Local developer Ryan Pattee says he wants to turn a vacant city-owned school building on Milwaukee's northwest side into a space where artists or makers can live and create their works.
Pattee, president of Milwaukee-based
Pattee Group, said he is seeking to purchase a school building near the intersection of 40th Street and Fond du Lac Avenue, also near the Sherman Phoenix.
The plan, he said, is to turn the building into six studios on the upper floor for artists or makers. The bottom floor would offer retail and event space where the artists would work on their craft.
The school building he's likely looking to purchase (which he didn't specifically name) is the
Frederick Douglass School located northwest of West Townsend and North 37th Street, which is close to 40th and Fond du Lac. The city lists that building for sale for $240,000. In a request for proposals, the city said it is seeking an adaptive re-use project for the property.
Pattee revealed his plans on Thursday during BizTimes Milwaukee's
2020 Commercial Real Estate and Development Conference. He participated in a panel discussion on the topic of building up and investing in Milwaukee's low-income neighborhoods.
He said the project will hopefully build on the momentum created by Sherman Phoenix, an entrepreneurship hub consisting of food vendors and service providers.
"So, they could have their own artist/maker co-op with that neighborhood to try to build off that momentum that the Sherman Phoenix has had over there," he said. "We’d really like to see more development coming to that area of the city, so we want to try to show you can think outside the box over there. There’s some great opportunity in the neighborhood to make some really impactful developments for that side of town."
Reached by phone, Pattee declined to provide further comment on the project.
