Milwaukee Specialty for Sale - Downtown East
Rare Adaptive-Reuse Development Opportunity in the Heart of Downtown Milwaukee
Colliers is pleased to present a rare adaptive-reuse development opportunity at the historic Scottish Rite Masonic Center, a landmark positioned at 790 North Van Buren Street in the core of Downtown Milwaukee. Ideally located on the southeast corner of Wells Street and Van Buren Street, just steps from Northwestern Mutual’s corporate campus, the property sits within one of Milwaukee’s most affluent, fastest-growing, and highest-renter zip codes.
The offering represents a unique chance to deliver large, high-demand residential units in a downtown submarket that has seen strong population growth, rising incomes, exceptionally high renter concentration, and limited availability of spacious multifamily layouts. The existing redevelopment plan calls for 22 oversized units, primarily two-, three-, and four-bedroom configurations, ranging from approximately 1,500 to 2,500 square feet. Several units are envisioned as duplexes, one as a triplex, and select residences include private rooftop terraces. The partially completed work includes framed residential levels and a newly poured 22-stall underground parking garage.
Originally constructed in 1889 as the Plymouth Congregational Church, the building was designed by prominent Milwaukee architect E. Townsend Mix in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. It later became home to the Scottish Rite (Wisconsin Consistory) in 1912, with significant additions and enhancements completed in the 1930s by architects Leenhouts & Guthrie. The limestone façade, dramatic massing, intricate Masonic carvings, life-sized statues of the Knights of St. Andrew, and a beautifully preserved tower parapet remain intact, creating a rare architectural framework ideally suited for an adaptive-reuse residential conversion.
While the interior has undergone demolition and early-stage framing, the integrity of the exterior shell offers developers an exceptional opportunity to restore, reinterpret, and transform one of Milwaukee’s most distinctive historic buildings. The planned operation envisions 22 high-end multifamily residences with direct elevator access, internal circulation space, storage areas, and secure 24/7 basement parking.
Surrounded by key demographics, premier employers, and sustained renter demand, and located within immediate proximity to the lakefront, Cathedral Square, the Downtown Business District, and the East Town neighborhood, the Scottish Rite Masonic Center presents a truly irreplaceable development canvas in the heart of a thriving urban core.
