April 28, 2014
Construction activities at the Drexel Town Square development site will kick into high gear soon as the contractors have been hired to perform infrastructure and grading work. Heavy equipment is on site to install the sanitary sewer and water system. Following that work, the area will be completed with the construction of streets, curbs, gutters, and street lighting.
Most of the infrastructure work will be completed by the end of the year with a few remaining projects to be completed by June 2015.
Previously, massive concrete footings and foundations from the former Delphi industrial complex were removed from the site. The State of Wisconsin, through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, helped with the removal cost, contributing $1.15 million. The concrete will be recycled for use on the site for the streets and building pads. Additionally, the environmental remediation was completed this past year. The site revealed little contamination and developers are seeking approval of the site from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
WISPARK LLC, the real estate development subsidiary of Wisconsin Energy Corp., purchased the site in August 2011. Jerry Franke, president of WISPARK LLC., credits Oak Creek officials with having the foresight to remove the buildings from the site after Delphi closed. This action not only allowed the city to benefit from the value of the scrap metal that remained after the buildings were demolished but also “literally paved the way for new development concepts,” Franke said. “Because of the unique design of the former buildings, it would have been very difficult to re-use them in a productive way. They would have been relegated to cold storage, not an economically desirable option.”
Groundbreaking
The official groundbreaking ceremonies are set for May 10 at 10 a.m. at the site of the future City Hall and Public Library on Sixth Avenue at the southern end of the site. The public is invited. Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi will lead the ceremony.
Future news updates will be published every 2 weeks. The next article will provide details about the large wetlands component on the west portion of the site. This area will serve as a model for best stormwater management practices and result in a new natural open area that will be accessible to the public. In addition to construction updates, we’ll also provide additional details about the tenants that have already announced their plans to be part of Drexel Town Square such as Meijer Inc.'s planned 191,000-square-foot supermarket and discount store, which will anchor the retail portion of Drexel Town Square, and the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. When commitments are obtained from other new retail tenants, we’ll share that news as well.
Drexel Town Square, covering 85 acres, will include a new Oak Creek City Hall and Oak Creek Public Library as well as more than 600 apartments and 150,000 to 200,000 square feet of commercial space within smaller stores, restaurants and other uses. Drexel Town Square will have more than 848,000 square feet of finished building space.
Visitors and businesses alike will find the easy freeway access to Drexel Town Square inviting as they use the newly designed I-94 Drexel Avenue Interchange.