“A venir l’avenir” (Fr.) “ In English: Coming soon, the Future!

More than a decade after the Park East Freeway stub was removed, the first residential development on county-owned land there is nearly ready for occupancy, just a year after ground was broken for the Avenir.

This five-story, 104-unit apartment building, developed by Wangard Partners, is the first phase of a proposed project that will ultimately occupy the entire block bounded by N. Milwaukee and N. Jefferson streets, and E. Lyon St. and E. Ogden Ave. on the Lower East Side.

The building now being finished on the block already bears the sign of the first retail tenant on the 7,000 square foot first-floor retail component of the property — a Great Clips haircut salon. It is soon to be joined by a Jimmy John’s sub shop. These stores will have considerable visibility, as they are located directly to the west of the entrance of the East Pointe Pick ‘n Save, a major retail draw. Other strip shops to the south bridge the two developments, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the East Pointe shopping center, now at the end of its life cycle, might someday be replaced by a development more like the Avenir.

View the full article as recently posted by Michael Home of Urban Milwaukee.