MU purchases building

[4everwarriors]

Finally, we get a site for the Crean Soccer Complex, ai na?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Ah, then I don't get my HHonors Points 

It all about the points.

[MU111]

You were right, my bad. I don't have time to fix it now so I just removed the picture.

No worries.  I got your back.

[Benny B]

It all about the points.

When I can Shatner a room for $50/night at the Hilton or Pfister on my personal account, I couldn't care less about points.  On the expense account, completely different story.

[Coleman]

No worries.  I got your back.

This technically isn't correct either as I don't think MU has purchased Butch's steakhouse at the southwest corner of Michigan and James Lovell.

[MUfan12]

This technically isn't correct either as I don't think MU has purchased Butch's steakhouse at the southwest corner of Michigan and James Lovell.

Yes, they have. Butch's closed last month.

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2015/04/07/marquette-university-buys-former-butchs-steakhouse.html

[Coleman]

Yes, they have. Butch's closed last month.

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2015/04/07/marquette-university-buys-former-butchs-steakhouse.html

I stand corrected.

[🏀]

Yeah, Hotwire or Priceline. I've never paid more than $65 before taxes. Usually $50-55 gets the Hilton or Hyatt unless Milwaukee is busy.

[GOO]

#manifestdestiny.  Love it.  Haven't heard that term since MU.

Anyway, can we buy and shut down the Badger Bus Depot.  I'd donate for that

[Dr. Blackheart]

When I can Shatner a room for $50/night at the Hilton or Pfister on my personal account, I couldn't care less about points.  On the expense account, completely different story.

Benny...you are slipping.  No reason not to Shatner while grabbing the points.  Gotta stop working for the man.

[MUeng]

#manifestdestiny.  Love it.  Haven't heard that term since MU.

Anyway, can we buy and shut down the Badger Bus Depot.  I'd donate for that

what's wrong with the badger bus?  I used that thing all the time back in the day...

[jsglow]

You locals can help me out.  What's between St. James church and the back of the Doubletree (old Hojos) on the south side of Wisconsin?  I see Badger bus listed there but give me a feel for it.  I seem to remember a meaningful office building on the south side of WI at 9th street.

[Litehouse]

what's wrong with the badger bus?  I used that thing all the time back in the day...

Just change the name to the Warrior Wagon.

[mu-rara]

You locals can help me out.  What's between St. James church and the back of the Doubletree (old Hojos) on the south side of Wisconsin?  I see Badger bus listed there but give me a feel for it.  I seem to remember a meaningful office building on the south side of WI at 9th street.

Back in our day, I believe it was Continental Bank.  Now it's Wells Fargo?

[Coleman]

Back in our day, I believe it was Continental Bank.  Now it's Wells Fargo?

Yeah I think its like a 10 or 12 story Wells Fargo building

There is also a public elementary school on that block, towards the highway

[chapman]

It all about the points.

And the two bottles of water they give you at check-in 

[Benny B]

Benny...you are slipping.  No reason not to Shatner while grabbing the points.  Gotta stop working for the man.

Sure... when Shatner puts me at the Hilton or Hyatt, I have still slipped in my # into the reservation and hoped for something, but if I end up at the Pfister, obviously, they're not giving me Hyatt or Hilton points.  If the cash is coming out of my pocket, I'm not paying retail just to get the equivalent of a couple dollars in points.

The man pays well.  Much better than I do.

[jsglow]

It would be great if MU could get both remaining blocks on Wisconsin between Straz and James Lovell with the exception of the churches through there.  They'd then have enough critical mass east of I-43 to do something pretty significant actually creating some additional campus space.  I do know that for now they are really excited about the freeway frontage currently being assembled on Michigan.

[GGGG]

I think Marquette should purchase land on every corner of the interchange to ensure that it always retains the Marquette name.

[MU111]

It would be great if MU could get both remaining blocks on Wisconsin between Straz and James Lovell with the exception of the churches through there.  They'd then have enough critical mass east of I-43 to do something pretty significant actually creating some additional campus space.  I do know that for now they are really excited about the freeway frontage currently being assembled on Michigan.

Agreed.  St. James Episcopal Church has been for sale since the fall and I'm a little surprised Marquette hasn't proposed purchasing it.  The only other things on that block are the St. James Court apartments, an AT&T data center, New School for Community Service (MPS), and a bunch of surface parking.  That block would be the least cost-prohibitive in terms of property acquisition.

http://www.biztimes.com/article/20141015/ENEWSLETTERS06/141019902/-1/realestate5

[GGGG]

Agreed.  St. James Episcopal Church has been for sale since the fall and I'm a little surprised Marquette hasn't proposed purchasing it. 

$695,000 seems like a real small price for that site.

[MU111]

I just reread the article and realized that the church is on the National Register, so that probably explains for the lack of interest.

[Coleman]

National Register designation does not mean MU would have to maintain the building as-is, although it does make it a little bit more difficult. At the end of the day, they could tear it down, but would have to make a significant case for doing so. It is nowhere near as difficult as Historic Landmark designation, which means you really can't touch it. National Register is pretty easy to get around, if you really want to.

They could buy the building and use it as another campus chapel for students in Straz and others who live east of I-43, but I doubt this happens as Gesu really isn't that far away. They could also lease it to the St. James congregation in this scenario, while using it for MU activities the other 164 hours a week.

More likely, they could gut the interior, make it a space for different uses (lecture hall, classroom, theater/activity space, etc.), leave the external facade, and the building could maintain its historic designation. They could probably tear down and rebuild on the rest of the property (parking lot, parish hall, kitchen, etc.) with ease, as my guess it is just the sanctuary that has the historic designation.

While that may not seem like a great investment, it really depends on how much MU wants to have a unified campus east of I-43, or if would rather just have a random smattering of properties.

I think they should buy it.

[Litehouse]

I'm surprised they aren't buying it either, but I guess it's not my money.  I'd think eventually getting the school from MPS wouldn't be that hard.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Agreed.  St. James Episcopal Church has been for sale since the fall and I'm a little surprised Marquette hasn't proposed purchasing it.  The only other things on that block are the St. James Court apartments, an AT&T data center, New School for Community Service (MPS), and a bunch of surface parking.  That block would be the least cost-prohibitive in terms of property acquisition.

http://www.biztimes.com/article/20141015/ENEWSLETTERS06/141019902/-1/realestate5

They have turned old churches around here into upscale apartments.  The outside of the church was kept intact and elements inside the church were turned into focus points inside the apartments.  (i.e.  a window might become a build-in scenic overlook in one apartment.)