McAuley Apartments
2009Year Built |
46Total Units |
A safe haven for Women on Milwaukee’s East Side
General Capital was selected as lead developer for McAuley Apartments, the 46-unit “annex” building to St. Catherine Residence on East Knapp Street in Downtown Milwaukee. St. Catherine’s has provided safe, supportive housing for low income women since 1894 and for women with special needs since 1993. The new facility was named after the founder of the first women’s home opened by the Mercy Sisters in Dublin, Ireland.
The new facility is an extension of St. Catherine’s mission, but with a more independent, self-sustaining operational model. The existing facility is a licensed boarding house with the capacity to house 150 women. Many face significant health and life challenges including alcohol and substance abuse problems, chronic mental health diagnosis and physical disabilities. The new building continues to serve this special population with private one-bedroom and efficiency units, a unit type that is in great demand but not readily available in the existing facility.
General Capital was responsible for designing the new facility, securing section 42 tax credits, coordinating donors, obtaining competitive bids, managing the construction process and ensuring a successful lease up to stabilization.
KEY THEMES
- Mission-driven affordable housing development expanded access to safe, independent homes for low-income women in Milwaukee
- Partnership with St. Catherine Residence extended a longstanding supportive housing mission through a sustainable residential model
- Resident-centered development provides private apartments designed to promote independence, stability, and long-term self-sufficiency
- Affordable housing financing leveraged Section 42 tax credits and community support to advance a complex mission-focused development
- Strategic East Side location connects residents with employment opportunities, transportation, services, and neighborhood amenities
RESULTS
- Successfully delivered 46 affordable apartment homes as an extension of St. Catherine Residence's supportive housing mission
- Created private one-bedroom and efficiency residences providing greater independence for women with limited incomes
- Successfully completed lease-up and stabilized the community following development
- Established a financially sustainable housing model designed to complement St. Catherine Residence's long history of community service
- Expanded Milwaukee's supply of quality affordable housing while supporting resident stability and independent living
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