County Board committee approves land sale for UWM School of Engineering
The Milwaukee County Board’s Economic & Community Development Committee this week approved the sale of 89 acres of land in the northeast quadrant of the County Grounds to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) for creation of an engineering campus and other related development. The sale price for the property, located northeast of Highway 45 and Watertown Plank Road in Wauwatosa, is $13.5 million.
The land sale still needs the approval of the full County Board, which will vote on the matter on Thursday, May 21.
“This is a great opportunity for our academic and medical institutions to generate world-class research,” said Supervisor Toni Clark, Chairperson of the Committee. “The Milwaukee County community will be better served through this type of partnership than if a private developer had taken over this property.”
The committee also approved an amendment to the purchase agreement that calls for the creation of a replacement butterfly habitat. The butterfly landscaping plan will be developed by UWM, County Parks staff, Milwaukee Public Museum curatorial staff and the Friends of the Monarch Trail.
“We had a spirited discussion with members of the public and representatives from UWM at today’s meeting, and I am pleased that we were able to come to an agreement that allows us to move forward while respecting the Monarch Trail,” Clark said.
