A decade after posting this article about the UPDATED plan for The Couture high-rise at the lakefront, developer Barrett Lo and property managers Willow Bridge Property Company have announced that the 44-story apartment tower began leasing units two weeks go.
In that time, developers say, about 50 tours for prospective tenants have been given.
The first residents are expected to be able to move in to apartments on floors 4-30 in April.
Five more floors will open every two months after that with the entire building open by summer.
On Wednesday, media was offered tours and we got to see four apartment types on the eighth floor, including a 560-square-foot junior one bedroom ($2,025 and up, depending on floor, finishes and other factors); an 1,173-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bath ($4,500 and up); a 1,257-square-foot two-bedroom ($4,400 and up); and a 673-square-foot one-bedroom ($2,400 and up).
All of the apartments have great views – we assume – but we didn't get to see them on an afternoon during which the entire city was blanketed with fog.
(Because of that fog, I included the renderings of the spaces in this article, though you can see the foggy versions I shot in the Instagram reel and photo below.)
The tower – which will stand 516 feet, 10 inches – will include 322 residential units and 42,837 square feet of retail space. There is also a transit station for The Hop and MCTS BRT service, and a fourth-floor terrace park that will be open to the public.
"It’s a transit oriented building," Barrett says. "It’s not next to transit, it’s not down the block from transit. The transit is in the building."
The Hop has already begun limited service through the building and that service will be extended in April.
"The views are our greatest asset," said Rick Barrett of building developer Barrett Lo.
But, the apartments – which range from 560-square-foot one-bedrooms to three-bedroom apartments with 2,350 square feet – have plenty more going for them, too.
All have what Barrett Lo describes as, “designer finishes, including floor-to-ceiling windows, direct lake and/or city views and custom wood cabinetry to create an elevated, modern space.”
But there's no denying that the vast windows in the apartments are a massive draw, along with what can be seen through them.
"This is a lake dominant building," Barrett says. "The lake is at the doorstep. It pours the light in."
The Couture will also have a fitness center, clubhouse, lounge, outdoor terrace and swimming pool, 24-hour concierge, business center, bike parking and storage, dog park, underground heated parking and electric vehicle charging stations.
The lobby will contain retail space and Barrett says he expects about a third of that space to be occupied by restaurants.
The second-floor retail space he says will likely be aimed at businesses that enhance the amenities of the building for residents (though will be open to everyone), like hair salons.
"Having transit in the building is unique," he says. "Having retail in the building, the ability to go down and have a drink, have dinner, is unique."
Rents range from about $2,000 for one bedroom apartments up to around $11,500 for penthouse suites.
The building’s website also has floor plans, virtual tours and a three-dimensional browsing feature.
“We’re thrilled to begin leasing this one-of-a-kind building,” said Irini Boeder, VP of Marketing at Willow Bridge Property Company.
“Our team at Willow Bridge has fallen in love with this exceptional building, and we’re confident prospective residents will too.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
