A contested affordable housing project on Milwaukee’s far northwest side could now move toward construction after winning its final municipal approval Thursday over opposition from nearby residents and their alderwoman.
Milwaukee-based Royal Capital Group received a series of approvals for development of a 50-acre site east of North Swan Road and south of West Fairy Chasm Road, where it plans to build what it calls a “healthy living campus” known as Cudahy Farms.
Originally approved by the City Plan Commission in 2023 with a proposed 1,125 housing units, the project has been significantly scaled back. The revised plan, which surfaced earlier this summer, calls for just 212 apartments—a reduction of more than 80%.
Royal Capital CEO Kevin Newell said the change was an effort to compromise with project opponents, but even after the revisions, several residents and ninth district Ald. Larresa Taylor sought further changes to the project.
At the last Common Council meeting, Taylor asked that a vote be delayed to allow for more time for her and Royal Capital to reach a compromise, but the fundamentals of the project were not amended any further.
Ultimately, Milwaukee's Common Council on Thursday approved the project with 10 council members in support, three abstaining and one voting against it.
Taylor abstained from voting on the files, saying that she's continuing to speak with the developer about what's best for her constituents. Her concerns about the development center around destruction of a mature forest, drawing more crime to the area and changing the character of the neighborhood.
Royal Capital leadership has said construction could start on the project later this year, with completion projected by the end of 2026.
Royal Capital leadership said there are no current plans for future phases to develop the remaining portions of the property, and any future development for the site would need to go through a full approval process again.
Meanwhile, DCD is preparing to request redevelopment proposals later this year for the nearby former Northridge Mall. Commissioner of City Development Lafayette Crump has said that the approval and success of Cudahy Farms is crucial to the success of redeveloping Northridge.
“The development community sees the advancement of Cudahy Farms as a reason to believe in developing our city’s northwest side," Crump said earlier this month. "They’re excited that the administration and, hopefully, the council will support it. At the same time, the development community is extremely concerned about the message it would send if a significant investment by a local developer with a fantastic track record and strongly supported by the administration, cannot then receive support from the council.”
Details of the project, TIF
Cudahy Farms carries a $56.9 million price tag and will include a mix of one- to three-bedroom apartments, with 100 units designated for seniors and the rest for families.
The project would be built on 22 acres of the site. Rents would range from approximately $600 to $2,300 per month, depending on household income, with eligibility capped at 30% to 80% of the area median income (AMI).
Deputy Development Commissioner Sam Leichtling noted that most senior units would be for households earning less than 60% AMI, while family units would be targeted at households earning more than 60% AMI, which could help prevent the displacement of vulnerable seniors while lifting the area’s overall socioeconomic status.
Royal Capital’s financing for the project includes a mix of affordable housing tax credits, commercial loans, a subordinated loan and a deferred developer fee.
A TIF district approved Thursday would use property tax revenue generated by the development to repay $3.7 million in payments to the developer, as well as $2.1 million in interest costs.
Royal Capital acquired the land in 2021 from the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee for $1.5 million. The development will incorporate part of the former YMCA Northwest Early Childhood Education Center as a community facility offering child care.
Other amenities planned for the development include walking trails, a baseball diamond, a fitness center, pickleball courts, a putting green, golf simulators and an outdoor plaza designed to host farmers markets and other neighborhood events.
