MILWAUKEE — Work on the planned 31-story, 378-unit tower “Edison” mass-timber development in downtown Milwaukee has been halted due to reported cost increases related to tariffs and inflation.

A statement released Thursday, September 18, by the developer Neutral said the halt in work is a "prudent step" in the long run to "address cost pressures and optimize the project’s budget," according to the statement.

"Recent tariffs and broader inflation have materially increased key input hard costs," it said. "During this pause, Neutral is working with C.D. Smith Construction on a comprehensive cost-reduction and value-engineering process."

The Milwaukee Business Journal, which described the work area as a "construction site-turned-ghost town," reported that a dispute has emerged between Neutral and the project’s general contractor, Fond du Lac-based C.D. Smith. The business journal said that the contractor has not commented on the construction stoppage.

Neutral said their team will maintain the site and safeguard completed work during the construction pause. A timeline for a return to work has not been determined, according to news reports.

The Edison building is slated to become the largest mass timber building in North America, a title currently held by Neutral’s first Milwaukee timber high-rise, the 25-story Ascent. When completed, the new building will feature wooden components, including cross-laminated timber floor decks manufactured by Stora Enso and glulam beams and columns by WIEHAG. It is expected to consume over 100,000 cubic feet of lumber. The building will feature a hybrid system with a concrete base supporting the mass timber structure. In related news, the developers, Neutral, successfully conducted the world’s first three-hour fire resistance test on a mass timber assembly.