Committee clears three city tax-deed sales to local buyers, including event space and small hotel-style conversion

A Milwaukee Common Council committee on Tuesday approved three resolutions authorizing sales of city-owned tax-deed properties to local buyers for redevelopment.

The committee approved File 241983 for the sale of 4929–4930 North 30th Street to 4 Generations Holdings LLC for conversion to an event space and adjacent outdoor courtyard. Jeronda McCray, the applicant and a neighborhood resident, told the committee she plans to operate a community-focused event venue and use the adjacent lot as a courtyard. "We are going to use the adjacent lot as a courtyard, and then it will have sort of a Spanish barnyard look," McCray said.

The committee also approved File 241980, the sale of 911 South Cesar Chavez Drive to MG Multi Services Milwaukee Corporation, owned by Miguel Garza. Garza said the parcel — about 7,800 square feet and a former nuisance property acquired by the city in 2018 — will host a new building that expands his tax and accounting business on the ground floor with at least two residential units above. Rosemary Perez, listed as Garza’s real estate agent, said the construction budget for the project is approximately $400,000 and the purchase price listed in committee remarks was $205,000.

Finally, the committee approved File 241985 for 4113–15 West North Avenue, purchased by Tiara Bailey for $10,000. Bailey said she plans to renovate the multi-story building and live upstairs while operating a small office or neighborhood resource center, focusing on services for women. Department of City Development (DCD) staff said renovation costs are estimated at about $80,000, plus buyer sweat equity; Planning’s design-review comments will be incorporated in the sales contract.

Why it matters: The sales convert tax-delinquent and vacant parcels into occupied properties, with applicants saying they will supply neighborhood services, small-business space and event amenities. City staff framed the transactions as part of an effort to return lots to the tax base and encourage local ownership and reinvestment.

Supporting details: DCD real-estate staff introduced each file and said the properties were acquired by tax foreclosure between 2014 and 2018. Committee members spoke in favor of local ownership; the Cesar Chavez business-improvement district and the council sponsor of the Chavez Drive sale expressed support for the Garza project as adding density to a commercial corridor. For the North Avenue sale, staff told the committee the proposed use is permitted under city commercial guidelines and that Alderman Stamper (district representative) had signaled support in earlier meetings.

Votes and procedure: Each resolution was moved and approved in committee by voice vote with no recorded objections at the meeting. DCD staff said purchase-price and construction-budget figures will be incorporated into the purchase-and-sale agreements and that standard post-approval conditions (design-review and a finalized PSA) apply.

What was not decided: Exact closing dates, financing sources for construction, and contractor/subcontractor commitments were not finalized in committee and were described as matters to be resolved in the purchase-and-sale agreement and in later permit reviews.

Next steps: DCD will prepare the purchase-and-sale agreements and include the design-review conditions discussed in committee; staff indicated those agreements will reflect the budget and program details provided by the buyers.