Bader Philanthropies, Inc. plans to redevelop a vacant two-story building located across from its headquarters on Martin Luther King Drive into a cafe and wellness center.
The renovated building, located 3338 N. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive in Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood, will be occupied by Sam’s Place eatery and cafe and Shalem Healing, Inc., a nonprofit medical clinic.
The new center will combine two properties, including an existing 1910 building, formerly occupied by Churches of the First Born a Rock Foundation Inc., and a recently demolished building at 3356 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.The project will involve renovating the existing building and adding about 3,000 square feet, for a total of about 10,000 square feet.
The total project, including the building purchase and construction, is expected to cost $4.6 million. The new center is scheduled to open in spring 2020.
Bader Philanthropies moved from its former location in the Historic Third Ward to a formerly vacant building at 3300 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in July 2018.
“Bader Philanthropies moved to Harambee to deepen our commitment to Milwaukee,” said Daniel Bader, president and chief executive officer of Bader Philanthropies. “We wanted to be in a place where we could truly live our mission by putting down roots and embedding ourselves in a neighborhood. Harambee residents are giving a voice to ideas that have the potential to enhance the quality of life, the health and wellbeing of our neighbors. Sam’s Place and Shalem Healing are examples of what our neighbors would like to see present in their neighborhood.”
Shalem Healing, currently located at 800 E. Locust St. in the Riverwest neighborhood, offers integrated medical and holistic care on a sliding scale based on patients’ income. It serves about 3,000 annually .
“Shalem Healing’s commitment to holistic wellness, especially for people living in the underserved areas of the city, is the core of what we do,” said Dr. Robert Fox, founder of Shalem Healing. “It is simple — we want to make holistic care such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, food as medicine, stem cell treatment, nutraceuticals, and proper education on seemingly chronic diseases as accessible to the residents living in Harambee and many others who will travel from around Milwaukee.”
Sam’s Place will be a jazz-themed eatery and cafe, offering coffee through its roasting division, Abyssinia Coffee Roasters. It will be the second location for operator CITY.NET Jazz Café. Its current location is in downtown at 306 E. Wisconsin Ave.
“Sam’s Place is all about community,” said Sam Belton, owner of Sam’s Place. “People from all walks of life can gather here, meet a friend or neighbor, and connect for a meeting in a great eatery while experiencing the sounds of classic jazz. Patrons can also enjoy freshly roasted coffee on site and expect live performances from local and national artists. Our roots are deep in Milwaukee and we are dedicated to rebuilding our community.”
Sam’s Place will occupy the first floor and Shalem Healing will occupy the second floor.
Bader has retained JCP Construction, LLC as the general contractor and American Design, Inc. as the architect for the project.
“We are excited to have JCP Construction build what will be an extraordinary community resource for the neighborhood in which they grew up,” said Franklin Cumberbatch, vice president for engagement of Bader Philanthropies. “And, American Design will give this historic building a second life.”
