Breweries, luxury apartments proposed near Mequon Town Center

A mixed-use development that will include the restoration of a historic brewery from the 1800s is being proposed on 17 acres of blighted land south of Mequon Town Center.

The $50 million project, to be called Foxtown, is being developed by Thomas Nieman, owner of Fromm Family Foods, south of Mequon Road along Industiral Drive.

The project is the third phase of the Mequon-Thiensville Town Center Development and continues with the community’s desire to create “a sense of place,” said Mary Clare Lanser, with Lanser Public Affairs, who is the spokesperson for the project.

The development includes six components.

• The first is the restoration of a 6,750-square-foot historic building which was once operated as a brewery in the 1860s into a two-story brewery that will utilize the caves below. That project will open in fall 2018, pending city approvals.
• The second building will be a two-story mixed use building with ground level retail and office or commercial space on the second floor. The project also includes a 12,000- to 14,000-square-foot roof terrace. The target opening date is spring 2019.
• The third site is targeted for two buildings with 48 luxury apartments in each building. The apartments, which are being developed by Saukville developer Bob Bach, with P2 Development Company, will open in 2019 and 2020. The site is currently a school bus parking lot.
• A former lumber house will be renovated into a 13,000-square-foot second brewery and beer hall in the summer of 2019. The space will also include an outdoor beer garden pavilion and covered bike parking in restored former lumber sheds. Gordon Goggins, who owns The Stilt House in Cedarburg and is planning Gordo’s in downtown Milwaukee, will operate the restaurants.
• Three, three-story mixed-use buildings that will include retail on the first floor, office on the second and an extended stay hotel for corporate use on the third floor is planned for the fifth site. The three-year phased development is expected to open its first phase in 2020.
• The final site will include 23 “porch” home condominiums in a pocket neighborhood. This will also be a three-year phased development with the first phase opening in 2020.

Rinka Chung Architecture is the architect on the historic brewery project. Stephen Perry Smith Architects is the project architect.

Cindy Shaffer, of Shaffer Development LLC,  said the Foxtown project would be a great addition to Mequon Town Center, which she co-developed with Blair Williams.

“I believe there is a strong market for both retail and residential growth in Mequon,” said Shaffer who is currently developing the Mequon-Spur 16 in the same corridor. “Our plans to repurpose the existing public works buildings and create a public market will be complimentary to the Fox Town Brewery. This is a win win for both of us and we look forward to working with our neighbors on the continued success of the Mequon Town Center.”

Lanser said community outreach on the project has already begun and the response has been positive. The project will go to the Mequon plan commission on Aug. 7.

“The theme is connectability,” Lanser said. “It is a concept of blending rooftops and retail and commercial. And such a fabulous investment in a sight that is blighted.”