Milwaukee County seeks developer for soon-to-be former medical examiner office

Listen to this article

Milwaukee County is seeking developers to rebuild the Medical Examiner’s Office as a new pathologist office nears completion.

On Monday, the county issued a Request for Proposals seeking qualified developers to acquire and redevelop the Medical Examiner’s Office, located at 933 West Highland Avenue in downtown Milwaukee, as staff prepare to move into the future state crime lab and medical examiner’s office in Wauwatosa.

The new facility, named the Forensic Science and Protective Medicine Facility, is under construction and is expected to be completed in spring 2026.

The county wants to redevelop the Medical Examiner’s office after the forensic center is completed and staff are moved there instead. The intersection of 10th Street and Highland Avenue in the Weston neighborhood falls into the downtown area plan, which calls for high density residential and affordable housing projects in the area.

RFP proposals will be accepted on a rolling deadline every three months on the last Monday or Tuesday of the month, county officials said. The first deadline is Tuesday, May 26 at 5 p.m.

Here is the first schedule of submission dates:

• May 26, 2026
• Aug. 31, 2026
• Nov. 30, 2026
• Feb. 22, 2027

“Milwaukee County boasts a strong history of supporting economic development efforts by utilizing our real estate assets to attract investments and boost job growth,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in a statement. “As the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office relocates to their new headquarters inside the Forensic Science and Protective Medicine Facility, my administration looks forward to engaging with the development community, local businesses, and the public at-large to realize a new vision for this county-owned property.”

There will be a pre-proposal site walkthrough on April 24 at 1 p.m., officials said.

After a buyer and developer is selected, they will be required to enter an option to purchase and a development agreement, according to the RFP.

The building on a 1.07-acre parcel was originally built in 1931. It includes a structure around 58,000 square feet that was converted into a county building in 1989.

The site shares a block with St. Ben’s Church and an apartment building, according to the RFP. The building on the site was first built in 1931 as part of St. Anthony Hospital and a larger building included both the office and the neighboring apartment building. The structures were divided and one was converted into the county medical examiner’s office.

There are connections between the office and the apartment building that have been closed off with firedoors, but some connections and shared HVAC and supportive systems may remain, officials said.

The full RFP is located at countymilwaukee.bonfirehub.com.