New Land Enterprises proposes multifamily project over former Hooper Corp. campus

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Milwaukee-based New Land Enterprises could soon have projects in three of Wisconsin’s largest cities.

The developer proposed a mixed-use, multiphase project with up to 500 apartment units and ground-floor commercial space at the former Hooper Corp. headquarters in east Madison. The project, which will be located along East Johnson Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, was reviewed by the city of Madison Urban Design Commission on Dec. 17.

The project will also be within the Oscar Mayer Special Area Plan, a redevelopment effort led by the city of Madison to repurpose the former Oscar Mayer facility from the early 20th century.

New Land Enterprises is under contract to buy three parcels from Hooper Corp. and has the company’s approval to propose infill development at 2030 Pennsylvania Avenue, according to a letter from the company.

The project calls for redevelopment of more than eight acres of the former Hooper campus adjacent to the Madison Public Market, said Tim Gokhman, managing director of New Land Enterprises. The north end of the site will have more than 500 apartments and townhomes built in two phases, he added.

Future phases could include an adaptive reuse of the Scanlan Morris building at 1902 E. Johnson St., which would add at least 44,000 square feet of retail space, plans showed. A later phase would feature a bow-truss building at 2010 Pennsylvania Ave. which would add another 20,600 square feet of commercial or retail space.

A final phase would feature the “construction of a statement civic building or similar use adjacent to the Madison Public Market,” developers wrote in an application letter.

Before construction can start, New Land would need several municipal approvals, including a conditional use permit, a certified survey map and a demolition permit, the developer said. Approvals are expected to be completed by March 2026.

A construction loan closing is expected to be completed by summer 2026, and construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2026, the developer said.

The first phase, called Phase 1A, is expected to be completed in fall of 2028. That will introduce the first half of the around 500 apartments proposed. Phase 1B will start after enough of the first apartments are occupied, the developer added.

Milwaukee-based Korb Architecture provided design services for the project.

New Land Enterprises is the firm behind The Ascent, a 284-foot mass timber hybrid tower near downtown Milwaukee. New Land also completed Nova Apartments and proposed multiple apartment complexes in the Bay View, Walker’s Point and East Side neighborhoods.

In October, the developer and Stevens Construction held a topping-off ceremony for a $77 million, 268-unit multifamily building under construction in downtown Green Bay.