Board renews approval of 172-unit apartment complex

The Grafton Village Board renewed its approval of plans for a 172-apartment, four-story complex at 1160 Falls Rd. on Monday. 

The Farmstead on Falls building, which was delayed due to funding issues last year, will have a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments ranging from $1,750 to $2,955 a month.

The plans include a pool with a sundeck, outdoor grilling stations, multiple community rooms, tenant storage, a fitness center, a car care station, a recreation path and a fenced-in dog park with a pavilion.

A decorative “pump house” will also be built at one of two stormwater ponds to facilitate a waterfall.

The renewed plans change the location of the building’s underground parking lots and remove redundant pedestrian paths, along with altering its architectural style.

There is space on an outlot for a commercial multi-tenant building. That building will be reviewed later.

Construction will start in April, according to plans. The first residents will move in during the late summer of 2026 and construction would be complete that October.

The plans need to receive approval from the Architectural Review Board.

Trustee Lisa Uribe Harbeck voted against the project.

The Village Board also approved the conversion of the Rostad Aluminum building at 1411 Sixth Ave. from industrial use to five to 12 office, maker space and storage spaces called Goldfinger Studios.

Possible uses for the spaces include woodworking, painting, pottery making or metal smithing studios, massage therapy or fitness centers, sports clinics and event spaces.

The cost for the spaces will range from $100,000 to $700,000.

At a Plan Commission meeting last week, fire safety in the building was discussed. Fire Department officials and village staff recommended a sprinkler system be installed.

Owner Joe Locher said the system would be cost-prohibitive and unnecessary for most of the rental spaces.

“It is very expensive and disruptive to force fit that into a plan like this,” he said.

The commission agreed to have sprinkler systems installed on a case-by-case basis for the rental spaces.

Locher asked the commission about receiving a business facade grant from the Goldberg foundry tax incremental district to help complete masonry work on the building as required by the middle of 2026.

“Planning or even thinking of that is a bit of a reach,” Village President Dan Delorit said. The grant program in the district is on hold until the foundry remediation project is funded.

Locher said potential owners have largely been interested in buying large spaces in the Goldfinger building. 

For example, he said, a couple considered using 15,000 square feet of the building for a baseball academy.

Other projects, businesses OK’d

A 480-square-foot addition to a building at 1012 12th Ave. to be used as a new spa, Alati Salt and Light Experience, was approved.

The floor plan includes treatment rooms, restrooms, a waiting area and an office. Owner Maria Sardo hopes to begin construction next month and open Alati in February.

The commission waived a requirement to have adequate parking space for a wheelchair-accessible van due to lack of space.

A small pizzeria, Pub 60, received approval to move into the Citgo gas station at 1185 Port Washington Rd. It will occupy 517 square feet of the building and have seating.

An owner of the Citgo gas station said they were in negotiations with Jimmy Johns to fill 1,500 square feet of available space in the building.

A new bar, Casey Key Pub, received approval to replace the recently closed  Martini Pete’s.

Casey Key owner Peter Olds described the proposed business as an “upscale casual cocktail bar.” Casey Key will hold tastings, offer reservations for parties and have live music. It will keep bar hours.

The commission required that live music events end by 10 p.m. 

A small, primarily takeout restaurant, Brecarlo’s Creperie and Café, received approval to open at 1102 Beech St. in the former Osowski Tax & Accounting building. Brecarlo’s will offer crepes, sandwiches, salads and non-alcoholic beverages.

Hummel Pro North America received approval to use 29,750 square feet of the Kapco facility at 1046 Hickory St. for the production and design of sportswear.

Hummel will have two shifts with a maximum of 30 employees working each.