3 Milwaukee buildings that never came to be

Visit Milwaukee

By Christina Lorey

January 7, 2025

Cities across America are experiencing a building boom, and “Cream City” is no exception. Over the past decade, Milwaukee has added more than 10,000 new households–most, in the form of high-rise apartments.

But not every proposal becomes reality. A few years back, Shepherd Express writer Matthew Prigge dug up a handful of proposed projects, dating back to the 1950s, that never came to be. We thought it would be fun to revisit that list and pull out three of the biggest flops:

❌ Proposal 1: Lakefront War Memorial

In the mid-50s, the memorial was proposed as part of a larger plan to develop Milwaukee’s lakefront as its expressway system was expanding. However, the city prioritized other projects like the Milwaukee Art Museum, which currently houses the War Memorial Center. Check out what could’ve been here.

❌ Proposal 2: Tourist Tower

By the ‘60s and ‘70s, Milwaukee was moving onwards and upwards–with architect Robert Rasche (designer of the arched-front Kohl’s grocery stores) drawing plans for a 1,000 foot building that would be Milwaukee’s answer to Seattle’s Space Needle. The Tower would have included observation decks, high-speed elevators, and flying saucer-shaped sightseeing pods dangling from the top… but it never got further than a hole in the ground due to design disputes. Read more here.

❌ Proposal 3: Lake Pointe Tower

An early casualty of the Great Recession of ‘08, this $207 million, 42-story tower would’ve sat just south of the US Bank Building. Westin Hotels agreed to open a 214-room hotel inside, with the top 14 floors turned into luxury condos. The sleek design was meant to compliment the nearby Santiago Calatrava-designed Art Museum, but when office tenant Robert W. Baird opted to renew their US Bank lease rather than move, the project tanked, along with these 3 other projects.

Author

Christina Lorey

Christina is an Edward R. Murrow-winning journalist and former producer, reporter, and anchor for TV stations in Madison and Moline. When she’s not writing or asking questions, you can find her volunteering with Girls on the Run, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and various mental health organizations.

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CATEGORIES: LOCAL NEWS

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