By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer

ASHWAUBENON – A site plan for the first of what could become multiple buildings constructed along Mike McCarthy Way was recommended Tuesday, Jan. 5, by the village’s Site Plan Review Committee and Plan Commission.

Merge Urban Development previously entered into a development agreement with the village to build the project on property Ashwaubenon’s Community Development Authority (CDA) owns on the north side of Mike McCarthy Way between Holmgren Way and South Ashland Avenue.

Merge has proposed constructing a five-story, mixed-use building with 3,100 square feet of commercial space on the first floor, 88 multi-family residential units on the second through fifth floors and a 12,000-sqaure-foot climbing gym.

Community Development Director Aaron Schuette said the L-shaped building will have a public courtyard in front and parking along the back and side with the groundwater table in the area making underground parking not feasible.

Schuette said the site plan only included the residential and commercial portion of the project with the exterior elevations of the climbing gym not ready at this time, but those would be considered for a future review.

He said the exterior materials would be a mix of masonry, metal walls panels, and aluminum storefront and unit windows.

With a development agreement already approved for the project, Schuette said construction on the five-story building could begin this year.

He said the conditions of approval include the climbing gym exterior being submitted separately for site plan review, coordinating with the public works and forestry departments regarding the feasibility of planter beds proposed along Mike McCarthy Way and all metal wall panels using fully concealed fasteners.

Because the project is located within the Sports & Entertainment zoning district, Schuette said the site plan requires final approval by the village board, which will consider it at its Jan. 26 meeting.

Rose Schroder, planner with Bolton & Menk, presented the project on behalf of Merge.

Schroder said plans for the five-story building changed with the addition of the climbing gym on the east end.

“There is a certified survey map to sort of reconfigure the properties, so the parcel and all the site plans match this proposed Lot 1 that is shown on the certified survey map,” she said.

The commission backed a two-lot certified survey map to combine and realign the property lines between the two parcels with Lot 2 intended to remain with the CDA for future development to the east.

Schuette said the two lots meet dimensional standards for the Sports & Entertainment zoning district.