Menard's proposal to develop an outdoor self-storage business near Milwaukee's former Northridge Mall is rejected by a city panel
Menard Inc.'s proposal to develop an outdoor self-storage business near Milwaukee's former Northridge Mall has been rejected by a city panel.
The Board of Zoning Appeals denied a special use permit and variances that would have allowed Menard to add the storage units to the parking lot of a former Pick 'n Save supermarket, 8120 W. Brown Deer Road.
Menard, which operates a neighboring home improvement store, bought the former grocery store in 2017 and converted it into an indoor self-storage center.
The company wanted to add 246 outdoor self-storage units on the perimeter of the 3-acre parking lot.
That $2 million to $3 million investment would have generated more revenue for Menard and created a barrier to prevent illegal dumping on the parking lot, according to Menard executives.
Department of City Development officials opposed that proposal.
They said Menard's plans run counter to the type of developments they've been seeking for the area — which has seen few commercial projects since Northridge closed nearly 20 years ago.
The city's 2007 master plan for Milwaukee's far northwest side and other area plans call for creating jobs, redeveloping commercial corridors and revitalizing the Northridge site.
Self-storage centers, which use a lot of space and create few jobs, conflict with these goals, according to DCD.
Menard's representatives told the zoning board they understood the department's position.
But, they're tired of waiting for more development in the Northridge area.
The board voted 5-1 Thursday to deny Menard's application.
Board Chair Roy Evans was the dissenting vote. He said Menard has been a "good corporate partner to the area."
Other board members agreed with that sentiment.
But they also said Menard's proposal didn't meet the criteria for overcoming the zoning code's prohibition against self-storage businesses in that location. The indoor storage center was approved five years ago as a temporary use.
Board members who voted to reject the proposal also said the outdoor storage center could harm efforts to redevelop the area.
"It could have a detrimental effect on the type of development we would like to see," said board member Lindsey St. Arnold Bell.
A China-based investors group bought Northridge in 2008 and announced plans to redevelop it as a trade mart to sell clothes, toys, furniture and other consumer goods made in Asia to U.S.-based retailers.
But no work has been done at the site, and the city in 2019 issued a condemnation order on the dilapidated property.
That could result in the city acquiring Northridge, demolishing the mall and selling its land for new development, which could include light industrial projects.
But that plan was dealt a setback in March, when the Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled the condemnation order may not have followed reasonable standards required by law. That lawsuit is pending in court.
Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
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
Subscribe to get the BusinessWatch email newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Menard's proposed self-storage center near Northridge rejected
