Major demolition work began recently for the $54 million downtown Milwaukee Marriott hotel project. The 200-room, nine-story hotel will be built around the Johnson Bank building, located southwest of Wisconsin Avenue and Milwaukee Street.
Five buildings that are more than 100 years old on the site will be demolished, except for the historic Wisconsin Avenue façade and an 80-foot deep section of the buildings behind that façade, which will be preserved and restored. The hotel is expected to open in mid-2013.