Milwaukee Suburban Development News

[mgk920]

Originally Posted by MilwaukeeMax

if i remember correctly, the US Bank building has almost exactly dead-on-the-money 1 million square feet... it's a little bit over, if i recall. so, i guess think of a building with 1/4 the office space of the US Bank building. that doesn't mean it would necessarily be 1/4 the size, as it could very well be a mixed-use development with condos/apartments, a hotel, retail and parking levels built in. i guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Not 'suburban' by any means, but I can see that block where that looping westbound on-ramp was at in the pre-rebuild Marquette Interchange being the absolute ideal location of a signature tall building. What, if anything, is currently planned for that now-vacant block?

Mike

[Jesse276]

Originally Posted by looksee

Rather than demonstrating any knowledge or insights about Madison, about which you clearly have next to none, you're simply putting some personal resentments on parade. And if you didn't want any mention of crime in Madison or Milwaukee in this thread, you shouldn't have been the one to have raised the subject in the first place. I'm more than happy to move on without any further demonstration of the "mentality" this topic seems to arouse in you.

Of course, because I point out a not so pleasant aspect of Madison, I must not know what I'm talking about. Keep hiding in the sand or dispute the facts, either way start another thread if you must stroke your ego, don't clutter up this thread with your nonsense.

[MilwaukeeMax]

Originally Posted by mgk920

I was in the Milwaukee area a couple of weeks ago and while vegging out at a local Subway, I had a chance to compare the (very good, BTW) local street maps in the just-issued AT&T 'book' with those in last year's issue (I have a thing for urban planning issues, if anyone in here hasn't noticed). I did not notice very many changes of any real consequence - with one fairly big exception. It looked to me like a significant amount of land area was severed from Pewaukee (the township - and *NO*, I will NOT glorify that dysfunctional mess by referring to it as being a 'City') and annexed into the City of Waukesha.

Is that true and if so, what were the major issues and timeline surrounding that change?

Also, IMHO, all of Pewaukee Township should be split between the City of Waukesha and Village of Pewaukee, with the line being drawn right down the middle of I-94 (keeping the GE property in Waukesha).

Mike

the last I heard was that the "city" of pewaukee and the village of pewaukee were studying the possibility of merging together...

http://www.sewrpc.org/pewaukee-merger/

[Milwaukee, WY]

Originally Posted by mgk920

It looked to me like a significant amount of land area was severed from Pewaukee (the township - and *NO*, I will NOT glorify that dysfunctional mess by referring to it as being a 'City') and annexed into the City of Waukesha.

Ha ha ha! Too funny!

Also, IMHO, all of Pewaukee Township should be split between the City of Waukesha and Village of Pewaukee, with the line being drawn right down the middle of I-94 (keeping the GE property in Waukesha).

Sounds good to me. I have family in the area, and it really needs to happen this way. Services are a disaster out there.

[embora]

Originally Posted by mgk920

I was in the Milwaukee area a couple of weeks ago and while vegging out at a local Subway, I had a chance to compare the (very good, BTW) local street maps in the just-issued AT&T 'book' with those in last year's issue (I have a thing for urban planning issues, if anyone in here hasn't noticed). I did not notice very many changes of any real consequence - with one fairly big exception. It looked to me like a significant amount of land area was severed from Pewaukee (the township - and *NO*, I will NOT glorify that dysfunctional mess by referring to it as being a 'City') and annexed into the City of Waukesha.

Is that true and if so, what were the major issues and timeline surrounding that change?

I'll be in town over the holidays, and if I see my relatives who live in the area that was transfered, I'll ask them, and report back. I know they've told me the reason before, but I forgot what they said.

[skylinedude]

With the new decade beginning soon, which suburban areas will see population growth in next ten years? One area that I think will see a lot of growth will be the "Highway 60 Corridor". The area between Grafton and Hartford in the last 10 years has been in transition from an area with 50 acre farm fields to a mix of preserved natural spaces, residential and commercial areas. One sign of continued growth is road improvements. Highway 60 will be widened to a 4 lane divided highway from US 41 in Slinger to US 45 in Jackson through the Town of Polk. Also plans for a roundabout or traffic signals at Highway 60 and County Highway G (Division Road) near Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School are in the works. When you have projects that involve traffic signals, road improvements and safety controls, the area is in transition from rural to suburban.
This happened a lot along and in the surrounding areas of Highway 167 in Mequon and Germantown over the last decade. Many roadways were rebuilt, turn lanes were added at intersections and traffic signals were added as well.

Another suburban area that is also going through a similar transition is along Highway 83 between Delafield and Mukwonago. Plans are in the works to widen most of the remaining 2 lane sections south of I-94 from Delafield to Mukwonago except through Genesee Depot. The majority of the growth there has been residential in last decade though commercial development and civic projects will be a large part of it in the next decade. The area around North Prairie to Mukwonago and Eagle will be in need of a medical center, a regional fire department similar to the Lake Country Fire/Rescue, and more public parks space.

What other suburban areas will see population growth in the next decade?

[=dba=Ronin]

Originally Posted by skylinedude

With the new decade beginning soon, which suburban areas will see population growth in next ten years? One area that I think will see a lot of growth will be the "Highway 60 Corridor". The area between Grafton and Hartford in the last 10 years has been in transition from an area with 50 acre farm fields to a mix of preserved natural spaces, residential and commercial areas.

While I do agree this area will see some growth, I don't suspect it will be all too dramatic. Unlike a lot of other communities not so far from the likes of Slinger, Hartford, and Grafton, the communities that make up this "corridor" are too spread out and rural for any type of dramatic growth to occur (with the exception of Cedarburg and Grafton perhaps). The widening of 60 will be nice, not that I get to use it much, but it is needed and would be interesting to see what spurs from it. All of these communities were experiencing rapid growth prior to the economic downturn, but they were pretty localized for the most part. Of the thousands of residents added to Hartford over the last decade, I will say that the city did a piss poor job of planning for them. They kept approving all these new subdivisions and saw the population continue to grow year to year, but did very little to nothing to improve any of the roads, schools, or other infrastructure in the area...and it hasn't spawned shit for development in the city either. I still can't buy a bucket of chicken in this shithole.

If the area is destined to keep growing, I just hope it is done right. At least they have enough sense in Jackson to put in roundabouts...so I guess there is some hope.

[embora]

Originally Posted by embora

I'll be in town over the holidays, and if I see my relatives who live in the area that was transfered, I'll ask them, and report back. I know they've told me the reason before, but I forgot what they said.

The following is according to my relatives who live in that area: The Town of Pewaukee wanted to incorporate to avoid being annexed to Waukesha and perhaps other cities. But to incorporate, they needed permission of adjacent cities, in this case Brookfield and Waukesha. Broofield did not object, but Waukesha did. The transfer of land to Waukesha was what allowed Waukesha to agree to the incorporation.

This explanation raises some questions in my mind about the relationship between cities, villages and towns in WI (assuming my relatives' answer was 100% complete and accurate). Such as: is there a difference between villages and cities in WI, whereby the Village Pewaukee was not required to give permission, but Brookfield and Waukesha were? Also, do WI cities have "spheres of influence" that amount to an area that will likely be annexed at a future time? If so, perhaps the portion of the former Town of Pewaukee that was acquired by Waukesha was in their Sphere of Influence.

Happy New Years

[mgk920]

Originally Posted by embora

The following is according to my relatives who live in that area: The Town of Pewaukee wanted to incorporate to avoid being annexed to Waukesha and perhaps other cities. But to incorporate, they needed permission of adjacent cities, in this case Brookfield and Waukesha. Broofield did not object, but Waukesha did. The transfer of land to Waukesha was what allowed Waukesha to agree to the incorporation.

This explanation raises some questions in my mind about the relationship between cities, villages and towns in WI (assuming my relatives' answer was 100% complete and accurate). Such as: is there a difference between villages and cities in WI, whereby the Village Pewaukee was not required to give permission, but Brookfield and Waukesha were? Also, do WI cities have "spheres of influence" that amount to an area that will likely be annexed at a future time? If so, perhaps the portion of the former Town of Pewaukee that was acquired by Waukesha was in their Sphere of Influence.

Happy New Years

In Wisconsin, a 'village' is, IMHO, just another class of a city. Cities come in four 'classes', mainly based on population, and villages can be thought of as 'cities of the fifth class'. My guess on why the Village of Pewaukee didn't object was that back then, there were already strong indications that the two are on a long-term track to merge. Still, though, what Waukesha got from the township here looks to be almost exactly what they were looking to get from the township all along and where the lines are drawn will definitely make governing that area far, far easier than it was in the township days.

MANY cities and villages in Wisconsin include sections in their comprehensive plans that cover long-range planning for areas that the cities and villages consider to be likely to be annexed to them within the time frames covered by the plans. There are also 'extra-territorial' zoning and subdivision controls that cities and villages can exercise for certain distances into adjacent unincorporated township areas.

Anyways, as it stands, local government in Wisconsin is a severely balkanized mess and serious top-to-bottom reforms are badly needed - with my hometown area being the ultimate 'poster child' of that.

Mike

[HaletotheZoo]

I think with the acquisition of Lake Michigan water, New Berlin may reach 45-50,000 by 2020.

[skylinedude]

Costco proposes store in Pewaukee

By Joe Taschler of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Jan. 12, 2010 12:24 p.m.

Retailer Costco Wholesale Corp. wants to open its second Milwaukee-area location, this one in the Village of Pewaukee, officials said Tuesday.

The store would be built northwest of the intersection of Highway 164 and Capitol Drive and north of an existing Wal-Mart store, according to documents filed with the village. Highway 164 is also known as Pewaukee Road where the Costco is proposed.

The village Plan Commission is set to review the initial site plan for the 148,525-square-foot store on Thursday.

Costco, a members-only warehouse retail store, has a location in Grafton at Highway 60 and I-43. It also has a store in Middleton.

The approximately 20-acre site where Costco is proposing to build in Pewaukee would need to be rezoned to accommodate a retail business. It is now zoned for offices.

The village land use plan, which also calls for office use at that spot, would also need to be changed.

The proposed Costco site already has median cuts in place and infrastructure for traffic signals, which would be installed as part of the plan.

"I think it's a good location" for a Costco, said Village President Jeff Knutson.

Knutson said he didn't foresee any problems with the approval process.

"I think it will become a destination" for shoppers around the region, he said.

The intersection of Highway 164 and Capitol Drive sees slightly more than 20,000 vehicles a day on average, according to the state Department of Transportation. The intersection is about three miles north of I-94.

Performance is strong

Costco is continuing to perform well despite a pullback in consumer spending, said John Melaniphy, a real estate economist and market analyst who is founder and owner of Melaniphy & Associates, a Chicago retail consulting firm.

"They're very good at what they do," Melaniphy said.

The company follows a roadmap of measured growth, he said.

"They haven't run out and built a thousand stores. I think they build 14 or 15 stores a year," Melaniphy said.

Based in Issaquah, Wash., Costco operates 566 warehouse stores. Of those, 413 are in the United States and Puerto Rico; 77 in Canada, 21 in the United Kingdom; seven in Korea; six in Taiwan; nine in Japan; 32 in Mexico and one in Australia.

Costco has 60 million people who are "card-carrying members" of the warehouse club, according to the company's fiscal 2009 annual report.

Annual membership fees for Costco start at $50, according to the company's Web site.

Bullish outlook

"With respect to valuation, we remain decidedly bullish on the longer-term outlook for Costco given the value creation driven by its growing stream of membership fee income, which accounts for over 85% of the company's operating income," said a Jan. 7 research report from analyst Peter Benedict at Robert W. Baird.

Costco plans to open 16 to 18 new warehouse stores in 2010, according to the annual report.

[perilouspete]

By Tom Kertscher of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Jan. 18, 2010 3:56 p.m.

Glendale — A kickoff event for developing a master plan for a "greenway" along the Milwaukee River is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Hilton Milwaukee River, 4700 N. Port Washington Road.

The aim of the master plan will be to link public and private land in Milwaukee, Shorewood and Glendale to create a recreation and wildlife corridor on both sides of the river, according to an announcement by the Village of Shorewood.

The announcement says that the Milwaukee River Work Group's event will review improvements to the river and give an overview of the master plan process.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/81990652.html

[EastSider]

Von Maur possible for Brookfield Square



A new expansion plan for Brookfield Square mall would add a wing at the southwest edge of the center, including a Von Maur department store.

Jim von Maur, president of the upscale, Iowa-based department store chain, said he received a call last week from CBL & Associates Properties Inc., the mall's owner, about the new plan.

"It's certainly a center that we'd like to be a part of, but we're in discussions with other centers as well," von Maur said.

The plan, which was posted on a CBL Web site, is still conceptual, said Katie Reinsmidt, spokeswoman for CBL, which is based in Chattanooga.

"We always look for ways to improve our properties," Reinsmidt said. "We generally haven't put things on the Web site until they're further along."

The plan has not been submitted to the City of Brookfield for consideration, said Dan Ertl, director of development. CBL has not given the city any indication that there will be any expansion in the near future, Ertl said.

Von Maur, which is family-owned and headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, has made no secret of its desire to put a store in the Milwaukee area. Two area malls, Brookfield Square and Bayshore Town Center, in the past have confirmed longstanding rumors involving the possibility that an exit or relocation of the Sears stores in those centers would make way for a more upscale department store tenant.

But Sears has not indicated any intention of making changes at either of those centers.

The new Brookfield Square plan would allow the Sears store to remain in place.

The new wing would add 248,000 square feet of retail space, including 150,000 square feet for the proposed Von Maur store. The rest of the space would house 22 specialty stores. It would join the center at an angle, on the west wall of the Sears building, and bring the total square footage for the mall to 1.2 million. Including the stores and restaurants along the periphery of the mall parking lot, the total square footage would be 1.3 million.

The plan also calls for a three-level parking deck to be built to the west of Boston Store.

Von Maur has been described as the "Nordstrom of the Midwest." Von Maur stores sell fashion apparel and accessories in a format similar to Nordstrom, including a grand piano at the center of the store, played by a gentleman in a tuxedo.

Like Nordstrom, Von Maur does not sell home goods - no linens, no tableware, no kitchen equipment. Store size ranges from 42,000 square feet in smaller cities to 203,000 square feet in areas with larger populations. The company has 25 stores in 10 Midwestern states surrounding, but not in, Wisconsin. The closest Von Maur store to Milwaukee is in Glenview, Ill., at the Glen Town Center.

The company has been trying for more than 10 years to find a location in the Milwaukee area. In the past, von Maur and others in the retail industry have said that his efforts to get into local malls have been blocked by other department stores that have veto rights on new tenants.

Von Maur said, despite the recession, that he is ready to expand his chain with a store in the Milwaukee area.

"We're doing quite well," von Maur said. "If we could find a location in Milwaukee today, we would build it."

[Jesse276]

If the expansion of Brookfield Square gets built, this will be the last nail in the coffin for a mall or lifestyle center at Pabst Farms.

[D-res]

Originally Posted by Jesse276

If the expansion of Brookfield Square gets built, this will be the last nail in the coffin for a mall or lifestyle center at Pabst Farms.

Not that that is a bad thing, as Pabst Farms was far too ambitious to begin with. Maybe that area can look forward to a mall in fifty years, if the economy paradoxically stays afloat that long and growth continues like we've seen in the past fifty.

In other words, they should give up.

[Jesse276]

Originally Posted by D-res

Not that that is a bad thing, as Pabst Farms was far too ambitious to begin with. Maybe that area can look forward to a mall in fifty years, if the economy paradoxically stays afloat that long and growth continues like we've seen in the past fifty.

In other words, they should give up.

Yeah, I'm not complaining, it seems like Pabst Farms will become an overgrown strip mall, more a power center than anything...

[Jschmuck]

Bass Pro Shops, a retail chain known for operating large, elaborately furnished stores the sell outdoor gear and clothing, is considering Menomonee Falls as a site for its first Wisconsin operation.

A real estate industry source, who spoke only on the condition that he not be identified, said Springfield, Mo.-based Bass Pro is the 130,000-square-foot "destination retailer" that Menomonee Falls officials are hoping will anchor a proposed development at Highway 45 and Pilgrim Road.


the rest here http://www.jsonline.com/business/82214597.html

[Milwaukee, WY]

Originally Posted by Jschmuck

Bass Pro Shops, a retail chain known for operating large, elaborately furnished stores the sell outdoor gear and clothing, is considering Menomonee Falls as a site for its first Wisconsin operation.

A real estate industry source, who spoke only on the condition that he not be identified, said Springfield, Mo.-based Bass Pro is the 130,000-square-foot "destination retailer" that Menomonee Falls officials are hoping will anchor a proposed development at Highway 45 and Pilgrim Road.


the rest here http://www.jsonline.com/business/82214597.html

This excites me. It would be nice if we could get these types of places closer in to the city though. On the other hand, most of the likely customers will be affluent suburban types anyway, and I suppose it is closer than Cabelas, so I'll take it in Meno Falls.

[Jschmuck]

Jan. 21, 2010 11:28 a.m. | An area development firm wants to build over 200 housing units, along with retail space, on a 185-acre site in Germantown.

Hartland-based Northern States Development Group LLC has submitted its conceptual plan to the Village Board, which gave the proposal an initial review this week. The site is east of Highway 45-41 and north of Highway 167/Holy Hill Road.


the rest here http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/82264887.html

[Paule]

Big news for Racine!!

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/82554187.html

Racine — Thousands of employees, their families and other guests are getting their first look at a new architectural showpiece on the campus of SC Johnson and Son in Racine.

Fortaleza Hall opens officially on Monday. It includes displays and memorabilia of the 124-year-old household product maker's history, a Frank Lloyd Wright Library and Reading Room, and a commons area for employee dining, a company store, bank, fitness center and other facilities.