M&R Development to build more apartments in St. Francis

  |     |   M&R Development, The Bluffs on Lake

M&R Development to build more apartments in St. Francis
By: Ethan Duran

THE BLUEPRINT:

  • The Bluffs on Lake will bring 278 new apartments to St. Francis.
  • Features include lakefront views, infinity-edge pool and Zen Garden.
  • Groundbreaking marks M&R Development‘s fourth Wisconsin project in five years.
  • Completion expected in late 2026 with pre-leasing starting that fall.

A housing developer announced it will build  278 apartments on Lake Michigan south of Milwaukee. This will be the firm’s second apartment complex built in St. Francis.

M&R Development, a company with properties spanning between Chicago and Madison, announced it is co-developing The Bluffs on Lake with Campbell Capital Group, LLC. Both firms worked on 42 Hundred on the Lake, a 236-unit luxury rental building south of The Bluffs site. The first project opened in 2021.

Madison-based Stevens Construction Corp. will serve as general contractor and Poole & Poole Architecture designed the building, developers said. RMK Management Corp. will oversee leasing and property management.

The project will be located on a 21-acre site at 3700 S. Lake Dr. and will be made up of studio, convertible, apartments and one-, two- and three-bedroom units across a four- and five- story building, developers said. Included is an underground car park and 8,000 square feet for first-floor retail space, some of which will be reserved for a restaurant with outdoor seating.

The project is expected to be completed in late 2026 and pre-leasing will start in that fall.

The Bluffs will feature a “robust business center” with seating areas, private booths, conference rooms and communal meeting spaces to accommodate those working from home at least part time, developers said. The project will also offer a meditation room and a Zen Garden for stress reduction.

Indoor amenities include a two-story clubhouse with an entertainment lounge with kitchen and large dining table, a 24-hour coffee bar, game room with billiards and shuffleboard tables, a pet spa and more. The project will also have vending and ice machines and an area for food delivery.

The Bluffs will have a two-level fitness center, bike storage and complimentary bikes for residents to check out, developers said. Outdoor amenities include an infinity-edge pool overlooking Lake Michigan, tranquility garden, grilling stations, lounge seating and a bocce ball court. There will also be a large outdoor dog park.

The underground parking garage will include 248 parking stalls, 12 of which will be electric vehicle charging stations, developers said. The project will also have 183 surface parking stalls and 98 retail parking spaces.

“Our first St. Francis community ushered in a new era of luxury rental living in this area and leased up in record time,” said Anthony Rossi, Jr., executive vice president of M&R Development, in a statement.

“Four years later, we find renter demand has only increased for apartments that offer a desirable lakefront location, stylish residences and a full suite of amenities that allow them to live, work and play from home.”

This is the fourth project in five years M&R Development has broken ground on in Wisconsin, Rossi said. The proximity to the airport, employment centers, Interstate 94 and the Illinois border make south of Milwaukee an attractive area to build, developers added.

The firm’s recent Wisconsin projects include 2929 on Mayfair in Wauwatosa and Elevate Apartments in Madison.

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