South Shore School Districts Announce Collaborative Effort to Enhance Community Recreation Opportunities

For over a year, the School District of South Milwaukee has been leading a community recreation center committee to discuss if the community of South Milwaukee is interested in building a stand-alone Community Recreation Center, and if so, what it should include. The current fitness center and the walking track are open to the public during the day and that is not advisable with the current school safety guidelines. It also means that activities for seniors and young families cannot be held during school hours, as the schools are in use. The South Milwaukee School Board had a vision in 2022 that a stand-alone community center would allow for a space for students to gather after school, expand the offerings of our current recreation department, add a community pool, and provide some needed gym space for community groups to use. They started to set aside funds within Fund 80, the Community Service Fund, to plan ahead for a center. During the entire process, community members have shared over and over again what a loss it was to the community when the YMCA closed and asked a number of times about pursuing opening it again, as it was such a vital part of the community.

The building was not publicly for sale, but the current owner was starting the process of putting it on the market.  He contacted the School District of Cudahy in early September 2025 as it was important to him to return the facility to the community if possible. The preliminary agreement to purchase the facility would not have been possible by the School District of Cudahy alone, so they contacted the School District of South Milwaukee and the St. Francis School District to consider a possible collaboration.  Given the work the Community Recreation Center had been doing for almost a year at that point and the feedback from many community members about the impact of the loss of the former YMCA, it was decided to pursue a potential preliminary agreement to purchase.

The School District of Cudahy is in a very similar situation as South Milwaukee, as they recently had to make the very challenging decision to limit the use of the school facilities for recreation activities during the school day.  Cudahy is also in the process of consolidating schools due to declining enrollment, which is hard for any community.  Many Cudahy community members have also expressed concerns with the loss of the YMCA and the loss of local recreation options, especially for senior citizens.  While we all know Milwaukee County is planning on opening a senior center in South Milwaukee soon, the residents of Cudahy want more options during the day for the whole community to be active. Due to the recent school consolidations, the current buildings cannot meet the community’s recreation needs. This potential partnership will open up new opportunities for community members from all three communities. By working together, the Cudahy Rec Department will be able to offer more programs throughout the day, giving everyone more opportunities to stay active, connect with others, and enjoy all the great things our community has to offer.

The St. Francis School District, while fortunate to have a secure recreation area separate from its main school entrance, recognizes the tremendous value in regional collaboration. Although St. Francis will not participate in the potential purchase of the former YMCA facility, the district is eager to enter into an inter-agency agreement focused on shared programming, staffing, and operations as the project develops. This potential partnership will allow St. Francis students and residents to benefit from expanded recreation offerings while contributing staff expertise and program coordination to ensure the facility’s long-term success.

The property being considered is the former YMCA facility located at 3244 E. College Avenue in Cudahy. The building itself covers about 53,477 square feet and is situated on approximately 12.769 acres.

The opportunity to purchase the former YMCA facility arose this fall, and all three districts decided to pursue a creative, community-centered solution. The cost and funding restrictions would make this project impossible for any one district alone. By collaborating and sharing resources, these neighboring districts are working together to bring back a much-needed community hub for wellness, connection, and recreation.  The opportunity for shared resources and enhancing the programming that benefits these three communities is needed.

The current South Milwaukee fitness center and the walking track are open to the public during the school day which is not advisable with the current school safety guidelines. It also means that activities for seniors and young families cannot be held during school hours, as the schools are in use. These details led to the creation of the Community Recreation Center Committee which has identified that a dedicated community space would allow for safer schools and ultimately provide the community with additional programming which would enrich the community. The new facility would be a great space for students to gather after school, and enable the expansion of the programming from our recreation department, add a community pool, and provide some needed gym space for community groups to use.

Currently, the fitness center and walking track at the South Milwaukee High School are open to the public during the day, but this is not advisable due to current school safety guidelines. Because school buildings are in use, activities for seniors and young families cannot be held during school hours. We also struggle for gym space for our recreation activities, school sports, and community-sponsored groups. 

The proposed purchase price for the property is Four Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($4,900,000.00) as that was the asking price from the seller.  The districts have entered into a preliminary agreement to formally explore the option to purchase at the seller’s asking price.  The districts will use the next 90 days to do some due diligence prior to making a formal offer to purchase.

 Both districts are planning to use Fund 80, the Community Service Fund, which is the fund used for any recreation activities that are open to all the residents in a community.  Fund 10 is the fund used for anything related to instruction and facilities just for students in the school districts.  South Milwaukee has been setting aside funds in the Community Service Fund since 2022 to plan ahead for a center, long before the option to purchase the former YMCA with another school district became an option. The board will be reviewing different financing options for the remainder of the funds needed to potentially purchase and renovate the facility.  The School Boards of the School District of Cudahy and the School District of South Milwaukee will enter into a binding agreement to share the debt in the coming weeks.

On October 27, 2025, the School Boards of the School District of South Milwaukee and the School District of Cudahy approved motions to sign a preliminary agreement to pursue a formal offer to purchase the property. They have entered into a Preliminary Agreement with the Seller (Brookstone Real Estate, LLC) to negotiate terms and conditions and commit to working in good faith toward a final purchase agreement. A formal Offer to Purchase has not been made at this time.

Since the cost of purchasing the facility would potentially be split between two districts and the costs of operating it between three, the tax impact is predicted to be much lower than building a brand-new facility. The Community Recreation Center Committee presented a new construction option at last September’s Community Workshop which was projected to cost a total of $48 million and cost roughly $317 a year on a $220,000 home.  Although the exact staffing model is not solidified yet and renovations have yet to be determined, the purchasing and remodeling of this facility is projected to be a fraction of the cost of building a new Recreation Center; and those costs would be split between multiple districts. Preliminary predictions are that the average taxpayer in the community of South Milwaukee would see an increase of under $100 on the school district portion of their property taxes as a result of a standalone community recreation center at the proposed site.

The districts have a ninety (90) day Initial Due Diligence Period to complete detailed investigations and secure necessary approvals. This is critical to ensure the purchase makes sense for the community.

The Preliminary Agreement identifies 7 Due Diligence items which need to be addressed within 90 calendar days from the Effective Date (the date the Preliminary Agreement is signed):

1. Obtain an appraisal of the Property showing that the value of the Property is equal to or greater than the Purchase Price. The appraisal shall be paid for by the Districts. The Districts may select an appraiser of the Districts’ choice.
2. Complete necessary analysis and documentation to successfully acquire and operate a joint community services and recreation facility between South Milwaukee and Cudahy according to the terms and conditions determined by the Districts, in each District’s sole discretion. 
3. Obtain a title commitment (the "Title Commitment") for an ALTA Owner's Policy of Title Insurance to insure title to the Property in the amount of the Purchase Price issued by Knight Barry Title Company. The Title Commitment shall confirm the Property's legal description and that title is acceptable to the Districts' satisfaction to convey all Seller's interest free and clear of any encumbrance, including but not limited to any lease, tenant, or user interest. The Title Commitment shall commit the Title Company to insure title to the Property subject only to the permitted encumbrances acceptable to the Districts in each's sole discretion.
4. Complete environmental testing and general building inspection (including building service systems) at the Districts' sole cost and expense. The results of the environmental testing and the building inspection shall be acceptable to the Districts, in each District's sole discretion. 
5. Obtain confirmation from the City of Cudahy that the Districts' intended use of the Property is permitted without a zoning amendment or other burdensome approvals, to be determined in each District's sole discretion.
6. Obtain any governmental approvals necessary, to be determined by each District in each's sole discretion, for South Milwaukee and Cudahy to implement the intended use of the Property, including but not limited to approval from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and obtaining electorate authorization to designate a building site and purchase the Property as necessary for District purposes, as required by Wis. Stat. § 120.10(5) and Wis. Stat. § 120.10(5m). 
7. Develop a plan for adequate financing for the Districts' purchase and intended use of the Property, to be determined in accordance with all applicable laws and in each District's sole discretion. 

The Districts and the Seller will negotiate in good faith during the ninety-day initial period to create a future mutually agreeable purchase agreement. The closing would occur no later than thirty (30) calendar days after that final agreement is signed. It is important to note that this is just the beginning; there is still a long journey ahead before a potential final offer to purchase and any potential renovation can be completed.