Plans are gaining traction in Milwaukee for two massive wood-concrete hybrid buildings, including one that would rise more than 50 stories tall and thereby earn the title of tallest structure of its kind in the world.
Fond du Lac, Wis.-based CD Smith Construction is the contractor for both projects. The structural engineer is Thornton Tomasetti. Both companies were part of teams selected by the City of Milwaukee to develop and build both The Edison, a 32-story residential tower, and The Marcus Center, a mixed-use development with a residential tower that would be 55 stories.
The world’s tallest hybrid timber structure currently is the Atlassian Tower in Sydney, Australia, which is under construction, says Daniel Glaessl, partner and CPO of The Neutral Group, developer of both The Edison and The Marcus Center.
“With the hybrid solid wood system we’re using we can build up to about 60 stories without causing major engineering challenges,” says Glaessl.
Madison, Wis.-based Neutral recently secured $133.3 million in construction financing for The Edison, which Dodge Construction Network reports is a $200 million project.
The company expects to begin construction this spring on the 378-unit Edison, which will be built on a site along the Milwaukee River. The Edison was first proposed in 2021 as a 15-story, $60 million building, but has more than doubled in height.
“The height of the tower was increased to improve the efficiency and economy of the development,” says Glaessl.
Plans for The Edison also include two public plazas at the north and south ends of the development site, 7,000 square feet of retail space on the tower’s first floor, an amenity floor and 288 parking spaces.
CD Smith was chosen for both the Edison and Marcus projects “based on their decades of experience in Wisconsin, and specifically their experience with high-rise wood projects,” Glaessl says.
Plans for the even taller tower depend on funding. The estimated cost of The Marcus is $700 million. Having won the right to develop the project in August 2024, Neutral has a one-year window, with possible extensions, to obtain financing.
The Marcus development would be built in phases in place of a demolished parking garage next to the Marcus Performing Arts Center. It would encompass three buildings, include up to 750 residential units, 190,000 square meters of offices, 40,000 square meters of commercial space, 300 hotel rooms, 1,100 parking spaces and public plazas.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson says the Marcus Center will contribute to his goal of increasing the city’s population to more than 100,000.
“To do that, we have to be aggressive and reach new heights,” he said in a press release. “This project will help us do that, literally with the goal of setting local and global records, but it’s also important to add density and activity to an underutilized, city-controlled parcel of land in downtown Milwaukee.”
Milwaukee is also home to the Ascent, which, at 25 stories tall, was certified in 2022 as the world’s tallest wood-concrete hybrid building.
While having the world’s tallest wood-concrete hybrid building would be a nice accolade, Glaessl says that’s not what drives the projects.
“For us, achieving our sustainability goals has the highest priority,” he says, adding that his company will seek both PassiveHouse and Living Building Challenge certifications for The Edison, which “will require a high level of delivery of integrated design and tight management of construction execution protocols for all parties involved to achieve the required performance goals.”
