Milwaukee altering building inspections as construction continues amid COVID-19

March 25, 2020 3:45 pm Leave a comment

The city of Milwaukee's Department of Neighborhood Services is altering its building-inspection procedures amid the city's COVID-19 outbreak.

Tagged with: City of Milwaukee coronavirus Department of Neighborhood Services

City likely to cut ties with company in $1.2M deconstruction contract

March 3, 2020 2:54 pm Leave a comment

An employee of Spencer Renovation & Construction pulls a nail from a stud at a house his employer was having “deconstructed,” rather than demolished, on Milwaukee’s Sixth Street. Deconstruction is generally perceived as a way to ensure useful materials are salvaged and not simply thrown away. But critics contend the city’s preference for deconstruction over simple demolition has hindered attempts to combat blight. On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Common Council voted to maintain a freeze on a policy banning the demolition of certain properties within city limits. (Staff photo by Nate Beck)

In another wrinkle for Milwaukee's struggling deconstruction program, local officials are moving to cut ties with a company hired last year to take apart, rather than tear down, 50 blighted houses in the city.

Tagged with: City of Milwaukee deconstruction Department of Neighborhood Services

Milwaukee extends deconstruction freeze, plans contractor training sessions

January 14, 2020 3:18 pm Leave a comment

Milwaukee officials on Tuesday recommended maintaining a freeze on a policy that had previously required the deconstruction, rather than demolition, of certain dilapidated properties throughout the city.

Tagged with: deconstruction demolition Department of Neighborhood Services Milwaukee Common Council Tom Mishefske

After fits and false starts, Milwaukee officials mark city’s first deconstruction job

November 7, 2019 4:12 pm Leave a comment

Darnell Williams, of Spencer Renovation & Construction, pulls a nail from a stud at a house his employer is taking down at 3041 N. 6th St. in Milwaukee. It's the first house in Milwaukee to be deconstructed, rather than demolished, nearly two years after local officials adopted an ordinance requiring deconstruction for blighted properties. (Staff photo by Nate Beck)

City officials celebrated Milwaukee's first deconstruction project on Thursday, admiring the work of a contractor taking apart a vacant house on the city's north side — some two years after a policy was enacted requiring blighted homes to be taken apart instead of torn down.

Tagged with: Bob Bauman City of Milwaukee deconstruction Department of Neighborhood Services

Milwaukee committee favors pausing deconstruction policy, after blight spread in 2018

January 8, 2019 4:22 pm Leave a comment

Officials at Augustine Preparatory Academy, a private school at 2607 S. 5th St. in Milwaukee, have long planned to tear down seven vacant houses across the street from their school to make room for a parking lot and other possible developments. But in early 2018, school officials learned a recently passed city law requiring historic houses to be deconstructed rather than demolished would make their demolition plans too expensive. School officials are now calling on the city to pause the enforcement of the deconstruction policy long enough to allow them to knock down the vacant properties, which have attracted crime. (Staff photo by Nate Beck)

After seeing the number of condemned properties increase in the city last year, Milwaukee officials voted on Tuesday to recommend postponement for a city policy requiring contractors to deconstruct rather than demolish historic houses.

Tagged with: Bob Bauman deconstruction Department of Neighborhood Services Milele Coggs Milwaukee Common Council Russell Stamper Tom Mishefske

Assembly approves bill relaxing rental regulations

January 23, 2018 7:48 pm Leave a comment

A “For rent” sign is posted in front of an apartment complex at 11020 Greenfield Ave. in West Allis. The state has enacted Act 176, which does not allow local ordinances that require routine inspections of rental units. (File photo by Kevin Harnack)

The Wisconsin Assembly approved another Republican bill to protect landlords Tuesday, this time passing a measure that would limit local governments' authority to inspect rental properties and crack down on emotional support animals in apartments.

Tagged with: apartments building inspections Department of Neighborhood Services rentals state assembly

In wake of housing inspector death, Milwaukee leaders consider new safety practices

April 13, 2017 3:09 pm Leave a comment

As Milwaukee leaders consider ways to make employees safer when they’re in the field, one official says he knows some city workers are packing more than just their lunch for a day on the jobsite.

Tagged with: Department of Neighborhood Services safety