Neu-Life Community Development, a Milwaukee-based nonprofit organization providing youth programming and education, is fundraising to build a six-story, 106,000-square-foot facility just west of downtown.
The $16.2 million project, called NeuVue, is expected to break ground in September at 12th and Cherry Street, next to the site of the new Marcia P. Coggs Health and Human Services Center being built by Milwaukee County, and north of the existing Coggs Center building that could be redeveloped.
Since 2022, Neu-Life has acquired the necessary parcels of land at the site, according to the organization’s website. Neu-Life aims to serve more youth and community partners at the facility.
NeuVue will include three major components: housing, programming space and community space. The housing component will include 36 studio, one- and two-bedroom units that will be split availability for Neu-Life employees and other young professionals between ages 18 to 24.
About 64% of Neu-Life’s staff members have been through its youth programming, executive director Jody Rhodes said, and these hires are intentional. For many young people, including those working with Neu-Life, affordable housing is a need that the organization wants to address with NeuVue.
“Since they’re working for us, we want to figure out how to give them the support they need to navigate that early adulthood,” Rhodes said.
NeuVue will also have a two-story gymnasium, an outdoor courtyard, offices, program areas, community gathering spaces and a rooftop restaurant. Rhodes said Neu-Life is currently looking for the right community partner to operate the restaurant.
The additional space at NeuVue will permit the expansion of Neu-Life’s media programming and Farmfork culinary arts program, Rhodes said.
The NeuVue facility will be located about one mile southeast of Neu-Life’s headquarters location at 2014 W. North Ave.
“It’s going into an area that could use this boost of having such an amazing project,” Rhodes said.
Neu-Life launched the quiet phase of its capital campaign for the NeuVue project earlier this year. So far, the organization has raised almost $7 million toward the $16.2 million needed for the project, Rhodes said.
Philanthropist Keith Mardak, former chief executive officer and chairman of Milwaukee-based Hal Leonard Corp., recently emerged as a lead donor after committing $3 million to the NeuVue project.
“We’ve gotten some lead gifts and grants from some foundations in town, and of course a lead donor now with Mr. Mardak, which is huge,” Rhodes said. “We’re hoping now we can pursue other donors and other foundations.”
Mardak has also had conversations with Neu-Life about funding the construction of a Notes for Notes music studio at NeuVue. Notes for Notes is a Nashville-based nonprofit that builds studios to provide youth with free access to music education. Mardak has already helped to bring four of these studios to Milwaukee.
