After months of complaints from tenants, management at the Fifth Street School senior apartments has started rolling out a slate of safety and maintenance fixes. Residents say the changes, from added staff to new systems, only partly address long-standing problems in the Harambee building, and this week many are keeping a close eye on whether the improvements last.
Management Says It Has Acted
According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Gorman and Company told tenants it has hired a security guard at Fifth Street School Apartments, added a custodian to clean stairs and shared spaces, centralized the resident complaint system to better log and track calls, and expanded camera review. The company also told the paper it will aim to return resident calls within 48 hours and has set aside funds to upgrade entryway locks. Ted Matkom, Gorman's Wisconsin market president, told the paper he was "shocked and dismayed" by some tenant accounts and described the steps as part of a broader push to improve conditions.
Building History And Why It Matters
The former school at 2770 N. 5th St. was first erected in 1888 and later converted into affordable senior housing in an adaptive reuse project. As noted by Urban Milwaukee, the redevelopment created 48 units while preserving the building's historic fabric, a combination that tenants say can complicate sight lines and security in common areas. That history helps explain why residents keep stressing basics like sturdier locks and more vigilant camera review.
Residents Remain Split On Progress
Some tenants say the new measures are a real step forward. Margaret Calvin told Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that "they have done what they said they were going to do," crediting management for following through so far. Other long-term residents, though, say security is still hit or miss and that non tenants continue to show up in hallways. Management organized a building meeting to hear tenants' concerns, and residents say the real test will be whether patrols, lock upgrades, and response times hold up over the coming months.
What To Watch
Tenants and advocates say they will be watching for a steady and visible security presence, completed lock upgrades, and dependable follow up on complaints. Gorman's assurances mark a public first step, but lasting improvement will likely hinge on consistent enforcement, clear lines of accountability, and coordination with city services and tenant advocates. We will update this developing story if there are new filings, statements, or city action.
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