Milwaukee businessman Kalan Haywood reclaims his neighborhood

By Steve Waring Special to The Milwaukee Times Vangard Group LLC President Kalan R. Haywood, Sr., has spent all 40 years of his life in the Brewers Hill neighborhood. “When I was growing up they didn’t call it Brewers Hill. That may have been the official name, but it is certainly not the same place,” he said. “Ninety five percent of the people that lived here at one time don’t live here now, mostly because of gentrification.” Unlike many people, Haywood has the means and the will to reclaim part of his old neighborhood. Last March, his company in partnership with Horizon Construction LLC broke ground on the Ingram Place Apartments at 2120 N. Holton Ave. The $9-million, four-story, residential apartment building is scheduled to be completed in December. It will provide a total of 53 two-and threebedroom apartments, Haywood said. The apartment is named in honor of his grandmother Willie Mae Ingram, Haywood said. Growing up Haywood said his teachers told him he was academically gifted, but there was also a reckless side to him. By the time he was in high school, he didn’t focus much on a career as an adult. He did know however that he did not want to disappoint his grandmother and mother. He credits that duo with raising him, but it was a talk by a man named Tyrone Dumas