{"id":24433,"date":"2025-03-19T11:26:37","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T01:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=24433"},"modified":"2025-03-19T11:26:53","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T01:26:53","slug":"new-31-story-timber-skyscraper-breaks-ground-in-downtown-milwaukee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/new-31-story-timber-skyscraper-breaks-ground-in-downtown-milwaukee\/","title":{"rendered":"New 31-Story Timber Skyscraper Breaks Ground in Downtown Milwaukee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The day has finally arrived! After months of delays, construction on The Edison – a 31-story skyscraper set to be North America’s tallest mass timber tower – has finally kicked off in downtown Milwaukee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wood Central understands that crews from C.D. Smith Construction and developer Neutral last week commenced preparation works on the build – which will use 100,000 cubic feet of lumber in the cross-laminated timber panels and glulam beams over an 8-story post-tensioned concrete base, with the 378-unit development to tower over the 25-story Ascent – which was in 2022 certified as the world’s tallest timber tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Neutral and C.D. Smith, the first phase of work will see crews focus on repairing the dock wall between the site and Milwaukee River, with groundworks on the tower to begin in the coming weeks. It comes weeks after Neutral “found a more efficient parking layout” that kept the same number of spaces while reducing the height of the parking structure within the building, according to Daniel Glassl<\/a><\/em>, Neutral’s Chief Product Officer, who said the Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture-designed skyscraper would be a short hop, skip, and jump\u00a0from a 50-story timber tower (slated to be the tallest in the world) also developed by Neutral.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Neutral Project has proposed the world’s tallest (50-story) mass timber building and the tallest building in Wisconsin to be built behind the 31-story Edison on the banks of the Milwaukee River. (Photo Credit: Renders provided by The Neutral Project)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Why Milwaukee? North America’s new hub for timber skyscrapers<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

In August<\/a><\/em>, Michael Green, the architect behind the 50-story mass timber building, said that Milkwaukee was part of a growing number of “secondary cities” leading the way in sustainable development. According to Green, city officials are “on board” with sustainable-centric design \u2013 adding that smaller cities, like Milwaukee, have a unique opportunity to create sustainable models for larger urban centres to follow \u2013 with larger cities, like Chicago, less willing to experiment with materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“It is ambitious projects like THESE that show how smaller cities are now poised to surpass the once-dominant capitals that shaped our skylines a century ago. Milwaukee’s progressive leaders are embracing a future-oriented vision, encouraging development and innovation. Secondary cities across America are proving what’s possible. It’s time we all listen.”<\/em><\/p>\nMichael Green talking\u00a0<\/a>about the 50-story timber project now approved by the Milwaukee city officals.<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The 31-story skyscraper to rise over the banks of a historic timber yard.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Developed on the banks of the Milwaukee River, The Edison will quite appropriately be built on the grounds where a historic timber yard once stood: “We, along with the Neutral Project, are looking to make this ambitious project the proof of concept for mass timber construction in the US,” according to documents submitted by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture to the city earlier this year, before adding that the use of mass timber parts will reduce embodied carbon emissions by up to 70% compared to traditional materials.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The United States\u2019 tallest mass timber building will be located on the banks of the Milwaukee River, sparking a timber building surge across the American Midwest. (Renders courtesy of Hartshorne Plunkard Architects)
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According to Mr Glaessi, mass timber is part of Neutral’s mission to construct carbon-neutral buildings. At its completion, the building will be one of the world’s tallest mass timber hybrid structures, utilising nearly 100,000 cubic feet of lumber.” Wood Central understands that Edison will also set a new, ultra-high standard in green housing, including Passive House principles, a high-performance building standard administered by Phius (Passive House Institute of the US).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent months, mass timber-based construction systems have been embraced as a preferred method for mixed-use and residential projects\u2014especially in the 12-18-story sweet spot<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a CBS report in March, tall timber buildings are now becoming mainstream across the United States<\/a><\/em> \u2013 with demand for timber buildings, including the American Midwest, expected to surge 25-fold over the next 50 years<\/a><\/em>. That’s because they are lighter, more sustainable, and faster to construct than conventional steel and concrete systems.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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According to research, the United States demand for mass timber is expected to grow between 452 million cubic metres to 750 million cubic metres over the 50-year projected period, with “the greatest adoption rates projected for the seven-stories and higher,” fuelled by a surge in new buildings in the South (43%), followed by the West (23%), the Midwest (21%) and the Northeast (13%).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From the groundbreaking, the new building is expected to top out in early 2028 after a 30-month construction period. Mr Glaessi said the building will also fill the city’s housing market void: “[Milwaukee] is a very innovation-friendly city, and the market conditions are very good,” adding that, “in other parts of the country, it’s hard to develop without speaking of sustainable development.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n