Ideas

After a long slump since the housing market crash that led to the Great Recession, the metro Milwaukee housing market is finally regaining a balance between supply and demand.

A “ground blessing” ceremony will be held today for the School Sisters of St. Francis’ project to build a 72-unit independent senior and assisted apartment building on the grounds of the sisters' St. Joseph Center campus at 1501 S. Layton Blvd., on the south side of Milwaukee.

The Walker administration today took the unprecedented step today of releasing preliminary employment numbers that indicate Wisconsin may have created 23,321 jobs in 2011.

Brookfield-based Inlanta Mortgage continues to expand by opening new offices Marshfield and De Pere, Wis, and Schaumburg, Ill.

Douglas Dynamics Inc., a Milwaukee-based designer and manufacturer of snow and ice control equipment for light trucks, reported a first quarter net loss of $4.3 million, or 19 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $0.8 million, or 4 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Menomonee Falls-based Magnetek Inc. reported first quarter net income of $6.9 million of $2.14, up from $971,000, or 30 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Sheldon Lubar will receive the BizTimes Bravo! Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award at the Biz Expo on Thursday.

Sussex-based Quad/Graphics Inc. reported quarterly net earnings of $47.5 million, or $1.01 per share, compared with a net loss of $7.3 million, or 15 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Milwaukee-based Roundy's Inc. reported first quarter net income of $2.3 million, or 6 cents per share, down from $8.8 million, or 29 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

The historic Times and Rosebud theaters have been sold at sheriff's auction to Lee Barczak, who also owns the Avalon Theatre in Bay View.