The Neutral Project submits plans for a 50-story mass timber tower

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Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article mistakenly reported that KLH, based in Austria, will provide building materials for The Edison. Stora Enso, based in Finland, will be the cross-laminated timber manufacturer for the project. KLH will supply cross-laminated timber to the Baker’s Place in Madison.

Madison-based The Neutral Project wants to break ground on its proposed 381-unit mass timber development near the Deer District in September, and the developer also confirmed it answered the city of Milwaukee’s request for proposals for the Marcus Center parking garage.

The Edison will be a 32-story mass timber hybrid building at 1005 N. Edison St. in Milwaukee. The project includes 6,312 square feet of ground floor retail between the Milwaukee Riverwalk and East State Street, and the average unit size will be 775 square feet. Amenities include a pool, fitness center and a pickleball court.

Fond du Lac-based C.D. Smith Construction was named the project’s general contractor and Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture will provide design services. C.D. Smith previously built The Ascent, the current record holder for the tallest timber tower at 25 stories and is more than half done with the Bakers Place development in Madison. The latter is expected to wrap up in February 2023, according to developers.

The Neutral Project’s finance team met with potential investors on Thursday, seeking $40 million in equity to fund the project. The construction timeline is dependent on when they can secure funding, but the developer said it hoped to break ground in September and wrap up work in the spring of 2027.

Finland-based Stora Enso will manufacture cross-laminated timber for The Edison. The first seven stories of the Edison will be made of steel and concrete, and the rest mass timber. Developers touted mass timber’s role in construction, with timber floors only taking one week to construct and skipping the time to dry concrete.

The project coincides with two other major construction projects in Milwaukee — The Couture on the city’s lakefront and 333 N. Water in the Third Ward.

Developers also confirmed they responded to the city’s request for proposals to replace the garage next to the Marcus Center of Performing Arts, 1001 N. Water St., with initial plans calling for a 50-story building. The city of Milwaukee Department of City Development declined to comment as the RFP process is still underway.

The site saw two separate proposals since the early 2000s, including Irgens’ proposal for Ovation Plaza in 2003, but those plans never moved forward.