Southside Apartment Development Allows Gentrification To Expand Between W. Pierce To W. Bruce Along S. 5th Street In Milwaukee As Existing Buildings Are Demolished

Demolition of buildings continued along S. 5th Street between W. Pierce to W. Bruce Streets.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

August 3, 2021

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, the total demolition of the former La Fuente Restaurant, a building where a Selena mural is painted and an older apartment building between W. Pierce to W. Bruce Streets will be removed to develop a 144 apartment unit at 603-645 S. 5th Street. The Mandel Group gained approval to build a six level apartment building with underground 146  parking space stalls designed by JLA Architects.

The Selena mural still stands today at the 600 block of S. 5th Street, but it will also be totally demolish.

Jose G. Zarate owned the three buildings including the former La Fuente Restaurant that are being currently demolished between W. Pierce and W. Bruce Streets on the west side of S. 5th Street and he sold the properties for $2.6M and was paid on July 28, 2021 by an affiliate to the Mandel Group.

A second development is also taking place at W. Mineral Street and S. 5th Street. The New Land Enterprises is developing the Element, a six level 66 unit apartment building at 934 S. 5th Street. The Element development will be completed by next Summer of 2022.

Most of the lofts and apartments that were developed in the area are leased to mostly White residents in the Walker's Point neighborhood also known as part of the predominantly Hispanic Southside district. Latinos continue to be displaced and many are moving to Southern areas and Westward into West Milwaukee including West Allis.

Today, only three Latino owned businesses along S. 5th Street between W. Bruce to W. Mineral Streets exists and those businesses include Sniffers Tapas & Spirits, Walker's Lounge and Botanas Restaurant. Voces de la Frontera bought a building at the 700 block of W. Historic Mitchell Street and will be relocating from S. 5th Street.

That area was planned as the Southside Hispanic District in the South Side Comprehensive Area Plan that was passed in 2009 by the Milwaukee Common Council. The approved plan was considered a boost to gentrification in the south side by residents and business owners.

In 2012, Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) reported that the effort to maintain a majority Latino voting-age population will eventually become fruitless within the next 10 to 20 years due to economic development disparity triggered by gentrification in the near south side. So far, nine years have passed and gentrification is on track to displace Latinos from the Southside of Milwaukee.

As public information, Alderman José G. Pérez from the 12th Aldermanic District has raised more than $100,000 campaign contributions, since being elected, which developers were key contributors and strongly indicates that he favors development in the district.