Neutral.Edison: Milwaukee Mass Timber Building Secures $133.3M Financing | 01.2025 BENEATH THE HARD HAT®
Neutral.Edison secures $133.3M for sustainable mass timber building in Milwaukee. Learn how this luxury development is advancing urban living and construction.
Mass Timber Sustainability in the News: The Neutral Project | 06.22.2023 BENEATH THE HARD HAT®
The Neutral Project, a sustainable real estate development company, is making news in mass timber in Milwaukee and Madison. The Edison (shown below) is a new mass timber residential development in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The luxury multifamily highrise will be the second mass timber structure in Milwaukee and is poised to be the tallest hybrid mass timber tower in North America.
The Neutral Project is also changing Madison's skyline with Baker's Place, which is the first mass timber high-rise Wisconsin's capital city. You can learn more by going to the full press and blog post from Beneath the Hard Hat®.
The Edison in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by The Neutral Project | YouTube 09.26.2023 THE NEUTRAL PROJECT
The Edison is a premier multifamily property consisting of 378 luxury for rent apartments, situated alongside the beautiful Milwaukee RiverWalk in core downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Edison caters to the high-end luxury housing market in Milwaukee, and also sets a new standard for building design and construction practices by leveraging Mass Timber technology. This innovative approach not only creates a stunning visual appeal but also addresses the growing concern of environmental impact by using sustainable building materials and pursuing Passive House certification from PHIUS 2021 Core Standard and Living Building Challenge 4.0. Core Certification.
The project will feature best-in-class amenities, including a cafe, fitness center, spa, pool, sauna, demo kitchen, sky lounge, dog park, movie room, community garden, entertainment deck with kitchens, and outdoor sports court. At 32 stories tall, The Edison is on track to become the tallest mass timber building in the world.
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INTRODUCTION
MILWAUKEE'S SECOND HYBRID MASS TIMBER STRUCTURE TO BE THE TALLEST IN NORTH AMERICA
Neutral.Edison is a stunning 31-story, 357-unit multifamily building with over 7,200 SF of retail space along the Milwaukee Riverwalk. It's built using a hybrid engineered wood system, with a Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) floor system, glulam columns, concrete beams, stairs, and cores.
Neutral is a regenerative, sustainability-focused development company with a goal to redefine conventional development of the built environment. They aim to reduce both embodied and operational carbon emissions in the building industry by creating highly sustainable multi-family and commercial developments.
Neutral.Edison not only fills a void in Milwaukee’s luxury housing market but also sets a new standard for project design and construction sustainability by utilizing mass timber and passive house design principles.
Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA) is a leader in beautiful and efficient structures that embrace the best in sustainable technology. Dedicated to creative and realistic environmental solutions, HGA designed this project in collaboration with Neutral to make The Edison project sustainable without compromising budget, schedule, or design intent for a building that demonstrates ingenuity, leadership and respect for our future.
Introducing The Edison | The Neutral Project & HPA| YouTube 04.04.2024 THE NEUTRAL PROJECT
NEUTRAL.EDISON
Neutral.Edison is a visionary undertaking set to redefine urban living along the vibrant Milwaukee RiverWalk. Standing tall at 31 stories and boasting 357 residential units, Neutral.Edison isn't just another addition to the city's skyline—it represents a bold leap forward in sustainable construction.
Neutral.Edison addresses a crucial need in Milwaukee’s housing market while setting a standard for project design and construction by utilizing mass timber and hybrid wood construction as its core sustainable building material. The Edison is on track to become North America's tallest mass timber hybrid structure and will be one of the tallest mass timber structures in the world, utilizing nearly 100,000 cubic feet of lumber. The hybrid structural system will include post-tension concrete podiums, CLT panels, glulam columns and beams, composite beams with concrete topping, concrete cores and concrete shearwalls—without any structural steel columns or beams. C.D. Smith Construction will self-perform the installation of the structural system.
The project is designed to achieve Passive House certification from PHIUS 2021 Core Standard, one of the leading and strictest certifications for energy-efficient buildings. Neutral.Edison will also pursue Living Building Challenge 4.0. Core Certification, focused on regenerative buildings and overall resident well-being.
Directly across the river, the project benefits from the Deer District, the $524 million entertainment district centered by the Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks. The property is perfectly located for enjoying Milwaukee's diverse culture, offering plenty of dining, activities, and entertainment within walking distance. This multifaceted location will attract a wide range of residents, from young professionals to empty nesters and those seeking an alternative to the rising cost of home ownership.
FEATURES
PROJECT INFORMATION
LOCATION | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
RESIDENTIAL RENTABLE SQ FT | 508,913 sq. ft.
COMMERCIAL SQ FT | 7,182 sq. ft.
HEIGHT | 31 stories
HOMES | 357 units
SCHEDULE | Construction Start Tentatively Planned for Late Q1 or Early Q2
MAJOR FUNCTION | Residential Multifamily / Commercial
CONSTRUCTION | Mass timber - CLT / Targeting Passive House (PHIUS) Certification and Living Building Challenge 4.0 Core Certification
UNIT MIX | Studio to 3 bedroom units
«»LEASING INFORMATION
NEUTRAL.EDISON PROJECT TEAM
STAKEHOLDERS + PARTNERS
Owner / Developer | Neutral
Architect | Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HGA)
MEP Engineer and Sustainability Consultant | dbHMS
Mechanical Design and Build | Butters-Fetting
Electrical Design and Build | Roman Electric
Plumbing Design and Build | Total Mechanical
Fire Suppression Design and Build | JM Brennan
Structural Engineer | Forefront Structural Engineers
Mass Timber | Stora Enso and WIEHAG Holding GmbH
Facade Manufacturer | Reflection Window + Wall and RWW
Civil Engineer | Spaceco
Fire Engineer | ARUP
Landscape | HDLA
Property Management | Hines
Component Manufacturer | Capsule
Survey | JT Engineering
Acoustical Consultant | Rowan Williams Davies & Irwin Inc.
Geotechnical Engineer | Terracon
Environmental Consultant | True North
Real Estate + Investment Management | JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle)
QUICK FACTS
Wood is the best principal material available for building structures when considering total energy use, carbon emissions and water usage.
Mass timber construction utilizes large solid panels of wood engineered for strength through laminations of layers. Baker's Place is using Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels, which are layers of solid wood set at 90 degree orientations, they can range upwards of 64’0” x 8’0” (20m x 2.4m) and be of any thickness from a few inches to 16 inches or more.
These very large, very dense solid panels of wood are ideal for construction, meet or exceed all safety regulations, and provide a warm and healthy environment for living and working.
Construction begins for downtown’s next high rise, The Edison | BizTimes Milwaukee Business News 03.17.2025
Construction Underway at Neutral.Edison in Milwaukee | Neutral on LinkedIn 03.13.2025
📣📰🎉 Exciting News from Neutral.Edison in Milwaukee: Construction is officially underway!
WHAT WE'RE WATCHING 🏗️🌊👀 | The first phase focuses on repairing the dock wall between the site and the Milwaukee River, setting the stage for the construction to come.
WHY IT MATTERS 🌿👷🌲 | This marks the beginning of what will become the tallest mass timber residential building in the U.S., set to open in 2027. The 31-story mass timber hybrid structure is a commitment to financially responsible, sustainable living spaces for healthy lifestyles and vibrant communities in one of our most beloved cities.
LOOKING AHEAD 💚🌎🤝 | The world will be watching as we transform Milwaukee's skyline and redefine sustainable building and living, together.
Neutral.Edison Joins the Living Building Challenge | Neutral Blog 02.24.2025
📣📰 Neutral's Edison project is officially registered to pursue the Living Building Challenge (LBC) 4.0. Core certification - the world's most rigorous performance standard for buildings, pushing the boundaries of sustainable design and construction.
WHAT IT IS 🌿 | Achieving the Living Building Challenge is no small feat.
Pursuing LBC registration demonstrates a deep commitment to sustainability by creating positive environmental and social impacts.
The 31-story mass timber high-rise project will meet criteria across seven performance categories, or "Petals," including Place, Water, Energy, Health + Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty.
WHY IT MATTERS ✨ | The Living Building Challenge (LBC) registration is significant for several reasons:
• Pioneering Scale: Neutral.Edison will be among the world's tallest mass timber residential buildings and one of the largest LBC-certified residential developments.
• Sustainability Standards: LBC 4.0 Core certification is the world's most stringent performance standard for buildings, requiring projects to meet demanding criteria across seven Petals. Here's how it helped shape Neutral.Edison's design approach:
» Materials Petal: Ensures responsible sourcing and transparency in material selection, particularly for mass timber and FSC-certified wood.
» Energy Petal: Aims for net-positive energy by minimizing consumption and integrating renewables. This aligns with Neutral.Edison's pursuit of Passive House (PHIUS Core 2021) principles showcasing how high-rise buildings can be both sustainable and financially viable.
» Place Petal: Enhances surroundings through a 100-year lease for adjacent land, restoring the Milwaukee riverfront's native landscape.
THE BOTTOM LINE 🤩 | Neutral.Edison's commitment to LBC certification represents a significant step towards redefining high-rise residential design. It combines sustainability, innovation, and community benefits, demonstrating how large-scale projects can create positive environmental and social impacts.
Q&A: Executive talks about plans for 31-story apartment tower, The Edison, to be built in downtown Milwaukee | The Interview: Daniel Glaessl | BizTimes 02.24.2025
Title of Tallest Mass Timber Building Could Come Back to Milwaukee | ENR Midwest 01.22.2025
Neutral Secures $133.3 Million in Construction Financing for The Edison | Neutral Press Release 01.06.2025
Projects in Milwaukee and beyond booming in 2025 | The Daily Reporter 01.03.2025
Neutral secures $133.3 million for construction of downtown mass timber tower | Milwaukee Business Journal 01.06.2025
$133.3M in construction financing secured for The Edison in Milwaukee, WI | JLL News Release 01.07.2025
Neutral secures $133M financing for Milwaukee timber tower | The Daily Reporter 01.07.2025
Developer secures $133M for Milwaukee mass timber tower | Finance & Commerce 01.08.2025
With financing closed, construction on The Edison could start in spring | BizTimes 01.09.2025
Neutral Secures $133.3 Million in Construction Financing for the Edison in Milwaukee, WI | Yahoo!Finance 01.13.2025
Neutral Secures $133.3 Million in Construction Financing for the Edison in Milwaukee, WI | Access Newswire 01.13.2025
