A proposal for a seven-story, 42-unit Cedar Square apartment building awaits the city’s approval to break ground on campus in June.
Saab Design, a local architectural firm, will construct the M, a $6 million building which will be located at 830 N. 15th St., a vacant parking lot between Wells St. and Kilbourn Ave.
“Marquette is growing, and there is always a need for more apartments,” said Fouad Saab, president of Saab Design. “We are hoping it will be a good addition to the campus.”
The building would hold two and three-bedroom apartments with in-unit washers and dryers. It would also include a first floor lounge, an exercise room and an underground parking lot with 25 spots.
The Milwaukee Board of Zoning Appeals will review the proposal March 10. If approved, the building will open for leasing after it breaks ground in June. Occupancy in the building is planned for summer 2017.
The M will mainly provide housing for graduate students, professors and visitors.
Saab said the building’s style would be similar to the Ivy on 14th apartments – modern with character. The interior design would include concrete floors and ceilings and steel structures.
The building requires approval because with the underground parking lot, it is seven stories and located in a zone allowing only six-story buildings. Saab said he thinks the city will approve the plans.
Saab, who started planning the construction of the building in February, said the building’s rent prices will be less expensive than the Ivy.
His company also designed the Alpha Xi Delta house on 15th St. and Kilbourn Ave. and the Alpha Phi and Sigma Kappa houses, which are still under construction.
Lora Strigens, chief university planner and architect, said the university is not directly involved in the building’s development but acknowledged the need for more campus housing.
“Marquette is making significant progress on a long-term master planning process that is assessing all areas of long-term need for our campus, including housing,” Strigens said in an email.
Core Campus LLC, a national architectural firm for universities, held a focus group at Marquette last summer to get student input about building a new apartment on campus.
Mitch Dalton, the associate development manager of Core Campus LLC, said the company will not pursue the project right now. He said he did not know much about the new apartment building proposal.
The Ivy, the newest apartment building to go up around campus, opened its doors in fall 2014. The Eleven25 at Pabst apartments are under construction and will open to Marquette and other Milwaukee students this August.