Waukesha officials have selected a proposal from Horizon Development Group Inc. and Luther Group to redevelop a site along Delafield Street across from Waukesha City Hall.
Madison-based Horizon and Elm Grove-based Luther were one of three groups that submitted proposals to redevelop up to 5 acres of land along the west side of Delafield Street, near the northwest corner of where the street meets Madison Street.
Meeting Thursday night, Waukesha Common Council members voted 13-1 to select the Horizon and Luther proposal. The other proposals came from Waukesha-based Berg Management Co. and Kenosha-based Bear Development.
City leaders sought redevelopment proposals for as much as five acres for the site just north of downtown. The development was separated into two zones: Zone A is nearly 3.4 acres and currently consists of a former automotive repair facility and vacant land. The roughly 1.5-acre Zone B to the south of Zone A is the current location of the City Hall Annex Building just south of Zone A, which will be vacated by the city once construction of a new city hall building is finished in 2021.
Horizon and Luther pitched to the city a mixed-use, 80-unit building consisting of senior apartments and 7,500 square feet of first-floor commercial space. Although a specific commercial tenant was not identified, the proposal listed possibilities such as a wellness studio, travel agency, coffee shop and neighborhood retail. This four-story building would go up in Zone A.
Plans for Zone B are more conceptual, but possible uses include hospitality, medical, additional retail or even more residential units, especially if they were to serve a different market segment than the senior apartments.
Representatives with Horizon were not immediately available for comment. But Scott Kwiecinski, development manager with the firm, said in March the demographics of Waukesha support more senior housing.
“I think our project can be successful,” he said.
The developers will next need to work with the city to craft more detailed plans before closing on the property.
