The historic Auler building and its adjacent parking lot at 159-165 North Broadway in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward has been sold for $2.1 million, according to state records.
The 14,600-square-foot building, built in 1903, is currently occupied by long-time tenant
Mainstream Boutique, owned by
Jeanette Dvorak. Mainstream has occupied the southside lower unit of the four-unit building for 10 years, according to Dvorak.
The two upper units are currently vacant.
Access Boutique, also owned by Dvorak, resided in the northside lower unit for 15 years, but recently closed as Dvorak said she was ready to downsize her total business footprint in that location.
The now vacant lower unit has not yet been leased.
Milwaukee-based nonprofit organization
The Difference Principle purchased the building and attached parking lot. The Difference Principle operates as the parent company for its two subsidiaries,
Sirona Recovery and
Justice Point. The Difference Principle intends to renovate the upper level space of the building and turn it into its primary administrative workspace, according to
Edward Gordon, co-founder of the Difference Principle.
The renovation will cost around $750,000 and will create one large upper unit on the second floor of the building. Renovations will begin in the second quarter of 2025 and staff from The Difference Principle will move in shortly after its completion. The Difference Principle will use the parking lot during business hours as the current tenants do now and maintain the relationship with the city for nightly and weekend parking.
Neither subsidiary will operate out of the new location on Broadway.
The Difference Principle’s downtown office at 205 West Highland Ave in The Steinmeyer Building will remain as its primary location until the termination of its lease in March of 2026. The organization will then move all its operations to the site on Broadway at that time, according to Gordon.
