MILWAUKEE — A new proposal is calling for a former shoe polish factory to be transformed into a luxury hotel in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward.
Developer Wimmer Communities is proposing to build a Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel on the site, at the bottom of Water Street at the intersection of the Milwaukee and Menomonee rivers.
The Marriott Tribute Portfolio is a brand of 'boutique' hotels connected to the Marriott rewards and reservation system. It would be Milwaukee's first.
The hotel would have 102 rooms, a plaza with riverside views, a restaurant and cafe and a rooftop space "providing breathtaking views of the Milwaukee metropolis," according to Wimmer Communities in a news release Wednesday.
“We’re thrilled to expand our portfolio with a second hotel in the Milwaukee market,” said Nick Wimmer, Vice President of Project Development, in the statement. “Our relationship with Marriott allows us the opportunity to bring exciting modern architecture to the Historic Third Ward neighborhood while continuing the preservation of a valuable historical building.”
The site is the former Harri Hoffmann Company building, erected in 1892.
The hotel is expected to open in 2023, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The Historic Third Ward Architectural Review Board considered Wimmer's proposal at a meeting this week.
