Mandel Group is looking to bring apartments and a retail center to area near New Berlin Walmart
NEW BERLIN - A major builder of residential properties has designs on a 34.5-acre mixed-development concept for a highly visible strip of land near Walmart.
Mandel Group envisions a small retail shopping center on 6.6 acres, a multifamily apartment complex on 21.4 acres and a senior housing building on 6.5 acres, all along the east side of Moorland Road south of Greenfield Avenue, in the same busy quadrant that includes the city's largest retail store.
For now, the 25-page plan, titled the Greenfield Ave & Moorland Road Apartments, is merely a concept, something which New Berlin city officials have been made aware but for which no formal action has been taken. Here's what you should know.
What does the site consist of now, and how would it be impacted?
Despite heavy development of all four quadrants of the Moorland/Greenfield intersection, the parcel is mostly wooded with a meandering stretch of wetlands through its center. The woodland area, directly behind Walmart, spans about 22 acres.
According to Mandel's concept plan, only about 5 acres of woodland would be impacted by the development. The large wetland area, further east of the development, would be preserved.
The property is currently zoned I-1, the city's institutional zone. Mandel is seeking to make it a planned unit development consisting of underlying business (B-1) shopping center district, multifamily residential (RM-1) and institutional zoning.
What kinds of businesses would be located in the shopping center?
It's all very general for now, but Mandel does have some idea of what businesses might be attracted to the commercial part of the development, which would on the north end closest to Walmart.
In the concept plan presented to the New Berlin Plan Commission in April, Mandel Group listed "potential users" which include retail and service businesses, a restaurant, a car wash and a financial institution. Mandel's illustration of the commercial development showed five buildings of various sizes, each freestanding, and 216 parking stalls, though the actual plan could change depending on tenants' needs.
The commercial section would essentially align with Walmart's parking lot, which has frontage along Greenfield Avenue. An easement granted by Walmart could allow cross access between the two properties, though Mandel's development would have no direct access to Greenfield.
Who would be targeted to live in the residential spaces?
Mandel Group is known for medium- and high-density apartment complexes, attracting those looking for luxury living spaces, but this plan would also include senior housing.
For the multifamily portion of the plan, the developer said it wants to build up to 218 "high quality," market-rate apartments with substantial amenities, pointing to a more upscale design. The plan suggests a focus on both a younger demographic and older empty-nesters who prefer to pay rent and let others take care of the property.
The concept plan shows 12 two-story apartment buildings — each containing about 18 units — plus a pool with a clubhouse, a dog run, and 10 garage structures and a total of 430 parking stalls.
It also depicts a 55,000-square-foot, 150-unit senior living center at the southern edge of the development for independent living, assisted living and memory care residents.
When will this plan be formally considered?
So far, city officials have neither endorsed nor attempted to modify the concept plan as presented. But that will likely change in the coming months.
The residential plan has a density of 9.9 units per acre, which is greater than the seven-unit density in the city's code. The commercial portion includes slightly fewer parking stalls than the city might prefer. Plus, traffic flow in and out of the entire development and its impact on Moorland Road could be factors in the final design.
Zoning issues, including a certified survey map and comprehensive plan amendment necessary to accommodate the development, would be considered first. According to the preliminary schedule, the initial public hearing before the plan commission would be in June with possible action by the commission and the New Berlin Common Council in July.
Then comes consideration of the site plan, which must be approved. It would be submitted in July, once zoning issues are cleared. Under the preliminary schedule, the plan commission could consider the plan in September, followed later that month by the common council, for final approval.
Contact Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jariccioli.
More: New Berlin West teacher selected as one of five 2024 Wisconsin Teachers of the Year
Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.
DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mandel envisions apartments, retail center next to New Berlin Walmart
