Deer District Affordable Apartments Development Breaks Ground

New 269-unit complex with MATC athletic facility overcomes financing delays to start construction.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 10:04am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A miniature, stylized 3D digital illustration depicting the modern architecture and layout of the new Fieldhouse Flats affordable apartment complex, with a connected MATC athletic facility, all floating on a clean pastel background and using bold colors and dramatic lighting to convey the development's community-focused design.A new affordable housing development in Milwaukee's Deer District will bring 269 below-market-rate apartments and a new MATC athletic facility to the rapidly evolving neighborhood.Today in Milwaukee

After overcoming financing challenges tied to inflated construction costs and higher interest rates, a $117 million affordable apartment development called Fieldhouse Flats is set to begin construction in Milwaukee's Deer District. The project, a joint venture between the Milwaukee Bucks and J. Jeffers & Co., will feature 269 units with below-market rents for residents earning 50-80% of the area's median income, as well as a new Milwaukee Area Technical College athletic facility.

Why it matters

The Fieldhouse Flats development aims to bring much-needed affordable housing options to the rapidly growing Deer District neighborhood, which has seen significant new investment and development in recent years. The project's inclusion of a new MATC facility also highlights the potential for public-private partnerships to deliver community benefits alongside private real estate projects.

The details

Work on Fieldhouse Flats will begin the week of April 6 after the developers closed on their financing package on March 30. The $117 million development will feature apartments ranging from studios to two-bedrooms, with rents set at below-market rates for residents earning 50-80% of Milwaukee County's median income. The project is being financed in part through a $6.8 million tax incremental financing district approved by the city. The MATC athletic facility is slated for completion by July 2027, with the first 60 apartments ready by fall 2027 and the remaining units finished by March 2028.

  • Construction will begin the week of April 6, 2026.
  • The MATC athletic facility is scheduled for completion by July 2027.
  • The first 60 apartments will be ready by fall 2027.
  • The remaining 209 apartments will be completed by March 2028.

The players

Milwaukee Bucks

The professional basketball team that is a co-developer of the Fieldhouse Flats project.

J. Jeffers & Co.

The real estate development firm that is partnering with the Milwaukee Bucks on the Fieldhouse Flats project.

Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC)

The public technical college that will be constructing a new athletic facility as part of the Fieldhouse Flats development.

Cavalier Johnson

The mayor of Milwaukee who approved the tax incremental financing district that is providing $6.8 million in funding for the project.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The $117 million development is being done by the Bucks and J. Jeffers & Co.”

— Michael Belot, Milwaukee Bucks Senior Vice President of Business Operations and Chief Real Estate Development Officer

“The average monthly rent will initially be $1,059, compared to $2,189 when Fieldhouse Flats was planned as a market rate development.”

— J. Jeffers, Developer

What’s next

The developers hope to close financing in June to convert the historic Mitchell Building in downtown Milwaukee from offices into 60 additional apartments.

The takeaway

The Fieldhouse Flats development represents a public-private partnership that is bringing much-needed affordable housing options to Milwaukee's rapidly evolving Deer District neighborhood, while also delivering community benefits through the inclusion of a new MATC athletic facility.