Architect transforms historic Lodi school into senior housing and condominiums

The Brief:

• A Middleton architect is converting a vacant Lodi school into 50 senior living units and 62 additional housing units
  
  
• The former school has been empty since 2017 due to structural issues and hazardous materials
  
  
• The project addresses a critical housing shortage in southern Wisconsin, particularly for seniors

LODI, Wis. — A Middleton architect with a passion for small-town Wisconsin is breathing new life into a historic Lodi property that has sat vacant for nearly a decade.

Steve Shulfer, a partner at Sketchworks Architecture in Middleton, is transforming the former Lodi school into "Primary Terrace," a mixed-use development that will provide much-needed housing for the community. The project includes 50 units of independent senior living, 13 townhome condominiums, and 49 apartment units.

The school has been empty since 2017 due to structural issues and hazardous materials, leaving the historic property in desperate need of renovation. Shulfer`s connection to Lodi runs deep, spanning 25 years of recreational visits to the area...