Approximately two years ago, Seattle-based
Amazon presented Greenfield officials with plans to build a distribution facility at the mostly mostly vacant
Spring Mall property at 4200 S. 76th St. Discussions continued until June of 2022 when Amazon withdrew the proposal, saying "delays and changing direction" contributed to the decision to drop the plans.
According to
Kristi Porter, community development manager, Amazon and Spring Mall's former owner New York City-based Brixmor Property Group approached the city about building a "last mile" Amazon facility on the 24-acre property, which used to be home to retailers like Pick 'n Save and TJ Maxx.
Amazon planned to raze the site's two buildings and construct a 118,000-square-foot warehouse facility.
"We had mixed feelings about it," Porter said. "It's not ideal and does not meet our vision we had for the site, and Amazon knew that from the beginning."
"But at the time it was proposed, we were wondering if that was just the best option because of Brixmor's high asking price for the site," Porter said.
After another redevelopment proposal for the site, from Milwaukee-based Cobalt Partners which included about 370 housing units, also fell through, the city
purchased the property for a "more reasonable" $3.7 million, according to Porter.
Now the city
has an open request for proposals, asking for a mixed-use development of up to 500 apartments and other retail or offices for the property. The city issued the RFP earlier this week and is seeking $4 million for the property.
"I think we can pivot and go in the right direction that follows our vision, which is more than likely going to be mixed use," Porter said.
Greenfield wasn't the only south Milwaukee suburb that Amazon was potentially interested in.
According to 2020 reporting from the
Wall Street Journal, Amazon was in talks with Simon Property Group Inc., which owns Southridge Mall in neighboring Greendale, about converting vacant department store space to distribution space for Amazon.
No official proposals were submitted to the village of Greendale, city records show.
