Development comes with high anticipation

Saukville’s proposed Northern Gateway development would be the largest development in the village’s history, and community leaders say they have high hopes for what the project could bring to the village.

The Northern Gateway Development is proposed for 99 acres of undeveloped land north of Highway 33 between I-43 and Northwoods Road. The development would introduce between 520 and 620 residential units, commercial and business spaces, a hotel, a recreation space and a large plaza park that would serve as the development’s hub.

The development would also create housing opportunities for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities through Cedarburg-based Mel’s Charities and provide them a community to work and socialize in.

While plans for the project are still preliminary and many approvals from the village and other regulatory agencies are needed before work can begin, the prospect of the development is exciting for many village stakeholders.

Village President Barb Dickmann said the village is beginning early steps of reviewing the multi-faceted project and that so far, reactions have been positive.

She said while it’s too early to say for sure how the village’s tax base would be affected by the proposed development, one thing is for sure, the development would help address a lack of housing in Saukville.

“Saukville has no buildable lots at this time so we’re very excited to have the potential for different types of residential opportunities,” she said.

Dickmann said having additional housing in the village would give a chance for those commuting to work in the village to become residents.

The Ansay Development Corp. project was initially presented to the village in December 2020 but was put on hiatus during the pandemic.

The plan was brought back to the village during a joint Plan Commission and Village Board meeting on April 20 by a team of developers, architects and supporters of the project.

The project is divided into a north and south campus with a road running parallel to I-43 connecting them.

The north campus would include 420 to 470 mixed-density residential units, 30 to 34 senior-living residences and a 22 to 30-acre business park.

The south campus, referred to as Mel’s Village, would include a plaza park space, retail and food spaces, office and commercial spaces, an indoor sports facility, a 110 unit hotel and another 120 to 150 residential units — 25% of which would be available to individuals with disabilities.

Trustee Andy Hebein said the plans for the project align with the village’s interest of maintaining a balance of growth both commercially and residentially. He added that additional housing would help expand the community and fill vacant positions.

“We’re always looking for ways to help grow the community,” he said.

The development could also spur additional growth of nearby nonprofits and community organizations like the nearby Feith Family YMCA in Saukville.

Kettle Moraine YMCA CEO Rob Johnson said the development could present a great opportunity to create additional programming and services for new Saukville residents the project would attract.

“Any type of development like that will provide opportunity for more involvement in the YMCA, hopefully more demand for child care and more access for people to come and utilize our services,” he said.

Johnson said before the Northern Gateway project was put on hiatus there were discussions about the YMCA having a child daycare location in the development but that talks have not resumed since the project was put back on the table. He added that the YMCA is still open to partnership opportunities with the new development.

Johnson noted that Feith Family YMCA is seated on a 20-acre lot and that Northern Gateway may provide opportunities to expand its offerings.

Dickmann said there are many steps that need to be completed before the project can move forward, such as the creation of a new tax increment finance district, review of a site plan and zoning approvals.

With much work to be completed, developers still hope to break ground on early phases of the development this year, something that may be possible by quickly completing benchmarks through the summer.

“I think it is going to move at a pace that is faster than we’ve seen before and it will be wonderful,” Dickmann said.