legally charge market rents. The Supreme Court nullified the assessment, stating that the assessor had illegally assessed the property by “pretend[ing]” that the HUD restrictions did not apply. The new decision In the December 2016 decision, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the…

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Flurry of New Development Fuels Retail Resurgence in Milwaukee https://rebusinessonline.com/flurry-of-new-development-fuels-retail-resurgence-in-milwaukee/ Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:45:37 +0000 http://rebusinessonline.com/?p=173153 The Milwaukee-area apartment market wasn’t the only real estate sector to benefit from continued job growth and household formation in 2016. The optimistic employment outlook, together with an influx of millennials who, according to Gallup, are spending more on nonessentials, has benefitted the local retail market as well. It’s a trend that we expect to continue in 2017. Filling a retail void A market that historically has been largely underserved in terms of new retail development has essentially reversed its standing, with approximately 1.6 million square feet delivered in the last two years alone, according to CoStar Group. A more diversified economy less susceptible to the highs and lows of other markets, taken together with Milwaukee’s public-private partnerships and lower real estate taxes compared with neighboring states, has created a pro-development environment that appeals to retailers and developers alike. Known for its older stock of shopping centers, the region has seen a surge in redevelopment activity, particularly in the suburbs, where previously underutilized assets are being rebranded and reimagined. In November 2016, HSA Commercial acquired the 217,346-square-foot Brookfield Fashion Center in Brookfield, just west of Brookfield Square Mall. Built in 1986, the center houses stalwart tenants that have been retained…

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