Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley announced on March 10 that construction is progressing at the former Bucyrus-Erie site in South Milwaukee, where a redevelopment project will create 134 housing units, including 76 affordable units, and a new Kelly Senior Center expected to open in early 2027. The development, located at 1100 Milwaukee Avenue and led by Scott Crawford, Inc., aims to address local housing needs while revitalizing the downtown area.
The project is significant for Milwaukee County as it expands affordable housing options for working families and older adults. Crowley said, “I’m pleased to see this major redevelopment project taking shape, which is creating new construction jobs, expanding housing options for working families, and fostering a healthier, stronger Milwaukee County.” He added that the investment supports the county’s vision of providing safe and quality housing along with services for residents.
Milwaukee County has contributed $3 million to the $50 million mixed-use redevelopment. This includes $2.5 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds and $500,000 from Community Development Block Grant funds. The initiative follows a national trend of converting office buildings into residential spaces with both market-rate and affordable units. South Milwaukee Mayor James Shelenske said, “The redevelopment of the Bucyrus-Erie campus is bringing new life to South Milwaukee and is contributing to our downtown renaissance.”
Que El-Amin, President of Scott Crawford, Inc., said his company was grateful to be part of the historic project alongside dedicated public officials. James Mathy, Housing Services Administrator at the Department of Health and Human Services, said: “One of our primary goals is to ensure residents have access to affordable housing. Housing is fundamental to achieving better health, education, and economic outcomes… This project is an exceptional example of what can be done when the public and private sector partners work to address community needs.”
Crowley’s administration has delivered over $49 million in funding for affordable housing projects across Milwaukee County suburbs where disparities in access continue. In addition to these developments in housing policy, education remains a key aspect of community life: Oak Creek High School had the highest enrollment among county schools during the 2023-24 school year with 2,223 students; HAPA-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 followed with 1,894 students; Franklin High School had 1,606 students according to state data. Black students made up about one-third (33%) of all students (38,530 out of 116,758), while white students were the second largest group at 29% (33,860), followed by Hispanic students at 24.5% (28,606) according to state data.
Multiracial students represented about 5.5% of county enrollment during this period according to state data, while Pacific Islander students were least represented at just 0.1% according to state data. Hispanic students remained an important demographic within county schools as well according to state data.
As construction continues on this mixed-use development in South Milwaukee’s historic district—and as demographic trends shape local priorities—county leaders say they remain focused on partnerships that expand opportunity for all residents.
