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THE STORY

Waukesha

Water

Horizon West

Condo

Waukesha

Parade

Memorial

Property at 200 Delafield St. in Waukesha

North

Pillar Brewing in Waukesha

Hartland

Quarry

Development

Poplar Creek

Town Center in Brookfield

VA Clinic in

Oconomowoc

Oconomowoc

Splash Pad

Last we knew

For roughly two decades, Waukesha worked to solve the issue of radium in the groundwater supply. Officials settled on Lake Michigan as the best alternative. Mayor Shawn Reilly and Waukesha Water Utility General Manager Dan Duchniak traveled to eight Great Lakes states and two Canadian provinces to get approval for the project. After receiving approval, pipeline construction began. Customers were warned of potential water quality changes during the switch to Lake Michigan water. The transition began on October 9.

On June 24, a settlement between the city of Waukesha and the condo association agreed on a plan for demolition. Last October, the city filed suit against the association and the 65 condo residents seeking to enforce the raze order it had issued on the property in early 2022. The building was evacuated on Dec. 2, 2021, under an order from the city. As outlined in a complaint in a federal lawsuit, sometime prior to June 5, 2020, members of the Horizon West Condominium Homes Association identified instability in the structure’s balconies.

Evaluations from engineers and contractors concluded that water of unknown origin seeped into the building and significantly rusted the structural steel. The condos had been insured for up to $17 million. Last fall, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman sided with Horizon West’s insurer, Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut. Adelman found that the residents’ losses were not covered by the policy in place at that time, and several exclusions to coverage applied. The ruling was appealed.

Virginia "Ginny" Sorenson, Leanna Owen, Tamara Durand, Jane Kulich, Wilhelm "Bill" Hospel and Jackson Sparks lost their lives after Darrell Brooks drove his SUV through the 2021 Waukesha Christmas Parade. He injured over 60 people. He was later sentenced to life in prison. The Parade Memorial Commission selected Thrive Architects to design both the Main Street and Grede Park Waukesha Christmas Parade memorials.

Thrive Architects, a Waukesha-based firm, proposed a set of six metal ribbons representing the six people killed at the parade in November 2021; the ribbons would flow individually but be linked. The memorial would be located at the Five Points intersection downtown. Their memorial for Grede Park would feature elements of the ribbons coming together to form a heart.

In 2018, Waukesha purchased 200 Delafield St., the lot across from City Hall. The property once held a strip mall. In 2019, an arrangement was made with Horizon Development Group to develop the vacant lot. The arrangement fell through due to the COVID19 pandemic. In 2021, the city selected Sherman Associates to try to develop the property into a senior living community.

After once being an auto shop, 212 E.

North St. on the edge of downtown Waukesha is returning to its roots and becoming North Pillar Brewing. Breweries in the building date back to the 1800s. Business partners Ethan Boehm and Braden Hocking are now leasing the building from ADH Properties which is being managed by Berg Management Company.

In Hartland, the development of a large residential complex has been discussed at many plan commission and village board meetings. 267 residential units split between townhomes and multifamily flats will be constructed on the site of a former quarry off Capitol Drive and Palmer Drive. The village had been discussing creating a tax incremental district for several months.

Wimmer Communities is building a $120 million development at the northeast quadrant of Bluemound and Barker roads, which includes hotels and apartments. Poplar Creek Town Center will have the Marriott Center, which will include two Marriott hotels — a Courtyard and a Residence Inn.

Both hotels will offer fitness and office facilities, an indoor pool and rooftop lounge.

There will be 30,000 square feet of retail and dining space on the ground floor, the developer said.

Five residential buildings will offer amenities such as a golf simulator, billiards room and event space.

Construction had begun on the outpatient clinic for veterans at 1289 Olympia Fields Drive. The 8,500-square-foot facility that will be operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It will serve residents of Waukesha, Walworth, Washington, Jefferson and Dodge counties.

Ground was broken on phase 1 of the Oconomowoc Rotary Splash Pad next to Imagination Station in Roosevelt Park, 630 S. Main St., on Oct. 30.

The latest

On October 24, Waukesha Water Utility published a press release on their website stating that the transition to Lake Michigan water was complete. The transition was completed two weeks earlier than anticipated. Due to extensive preparation, customers experienced minimal changes to water taste, smell and color.

The 7th District Supreme Court of Appeals on Horizon West Condominiums’ lawsuit against Travelers Insurance, found in favor of Travelers on Friday.

The Waukesha community gathered at 4:39 p.m. on Tuesday on the two-year anniversary of the parade tragedy for the Main Street Parade Memorial Dedication & Remembrance Ceremony.

In September, the Common Council approved the relisting of the property after Sherman Associates requested a nine-month extension on the project. The decision was made because granting an extension would further delay the property’s tax value. Each time the project is delayed, the life of the tax increment district is shortened by one year.

This historic building has been under construction since spring. The Waukesha Plan Commission has been working with the business partners and the building owners in order to make some adjustments to the facade. In May, Boehm said that he and Hocking hope to have the brewery completed by the end of 2023.

On Nov. 9, the village Joint Review Board considered all documents, resolutions and public comments made on the Hartland Quarry development. No questions were raised, and the creation of TID#7 was approved unanimously. It is proposed to pay costs totaling about $18.2 million.

Brookfield Town Administrator Tom Hagie said in general, the project is well on it’s way. The progress is easy to see if you travel through the Barker Road/Bluemound Road intersection.

City Planner Jason Gallo said the project is nearing completion. As many as 5,000 veterans may receive care at the new clinic once it opens.

Progress has been made quickly on the site, said Parks, Recreation and Forestry Director Eric Boettcher, thanks to Brinkman Construction, which donated its services for demolition and site preparation.

What’s next

The issue of radium in Waukesha water has been solved with a new water supply. Officials report that the pipeline and infrastructure will provide area residents with Lake Michigan water for generations to come.

It is uncertain at this time if the Condo Association has any plans for further courses of action. The demolition/ asbestos abatement project continues with the asbestos abatement to be completed this week. The demolition should be completed by the end of the year with final grading and restoration to the site beginning in spring of 2024.

The Grede Park memorial construction is anticipated to be completed sometime in 2024.

The city of Waukesha is working with Joe Eldridge of Colliers Real Estate to find a new company to develop 200 Delafield St. City officials say they are open to developments other than senior living communities. They are hoping to find a developer that can commit to starting construction by mid-2024.

North Pillar Brewing took to Facebook on Oct. 31 to announce that the brewing equipment arrived.

The brewery has recently launched a website (www.northpillarbrewing.com) to outline its Pillar Program in which supporters can purchase packages of various prices to help push the project toward completion. The business partners are currently acquiring an occupancy license. An exact opening date for North Pillar Brewing has yet to be announced.

With the large size of the development, an expected completion date is not available. Before construction can begin on the buildings, there is approximately $8 million of sitework that will need to be done which includes crushing concrete material, raising the quarry bed and installing water and sewer improvements.

The first phase of the project, which includes the Marriot Center, is scheduled to be completed mid-2024.

The clinic is anticipated to be in operation by the end of the year with an official announcement expected soon about when the doors will open for clients.

Fall preparation for the site should be completed by the end of November, which includes waterline installation and drain lines. The plan is to have the splash pad ready for use by July 4.