By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – A site plan for a new 49,200-square-foot, four-story office building to replace an existing single-story structure at 2181 S. Oneida St. was approved Tuesday, Jan. 28, by the village board.
The site located just south of Sammy’s Pizza along Oneida Street currently has a one-story office and two apartment buildings.
Nifong Realty is planning to tear down the office building and the westernmost apartment building to redevelop the site with the four-story structure and a parking area.
The building will include a drive-through canopy for a potential financial institution tenant and also have a top-floor gathering space, landscaping and a combination of on- and off-street parking.
The exterior building materials will consist primarily of a red brick veneer and aluminum window systems for all four stories.
To facilitate development of the site, Community Development Director Aaron Schuette said the village and Nifong Realty are working on a development agreement to swap some properties, as well as coordinating on burying power lines.
Though the Planned Unit Development (PUD) previously approved for the project permitted a building height of 55 feet, Schuette said the plans as submitted call for a height of 56 feet.
He said a minor increase in the PUD height in this instance is an allowable administrative revision he is comfortable in making.
In addition, Schuette said the building height will have to be approved by Austin Straubel International Airport because the structure is located within Zone C of the airport zoning district and above 50 feet in height.
He said a traffic study conducted for the project site indicates a future need for a right-hand turn lane from Marvelle Lane onto South Oneida Street.
Dave Holzem of Nifong Realty said the company will temporarily relocate its office elsewhere during the project construction, which he expects will take about a year to complete.
Because the project is located in the Village Center zoning district, the site plan required final approval by the village board.