Past
South Milwaukee grew as a tight-knit working-class community shaped by the industrial boom of the early and mid-20th century. Major employers such as Bucyrus-Erie drew families from across the region, creating a stable and self-sustaining neighborhood with long-term residents who lived, worked, and built community in the area for generations.
As manufacturing declined in the 1980s and 1990s, thousands of jobs were lost throughout Milwaukee County’s southern industrial corridor. That economic shift reshaped South Milwaukee’s housing market, leaving many commercial and office buildings—like the structure now home to South Shore Landing—underutilized or abandoned as employment centers consolidated or closed.
Despite these challenges, the neighborhood retained strong community identity and resilience. Long-time residents, small businesses, and civic leaders continued working to maintain the area’s sense of stability and belonging. The former office building at 100 15th Avenue, now being transformed into South Shore Landing, reflects that history: a site once tied to the region’s industrial economy that is now being reimagined to meet the housing needs of a modern and growing community.
Present
South Shore Landing is under construction by Scott Crawford, Inc. and Khalek Construction as part of a broader effort to strengthen South Milwaukee’s housing options and support the community’s ongoing revitalization. Located within minutes of the lakefront and the city’s resurgent downtown corridor, the project represents a new chapter for a long-underused property.
The site, originally a 20,125-square-foot office building, has already undergone full interior demolition. The building is being redesigned to create modern, spacious apartments with contemporary layouts that meet the growing demand for market-rate housing. With state-approved construction drawings and building permits already issued, the redevelopment is positioned to move efficiently from planning to activation.
South Shore Landing sits just 1.5 miles from the forthcoming Southern Wisconsin Gateway, a major regional connector that will link Milwaukee County with Lake County, Illinois. This infrastructure will strengthen access to employment, wealth, and talent flowing between the Greater Milwaukee and Greater Chicago areas. The project is also less than two miles from Scott Crawford’s 134-unit transit-oriented development, building critical density along a future mobility and workforce corridor.