Massive industrial complex planned for rural Port

The Port Washington Plan Commission is scheduled to discuss on Thursday a massive industrial development proposed to be built on 45 acres in the Town of Port just north of the city — a project that would potentially add 567,000 square feet of manufacturing space and bring city utilities across I-43 to the edge of Knellsville.

According to a preliminary concept plan submitted to the city, the space would be spread out over three buildings, the smallest of which would be 100,000 square feet with two future additions of more than 11,000 square feet each, and the largest of which would be 259,000 square feet.

The Plan Commission will get its first look at the plan and discuss the project during its 6 p.m. meeting Nov. 18 at City Hall.

Because the project is proposed for land in a joint planning area, the Town Board has been invited to the meeting, Bob Harris, the city’s director of planning and development, said.

The land is expected to be annexed to the city if the plan is approved, in part because of the need for city water and sewer services, Harris said. 

Mayor Ted Neitzke said he is excited about the development proposed by F Street Development of Milwaukee, saying it will accelerate growth on the city’s north side, and could bring a large number of jobs to the area.

“The opportunity to grow Port Washington’s employment base can’t be underestimated,” he said, adding that other companies may be drawn to the area by this development.

It may also spur residential growth, support local businesses and “energize” the city, he said.

“It changes everything,” he said. “It’s very exciting.”

While the proposal to construct buildings for light industrial purposes on the property “just kind of came out of nowhere,” Harris said, the concept of using the land for a business park has been around for decades.

That’s due, in part, to the fact the land is near the freeway, providing visibility and easy access for trucks and workers. 

The proposed development would be built on land owned by the Weiss family just west of Highland Drive, and the concept plan shows access off Highland Lane, which runs under the freeway. Highland Lane would connect to a new road that would run through the development and lead to Highway KW, Harris said.

A business park or light industrial uses are allowed under both the city’s and town’s land use map, he noted, but the city’s business park standards don’t allow a building larger than 40,000 square feet unless approved by the Plan Commission following a public hearing.

These proposed buildings are large, Harris acknowledged, comparing them to the Manitowoc Crane building on the city’s south side that’s about 110,000 square feet.

Neitzke said the buildings designed by Keller Planners, Architect, Builders, which submitted the plan to the city, are “great construction.”

“They’re not pole barns,” he said. “I think properly built, properly landscaped, it will represent Port as a destination.”

The developer has been talking to potential tenants and would likely construct the buildings in phases.

“We don’t know if they have any locked up,” Harris said, adding that officials have been led to believe the company they are closest to signing is a light industrial user.

“We’re not going to approve it to be warehousing,” Neitzke said. “If the city’s going to make a significant infrastructure investment, it’s only going to be for significant returns.”

He added that the developers have done significant studies and are “courting” tenants for the development, adding they have multiple interested parties.

According to the preliminary concept plan, the most likely prospective tenant would occupy about 104,000 square feet in the largest building.

The property is on the city’s northern entrance, Harris said, and would be subject to design and landscaping requirements.

“We’re talking large buildings with truck traffic,” he said. “We need to look at what the impact on those roads will be.”

In addition, he said, the city needs to look at the impact on the Interurban Trail, which crosses Highway LL and follows Highland Lane under I-43 to Highland Road.

The potential benefits, he said, could include the number of jobs that may be created and the property tax revenue the city would reap.

Town Chairman Mike Didier said he has no problem with the concept design, especially since it will bring water and sewer service to the Knellsville area, which has long been slated for business growth.

The lack of utilities has hampered business growth in the area, town officials have said.   

Supr. Gary Schlenvogt noted that given its location, “It really doesn’t affect many residents.”

Neitzke said the city doesn’t know how much it would cost to extend sewer and water to the site, but said the cost of studies to determine this would be borne by the developer. 

To accommodate the extension of sewer and water services — something that has been estimated to cost a significant amount of money — the city has long talked about creating a tax incremental financing district, something Neitzke said the city “would have to do.”

Both Neitzke and Harris noted that the proposal is in its early stages and change may be likely.

There’s still much to be defined about the plan, Harris said.

“It’s a significant development and there are a lot of pieces to it,” he said. 

Neitzke said, “There are still many questions. This is just a concept plan. There’s a lot to be considered.”

That’s especially important, he said, because this development will set the tone for the future of that area.

“This is a legacy piece,” he said. “We have to get it right.”