Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee - Regular Meeting

I will begin by calling the vote. Commissioner Allison Bennett, here. Commissioner Katrina Crane? Present. Commissioner Willie Smith?

Commissioner Renell Washington? Present. Commissioner Tariq Moody? Present. Commissioner Jesus Gonzalez? Present. Okay. Thank you very much. The first item of business is to review well, actually, first of all, Ms. Fonseca, would you like to review the rules and directions Thank for the

you, Chair. Today's City Plan Commission meeting will be carried out in a hybrid format, which means we are accepting public testimony both in person at 809 North Broadway and online in GoToWebinar. If you're joining via GoToWebinar, please keep yourself on mute until you are called. If you would like to provide testimony during any of the public hearings, please click the raise hand function. You can see that on the screen right now.

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Okay. Thank you very much. All right. The first item of is to review the minutes. Commissioners, have you had an opportunity to look at those minutes?

And if so, I will accept a motion on the minutes.

I'll make a motion to approve the previous meeting minutes.

Okay. There's been a motion. Is there a second?

Commission, there'll be seconds.

There's been a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carries. Okay. Item number two. Kristen, would you like to introduce or whoever would like to introduce the file?

Sure. The next item is file number 252,012, a resolution relating modification to the detailed plan development known as St. Rita Square to allow additional building signage on the existing building located at 728 East Pleasant Street on the North Side of East Pleasant Street, East of North Van Buren Street in the 3rd Aldermanic District.

Kristen Connolly, DCP Planning. The subject site before you was rezoned to a detailed plan development back in 2018 and it allowed the construction of a senior living facility as well as new church for the Saint Rita congregation. The senior living facility entails a six story building with independent living, assisted living, high acuity assisted living,

and memory care. This particular minor modification relates to allowable signage for the senior living facility. See if I

can advance. There's the building. Currently, the DPD zoning allows signage near the main entrance and drop off area along Pleasant Street and at the corner of Van Buren in Pleasant. And so this minor modification will approve one new sign. It'll be a projecting sign along the Van Buren frontage.

And the purpose of the sign is to allow additional visibility and awareness that this is a senior living community. The sign will follow the provisions of the Milwaukee code of ordinances with respect to not projecting more than four feet into the public right of way and being not less than 10 feet above the adjacent sidewalk grade. So as long as these are done, DPW has no concerns about the projecting sign. This site's within the boundary of the Northeast Side area plan and more specifically located within the Lower East Side sub area. The plan aims to enhance the sub areas characteristics or pardon me character by allowing for context sensitive development options and supporting a variety of lifestyle options.

The plan encourages attracting new residents to the area and promoting aging within the community. And these objectives are further accomplished by improving the visibility of the senior living community. The sites within the 3rd Aldermanic District and Alderman Brower is supportive of the file. And since it's consistent with the detail or the area plan and blends in nicely with the building, it's a high quality sign. Staff recommends approval. And we do have representatives from both the, state rated square as as well as the sign company if there's any questions.

Weird sign.

And this is permanent the permanent sign?

It is a permanent sign. And I believe non illuminated. Right? Yeah.

Non illuminated is That's good.

Yeah.

Okay. Commissioners, do you have any questions?

I do have one quick question. Is there more signage wayfinding that indicates the Saint Rita's Square portion

of it?

Because it seems like you're eclipsing it all with senior living. And I just didn't know if

So why don't we have applicant to see if the applicant come and

And I can share it doesn't show up in that drawing because I think it's just too new to be in the Google Street View, but at that corner where that flag is is where there's a Saint Rita I

think it's

oh, it's the opposite corner. The top left is where there's Saint Rita Square currently type a signage. So I skipped that in my presentation. Currently, there are building wall signs right at, like, the top left corner above those 1st Floor windows.

So Saint Rita Square on the corner there.

And then there's a wall sign in the lower right corner where the flag is. There's, like, that monument or wall sign that's that has another, like, identity project identity sign.

There it is.

Okay. Go come right come right ahead and just introduce yourself.

Hi there. Amy Shannerman from Capri Communities. We own and operate St. Rita Square. We built this property about five and a half years ago. And, you know, as Kristen had mentioned, the signage is further eastward away from Van Buren Street where our entrance is. So it's more on Pleasant And Cass Street. And we put that signage in initially for monument signage, but we realized there was no presence along Van Buren. We came in again and and added just bronze letters that were attached to the face of the building up higher. Our the purpose for saying senior living is just to truly give awareness.

You know, there's a lot of different product coming out there. A lot of people just intuitively in Milwaukee think it's another multifamily property. And, you know, it's almost like we'll get calls then from people looking for senior living, and it's suddenly their first time of choosing to do independent living or having to come in because there's an event where they're looking for health care and they're like, we didn't know you were a senior living Mhmm. You know, building. And so truly just having that brand awareness of people driving by and knowing that it's in their community. Sometimes it's like a five year long process of people knowing that you're in the community before they even approach senior living. So that's really the necessity of what we're hoping to achieve here.

Okay. That helps. The other question I have is color choice. The blue? Yeah. It seems like everything else has been kind of in the bronzes and, you know, kinda going with this neoclassical kind

of thing that that you've got

going on there. Is there what the attraction of the blue other than eye catching?

The the blue just happens to be our Capri branded colors. So if you'd look on the monument sign, which again, it's it's much further inward, we kept bronze on the corner, but our Capri logo is that blue and that gold color.

Okay. So it works off of something else that you're already doing. Perfect. So it

works off with the with the brand of Capri Yes. Not necessarily with this building?

Correct.

Okay. All of our all of our Capri same thing Okay.

About why it was Blue blue and yellow.

Yeah. All of our Capri communities that say Capri have that blue and gold in some version.

Okay. But it's not illuminated?

No. So

that's good. Okay. Any other questions?

Yeah. This is Commissioner Washington. Just a general question on, I believe, page nine of our presentation. It shows some of the renderings of the proposed sign. You you've mentioned independent living, but there's, like, that little advertisement with the lime green. Does that switch do you swap that out at all, or is that just a standard? So to me, it's a little confusing if I see senior living there, but then I see independent living there. So I know you're trying to bring awareness for future, prospective tenants, but I'm curious. Does do you ever swap that out, or is there opportunity to match the branding from this proposed sign with their?

Yeah. So senior living is more of the it generally encompasses independent living, assisted living, and memory care, which is what we offer. So you're trying to market to different different acuity groups. Yep. So senior living is, like, the broad definition of why we would want it on that top sign, and then that's just letting people know that there are independent apartments available. And the green again is within our sub branding colors.

Are

there other marketing pieces in this area right here as well too? Or this is just the only one that's green with this single picture?

Those were put up. I think they're, like, peel and stick laminate. Those have been up for I think since we opened again trying to let people know what we were. Sure. So it's independent of the blade sign.

Okay. And then my question is more of a safety feature as I went around like I'm just trying to make sure that this I understand you saying that the signage is there in order to like bring that aesthetic so people understand but is it also there for people to understand that there are seniors there? Like has there been any issues or concerns with that?

It's just some of the

things that I saw within that area and I was just curious about that.

From like a safety perspective or

You are seniors.

Okay.

You know I mean traffic things like that so I was just wondering again sometimes the signage can be placed there in order to alert others and I was curious if that was something that was

I guess that wasn't considered but I think that could be like a bonus for people to hopefully be more cognizant at these intersections and slowing down. That would be lovely.

But nothing has happened to date that would cause any

No. We we haven't had any traffic considerations. Our building is fully locked and secured with fobs and all of that from a perspective. Yeah.

Okay. Thank you. And, you know, the the signage becomes an issue in in all of Milwaukee, so that's why we have a lot of questions on this and a lot of times people will put signs up in their windows and never take them down. We want to have a lot of translucency and so forth. But do you just want to add, it seems like it's been a great building and people have very high reviews about living there. Is there anything you wanna add? Are you full? Are you have a waiting list? We're we're

full. It's pretty amazing that we opened a month after COVID released its 05/26/2020. May was the release, and we had 40 people moving in in June into a senior living environment. So, I mean, we will maintain a very healthy occupancy higher than what the national trends were, and I think that's attributed to Capri's success in all of our portfolio, but then also San Rita Square. I mean, paired with the church next to the church, it's been a really beautiful synergistic relationship.

We offer a lot of community events outward too, so I think that that helps. Like, you know, we're constantly marketing to the external community for educational purposes, coming to our community for lunch and learns. And so again, it just helps for that way finding that they've found the building.

Okay.

Great. Thank you. Thank you very much. All right. Commissioner, any other questions? And is there anyone else that would like to speak to this item? If not, Commissioners, is there a motion?

Commissioner Kerrin, I motion to approve file number 25212

as presented. Okay. And is there a second?

Commissioner Washington, I'll second.

Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carries. Best of luck to you. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right. Let's move to item number three.

Okay. Item number three is file number 251,867, a substitute ordinance relating to the change in zoning from industrial heavy IH to industrial mixed I'm for the properties located at 2156 South 4th and 2166 South 4th Street on the East Side of South 4th Street, South Of West Beecher Street in the 12th Aldermanic District.

Kristen Connolly, DCB Planning. These subject sites are currently zoned industrial heavy and within the Harbor District Riverwalk site plan review overlay zone. 2156, which is that north parcel, the larger parcel, is a multistory building with surface parking lot, and then the smaller parcel to the South is the city owned vacant lot. Dremel Company and Bilcinski from Dremel is here, owns that North parcel, and they're the ones who requested the change in zoning to industrial mixed to allow a wider, mix of uses in the existing building on their site. Give you a little sneak preview.

So you've probably seen that when driving up the interstate. The multistory building, it just doesn't function well for industrial heavy any longer. And they received interest in the space within the building for uses such as schools, daycares, and studios and such. About half of the building is currently occupied by a daycare facility, and that was approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals. This zoning change also includes, like I said before, the city owned vacant site to the south just for continuity because otherwise it would be right it'd be an industrial heavy site right between the residential and Lincoln Playfield to the south and then the the subject property at 2156 South 4th Street.

These it is anticipated that the city site will be used in some fashion as part of the Riverwalk extension in the future when the Harbor District Riverwalk is expanded from Lincoln Playfield North to Beecher Street. The sites are within the Harbor District water and land use plan boundary, and more specifically, they're within the plans Lower Kinnickinnick River subdistrict. The plan supports transitioning this area from exclusively industrial uses to a more diverse mixed use environment, which is achievable through zoning rezoning certain properties from industrial heavy to zoning classifications that allow a broader mix of uses such as industrial mixed. The plan also calls for the extension of the river walk system along the Kinnickinnick River, and the proposal is consistent with the plan. This is in the 12th Aldermanic District, and president Perez has not stated any objections to the file.

We do recommend approval, and like I said, Belsinski is here from Dremel Company to give a brief presentation and answer any questions.

Okay. Great. Thank you.

Thank you. I Bill Cinsky with the Dremel Company representing the landlord who is East Lincoln LLC. And I don't have much to add with that presentation just to simplify our marketing of the available space in the building to make it a broader range of users. Clearly, heavy industrial, you know, at one point worked for these kinds of buildings, but

now a a more of

a mixed use is better. Ebenezer is a new tenant. I think they've been in about a year. They're thriving. It's terrific. And with the Riverwalk going in and just the playground being rebuilt down there, it's clearly not appropriate for a heavy industrial use. So we're requesting this change to industrial mixed.

Yeah.

There are some

yeah. Here's some photos of Ebenezer's build out.

Okay. Commissioners, any questions? There's no

that this gets the support of the Harbor District and the water, you know, in their their plan?

I'm sorry?

This is more of a question for Kristen, but it has the support of the Harbor District?

Oh yes.

Okay. Commissioners, any other questions?

Commissioner Washington. So available floors are 3 And 4? Correct. Okay. What what is on the 3rd Floor? So we have a picture of the 4th Floor, but not the 3rd.

3rd Floor, it had been a school years ago. So it's some large classrooms right now.

Okay. What what types of tenants are interested in the upper floors?

Thus far?

So we've had some office, we've had some nonprofits, we've had some art type schools. So just people who like the airiness, like the open space and the location is great, especially once they finish that intersection. If you've been down there, it's gonna be terrific. So

Okay. And one follow-up question. Did you speak to the access? So with first two and a half floors being geared towards youth, children, hollers, etcetera, access for the upper floors for safety concerns via elevator or whatever, Can you just speak to what that looks like for the building?

Sure. Ebenezer has its own entrance at the lowest level. And then there is a main entrance for the building that Ebenezer can use. And it also goes to a lobby with an elevator to serve the 3rd And 4th Floors. So there so in other words, the other tenants will not be going through of any of their space. Okay.

Commissioners, anything else? Is there anyone else that would like to speak to this item? All right. Commissioners, is there a

motion? I would move to approve the change in zoning from industrial heavy IH to industrial mix I'm

Okay. Is there a second?

Commissioner Washington, I'll second.

Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carries. Okay. Good luck to you.

Thank you very much.

All right. Item number four. Item number four is file number 250 substitute ordinance relating to the change in zoning from single family residential RS2 to multifamily residential RM3 for the property located at 11919 West Bradley Road to allow multifamily residential development on a portion of the site located on the South Side of West Bradley Road east of North 124th Street in the 9th Aldermanic District.

Kristen Connelly, DCD planning. The subject site's approximately 15 acres and it's currently zoned single family residential and it consists of a church as you can see in the in the aerial photo. The applicant Scott Crawford Inc is requesting to change the zoning of the site to multifamily residential or r m three to allow a portion of the site to be developed to be developed as housing. A church does remain an allowable use in that R M 3 zoning as well. Since this is a base zoning change, specific plans are not part of the file, though the applicants from Scott Crawford behind me, will share an overview of their concept plans, which just in general include 100 units of housing for seniors that will be within a series of townhouse style flat buildings.

The RM3 zoning design standards will apply to those residential buildings and board of zoning appeals would be necessary at least for one component of the project just to allow multiple principal buildings on the site. Future phases of the development could include a new school attached to the church and memory care facility. This site's within the Northwest Side area plan and more specifically is located in District 3. This district is characterized by diverse land uses, small and large multifamily housing developments are present throughout the district, And District 3 also has sizable tracts of land. Sorry, just trying to advance.

I pushed the wrong button. I guess that would help. Has sizable tracts of vacant land that will accommodate future ongoing development. The plan does encourage residential or other compatible uses along commercial corridors in areas where residential and commercial activity as a primary use are no longer supported by the surrounding residential densities. This includes policies to increase the amount of land designated for mixed use development in order to provide more variety in the area.

And the residential land use policies recommend locating residential land uses adjacent to compatible non residential uses. It also encourages residential development to be placed near access points to recreational trails. The proposed zoning change is consistent with the Northwest Side plan area. The sites within the 9th Aldermanic District and

Taylor is here as well,

so she can speak on the file. Staff does recommend approval. And as I mentioned, the development team is here to give a brief presentation of their concept plans as well, and can also touch on community engagement that they've held already in partnership with Alderman Taylor.

Thank you very much.

Good afternoon everybody. My name is Marcus Morgan. I'm here on behalf of Scott Crawford Incorporated and the development that we're proposing is as Kristin mentioned 100 units 100 units of senior housing that'll be based on-site right off of 119th And Riley Road. I have a pastor Robert Randolph here who's the the head pastor for kingdom fellowship kingdom fellowship church who is our partner on this development and they also own the land currently. So here on the site plan, I'll kind of go into a little bit more of our overall plans.

So as Kristin mentioned, we're looking to do 100 units in phase one. So that is our main purpose for being here today to kind of get the rezoning approval for the 100 units. Then phase two and three will be an additional build out of the church which includes they have

a current gymnasium inside of

the church so it'll kind of be an additional build out to build out of that space as well as additional classroom space. So later on they can do somewhat of a vocational bible school as well as a potential early early education elementary school as well. And then as you can see towards the bottom left of the site plan, we'll be looking at adding a 60 to 80 unit memory care center as well within phase two and three. And then I'll kind of go through here as far as the the target population that we'll be targeting. It'll be a split of workforce housing and market rate.

So we will have some units that are a little bit more affordable on-site as well as some market rate in there as well. These renderings just kind of show a little bit more of kind of what our overall plan is for the housing section of the site.

Can you go I'm sorry can you go back to that last two slides before? I just wanted to see what the mix is on the The mix for the unit mix? One bedrooms.

Oh gotcha.

And two bedrooms fifty four And three bedrooms, 21. Okay. Thank you.

And then here just kind of gives the overall lay of kind of our overall vision once all three phases are completed. So it'll show the housing, the memory care center, as well as the build out of the church.

And you said the phases are when would you expect this to be completed or starting?

Well the plan will be to start the 100 unit construction later on this year. So we're targeting a quarter three construction start. Be about a twelve to fourteen month construction construction time period for for the housing piece. And then the plan would also be to get going on phase two and three once the housing component was completed. So we'd looking at very likely 2028 for a construction start for phase two and three.

For phase two and three and what how many units do you expect with phase two and three?

So it'll just be a total of 60 to 80 units. Like so I mean, to be more specific, we can call phase two the memory care center and that'll be between sixty and eighty units and then phase three will be the build out of the church that includes the vocational bible school. So those won't be additional housing units. The only additional housing units will be attached to the memory care center.

Okay, thank you. Well there's a lot of demand for senior housing so this is really quite lovely, the renderings that you have. Can you tell us a little bit more about the units themselves?

Yeah. So our plan here which we had a meeting with Audrowana Taylor coming up on about a year ago now and some of the input that she kind of gave us that she received from some of the constituents within the district is that they wanted more, like, private entry townhouse style apartments instead of just one large sixty, eighty, a 100 unit apartment building. So that's more so our plan. So each unit has their own private entry. We each unit won't have their own garage, but within our current plan, we have, I wanna say, about 40 garages.

So some will be attached. Some will be kind of next to the unit to a certain extent, but that that was more of our plan to kinda create more of a open private townhouse style design that also kind of still incorporated some of the nature feel that kind of comes just naturally on this side of being over 15 acres.

Are they two floors? Yes. All of the units are two floors?

Not all of the units.

All. Not Commissioners, do have any other questions?

Commissioner Moody, I was looking at the parking. You're not required to have bike parking on this property?

To my understanding, we are not.

I can follow-up with that and get back to you though.

But to my understanding, we're not.

I believe that they will, yeah. I believe that'll come up in the DPW review. Yeah just so you're not surprised.

Got it. Thanks for that.

And so really the task behind us is just the zoning change today to make this happen. It's not necessarily a critique of the development itself. Is that correct?

That is correct. Okay.

We're not doing a design. We're not doing But we're interested to know what's what you're building.

That's it.

We appreciate the feedback.

Any other questions or comments?

Just a comment. I mean it is a beautiful natural site, know, so you are taking down a lot of mature trees and I understand kind of the trade here. But you know, as you do go forward in design, kind of thinking about where things are located and how you can balance with the existing nature that's out there I think would be a good challenge.

That's definitely something that the church has been very instrumental as well as far as making sure that we kind of keep some of that nature preservation as much as we can. Like we looked at add in a butterfly garden, a few other green spaces as well that we're looking at.

I saw a nature trail and kind of

going through there. I think those are all nice little insertions to keep as part of the final development scheme.

I know you mentioned that the a year ago had a conversation with us from the community. Since you guys have come up with a lot of this now, have you had any recent conversations? Yes,

we started our conversations with the Alder women last summer and then we just recently this was the February. We had a community meeting where we invited essentially everybody from the 9th District as well as the members of

the church to come out. We had actually a pretty nice turnout and we kind of went through a very similar presentation at that time to kind

of get feedback and we were able to get everybody's full support including our residential neighbor who's right next door. There's a house literally right next door to the site and

we even got our full approval as well.

Okay, great. Thank you. All right. Next I'd like to ask Alderman Larissa Taylor to come to the podium please.

Thank you very much. So I did want to come and just express my support for this project. He's right, I did meet with them about a year ago and that's when they were just at the whole idea phase, just showing what they thought they could do. But they spoke a lot to bettering the community and making sure that they kept as much of, as he said, the greenery that they could with this development. I think I heard one of you say that yes, need a lot of senior housing.

Well, our district has 13 senior housing developments already. Some are not so good, some are good. But what makes this one a little more unique for our district, which I think will make our district a little more competitive, is the adding of that memory piece. Because out of the 13 senior housing developments we have, none of them have that. So it sounds from the conversations that I've had with them that this would be a very supportive development that would support the care of our seniors in a much more detailed way than what we already have existing, which I think will make us a little more competitive with other senior facilities that I've seen around our city.

So I'm really excited about what they're bringing to the table and where they're located. So we did reach out about a month, maybe two months ago now, to the community. And so they did receive support. Like he mentioned, is one house that's on the property there, and so she was excited. And she just is ready to sell her house to them.

So which I thought, okay.

But but she's she did mention how she's been there long enough to see the development that has happened in that area. And so for her to be pleased with this and pleased enough to say, hey, I think this could be a benefit of you for you, I think that's a good thing as well. So and where they're located is sort of at the end of our office park. And that office park needs some development over there. And so I think that this would be a good start to what the rest of that office park could actually look like. So I'm appreciative to this church being in the area and what they're bringing to the table.

Okay. Well, thank you so much. Thank you. All right. And I would like to ask Doctor. Robert Randolph to come to the podium, please. Good afternoon. You'd like to introduce yourself.

I am Doctor. Robert C. Randolph. I am the senior pastor of Kingdom Faith Fellowship Church. We're excited to be co sponsoring this development with Scott Crawford and pleased to be here today.

Okay. Do you want to add anything to let us know about this project?

Mostly I'm just echoing everything that has already been said. This is a, I think a very much needed community asset in the 9th District. I appreciate having all the women support and we're looking forward to all of the phases to be quite honest with you. We had it may take a little, take a little time to develop all of it, but in the end the investment that we will make in the community I think will be substantial.

So you'll have the memory care and then will you also have assisted care there? So you have independent living, right? Just like apartments for people 55 and

up. Right.

And then you'll have the memory care. So you'll have people there to assist people that are living there in the project.

Absolutely. Allows, one of the things again that I'm most excited about the project is it allows our aging population to age in place as opposed to, you know, having to be sparse and scattered. So again, it's one of those things that our community desperately need. And I think that you hit the nail on the head that the demand is great. So it's actually outpacing the supply. So what we're doing is desperately needed. And again, it is a mission focused, mission centered project. And again, we're just, we're happy to do the work that we're doing and we couldn't have picked a better partner.

Great. And it's so good to see that you were meeting with Aldwoman Taylor and listening to the residents about what type of housing they'd like to see because these townhouses are not something that we see a lot in Milwaukee. And it's something that people are wanting more to be able to have a place to park and to be able to have their own private entrance similar to a single family house, but having the ability to have the scale that comes with more of an apartment complex.

Absolutely.

So but it looks great. Is there any other questions or comments that anyone might have? Anything on the outdoor space? Looks like you have a nice design for the outdoor, being able to enjoy the outdoors and the

Yeah, we have a if you look at the go back to the site plan, there is a path that goes around the circumference of the entire property and connects to the Oath Leaf Trail. We call it walk by Faith. And it's essentially a walking path that the community can use. And we have some renderings, we don't have them in this presentation, but we have some renderings that basically just show and again, you know, what the project is centrally focused on is giving back to the community. And so again, we're excited about the implications of all of this and what it means in terms of the long term care and viability of this population.

Okay, wonderful. Thank you. Is there any other questions?

I had a question for

So this if we allow the zoning change, then if they meet the the requirements of the zoning, we'll never see it again. Right? That is correct. Yeah. Really, it's whether we think it should be a multifamily development on the site or not. Correct. Not really the design, the specific design of any of this. That's where you guys come in.

Yes. That's fine. And, but we, but we do like to learn more about, the projects that are happening and, you know, the population that you're serving and the ability for people to be able to age in place and also be able to worship at the same time and take part in the outdoor trails and so forth. So thank you very much. Is there any other questions or comments? Right, thank you so much. Is there anyone else that would like to speak to this item? I know I have quite a few people that have registered, but not that have said that we would like to speak. But if you change your mind, you could do so at this time. All right.

Thank you. All right. Is there if there's nothing else, is there a motion?

Commissioner Mitti, motion is to approve item 251,606.

Okay. There's been a motion. Is there a second?

Commissioner Washington, I'll second.

Motion to second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carries. Best of luck to you and the project. Looking forward to seeing you. Okay. Now we are moving on to item number five.

Okay. Item number five is file number 252155, a resolution approving plans for a new multifamily residential development located on a portion of 5825 West Hope Avenue on the East Side of North 60th Street, North of West Hope Avenue relative to the Midtown Center Development Incentive Zone or DIS overlay established by Section two ninety five dash 91.0044 of the former Milwaukee code in the 2nd Aldermanic District. Okay, the subject site is within the Town Center DIS overlay and is zoned regional business or RB2. Midtown center DIS was established in 2000 and includes an allowable use list as well as design standards for new construction and alterations. This site was previously occupied via Walmart, which left in 2016 and has remained vacant since.

The current owner AFS Milwaukee LLC purchased the site in June 2022 and previously requested a deviation from the DIS overlay allowable uses to permit self storage self-service storage within the vacant Walmart building. That request was denied by this body because it was determined that the deviation criteria set forth by the zoning code were not met for reasons including that the only proposed non speculative use proposed for the site at that time was for self-service storage. Since that time, the owner has worked collaboratively with several partners to create a dynamic redevelopment plan for the entire site. This residential development that is the subject of this file is part of a multi component redevelopment plan for the entire site and encompasses the former Walmart parking lot on the north side of West Hope Avenue. Plans for the remainder of the site, the lands South Of West Hope Avenue will be submitted for City Plan Commission consideration as part of a future file in the near future.

Gorman and Company is seeking approval of a 200 unit affordable residential development known as Midtown Commons as it relates to the Midtown Center DIS overlay. The development team will go over the proposal in more detail, but I'll share a high level overview. Multifamily residential is an allowable use per the development incentive zone. The development will be constructed in two phases with 100 units in each of the two four story buildings. It is anticipated that the Phase two building will be constructed immediately following the completion of Phase one, though we have some standards written into the DIS exhibit with respect to deephaving the remainder of the parking lot and constructing the play space if construction if phase two construction is delayed.

Parking for the residents will be located between the two buildings and loading zones and angled parking for guests have been added to the north side of Hope Avenue. Development includes numerous outdoor spaces both within the courtyards of each building and in a larger play space area along Hope Avenue. Staff reviewed the proposal alongside the design standards and have concluded that the plans comply with all applicable standards. The building height does not exceed the maximum 50 feet in height. The building's exterior design and facade materials are compliant with the overlay.

Details relating to pedestrian and vehicle access, circulation and parking as well as building placements, site improvements and dumpster screening are all compliant with the DIS standards. And staff worked with the development team to ensure that the new sidewalk along Hope Avenue and the walkways within the site are all of generous widths with clear pedestrian connections to the buildings in the play area. Future pedestrian connections to the south of West Hope Avenue will be coordinated with the final plans for that portion of the site and landscaping requirements for the parking lot and the perimeter of the site meet both the DIS overlay and zoning code requirements. The site is within the West Side area plan and more specifically it's situated within the Midtown Center District. The plan encourages the integration of residential uses throughout the Midtown Center and directly recommends including a mix of commercial residential, institutional and office uses.

Additionally, the plan supports extending Midtown Center's town square approach by adding pedestrian connections and infill buildings where feasible. The proposed infill development meets this recommendation achieved in part by situating the parking lots at the rear or side of the building's principal facades and improving on and adding to the pedestrian network. The plan also recommends increasing landscaping at the Midtown Center for environmental and aesthetic improvement and to reduce the impact of impervious surfaces and the landscape plan submitted as part of this file achieves this. The plan also encourages incorporation of open space features and amenities and development projects, which is achieved here with the courtyard spaces in play area. The proposed plans for this residential development and associated play area are consistent with the West Side area plan.

And since the proposal overall is consistent with the DIS overlay with respect to use and design and is strongly supported by the recommendations of the Westside area plan, staff recommends approval of the subject file. This file also has the support of the local alder Alderman Chambers who has joined us today for this item.

Okay. Thank you, Ms. Fonseca. So I would propose that we would like to take it out of order. I know that Alderman Chambers has some time constraints. Would you like to present first before the just to make sure that you're able to Thank

you. Thank you again, madam chair. Thank you, madam chair and commissioners, Alderman Mark Chambers, representative of the 2nd District. Just wanted to thank you again for taking the opportunity to hear this project. You know, as the alderman for the 2nd District, I wanna express my support for this project.

We came with a long time coming. I know as, you know, miss Fonseca brought up, we've been here before, but give credit to AFS Milwaukee and Trent Overview and his team for reimagining this project. All along, we have been collaborative as possible and just knowing that, you know, the first denial doesn't mean it's the final denial. And I think this project proves it in the future files that come forward. You know, bringing this project to, the Midtown area where it's been a focal point for me, not only has opportunity and, concern over the years, and this this particular proposal represents a step towards stabilizing and reactivating the site that residents interact with every day.

That being said, the support must be grounded in accountability, and that I will give much credit to, Ted, Malcolm, and, Gorman and also Dave Mishkin and rest of the guys at City Development for their their commitment to ensuring that we take in the residence, you know, residence input with the West Side plan and ensuring that this is an intentional project. We're looking for clear commitments around quality development, long term maintenance, and tenant mix that reflects the need of the surrounding neighborhoods, including access to essential goods, services, and workforce opportunities. It is equally important that this project aligns with our broader housing and economic development goals, particularly as we continue to advance efforts tied to affordable and workforce housing across the city. I also wanted emphasize again the importance of continued engagement with the residents within the Westside plant. So the community does deserve transparency, responsiveness, and a voice throughout this process, and they have.

Their lived experiences should help shape this development how how it ultimately takes form. Midtown Commons has the potential to be a turning point for the corridor and now remain committed to collaboratively with the partners involved to ensure that this project deliver real lasting benefits for the rest of the second issue. And thank you for this opportunity.

Well, you. And we'll save our questions for the details of the plan for the developer. But it's it's it's very important for us to hear from you that you are supporting this project. We know that this has been an area that you've been working on for a very long time. And it is such an important part of our city to see it developed in the way that really benefits the community. So it's good to hear that you are fully in support of the project.

Yes. Thank you. And to your point, it's very important to the entire city of Milwaukee that Midtown is thriving and hopefully this project will be the launching point of more opportunities within that corridor in the nearby neighborhoods within the second and also in the city of Milwaukee. So thank you for that.

And I think it's important to just remember just to point out to all of us if we don't have it just on the top of our mind Just, know, what a what a what a real tragedy it was when Walmart just decided to up and leave and abandon that property and left all of us to to deal with their bad decision making. And so I think that this is, you know, a long time coming. And of course we had another project with the storage units that wasn't really going to bring much dynamism or jobs or benefit to to, you know, this important land and important I always want to call it capital court because that's what I know it as. So like, you know.

So you know again this opportunity will provide to reimagine and reimagine, you know reimagine that whole corridor. You know everyone know remember as you said Capital Cora as a thriving once thriving place. Midtown Shopping Center in the beginning it was thriving and then it kind of just fell apart. So I look at this opportunity and this project and the future projects that are coming to be a restart for that imagine and potentially a name change. I spoke to the owners of the other building and it looked like can we kind of tie in both together and possibly look into a name change for that just you know, to out with the old and in with the new and just provide new horizons for this neighborhood.

Wonderful. Well, thank you

for all your work on this. Commissioners, do you have any other comments or questions for Alderman Chambers?

I do. Commissioner Washington. Good afternoon, Alderman Chambers. I'm just looking at the proposal and just want your opinion. It states that there's two one hundred unit buildings that we built, but it doesn't indicate a unit mix. So I'm curious if you have had conversations about the unit mix. But from your perspective, as Ottoman, is it more important for more family units here, or are you looking for an equal mix of single individuals or more family? Because it could go either way. I'm just curious what you

are envisioning. Both. Okay. Make sure both. You know, what was important to me and I'll allow, you know, Ted and his staff talk about it as well.

What was important to me with this particular project is the opportunity to bring, you know, single and also family. So there's where it's a good mixture of one bedroom, two bedroom, and three bedrooms as well. And not only that, is to ensure that the property is maintained and well kept. So they have a commitment of 20 fourseven on-site management, maintenance and security that's going to be over there. So that was an entirely important to me to ensure that while we are reimagining this opportunity, we don't want this opportunity to be waste with because we do have some tenants that just kind of don't care about where they live at.

And this project is very important to the city in my opinion. Whether that's families or whether it's just someone who graduated college and want to come back and find someplace affordable. So again, credit to Ted and his team to really take in those concerns not only for myself, but from DCD and also the residents that spoke about it within the West Side plan to just encapsulate encapsulate everything in there. So to answer your question, yes. It's a a good mixture of both. I think that if I'm not mistaken, know they're go on if I'm not mistaken, it's going be a total about 40, know, possibly about 30 units of each, you know, 30 units of three bedrooms, two bedrooms.

We'll have them get into the details and I know

we did this a little bit back.

Oh no, that's fine.

It's fine.

So yeah,

to answer the question, it was very important to me to have it. Thank you.

Okay, great. Thank you.

I have a question too. As far as like your involvement with the community, the neighbors of that area and making sure that they are aware and a part of, I'm wondering like how many times has there been any communication or connection to actually express anything about this project?

So we hosted the Westside Plan meeting at Marshall High School just recently, I think it was in March. But prior to that when Gorman first won the first 100 credits last year in 2025, We hosted two town halls in the nearby area, one at Capital Library and also the other at Marshall High School where we allow residents to come and speak about those. And the mix the reviews was, you know, it was more people that was in favor. Some people were thinking it was section eight. I don't know why they think low income is section eight, but, you know, we expressed that, you know, this is affordable family and, you know, given the pros and cons of not having this and, you know, having something that's not there, Some people were reluctant to agree but my continued commitment to those residents that we're going to be holding Gorman and everybody else accountable with their commitments to obtaining or to making sure that the property is kept up, maintained well.

And also they are providing the security to ensure that no one leaks out into those neighborhoods, but also with the other additions that is happening in this entirety with the other part to be happening later on, I think it will encapsulate everything as far as community engagement moving forward. I think the community will really appreciate what is being brought to this area.

So I want to like learn more of this and I know I've made this comment before at this body with understanding the full area of who's encapsulated because when I look at this picture my house is in it. Did I know anything about this?

I didn't

as far as these meetings. And it's been a problem to me when it comes to the Midtown development. I mean I look I can see my house.

Where you live? Do I what?

Are you in Mines or are you in Jackson?

I'm in yours.

You know so it's always been an issue to me with understanding because again I lived in this area for forty years and so everything that happens to the Midtown Center is actually because I even kind of took offense to you saying the name change, I'll be honest because it's a historic thing for me as well. But you know just the whole thing of understanding what's happening and then also as a resident thinking through my reluctance of some of us of letting go and seeing what needs to happen to such an area. But I just wanted to understand more about how it's being community sensitive that you're increasing because again it's a center that yeah and it's an area that like you're going to have more residents outside of like a small because they kept being just this area of 60th Street before that was communicated to and but we see these images and they're not all

So what I can tell you we did not have direct mail in that where where you if you were expecting like, hey. We're gonna talk about Midtown project on this day far as this. But you live in my district, I'm pretty certain you received my my town halls. You know, I have a list of them in every town hall and Tanya can speak into it. Every town hall, pretty much within that area, I talk about this project.

You know, I talked about this project. I talked about the other Walmart. If I go closer over here, talk about the other Walmart that I have on Timmerman Plaza. They always been a focus on it because I want to cut the the residents to be aware of what's going on and if they have any concerns. Because once the journal article came out that Gorman received those tax credits, I received 35 calls from residents thinking it was low income and everything like that. And I talked to each and every one of them and told them that's not it. And, also, was able to share some of the, you know, some of the, you know, description of what's going on within the project to each and every one of those. I can give you a couple names. Mister and missus Powers that live right by Jeans, a suburb club. Miss Lula Rogers live right across right across the alley from them.

I can just go on on with the residents that I did personally talk to. And I talked to you. I apologize for that, but we can have another conversational side of that. But I do think that, you know, being the elected official, I was elected to make said decisions within the community of mine does not I do not take this lightly. I do not take this you know, I I I hold this heavy. And I think that, you know, the opportunity that we have with this, I think it's a great start to, you know, eliminate some of the blight that is happening at this location. I see it. I saw it. I hear it. I've dressed it multiple times, and it keep on going.

So I think this opportunity is just one that we couldn't pass by. And that's why I kept going back to the table with affordable family storage since I've been elected in 2022. We've been at this literally three weeks after I was elected. It came to my first council meeting to try to talk about storage. Yeah. And, you know, I've I've been with this and just, you know, told them to think bigger. And I told them to think more community focused. Storage, as I mentioned in my previous testimony, it kills development. It kills, you know, opportunity in there. And, you know, I I think I I think this is the right combination, especially with what's gonna come afterwards as well when I'm thinking of civic engagement, community engagement, education, and recreation.

So I think it's a good mix. I'm not gonna say this is gonna be perfect. I'm not gonna say it won't have its trials and tribulations, but as the elected representative for that area, I would take it head on and handle whatever concerns that we need to hand it together. Yeah, it's my commitment on that Commissioner.

Okay. All right. Thank you. Okay. Well, thank you Alderman. We will let's move to having Mark is it Mark Larson? Or Ted Matcom or both of you?

I am Ted Madcomb, Wisconsin market president for Gorman and Company.

And Mark Larson with Gorman Architecture.

Okay. Great. You can go ahead and proceed. Welcome.

I think, Mark, you have an actual presentation? Yeah. But just to give you an introduction. So a lot of the things that relate to the dynamic nature of this proposal have been said. It is a it's a rare opportunity, I would say, here that I've seen in decades of working with the city where the city actually said no to a developer and demanded more. Yep. And that was before I was even involved. Yep. And the caused the developer to go out and and figure out something more.

Mhmm.

As the alderman said, I don't know if, you know, everybody's going to look agree on everything we're gonna be presenting here on tonight and in the future with the Walmart. But I think it's a really great start based on what's it it's a tough property. I'm just gonna tell you it's a tough property. It's a 10 acre parking lot that we're working with today. The Walmart's a tough building.

It's actually in great shape because to your point, irresponsible corporate leadership there Mhmm. They they, you know, deserted that building way before its useful life. So there's something that worked there, which is great, but, you know, that type of storage building is only on the back now, whereas some interesting retail opportunities and uses, which we'll talk about later, is coming to the front, to the fore. And I think this mixed use development, which I'll call the whole thing, really is a testament to the alderman and staff that actually thought that this has to be more. It can't just be a settle.

And so I I applaud them in that and would love to hear your comments on what you're gonna see today or hear today from Mark. And Mark's done, I think, very nice job kind of fitting in what we're trying to do here into a nice development that is right now really needs a sea of asphalt to go away and something else to come back in there. So So

to kind of introduce you to this project, all familiar with the existing site. So we have the existing Walmart and the existing parking lot. What we're looking to do is to divide the development into four different lots. So there'd be the existing Walmart and the surrounding parking lots to the West and then there's empty land to the East that would remain as one lot. And then the existing parking lots that we're talking about today, which is highlighted in red, would be the Phase one, Phase two, and then we're a separate lot for the player area that we're looking at proposing as well.

So each Phase one and Phase two are 100 units or multifamily combination of one, two and three bedroom units. As we've kind of already talked about, it's heavy kind of more on the family side. So we have 35, three bedroom, 42 bedrooms and 25, one bedrooms in each of the complexes. Could you

restate those? I I'm

can. So each 100 unit building has thirty five three bedroom, 42 bedroom and twenty five one bedroom unit.

How did you come to them? I I should have them just sent Yeah. Let's go let's go have them go let's have them go through it and save up your questions. And then, you know, so we'll do this. I to me.

I don't

have it written down there for you. Thank you.

I appreciate it. So just kind of a high level understanding of the existing kind of Midtown Center, our and kind of the location of the Walmart is that dark black roof. And then our kind of lighter green and development is just to the north of that. And then zooming in just a touch, I see just how it starts to integrate into kind of those adjacent developments as well. And I'll zoom in a little bit more.

So the development itself does not add any additional kind of curb cuts off of 60th. We're utilizing the West Hope Avenue extension, just private road that runs along the face of the Walmart. We enter into the phase one development, which is along 60th and the phase two, which is a little bit east on the other end of the site. Kind of the parking lot itself would be divided in two for the phase two and phase one developments. As it was described, the hope is that phase two would start construction just a few months behind phase one, if everything kind of moves smoothly.

So they can be built contiguously. If it doesn't, we do have language within the agreements that we would depave and the rest of the development if that doesn't work. And then so in between a little bit darker green is a large fenced play area that would serve both the phase one and phase two buildings, but also kind of the surrounding neighborhoods that would be able to come and utilize it. The Hope across the street on Hope Avenue to the south and the existing Walmart, all of the street facing components, which this is not part of this kind of agreement, but would be activated storefronts that would still be kind of part of this whole development. This is the facade along the west facade along 60th.

I just wanna mention both buildings are mirrors of each other, so all the facades would just be so both buildings look the same, just weird. This is facade on 16th, I believe it's 16th, I can't. So this is north, the north side, sorry. So this would face the previous lows, which is now Phoenix. So that's to the north along, this is the west facade, this is along 60th, is where we increase the amount of brick facing the streets.

And then we also do have these bump outs, which you kind of saw on the north side as well. It's a change of elevation by foot, I believe, but also just a change in materials. Again, a combination of we see the Cream City brick, Cream City light brick. We have the light medium gray is a lap siding and then the dark tone is a flat party siding with board and batten kind of accenting in kind of a random patterning to play off the windows themselves. The brick height is at about that 12 foot four height to be able to kind of correspond at that first level, I'm sorry, to correspond with the other storefronts within the developments.

So this building doesn't kind of stick out too much. We do emphasize the corners, each of the primary corners of the buildings to be able to have taller brick and to promote kind of emphasize those elements. As we turn a little bit to the corner, elevation to the left is the building is kind of kinked a little bit. So this is the straight view of that. So I can go back to the floor plan, you can see it.

So this is the return on Hope Avenue that you'd see. And then the second portion on the right is the return, the rest of the south elevation. That small little rendering you can see is kind of where those two elements come together. We have kind of that kinked element to the left and then have a Midtown Commons signage located on the building so that's visible from 60th and then kind of the entry is tucked into it in that little gasket. Again, along the South Avenue and at each of the corners, do have brick going full height and emphasizing those elements.

As we wrap around to the east, this is kind of where it opens up to that courtyard. We do have on the south side, which would be the left, that brick wrapping the corner and that element in. And then as the rest of it faces, the parking lot is just primarily left side. Inside within the courtyard itself, it's a combination of brick and lab siding and those kind of bump out elements provide a little bit of interest as you're kind sitting it within that kind of cloistered courtyard. Just to kind of a close-up of what those compounds are kind of detailed, again, flat panel siding with accent trim.

And then the overall material board, again kind of a cream city like brick, lav siding, and then flat panels board. And then just to go kind of skim through, but stop me if you do have questions, please. But civil plans again, planning for parking lots to be in between phase one and phase two. We did widen or add along the existing Hope Avenue to the south. We added guest parking closer to each of those entrances.

There's handicap parking both there and in our parking lots as well as having loading zones for parcel delivery or food delivery located or just even standard pickup and drop off of people off of Hope Avenue. We do have kind of loading zones within the parking lots for kind of move in as well so that we don't have large trucks within Hope Avenue. And again, we do have that play area that is accessible from both developments and accessible to the community. It's fenced area, it's safe, and I'll have a little bit of another screen on that. This is just kind of close-up if we have any further or additional questions we can zoom into those potentially of just the overall.

And then phase one and phase two landscaping plans, we're fully landscaping along the perimeter. On the west side or the Phase one between the building and 60th Avenue, there is a larger setback there and that's because of the existing easements and utilities that were created as part of the Midtown Commons development. So we are pushed back because of those easements, otherwise we would be closer to the street. It does kind of create a nice buffer for those families. We didn't really want to invite families can go and play on the lawn, but we wanted to create a safe place for the children to play.

So we do have those internal courtyards and then having that fenced play area, we'll have playground environments within those. And then phase two again is that mirrored development of that and then we complete the play area just so that it doesn't get damaged during construction. It's planned and part of phase two. I know that was mentioned before, so our trash enclosures that we do have one each for Phase one and Phase two will be wrapped in the same brick that is on the building to be able to conceal them and have them integrated into the shell image. Just to kind of an overall of, we did some lighting analysis so that we're not drifting too much onto the neighboring properties, but wanted to be safe for all the families that are living here.

And then this is conceptual, we haven't finalized all the details, but the intent of that fenced in play area is to have it a really active animated playground environment. So that safe place for

all the children to be able to play.

I believe that was the end of those, so I can always go back to any of the screens. And, Alison, we can go back to you.

Okay, all right, so we can start with, any comments or questions and I'll go to Commissioner Nemec first with your question about the just how you determine the unit next.

Yes. So we did a market study and what really spoke out us was the walkability of the amenities that are family related. It's banking, health care, and grocery, and those are there. And so we thought it was very few places in Milwaukee where those amenities are in one place. And the more people we can get in there using those amenities, the better for the shopping center and for those families. So that's kind of why we skewed towards actually heavy threes, as you know, threes and twos. And the ones were a little you know, really, to me, it wasn't a one and a two bedroom place. Was more of a two and three bedroom place. That's what we skewed up there. Okay.

A lot of my discretion, though, based on what I said.

I think it would

have been helpful just to see kind of like an axon of how this fits in to the rest of the I

mean, I'm sort of like, you know, you've

got this Walmart right there. What is the shadow lines? You know, it looks like it's set back from the play area enough, but what is that facade looking like, like views down there so you could kind of understand it in context a little bit more? I mean, I I go down 60th Street all the time. I've got

a

project right up there. That's my favorite Culver's too. It's dangerously close to a Culver's. But

You know, we we it's interesting you say that because I think we've all been looking, like, we're all been working on an island.

It seems like

in this big complex. And and it probably is a valid comment because it's like we're trying to just kinda create community out of this big environment that is an island

Parking lot. Right.

Yeah. Parking. So I think that is a that's a good, you know, kind of comment to see how it interacts with the center.

Because I

was trying to figure out whether you're you know, I

supported your landscape plan and, you know, what it tied into and how you improve walkability. I mean, you've you've got a lot of sins to overcome here. Right? I'm not gonna minimize the the design task, but, you know, but, you know, what and it's hard because you only control so much of it, but how are you how is that development of the North Side Of The Walmart?

I can speak to this. Actually, I'd like to speak to so what the way we've been approaching this is the how do I say that the side of I look at it as left. The the West Side Of The Walmart is more of that strip of parking that would be servicing the retail uses that are in the Walmart. Okay? So, obviously, the parking lot now is for the community.

And that is more, I would say, parking that is servicing that side, the retail Walmart, not intended necessarily, okay, to keep going down 60th Street because those are kind of sparse uses, I would say. We're trying to divert the traffic going east to where the shopping center is Mhmm. And then down where you would hit the grocery store and those retail users that are along that main spine of the shopping center. That's kind of where we're trying to divert people. And there is an interesting path of brass.

Yeah. You can see it to the right of the Walmart there.

I don't if

you cursor it or not. There it is. Yeah. That's an unused piece of real estate that is kind of maybe the gap between a connect connectivity there. And so if people can, you know, continue to walk through or engage that somehow, I think that's very important. But then also this point, you know, we don't have something that's a walkability strategy around the site. It's more is it get people into the shopping center so they use the shopping center. This whole thing was trying to be a catalyst for success with shopping center.

And before we go to the next question, just want to comment on the mix that you ended up deciding on, which was your first question. I think this is really great because we are, I mean, we see a lot of projects come through here that are all studios and one bedrooms. So to see three bedrooms for families is really quite refreshing here. So alderman Washington I wish you met.

I wish you met. It's okay.

I wish you met. It's been

a long day so far. I kinda wanna echo chairwoman Blumendesk's comment about coming with a a great project geared towards families. And that's why I asked Armin Chambers before he left. What was his thoughts on the unit mix? Before we knew what it was is, did it fit?

Because, you know, a lot of times, easily, it could have been a lot of one bedrooms for, you know, your blue collar or folks. And then the afterthought is the families, but I'm glad that you guys are heavily invested there. Just to expand on mister Nim's question, if I am somebody without a vehicle, I'm curious. My first question is, is there access for a walking individual coming from Fond Du Lac and 60th to access this property, or is there a curb cut within this tree line area of 60th that it gets me to the property? So if you're walking along the 60th, do I have to walk down the I guess that's the northern access point to get to the property?

Like, is there a way for me to get to the property there? Or

So you You

know what I'm saying?

So

So there are so there are sidewalks

Yeah.

All the way around, but there are only sidewalks. And then primary entry into the facility would be on the south. If you are a resident, there's also an additional couple of entrances within the courtyard.

Yep. Okay.

Could be Okay. Private entry. I think it would, you know, be further for you to walk all the way around.

Got it. Okay.

Be a better fly or Okay. Access point there, but the security access point is is to the south on opposite vehicle.

Okay. And there's no fencing on 60th Street. Right? No. Okay. Okay. Then just one other thing, just suggestion and comment. Aesthetically, how much of the color scheme was taken from the other projects within the the Midtown development,

like the creams or, you know, that? I mean, have you

all thought about adding any, like, art or, you know, monument things for kids since it's supposed to be friend family friendly to make it as inviting as possible for them throughout the first phase and second phase?

So we're

That's important.

Yeah. Sorry. The the the palette itself does kind of coordinate with the the other developments kind of palette of bricks.

So I

think there's frames, there's the that's such like that. And so we could do our blending in there. Why don't we get kind of stand a little bit on our tub too, just with a kind of a pallet that helps make it feel a little bit red more residential than too commercial. We haven't necessarily explored the artwork. Artwork can be very sensitive, so if you choose the wrong piece. So we wanted to make sure that it just hasn't been something we approach so far. But from the children and then the kind of player that other aspect, that's where we're kinda really investing in that player. So to try to make that as dynamic.

Which I'm not a deterrent, by

the way. Yeah.

It's not. Yeah. It's not. It's It's So

we started working with the consultant on what those opportunities are.

Which I wanted to ask actually about that because when I think about Hope Avenue and I do walk this all the time and that's not safe but I know that it will be.

Mean part of this I

walk there going over yeah yeah because actually I've had some people we would go and pick up the trash in that parking lot. Well yeah I live a block from there. But when I think about that Hope Avenue and I kept trying to think through the setbacks for that play area because I was like, Oh my god a play area there versus in the center possibly of that? Because I see the cars just zooming through there right now. There's nothing there but they zoom through there like it's a highway especially at nighttime.

So I just wanted to like understand but you just kind of addressed that and that makes me happier to hear that it is something that the residents work through and actually think through how this can be and look because that frightens me a

little bit. And

then what is the setback then from 60th Street as well because that looks like a heavy setback which is good but I wanted to

And that's because the existing so the hatch marks that you see kind of vertically on the screen right now beside the building those are the existing easements and utility lines that we can't build over. So as part of the town center, they had built in this loop of utilities that would allow people to come off of these utilities if they want. But that set that on opposite 60th Street is 91 feet because of those developments. 91 feet? 91 feet.

Should be all landscape.

Yep. So, yes, as we saw on that landscaping, we're trying to maintain the existing trees that are in good shape. We're removing ones that are bad shape, and then we're adding some additional ones to really kinda make it feel like I don't wanna say apart, but we want it to feel like a lawn for the people that live in this residence. Mhmm. So we want them to feel like that they could come out, have a picnic within that lawn.

If they wanted to, it's set back enough that that you could you do feel safe instead of it feeling like right next to that street. Purposely for Alonghold Avenue, you can see that larger kind of we have about it's 20 feet plus the seven foot sidewalk that we have, and then we have that fence playground. We don't have that kind of, you know, typical sidewalks. It's like a five foot buffer and then a five foot sidewalk. We really wanted to extend that up to provide that sense.

And so there are trees which is not represented in this view, we can go back to landscape, but would that do kind of represent that sense of buffer. Here we go. So along so there is landscaping within around that play area as well, then there are trees kind of helping kind of create that buffer between West Hope Avenue and that play area, trying to really kind of warm all that up. So your experience walking down Hope Avenue

will

be enhanced. Now with the increasing landscaping, the trees.

Are you turning that into a one way? No. Okay. But the diagonal parking just only goes in one direction?

The main materials.

Okay.

Yeah. It's meant to so that

we don't have people hopefully churning, so we intentionally kept them diagnosed so that we won't have people crossing the street

to

go around the pond.

Okay, thank you. I apologize, but I have to leave. So I'm going to turn over the gavel to Commissioner Vice Chair, Commissioner Nemec. But I do want to just thank you for all of your work and effort on this project. And I understand there's a lot of complications and it's a very difficult and long term difficult site. But you do have my support on this and I will turn it over to you, No, Commissioner

Is there a plan for

this Walmart building? Is this just going to stay there? I wouldn't wanna have an apartment and looking at that building. It's just I

don't want an apartment. Yeah. Well,

Dave Miski with the Department of City Development, the director of real estate. I appreciated commissioner Crane's comment of going down, walking through that. It's not a pretty sight, isn't it? To your point as well, commissioner Moody, how do we engage the other side of Hope Avenue, which is a private road, but there are tremendous amount of easements that allow people to continue to drive over that. So to Ted Matcom's perspective of slow slowing down traffic, that will happen.

On the the Walmart building itself, though, you will see that in front of this body very, very soon. There's been an awful lot of delicate balancing that's been going on. It's a very complicated deal as you heard at the beginning of this from Alderman Chambers and actually from from Tanya that, you know, the self storage was the initial look at this building, this body, and the city didn't support that. But it's continued to be owned by the same group, so we've had to negotiate with them as far as moving forward. The first step, and Alderman Chambers pointed it out that Trent Overhugh from the ownership group, AFS, was very open to discussing other potential uses, and the housing was the first and foremost piece.

This is the first piece of all of this moving forward. They've received first the first the credits for the first phase. Hopefully, we'll hear about the second phase in the next few weeks from WIDA. So this project is moving forward. We were kinda holding this to ensure that this was gonna happen before we could move forward with anything with the Walmart.

So there's been a lot of discussion with Trent, Overhugh, the owner. What we've what we've negotiated to date is that some of this would come forward with, with a use for his, about two thirds of the building for his uses, which is still being worked out, and you'll probably see that at the next CPC meeting. And the other third, the site facing the the side facing the housing would be set aside for a lease with for community engagement or community functions. So it'd be a lease with potentially the city of Milwaukee. And so, you wouldn't see that specifically here, the lease itself that would go to the common council.

But that is something that if we can leverage the lease and and his use for the other two thirds of the property. And then the housing piece, that's the the the entire mixture. How the city uses that is still being worked out. There's a lot of different ideas, including other municipal uses. So we'll see, but there there's nothing set in stone as to how the Walmart on the north side facing the housing is gonna be used exactly.

Thank you. Funny. My with the April program, this was almost my capstone site.

Yeah. Almost?

Almost. We're gonna build apartments and single family cottages for sale on the site and cost just

Madam Chair? Yes. One follow-up question. My question is for the development team. So just so we're clear, the Phase 1 building, the play area and both section of the parking lot are going to be developed at the same time?

It might be staying a couple months, but that's the intent.

Okay. And then total parking space estimate is how many?

We're at about two zero five total, including those guest parking spaces along

Okay. And then I know we saw a grid for the lighting plan, can you just kind of speak to what the lighting over the parking lot and walking past areas will look like?

So the lighting along West Hope Avenue would remain as it is. It's kind of part of the development itself. Yep. And then within the parking lot, there's just a combination of just security facing down LED lights. Okay. And then within the courtyards themselves are the bollards for

can go back to that. Ma'am, sure how you feel about that aesthetically.

You know, I I would make them not so blue white. I mean, so let let them not be as security Okay. Lighting as some of the other developers in town, if you know what I mean.

And if you gotta talk with our civil engineer on Perfect. And kinda find a strategy there. The a lot of things that we have been hearing from, like, phone achievers and some of the constituents that he's been hearing, he is trying to make sure that people feel safe and having so many people within these developments. So it will be a balance.

Absolutely. But did I hear you correctly that the play area and the parking lot will be constructed with? Okay.

So the intent is like Phase one will start, phase two would start while it's also still in construction. The hope is that that would happen, and so then we finish it and then finish the the parking lots and the the playground together. So that nothing gets damaged during construction, it's all kind of just

Seems like there's enough space. I just want to make sure that if Phase two doesn't happen, then we get a play area for the 100 units that are in that first development.

Written into the narrative or

the Okay. Description.

We're we're actually trying to close phase one on eight by 08/31, and that doesn't mean that we start going up. We have a lot of work to do because the 10 acres of that parking lot is in trouble. Yeah.

So Mhmm.

We've got geotech foundation issues. Yeah. You can get that, which will take about three months. By the time that happens, we're hopefully gonna get our entitlements for phase two so they both are at the same time.

Okay.

Sorry. One more just clarification. Tanya, thought you read this, but I just wanna make sure if for whatever reason, like, madam chair stated, there's an issue with phase two, There's a requirement that they have to pave something okay, the

remaining of the parking lot. Yeah, okay. Depave it and then so and start it

Got it, okay.

Accordingly. But Okay, all right. If phase two does not move forward. I

am trying to understand and I think this is where when you mentioned having the larger mess up because I keep getting confused even though I've lived there since I was 11. But I'm trying to the North 56th Street, like there's a light. So coming back Culver's in that particular area, there's a light there. Yeah that's the intersection everyone knows. Say Culver's. There's cars flipped over there almost three times a week. When you think about the number of people that you're putting here and what that means because I typically have to drive around that the accidents in that area is absolutely insane.

This

is yeah. Is it like Maxwell or something? Weird.

It's a lot of weird streets that are all combined. Yeah. But they come into the parking lot right in Culver's. And so just curious as you guys think through some of these things that knowing that putting that number of individuals coming in and out of the lot and using that intersection unless new intersections or I mean not intersections but new ways or entryways are going to be coming in. But that one is absolutely insane.

As I kind of mentioned before, we're not adding any more kind

of You got to leave it as

We're leaving it as is kind of specifically for that reason.

Yeah.

One of the benefits of having more density within this area of more people is that it will slow people down. You will have there will be more traffic. There will be more cars. It will automatically slow down.

Because we the reason that they're split up is because those little islands that are so pretty put up around the city they're just jumping over themselves doing their thing. Yeah. The city is trying but it's still yeah.

Sorry one more question. You just brought up something that's important to me, I think, now. The backside of Phase 2 is grassy, but it doesn't look like there's trees abutting the building. From an aesthetic standpoint, how are you envisioning making that, quote unquote, pretty to passersby?

So we are there's a portion on phase two, as you can kind of see, that we don't follow.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Not phase two, but the northern part of the site that skirts along the northern part of the property. We're working with the property to the north, which is Phoenix.

Oh, Chris, can you go to phase two landscaping?

Yeah. You can see it here too where That's going to

that that little

Strip. Strip there?

The not that no. No. The backside of the building.

Oh, that's the north. Yeah.

Yeah. That one.

And the east. Right?

The east. East side? Yes. That one. That that's what I'm concerned about is, like, what the east. The grassy part and, like, the rear of that building, like, what's there to make it as appealing as possible. Yeah.

Own the triangle portion. Okay. You know, kind of straight up. And so we are landscaping around the building, and we didn't want to get, obviously, the trees too close. So we're working with the property to the north to depave and potentially add more landscaping just to be along that north side. We don't own I'm I'm not sure who it is to the east of this city property.

It's a ball. It's actually It's kind

of part

of the So we could get an easement for that.

Yeah. That would be nice.

Yeah.

So I think it would also help in traffic only. But just a follow-up kind of that's based on these these commissioners' questions. Your your thought is that people are coming off of Hope Avenue into your parking, and there's no other option from the North. Correct? No gates or gates?

No. No gates.

We had a gate there. Be

Gone through?

So if we had a gate, I mean, from

Okay. So

you could come off of 60th Street and Yes. Along Hope and

The interior of 60th Street.

Sure.

Any other questions for the development team? I don't know if there was anybody else who wanted to speak. I don't believe so. Looks like all familiar faces back there. Any other questions?

Tanya, next steps after we open here?

So next steps is well, today, we would be hopefully moving forward approving the plans for this multifamily development on the site, which is phase one of the larger redevelopment. And then at a very near term city plan commission, we will review phase two, which will be the future use of the former Walmart building.

Okay.

Thank you. Ahead.

I had one last question. I meant to ask this earlier. What made you guys think of four floors for this area?

Again, I think it's with the unit mix. It's the same thing. Pardon the phrase, we're trying to put butts in the seats. And and look. I had a little bit of a cheat sheet on Bayshore. K? So Bayshore, when they were doing that, I was working with Glendale on that. And the entire market segment, those were mostly ones and twos up there. There were not threes, which is is why I actually put a lot of threes here because there were lot of threes there. And the whole point to save that mall was to put people there that could spend money in the mall.

Right.

And I thought they missed it. I actually thought they missed it. Said that the ones and twos are not really going to target and and stuff that's netball. I was kinda like, no. It's, like, gonna work when it happened. I think it's turned out okay. I don't know the actual numbers, but that's kind of the impetus of how we came here. We all kind of agreed that the way to see this mall is the people within the community. So it's like a, you know, town hall. What do you call it then? Is it a town hall or a town?

Center.

Like a town center versus, you know, just changing that asphalt into people is really what it was. So it really was a density thing.

We wanted to maximize it as much as possible without it drowning out the surrounding neighborhood.

Yeah. Because the P4 does drown it, but maybe it's just me just still trying to

And our floor to floor heights aren't too tall. And I think in comparison to the rest of the development, we're gonna tie in from a scale wise closely because we're within we're under the 50 feet max.

Oh, we do. Yeah. Foot max restriction of it. So you

can see that. Okay. Also that 90 foot setback Yeah. Kind of That does. Removes you from being, you know, the opposite side of the street or one or two story residences, you know, the bubblos. The scale would have been bad if we were on the street, I think.

Mhmm.

It would

have been different.

Mhmm. And what you're not used to, having that park space that's in front of it, that lawn, I think is a really beneficial buffer

Mhmm.

That kind of actually One

additional question that I thought of. Without floor plans, it's a little hard to see where your units kind of shake out. And then I know that WIDA requires you to have certain amenity spaces. Could you speak to your in the inside amenity spaces? We've talked a

lot about the play area, and I know my play area buddy here and I's desire to get that as fast as possible.

In both so, they're mirror buildings. So both buildings will both have a community club room environment, a community service environment. So this is where Lutheran Social Services will have an office within buildings. There'll be tenant storage, indoor bicycle storage, on-site leasing, on-site management, on-site maintenance. There'll be a fitness room in each of the buildings Mhmm. And then secure mail. So you don't have to go from one building to the other if you use it in a different amenity. They go. Okay.

Sorry. One one quick follow-up question. Given this is a affordable project and servicing families, is there, like, a business service center where youth can do some studying or access some technology from Lutheran Social Services, something like a media room where you can go do some homework or The community Okay.

Community club room is a flexible environment that somebody could go down during the day if it's not reserved for anything specific and just kind of study, get away from your family, whatever you'd like to do. But it's also a great location that if you wanted to host a larger event for families for a holiday or a special celebration, there's a great kind of community space for that. But we do find that these club rooms or community rooms that are in the buildings are during the day are kind of a work from home environment, then at night is where it's kind of events. There's also a space that social services can utilize for kind of a bigger outreach program. Good.

And hopefully we have some Walmart who will suffer. Mhmm. Okay.

Any other questions?

No. If there aren't any, I will motion to approve item 2,452,155 as presented.

We have a motion. Do we have a second?

Commissioner Mooney seconds.

Any other further questions, discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor of this item say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion passes. Congratulations and best of luck to you. Hopefully you're accessible in that second MEDA app. Thanks.

Do we have

a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

So moved.

Second. Second. All those in favor? Thank you, Chris.