Challenge

Freshwater Plaza sat at the core of walker’s Point, on a 7.2-acre vacant brownfield characterized by industrial legacy and environmental contamination. The project faced critical challenges: cleaning up the site, sequencing a multi-phase development, securing both grocery anchor and residential partners, and integrating deeper affordability (20% of units designated low-income) within a mixed-use retail-residential typology. Balancing robust retail needs (including a full-service Cermak Fresh Market) alongside residential density and compliance across municipal and federal brownfield standards required exacting coordination, budget management, and stakeholder alignment.

Solution

Catalyst Construction served as construction manager, deploying a phased strategy to align environmental remediation, vertical construction, and tenant fit-outs across both commercial and residential buildings. By working with Eppstein Uhen Architects and development partners (Wangard, Impact Seven, NMTC equity sponsors), Catalyst sequenced construction so that the grocery anchor stabilized early revenue streams while residential shell and interiors followed. Our non–self-perform CM model enabled us to source trade contractors adept at both Brownfield specification work and mixed-use build-out. Catalyst anchored coordination among governmental agencies for brownfield grants and TIF, ensuring compliance and cash flow alignment, and facilitated rigorous scheduling to complete retail and residential components effectively, while preserving community interests.

Impact

• Delivered 72 apartments, with 20% set aside for lower-income residents, enhancing housing affordability in Walker’s Point.

• Developed 16,500 sq ft of retail space and supported a full-service Cermak Fresh Market grocery, addressing food access in a food desert and boosting neighborhood vitality.
• Transformed a 7.2-acre brownfield into mixed-use vibrancy, acting as a catalyst for broader neighborhood redevelopment and aligning with Milwaukee’s Transform Milwaukee corridor vision.
• Generated numerous jobs: over 120 construction jobs and future permanent retail and property management positions, bolstering local economic development. (Note: These job counts are estimated from NMTC coalition data; Catalyst-specific employment metrics may refine this.)
• Total project cost reached approximately $16.2 million for Phase Three, with strong financial leveraging via NMTC equity, Brownfield grants, TIF financing, and developer equity.