The Ho-Chunk Nation is looking to turn its Milwaukee branch site into something much bigger, stacking housing, cultural space and community services into a single three-story, $16 million complex on the city’s south side.
The project would replace the tribe’s current one-story Milwaukee branch office and community space with a mixed-use building designed to keep cultural programming and housing under the same roof. Tribal leaders say the new space is meant to serve both Ho-Chunk members and qualifying members of the general public.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the plan calls for a three-story building at 3501 S. Howell Ave on a half-acre site, with roughly $16 million in development costs. About 40 one- and two-bedroom apartments would occupy the upper floors, while the ground floor would feature a library highlighting Indigenous authors and a demonstration kitchen. The tribe hopes to open the building in late 2027, with apartments available to Ho-Chunk tribal members along with qualifying members of the general public.
Collin Price, managing partner of Revel49, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the current center "has been functional, but it's just not an efficient space." He added that the tribe would re-examine the plan if financing does not come together, and that the project is expected to provide construction opportunities for Indigenous contractors if it moves forward.
The financing puzzle is already in motion. In records from the WHEDA, the proposal appears on the agency's federal housing tax credit concept determinations list under the entry "HO-CHUNK NATION HOWELL AVE." That listing shows 24 units and a federal credit amount of $524,400, indicating the project has entered the 9% tax credit pipeline and that financing will ultimately decide whether the building gets built.
Design and cultural spaces
The Ho-Chunk Nation is not pitching a standard apartment building. As outlined by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the ground level would include dedicated rooms for beading, basketmaking and tanning hides. Plans also call for a rooftop firepit meant for ceremonies, including burning written prayer messages.
The development’s public spaces would extend to a library focused on Indigenous authors and a demonstration kitchen set up to support cultural programming. Designers are also proposing green systems, including a highly efficient HVAC setup that is intended to recycle warm air.
Developers and partners
Revel49 is listed as the local developer on the proposal, with managing partner Collin Price identified on his LinkedIn profile. The firm’s regional work has included other housing proposals covered by WPR. The tribe has said the Howell Avenue project would create opportunities for Indigenous contractors if it proceeds.
For now, the next steps hinge on money. The tribe’s application is in the WHEDA pipeline, and the development will move ahead only if the tax credits and other funding fall into place. The site at 3501 S. Howell Ave already serves as the nation’s Milwaukee branch office, according to the Ho-Chunk Nation, and neighbors can expect updates if and when the tax credit process advances.
