Dive Brief:
- The future of a Milwaukee high-rise once billed as “the tallest mass timber building in America” is in doubt after the general contractor sued the developer’s affiliates on March 6 for allegedly owing $11.3 million, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
- Fond du Lac, Wisconsin-based C.D. Smith Construction seeks the foreclosure sale of the parcel at 1005 N. Edison St. Madison, Wisconsin-based developer Neutral stopped construction of the 31-story, 357-unit apartment building in September, according to the newspaper. The contractor is suing Neutral affiliates The Edison SPE and The Edison Project LLC.
- In October, a city official told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the project faced a $25 million funding gap. The suit names 11 other firms that have filed for unpaid bills connected to the development, including Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture. Neither C.D. Smith Construction nor Neutral replied to Multifamily Dive’s request for comment.
Dive Insight:
After Neutral broke ground on The Edison in June 2025, the mixed-use project received significant hype as the tallest mass-timber building in the United States.
However, Neutral paused work on the project in September as a temporary measure to reduce costs and optimize the budget amid tariff and inflation pressures, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
In November, C.D. Smith removed the site’s construction crane and filed a lien in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, claiming it was owed $10.1 million, the outlet reported…