By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – A site plan for the first of what could become multiple buildings constructed along Mike McCarthy Way was approved Tuesday, Jan. 26, by the village board.
Merge Urban Development previously entered into a development agreement with the village to build the project on property Ashwaubenon’s Community Development Authority owns on the north side of Mike McCarthy Way between Holmgren Way and South Ashland Avenue.
Merge is planning to construct 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 on the east of the building.
Community Development Director Aaron Schuette said the L-shaped building will have a public courtyard in front and off-street parking along the building’s west and north sides with underground parking not feasible in the area because of the groundwater table.
Schuette said the approved site plan only included the residential and commercial portions of the project with the exterior elevations of the climbing gym not ready for submittal at this time, but would be considered for a future site review by the Site Plan Review Committee, Plan Commission and the board.
“It’s a beautiful building, and I like the fact that it’s all masonry,” said Village President Mary Kardoskee. “It will look really nice for a long time.”
Schuette 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.
He said the project will also involve cutting in a new driveway and closing off an existing one, which will require restriping of parking stalls on the roadway.
With a development agreement already approved for the project, Schuette said Merge is in the process of getting a certified survey map approved to combine two parcels into one to facilitate development of the site.
He said construction on the building could begin this year.
Trustee Gary Paul said he hopes the development will bring more people into the area.
“There’s some more land there that could be used for further development,” he said. “I think it fits well, and like I said, we’re getting another nice structure.”