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The end of summer is near, but Alterra Coffee Roasters Inc. still hasn't opened up shop in the Historic River Flushing Station at 1701 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive., across from the McKinley Marina.
The Milwaukee coffee company had planned to start its lease there in august to take full advantage of business generated by the summertime pedestrian traffic along the lakefront.
However, several changes to Alterra's initial plans, combined with extended lease negotiations with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), which owns the building, have forced Alterra to wait until next spring to open the lakefront cafe, said MMSD spokesman Mark Kass.
In April, Alterra beat the Seattle coffee giant Starbuck's Coffee Co. and a private individual, Alfred Holtz, for the bid to transform the vacant upper floor of the 1888 cream city brick building into a commercial venue for the first time.
MMSD picked Alterra based on the company's plans to showcase some of the building's unique features, including a powerful water pump that is still used as it was...