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Within roughly two blocks of E. North Ave. on Milwaukee's east side, three separate plans are hatching to develop apartments in midrise buildings.

Those projects would bring more life to a neighborhood known for its restaurants, bars and other attractions, including the Oriental Theatre. But the likelihood of additional development also has nearby homeowners fighting to keep that activity from creeping farther north into their residential area.

"To me, it's a domino," says longtime east side resident Pamela Frautschi. She and other east side homeowners, unhappy about increases in noise and nuisance complaints tied to student rentals, want to make sure the dominoes don't eventually topple into their backyards.

A zoning change proposed for part of North Ave., between N. Prospect and N. Cambridge avenues, and other nearby parcels, would make it easier for developers to construct taller buildings. The Plan Commission last week delayed acting on the proposal after Frautschi and other residents raised concerns.

They generally support the zoning changes for North Ave., where new development could convert it into "the Main Street of the east side," said Cindy Kluge, of the Greenwich Village Neighborhood Association.

The changes would include a maximum building height of 75 feet, up from 60 feet, as well as minimum heights of 30 feet, instead of 18 feet. The proposal also requires commercial construction to be built more along the street, with narrower parking lots, as well as taller street-level windows.

But requiring taller buildings in the area two blocks to the avenue's north, where there are mainly two- and three-story houses, modestly sized apartment buildings and small businesses, would overwhelm the neighborhood, said Kluge and Frautschi, president of the East Side Milwaukee Community Council.

Kluge cited some of the newer developments in the area roughly two blocks north of North Ave., including the Dewan Dental building at N. Farwell and E. Greenwich avenues, which won a Mayor's Design Award. Those buildings, which fit in well with the neighborhood, wouldn't meet the new minimum height requirements, she said.

"Basically, zoning is a protection for residential neighborhoods," Frautschi told the commission, which will meet on Wednesday to again consider the proposal, which needs Common Council approval.

Zoning changes supported

The zoning changes are supported by the East Side Business Improvement District, a group of neighborhood commercial property owners and business operators. The district earlier supported new design standards and an Architectural Review Board for the area, which the Common Council approved in 2011.

The zoning changes should be enacted soon to prepare for coming development proposals, said Ald. Nik Kovac, whose district covers the east side.

In response to the residents' concerns, Kovac said he supports removing from the zoning proposal one block along N. Murray Ave., north of E. Thomas Ave.

That block includes at least one likely redevelopment candidate: a small, older strip retail center with a parking lot at 2430 N. Murray Ave. The property's parking lot totals more than 31,000 square feet, and it carries a higher value ($326,700) than the 10,000-square-foot building ($251,300), according to city assessment records.

Kovac said imminent development plans include a possible apartment building at the former Prospect Mall, one block south of North Ave. at 2217-2239 N. Prospect Ave.

Developer Robert Joseph said he's been in talks with building owner Robert Schmidt about his conceptual plans for the property. Joseph said he doesn't yet know how many apartments would be proposed or how tall the planned building would be.

Joseph compared the neighborhood to the Historic Third Ward, where he's built apartments, offices and retail space. He said the area around North Ave. will draw young professionals, including those working at the nearby Columbia St. Mary's Hospital.

"You can walk to restaurants, you can walk to conveniences, you can walk to bars," said Joseph, who supports the zoning changes. "That's what being in an urban area is all about."

Library development

About two blocks northwest of Prospect Mall, HSI Properties LLC is proceeding with plans to demolish the East Library branch, and replace it with a new library and 99 apartments at the northeast corner of North Ave. and N. Cramer St.

That four-story project, called The Standard at East Library, would include 118 underground parking spaces for the residents and 40 enclosed street-level parking spaces for library patrons. HSI would provide the new library building shell at no cost to the city, which would pay $2.75 million for the new library's furnishings.

The $14.9 million development would be financed mainly through a $10.9 million commercial loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HSI co-owner Ryan Schultz said the initial response from HUD officials has been positive, and he hopes to hear this summer on whether the guarantee will be provided.

Schultz expects The Standard to draw younger professionals and hospital employees, as well as University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students looking for an alternative to the nearby Cambridge Commons and RiverView residence halls. The apartments would rent for about $1.60 a square foot, with the average size of 600 to 700 square feet - for monthly rents of $960 to $1,120.

"We're a price-competitive alternative to downtown," Schultz said. "But we don't think we'll compete directly with downtown."

HSI also likes the North Ave. area because there are a limited number of properties that can be redeveloped. That helps restrict supply, which prevents the neighborhood from being flooded with new apartments, Schultz said.

Awaiting tax credits

Meanwhile, Mercy Housing Lakefront Inc. is planning to revive its proposal for the 54-unit Greenwich Park Apartments about a half-block north of North Ave., between Farwell and Murray avenues, said spokeswoman Lisa Kuklinski.

The council in 2011 approved zoning for the five-story building at that site, now a parking lot.

Chicago-based Mercy was unable that year to obtain federal affordable housing tax credits to help finance the development. Those credits require developers to lease apartments at below-market rents to people earning no more than 60% of the area median income - just under $44,000 for a family of four in Milwaukee.

However, officials at the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, which grants the credits in Wisconsin, have since discussed revising the authority's rules to encourage construction of apartments for workers who can walk to their jobs, Kuklinski said.

If those rules are revised, Mercy officials believe they'll have a much better chance of obtaining the tax credits because of their association with Columbia St. Mary's, whose employees would likely be among many of the development's residents, Kuklinski said.

A mix of diverse housing options and commercial development is a good fit for E. North Ave., Schultz said.

"It's really kind of a melting pot," he said.