Hotel developer buys West Milwaukee site

A former West Milwaukee industrial property has been sold to a Madison-area group that plans to develop a hotel at that site.

The former Milwaukee Boiler factory site, 1101 S. 41st St., has been sold to Macro Hospitality LLC, based in Verona, for $770,000, according to state real estate records posted Friday. The 2.2-acre site is just north of a Walmart store at 4140 W. Greenfield Ave. and about one-half block south of W. National Ave.

Macro's registered agent is Shariff Syed, who operates liquor stores and other businesses in the Madison area.

Syed said he will soon submit plans to village officials to develop a four-story, 123-room WoodSpring Suites hotel on the property. The site is vacant after the recent demolition of the former Milwaukee Boiler building.

Macro Hospitality in 2015 announced plans to develop a $5.2 million, 124-room WoodSpring Suites hotel in Madison, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. Those plans didn't proceed, but Syed said he hopes to develop a WoodSpring Suites at another Madison-area site.

Wichita, Kan.-based WoodSpring Suites is a value-priced extended-stay hotel chain.

A four-story, 124-room WoodSpring Suites was proposed last year for 1701 W. Layton Ave., just west of I-94. But the Milwaukee Board of Zoning Appeals voted in September to deny WoodSpring's request for a variance to allow the project to proceed as designed.

Milwaukee Ald. Terry Witkowski, whose district includes the site, and nearby homeowners opposed the hotel. Witkowski said WoodSpring has a "low rate" reputation, and he and residents were concerned about the type of customers who would stay at the hotel.

Similar concerns were raised by Greenfield city officials in 2015 when a WoodSpring Suites was proposed for 4040 W. Layton Ave.The hotel chain dropped those plans after facing Plan Commission opposition.

A WoodSpring Suites executive defended the hotel chain, telling Plan Commission members that the hotels have secure main entrances, security cameras and proper exterior lighting.

The former Milwaukee Boiler site in 2015 was considered for a commercial development by Mike Masterson, president of nearby Masterson Co. But that project didn't proceed.

Reported by:  JSOnline.com