Marquette University is planning to demolish the recently-closed, seven-story Ramada Hotel in downtown Milwaukee.
The 155-room hotel at 633 W. Michigan St. has been owned by a Marquette affiliate since mid-2015, when Marquette began assembling an 11.8-acre site east of campus for an athletic center.
That year, Marquette also purchased Butch’s Old Casino Steak House building, located at 555 N. James Lovell St. and the Herzing University building, located at 525 N. 6th St.
In 2014, Marquette acquired 2.3 acres from Zilber Property Group and 4.6 acres from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in the 800 block of West Michigan Street.
Documents filed with the city’s Department of Neighborhood Services show the 51-year-old Ramada was slated for demolition on Oct. 5.
A university spokesman said Marquette will secure the facility and work on a to-be-determined timeline for demolition, as well as short- and long-term plans for the 1.8-acre parcel, which abuts an additional 10 acres of developable land the university owns.
“Marquette was recently informed by the operator of the hotel that he will not be renewing his lease with the university,” said Christopher Stolarski, university spokesman. “(Marquette) respects his decision and we wish him and his employees well in future endeavors.”
Marquette was originally planning to partner with the Milwaukee Bucks and Aurora Health Care on an athletic performance research center at a 10-acre site at 6th Street, 10th Street, West Michigan Street and the Marquette Interchange.
In December 2017, the university announced revised plans, moving the facility to a smaller site across from the Al McGuire Center on North 12th Street. The Bucks and Aurora are no longer involved.
