8 Stoughton Focus - June 29, 2017
Photo by Amber Levenhagen
Construction continues around Wal-Mart at Kettle Park West.
Wal-Mart opens as KPW keeps growing BILL LIVICK Unified Newspaper Group
With the March 2017 opening of the Wal-Mart Supercenter, the Kettle Park West development has its key building in place to anchor a 35-acre commercial/retail area. Improvements to nearby streets and roads were completed last fall, work began on other buildings in the commercial center, and plans were introduced and approved for more buildings in the project’s second phase. In addition to Wal-Mart, the commercial area of the development – known as Phase 1 – will include a Kwik Trip gas station/ convenience store and McFarland State Bank. Construction began on the
Kwik Trip in late March. In a separate project nearby, an Aldi grocery store is under construction. Plans to construct several other buildings in Phase 1 are pending, including McFarland State Bank and three multi-tenant buildings. A third building that’s planned to go on Lot 4 in the commercial center is on hold, Forward Development Group manager Dennis Steinkraus told the Hub. Steinkraus said he expects construction to begin on two more buildings in the commercial center this summer. “ T h e y ’v e g o t p l a n s out for bid and will start building this summer,” he said. “Those will start about mid-July.” Roads serving the project also got big improvements. A roundabout at the intersection of Kettle Park Way and State Hwy. 138
was completed in October following two months of work. In mid-June, traffic signals went live at the intersection of Jackson Street and U.S. Hwy. 51. In the 90-acre Phase 2 area of KPW, the city has approved the construction of a four-story Tru by Hilton hotel and a 10,700 square-foot conference center, along with a three-story, 100unit senior assisted living facility. Steinkraus said he expects construction to b eg i n o n t h e h o t e l i n August and the senior complex the following month. The 93-room hotel and conference center would be built on the north side of Jackson Street in an ex t e n s i o n o f t h e fi r s t phase commercial center. The hotel, approved last August, would bring 35 full- and part-time jobs to the city. The 51,500 square-foot
senior living facility at 2600 Jackson St. would include 21 units of memory care and employ about 30 people. The council approved a conditional use permit for it in May. The council put all further work in Phase 2 on hold until the develope r r e c e ive s Wi s c o n s i n Department of Transportation approval for a connection from the Phase 2 area to State Hwy. 138. The developer and city officials have had discussions with the DOT about a proposed entrance at Oak Opening Drive, but Steinkraus is not expecting an approval anytime soon. “The reality is I don’t see it being built for seven to 15 to maybe 20 years,” he told the Hub last week. “It’s not warranted.” Contact Bill Livick at bill. livick@wcinet.com
With land acquired, developer takes ideas from community planning exercise BILL LIVICK Unified Newspaper Group
Plans to transform an abandoned industrial area into a new residential development have gotten much more tangible in the past year after negotiating several hurdles. The city’s Redevelopment Authority controls about 10 acres between the Yahara River and East South
Street and has been looking for years to use its location between the river and downtown as a community asset. Late last year, it acquired a key piece of property in that area – the 6-acre MillFab site – at a cost of $750,000 after negotiating with the receiver in charge of the company’s bankruptcy. It then selected a master developer to lead the effort and in June held a three-day design event with the public to gather ideas about what to include in the riverfront redevelopment area.
Turn to RDA/Page 13
Inside Housing construction Page 9 New public works building, message from the chamber
Council and School Board discuss growth Page 11 New business questionnaires
Page 10
Page 12
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Streets near the development are also improved
Riverfront plans begin to take shape
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