HKS Holdings, the Milwaukee-based company that developed the Kimpton Journeyman Hotel in the Historic Third Ward in Milwaukee, will also develop a hotel as part of Mandel Group’s $36 million mixed-use development at Milwaukee County Research Park in Wauwatosa.
The flag of the 100-120 room hotel has not yet been determined, but it is being described as an “upper to mid-scale limited service” hotel.
“We have been trying to find the right site in Wauwatosa to do a project and we are excited to be working on building this hotel,” said Kyle Strigenz, co-owner of HKS Holdings.
Milwaukee-based Mandel Group was chosen in June to develop three parcels at the southeast corner of Innovation Drive and Watertown Plank Road at the Milwaukee County Research Park. Mandel Group was chosen after Pewaukee-based VJS Development Group dropped out of the development.
HKS Holdings was one of four developers to respond to an RFP for the project. The Crowne Plaza Milwaukee West also responded. The Crowne Plaza had opposed VJS’s plans for a hotel at Research Park, saying it would hurt occupancy at the Crowne Plaza.
Guy Mascari, executive director of Milwaukee County Research Park, believes the HKS Holdings hotel will compliment Crowne Plaza’s property.
“With this addition, they might be able to attract larger conferences,” Mascari said.
In addition to the hotel, Mandel’s project will include 90 to 100 apartments. More than 70 percent of the apartments will be studio or one-bedroom, which have been the most successful in Mandel’s Echelon at Innovation Campus Apartments in Wauwatosa, which are 88 percent leased.
“We are fully-engaged with Kahler Slater (architects) and full bore,” said Phillip Aiello, senior vice president of development for Mandel Group. “We’re moving towards a second-quarter ground breaking for the apartments.”
North of the apartments, Mandel is planning a café and fitness center in a renovated 102-year-old, 8,190-square-foot building, known as the M-10 building.
Mandel has secured a tenant, Vita Physical Therapy and Fitness, which is located in the Third Ward at 222 E. Erie St. and will open a second location in the M-10 building. Vita is also planning to move from its Third Ward location to Mandel’s DoMUS development in the 300 block of East Erie Street, which is currently under construction, Aiello said.
Mandel Group is also currently in negotiations with a café operator who would serve breakfast, lunch and dinner at the M-10 building, Aiello said.
