Anytime a proposed data center enters the public consciousness, controversy follows. That’s been true of the proposed project in the former Walmart near 60th and Capitol, a partnership between AFS Milwaukee, LLC; Gorman & Company; and the City of Milwaukee.
With a public hearing on the project scheduled for May 18 (although it looks like it’ll be rescheduled for a later date), I’ve seen many reports that don’t tell the full story, which is critical for any members of the community planning to email their concerns or voice them in public. So I dug into the project narrative and plan drawings for the sole purpose of providing the proper context and information. If you want to do the same, you can access the narrative and plans via the Milwaukee Legislative Research Center.
UPDATE: Residents can discuss their concerns about the project at a community meeting on Wednesday, May 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Milwaukee Liberation Center, 1920 W. North Ave, according to the Journal Sentinel.
According to the narrative, there are three components to the project:
Affordable housing in the existing parking lot north of the building,
Community engagement spaces in the building’s frontage.
Climate-controlled self-service storage and data processing/computer services/computer research facility in the rear of the building.
That third component is where the proposed data center would be located, adjacent to the self-storage and taking up between 10,000 and 19,000 of the total 108,000 square feet for this component.
Via the narrative:
The data processing/computer services/computer research facility will be for high-performance computing, including on-site research activities. The space will consist of a mix of office/work areas, along with a dedicated equipment room to support the research functions. This use will consist of offices for engineers and technicians, followed by a lab housing equipment to run various research models.
Equipment: The equipment would be consistent with a computer service and research environment, including:
Server racks and high-performance computing equipment are used to support data analysis and research applications
Data storage systems supporting research datasets
Supporting electrical and cooling systems typical of a commercial office or laboratory environment
The computing equipment is utilized as a tool to perform computational research and modeling, similar to how specialized equipment is used in a traditional laboratory setting. All equipment is contained within the building and does not involve industrial machinery or manufacturing processes. As part of this use, additional air-handling equipment will be associated with the cooling systems.
These will operate at noise levels comparable to standard commercial HVAC units. All equipment will be located at the rear of the property, facing other commercial retail, and will be properly screened and secured. As a result, there should be little to no impact on noise or visibility.
The Milwaukee Code of Ordinances regulations regarding allowable noise levels will apply.
The other component deals with providing affordable housing. The existing surface parking lot north of the building will be transformed into a new residential community. Developed by Gorman & Company, “Midtown Commons” will bring 200 much-needed affordable housing units to the area. This will be completed in two phases, with each phase featuring a four-story, 100-unit apartment building. The design includes monumental brick and cast-stone corners to complement the existing district, alongside a large play space for residents.
The final component will be community-engagement spaces. The front portion of the existing building facing West Hope Avenue will be dedicated entirely to community use. This includes an approximately 17,000-square-foot Milwaukee Public Library branch and a 34,000-square-foot space for City of Milwaukee services. Furthermore, the area that once housed the Walmart garden center will be reimagined as a welcoming reading garden and outdoor terrace.
To move forward, the developers are applying for a zoning “deviation.” The site is located within the Midtown Center Development Incentive Zone (DIZ) overlay, a set of zoning rules established in 2000 that strictly prohibits self-storage and data-processing facilities.
Because the former Walmart’s massive size has made it impossible to find a single retail tenant since 2016, the developers argue that the storage and data-center component is the economic engine driving the rest of the project, according to the project narrative. The revenue generated by the rear storage facility is necessary to ensure the financial feasibility of the affordable housing and community spaces.
To protect the community and guarantee that the storage facility isn’t built without the promised public benefits, the application includes strict conditions, according to the project narrative. If the deviation is approved, the City will not issue occupancy permits for the self-storage facility until the land for the housing development is officially transferred to Gorman & Company for construction, and binding leases are secured for the library and City spaces.
I suggest reading the full narrative and reviewing the plans to be better informed when you address your concerns about the project, as this will be up for review by the city’s planning commission.
PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING:
Submit comments via email to PlanAdmin@milwaukee.gov no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting. I assume there will be a public hearing for this project proposal, which means there will be an opportunity to participate online. Check the CPC website for updates.
Full transparency: I currently serve as a City Plan Commissioner. The Milwaukee City Plan Commission is an appointed body that reviews land‑use and development proposals and makes recommendations to the Common Council. As a city plan commissioner, my role is to evaluate those projects and vote on items such as rezonings, plats, and plan amendments in accordance with city code and adopted plans.
Commission meetings include public hearings, where residents, neighborhood groups, and developers can testify for or against proposals before you deliberate and vote. Staff are expected to ensure planning and entitlement processes are informed by public input and broader city goals, such as affordable housing, anti‑displacement planning, and coordinated economic development, and commissioners weigh those considerations alongside technical code compliance
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