St. Camillus has postponed its 18-story residential tower project in Wauwatosa following months of protests from community members.
The Wauwatosa Common Council was expected to vote on the St. Camillus Life Plan Community’s application for a Zoning Map Amendment and the related Planned Unit Development Overlay District rezoning on Tuesday, but before the meeting, the non-profit withdrew the request.
“Our St. Camillus team believes more time is needed to further collaborate with our neighbors and elected officials to address their concerns,” Kevin Schwab, St. Camillus chief executive officer said in a written statement sent to the city and media on Tuesday.
St. Camillus Health Systems Inc. owns and operates a 21-acre campus at West Bluemound Round and West Wisconsin Avenue.
The campus employs 560 people and currently houses 67 skilled nursing beds, 198 assisted living apartments and 279 independent living apartments.
The tower was to be the second phase of St. Camillus expansion. Phase one, which includes a 72-unit assisted living building specializing in dementia care and a 50-unit Jesuit community house for the Order of St. Camillus, is expected to be complete by mid-November.
The tower would have replaced a building built in 1932 that currently houses 83 units and a building built in the 1960s that houses 39 units with 169 units.
By building vertically, more green space would have been preserved, according to a letter submitted to the city by Schwab in September.
If built, the St. Camillus tower, which would stand 200 feet, would not be the tallest building in Wauwatosa. By comparison, the Children’s Hospital East Tower is 220 feet. Froedtert’s Center for Advanced Care is 240 feet tall.
“We remain committed to our expansion plans and will be resubmitting in the very near future,” Schwab said Tuesday.
