An apartment development that targets people who don't own cars is proceeding on Milwaukee's east side after winning city approvals.

The four-story building with up to 56 units, planned for the 1500 block of East North Avenue, will provide a relatively small number of parking spaces for its residents.

It will take advantage of its location near Milwaukee County Transit System bus stops, a ZipCar car sharing service, a Bublr Bikes share station — and provide two battery-powered Tesla cars for residents to rent on a short-term basis.

The developers have completed their purchase of the last remaining property at the project site after receiving variances and a special-use permit from the Milwaukee Board of Zoning Appeals. The project also has been approved by the East Side Architectural Review Board.

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Developers Ryan Pattee and Shar Borg plan to begin demolition and other site preparation work next week, with completion of the apartments and street-level commercial space, including a UW Credit Union branch, by spring 2024.

The $14 million development isn't providing an underground parking structure because the costs of adding that feature would require the monthly rents, tentatively set at around $1,000, to be higher.

It will include 19 private on-site parking spaces, 11 public spaces on the street and 20 parking spaces available at night at the neighboring Small Animal Hospital, 2340 N Newhall St.

Also, the credit union will have its own 21-space parking lot.

The reduced number of parking spaces, and focus on other forms of transportation, is part of a growing national trend encouraged by city planners in Milwaukee and other communities.

“Urban housing should be cost effective and convenient." Borg said.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee apartments targeting people without cars is proceeding