Milwaukee, WI
Bids to build the new juvenile prison in Milwaukee are in. What happens next? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee’s long-awaited new juvenile prison has reached another milestone in the years-long construction process.
The end of bidding for contractors to construct the new prison inches the state toward the fulfillment of state law and the closure of Lincoln Hills School for Boys, a Type 1 juvenile correctional facility, the most secure type of juvenile correctional facility in the Wisconsin Department of Corrections system.
A goal of building the prison in Milwaukee is to have youths who are incarcerated remain in their communities, as stated by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ in a news release. While there is neighborhood opposition to the new prison, those in favor say that it will better support Milwaukee youths in this way.
Bidding ends
Bidding by potential general prime contractors to build the prison ended on May 22.
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It’s “usually several weeks” before a successful bidder is selected, assuming there is one, Tatyana Warrick, communications director for the Wisconsin Department of Administration, said in an email.
“Contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder who is a qualified and responsible bidder that results in the lowest total construction cost for the project,” she said.
After a contractor is selected and contracts finalized, groundbreaking can take place.
The project’s completion date is estimated to be summer of 2026, but the actual date will be set in the construction contract with the contractor, Warrick said.
When complete, the prison will accommodate approximately 32 boys and employ approximately 70 staff, according to the Department of Corrections.
Residents’ reactions
The site for the new prison is located on the North Side, at 7930 W. Clinton Ave., the former site of an emissions testing center.
Although the site was approved by the Milwaukee Common Council and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, some residents are not pleased.
Many of their concerns revolve around the perceived risks to nearby residences and businesses posed by a prison in the area.
During a City Plan Commission meeting in December 2022, for example, Margaret Thorn, a nearby resident and block watch captain, expressed safety-related concerns, saying that her house has been broken into twice.
“And what that does to an individual frazzles you,” she said. “They take your stuff but what they give you is fear. And it’s a fear that you can’t get rid of.”
Thorn and her neighbors are unhappy about “this facility being crammed down our throats,” she said.
Kathy Fulfer, who has lived in the area her whole life, told NNS that “It used to be a lovely place to live with new investments and development. Unfortunately, there has been little positive growth on the far Northwest Side of Milwaukee in many years.”
The proximity to friends and family “will be great for the prisoners, not so great for the surrounding community who have had it forced upon them,” she added.
Keeping youths closer to home
At the same December commission meeting, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Judge Lena Taylor, who was then a state senator, disputed the common arguments about negative effects of prisons on nearby neighborhoods.
“I respect the fears that people have, but they are not warranted,” Taylor said.
The Department of Corrections’ position is that there is no research to support concerns that prisons increase crime or negatively affect property values, Beth Hardtke, director of communications for the department, said in an email.
Taylor also emphasized how a Milwaukee-area prison will help keep Milwaukee youths incarcerated there connected to their families and communities.
“I don’t know the Milwaukee that we’ve become. But I believe that this is a part of the Milwaukee that we need to be, which is one that will allow us to heal families,” she said.
As of May 29, there were 53 boys at Lincoln Hills, according to data provided by the Department of Corrections. Thirty of these boys – over half – are from the Milwaukee area.
Ald. Larresa Taylor represents District 9, the district in which the prison will be built. She takes a balanced approach to the differing views on the prison.
“I want to fully represent the desires of the community and what is best for them,” she said.
Devin Blake is the criminal justice reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. His position is funded by the Public Welfare Foundation, which plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
1st Costco in Milwaukee County
Costco is set to break ground on its first Milwaukee County location this week. The store will be located at 27th and Drexel in Franklin.
FRANKLIN, Wis. – Costco is set to break ground on its first Milwaukee County location this week. The store will be located at 27th and Drexel in Franklin.
“This has been a long and exciting planning process, and I know many people in Franklin are happy to hear this news,” said Franklin Mayor John Nelson. “I want to thank the Costco team for choosing our community to build its first store in Milwaukee County.”
The 164,000-square-foot facility will be built on more than 20 acres of land at South 27th Street and West Drexel Avenue — a site Northwestern Mutual used as its Franklin campus.
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The facility will feature a 12-pump gas station at the south end of the development and 868 parking spaces.
The store is set to open in November 2026.
Costco stores
What we know:
Costco currently has several stores surrounding Milwaukee County, but none within its borders. The Franklin store will be the company’s first in the county.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the City of Franklin.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee’s housing crisis leaves younger adults and families struggling to find stability
Housing instability for young adults in Milwaukee is a growing problem. Looking for solutions, young adults, residents and leaders gathered at Wellpoint Care Network in late April to discuss systemic gaps and realities young adults face with renting and homeownership.
“Homeownership is a privilege when it shouldn’t be,” Tamia Abney, youth-coordinated entry liaison at Pathfinders, said.
The convening challenged members to think of possible solutions to the young adult housing crisis.
Basic needs aren’t being met
A 2024 Wisconsin Policy Forum study revealed that half of Milwaukee renters are using at least 30% of their income to keep a roof over their heads.
In 2024, the average monthly rent in Milwaukee was $1,177. Workers in common jobs like fast food, retail, nursing assistants and other occupations earn between $28,000 and $44,000 a year, and can only afford approximately $720 to $1,100 in rent, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
“Those are important jobs that make up most of our society,” Abney said. “The income isn’t meeting the needs to pay for their living.”
During the convening at Wellpoint Care Network, Mayor Cavalier Johnson said there are young people who have decent jobs and still struggle with affordable housing.
“When you make that first good job out of college and make a certain dollar amount, everybody thinks you have it when that’s not the case,” Johnson said. “I lived it, too.”
Milwaukee housing shortage
One reason for the high rent prices in Milwaukee is that the number of people needing homes is growing faster than the number of housing units available.
According to the Wisconsin Policy Forum, Milwaukee’s households increased by 17,335 between 2010 and 2024, but only 11,038 housing units were available, leaving an underproduction of 6,297 units.
“There’s a shortage for low-income families because somebody else has already snatched it away from them,” said Carl Mueller, founder and chairman of Mueller Communications.
The mayor, who declared 2026 the year of housing in Milwaukee, said the city is working to increase housing supply so rent can become cheaper and change how tax dollars are being used to support young professionals.
“We still invest in affordable housing, but what we’ve done now is open it up to make investments in workforce housing, so young professionals don’t end up in situations where they’re spending 30% of their income, too,” Johnson said.
Mueller and other community members suggested the city build developments similar to NeuVue and ThriveOn King, which bring housing and community resources together.
Additional challenges
Another reason for the local housing shortage is that residential projects take the longest to get approved.
According to the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the median time it takes for a Milwaukee building project to go from zoning to final building permit approval is 145 days, but for residential projects it takes about 224 days.
Johnson said when he came into office, he challenged the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services to speed up the permit process.
“I think if we had been more aggressive and if we had cut more red tape over the years then a lot of the development that’s happening in some of the surrounding communities would have happened in the city,” Johnson said.
Johnson added that Milwaukee’s zoning policies need to be updated so more properties can be built.
“We haven’t had a wholescale zoning policy since John Norquist was mayor,” he said.
A need for a better quality of living
Al Smith, chief operating officer at Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, said youths, families and young adults are living in places with high rent prices but are experiencing poor conditions – lead issues and infestations among them.
“Some are paying up to $1,500 a month for places they don’t want to live in, but it was the only option they were left with,” Smith said. “We need a better quality of housing stock.”
Iasia Sawyer, 21, and a member of the Wisconsin Youth Advisory Council and participant of the Youth Transitioning to Adulthood program, said she’s already in her second apartment and has faced ongoing challenges with her landlord over mold and pipes.
Housing stability creates positive impact
Al Smith, chief operating officer at Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, said youths, families and young adults are living in places with high rent prices but are experiencing poor conditions – lead issues and infestations among them.
“Some are paying up to $1,500 a month for places they don’t want to live in, but it was the only option they were left with,” Smith said. “We need a better quality of housing stock.”
Iasia Sawyer, 21, and a member of the Wisconsin Youth Advisory Council and participant of the Youth Transitioning to Adulthood program, said she’s already in her second apartment and has faced ongoing challenges with her landlord over mold and pipes.
Housing stability creates positive impact
Smith said more young adults and families in stable housing would bring an increase in graduation rates and other benefits.
“When I think about education or even kids having to switch schools constantly, there’s no stability in that,” he said.
Johnson recalled how traumatizing it felt when he had to attend six different Milwaukee Public Schools throughout his childhood because of housing instability.
“As mayor, I’m working to make sure that more kids in Milwaukee have the stability that I didn’t have growing up,” Johnson said. “It’s not just about housing support; you guys are also providing the foundation for everything else in life.”
Homeownership can be attainable for young adults
Smith said he found it disheartening to know there are some who have no desire to become a homeowner.
“If you’ve seen multiple generations of your family that were only renters and never owned a home, they don’t think homeownership is a possibility for them,” he said.
He said the best way to encourage young adults into homeownership is through community support to address credit, bankruptcies and other barriers so they can make the adjustments to become eligible to buy a home.
At Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, Smith said they are teaching individuals how to financially prepare for homeownership.
According to Smith, it takes about $275,000 for the organization to build a home, and families who participate in the program only pay about $150,000 for their first mortgage. The program provides additional financial support to help keep monthly payments affordable.
“You’ll also get the benefit of building wealth and equity into that,” Smith said.
Sawyer said she wants young people navigating adulthood to know that although finding stable and quality housing is a challenge, it can be attainable.
“There are people who are ready to give up because they don’t have the right support around them for their situation,” she said. “Now it’s about moving forward.”
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Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee leaders on Monday, May 4, will unveil new plans to help stop illegal dumping in the city.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson and the Department of Neighborhood Services are expected to announce the expansion of a citywide program that uses hidden cameras in the monitoring of illegal dumping.
This annoucement will be made at City Hall at 10 a.m.
Illegal dumping
Dig deeper:
Illegal dumping continues to impact Milwaukee neighborhoods, especially on the north side.
Boats, mattresses and even small vehicles are among the items dumped along streets and vacant areas on the city’s north side.
Alderwoman Andrea Pratt said she monitors more than 40 illegal dumping sites weekly. One recurring trouble spot, she said, is along the Beerline Trail.
Additionally, since closing in July 2025, the former Pick ‘n Save parking lot at 35th and North has also become a major site for trash, furniture, and tires.
In March, FOX6 News first showed viewers piles of garbage around the building after a viewer reported concerns. The city then issued an order to the property owner to clean up the property.
Weeks later, neighbors say the major trash piles are gone, but graffiti now covers parts of the building and new trash has appeared behind it. They say the closure created additional problems for the neighborhood.
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The City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services has now issued another order, requiring the property owner to remove the graffiti or face fines.
Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee
Report illegal dumping
What you can do:
If you are caught dumping garbage illegally in Milwaukee, you can face a fine of up to $25,000.
Anyone can report illegal dumping by calling 414-286-2489.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the City of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services.
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