A condominium project planned for Milwaukee’s Lower East Side has been officially dropped, with the site now poised to become the new home of a growing architecture firm instead.
Cirrus Property Group had proposed The Fifteens at Park East, a small condominium community that would have added 15 three-story townhomes at 1524–1546 N. Jefferson St. However, the developer pulled the plug after determining the project wasn’t economically viable.
The developer listed the condos last winter with units ranging from $935,000 and $1.17 million, but ballooning construction costs did not align with the projected sale price.
The 0.58-acre site—most recently used as a child care center—was slated for demolition under the condo plan. Now, Sheboygan-based Abacus Architects plans to repurpose it as an office building.
Abacus, which currently operates its Milwaukee office out of HUB 640 at 640 N. Phillips Ave., has outgrown its current space, according to Eric Halbur, president and CEO. The firm plans to move its 24-person Milwaukee team to the 9,000-square-foot Jefferson Street building by fall 2026, following renovations.
“We’re just cleaning it up, bringing the life back here because it is pretty bad,” Halbur said of the building, adding that no major structural changes are planned.
The firm won Plan Commission approval for its plans on Monday.
Abacus, which offers architecture and civil engineering services, has been in business about 22 years and has had a Milwaukee office for about 10 years. Its Milwaukee office has moved five times, according to Halbur.
“Our hope is to become a part of the community, because we've been kind of floating around like crazy for the last 10 years,” Halbur said. “We want to put some roots into Milwaukee, once and for all.”
Halbur added that the vacant land just south of the building could eventually be developed into a multifamily housing project, possibly with around 40 units. However, no official proposal has been filed.
