A Waukesha developer who has been working for more than a year to convert the former Waukesha County Courthouse, jail and connector building into high-end apartments and save the Waukesha County Museum will present revamped plans for the project next week to the city’s Landmarks Commission.
Last summer, Historic Prairieville Limited Partners, led by Alan Huelsman, who owns Berg Management Co., purchased three buildings, all at 101 W. Main St., from the financially-strapped Waukesha County Museum for the project.
Huelsman originally planned to raze the 1938 connector building, but has since decided to incorporate the structure into his plans, which include 32 apartments on three floors of the 1885 jail.
If Huelsman gains approval from the Landmarks Commission on Wednesday, he’ll likely go before the city plan commission next month. He hopes to begin construction on the $6.5 million project in about eight months, once he secures financing.
Historic Prairieville would lease the former 1893 courthouse to the museum.
“I want to see what direction the city wants us to go Wednesday and move on from there,” Huelsman said. “I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback and I think the new design looks better. We’re saving more buildings – so I think everyone is in favor of that.”
