Proposed development would bring 148 garden-style apartments to Brown Deer
If Brown Deer wants to welcome more pubs, restaurants and retail businesses to the village, there needs to be more housing there, village officials have emphasized.
The village board took a step in that direction Sept. 18 by unanimously approving a loan agreement and letter of intent for a multi-family housing development of 148 units.
“I think that retail follows rooftop is accurate,” Community Development Director Nate Piotrowski said at the village board meeting.
The garden-style apartments would be between 4300 N. Brown Deer Road and 8989 N. Deerbrook Drive, spanning about 7.8 acres. Milwaukee-based F Street Development Group is the developer of this project, according to village documents.
Why is the village looking at apartments for this location?
While Village Manager Tyler Burkhart acknowledges that many residents want to see more commercial development such as restaurants or retail businesses in that location, the developers he has talked to have said the location is not attractive for commercial development because of the demolition costs involved, and that developers would get a higher return on investment by building apartments.
"We have been continually told by developers that it is not feasible (for restaurants and retail businesses)," he said of the proposed apartment site.
Burkhart added that the village's comprehension plan was updated this year to emphasize the priority of commercial development for the village.
"I want the residents to feel heard," he said. "We need to work hard for that vision."
Can any part of the 7.8 acres be developed for commercial use?
Burkhart said that there is a 1-acre outlot, or undeveloped land, that can be developed as a restaurant or for retail use.
What kind of apartments will these be?
Piotrowski said these apartments will be garden-style, with the apartments surrounded by a garden-like setting. He said most will be townhouses with garages underneath them and an independent entryway.
Piotrowski said they will be one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with the majority consisting of one or two bedrooms. He said the number of each type has not been decided.
How much will the rent be?
While the exact rents are not finalized, rent is predicted to be about $170 to $175 for every 100 square feet, said Piotrowski. So a 1,000-square-foot unit is expected to have a rent of about $1,700 a month, he said.
How much is the loan from the village?
The loan amount from the village is $2.6 million. Piotrowski said the agreement calls for it to be paid in 24 months, but the developer's intent is to pay it sooner.
When are the apartments expected to be completed?
The apartments are expected to be completed in 2026.
Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kozlowicz_cathy.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Development with garden-style apartments proposed for Brown Deer
