I really don't get it. I thought this space was going to be for more specialty stores, not a general merchandise/food store adjacent to Woodman's ... down the street from Target and Kohl's. I thought it was targeted for higher-end shops. Do we want to put a strain on businesses already located in the area and possibly have them go out of business and leave and get stuck with an empty building? Aldermen on Oak Creek, think long and hard about this!

I too thought the town square idea was for specialized stores, or as it was touted, a "destination"... something to draw people into Oak Creek to spend their money instead of having them spend it out in Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield; or having to travel out to Brookfield, Shorewood. etc...

Like some people said, an Ikea store would be nice, or a Crate and Barrel, something along that line would be a nice addition to the offerings in Oak Creek But our alderpeople and mayor are blind, and can't see outside the box, and must have had their common sense removed when they took office.

Our alderpeople and our mayor really need to look long and hard at what they initially proposed to the people to make this project, because the way I see it is that it is going the opposite direction of what was proposed, which is fraudulent.

More grocery stores, and I don't care if Meijers is closer to what Walmart and Target are, it is not what Oak Creek needs.

But the Meijer wouldn't be the WHOLE site, would it?? Isn't this a huge piece of land? I assume as an anchor, the Meijer would be just one piece, of many others. Then it will be surrounded by other, higher end pieces, like the nice restaurants and smaller specialty stores, etc.

Mark - did they have any drawings or anything at the meeting, showing the scale of the Meijer with respect to the whole site? Isn't it going to be surrounded by shops and restaurants more in line with what we were hoping for??

Shameful deceit on the part of Wispark and our Alder people.

The meeting on Feb 11th should give a more definitive picture of the options here.

As can be seen by the comments by are aldermen there mind is already made up do not confuse them with the facts .they will do what every the Mayor tells them regardless of what the people want or say

I am trying to keep an open mind on this, but I have to wonder why the whiz-bang commercial recruiters did not say at the start that the idea of smaller-box stores would not be very feasible. I also wonder why the view from Howell is not more "civic" vs. some big ugly store and its even-uglier parking lot.

So...what kind of upscale restaurant is going to go next to it? Popeyes?

A picture of the revised layout is now attached (underneath the Meijer photo) to give people a better idea of how the store would fit into the site. The Meijer store is the big reddish box -- Howell Avenue is to the right (east) and Drexel Avenue on top (north).

The green box is the town square, with the downtown above that. The purple box represents the city hall and library. The residential component is indicated in yellow.

you know really anything DIFFERENT would be fine, Oak Creek has all scales of household incomes. What would most likely succeed in this area? I think a little of everything would be the ticket

The area will not be able to support all the retailers. The concern by the Aldermen that they don't want this site to sit empty does not take into consideration that likely one of the two Pick'n Saves will close and do just that- sit empty. If the development is done properly and the rents not prohibitive other retailers will come. Has anyone been in the third ward lately? This area is filled with a mix of unique businesses that draw people to the area- it also includes interesting dining options. Let's not short change ourselves- the new Drexel interchange makes this an easy destination from the north and the south-once the economy starts to grow again retailers other than grocers will once again expand.

Looks like city hall and the library got the least desirable location--way in off Drexel and Howell. Have to deal with all the traffic getting to them. District 1 residents--remember that the current alderman supports Meijer. There is a primary in February for that seat.

Retail sales, 2012, the worse since 2009. Most sales were credit card. Buffet, Soro's and other big money investors dumped their retail stocks late last year. Do they know something our council members should know? What about the residents writing in this blog. A big box or a small box, yade, yade, yada. The city cut WIsPark slack on developmental agreement for the proposed office park on Howell and Oakwood. The smartest thing to do would be to hold development as any project developed on that site in this economy is going to fail. Failure means we still pay the debt payment and we'd have another failing TIF. HIgh end restaurants? I don't think so they'd go broke ask the Italian restaurant owner down on 5th how well he's doing in this economy, how he's paying his mortgage. Even the family restaurants and junk food fast foods are seeing decreased sales. City father's need to consider a big box containing a Goodwill,(high end thrift) Salvation Army, and a Value Village to go along with Hud Family Housing the only affordable housing in need here in MIlwaukee, County.

For a retailer of this size, the required parking count will be nearly 1000 cars. Not only unsightly, but a significant increase in traffic for the area. My hope was for the proposed Meijer building to be positioned in a manner that shelds some of this parking from casual view - but the image Mark posted just looks like more of the same (a typical big box retailer with a massive sea of parking in front). Personally, tis is not what I expected / envisioned for this development. Turns out the masterplan that was revealed a few months back was nothing more than a 'pretty picture' used to sell the public on moving the Library & City Hall..

This is such a huge change that it all needs to be revisited and rethought.
I feel we have been duped by someone, I just can't figure who did it.

Oak Creek is a lovely city where I've lived for the last 24 years. I appreciate the importance of developing the land on Howell and Drexel; but have we taken a careful consideration of the affect of any "rushed" decisions. I personally believe a Meijer is not needed here as it is very similar to a Super WalMart. We have plenty of grocery stores offering the exact same labels (Woodman's, Pick N Save, Piggly Wiggly and Target) all in close proximity to one another. Wouldn't Oak Creek benefit from stores that are unique and interesting to those that live outside our city? Think for a moment, where do you spend your money and how far do you travel to spend it? What businesses or restaurants might Oak Creek choose to represent their Town Center allowing residents and those outside our city to stimulate our local economy? I thought the original vision for our Town Center was to promote a "destination shopping" experience; similar to Historic Downtown Greendale or shops like those at Bayshore. Let's give families a place to enjoy; a "boardwalk" of sorts to shop at, encouraging our sense of this community's commitment to health and fitness. Please remember, the development chosen for this location should reflect the community Oak Creek has become; recognizing the resident's desires as they ultimately support the economy and finance the city.

Personally, I don't like Wal Mart. I find the grocery prices are better at Woodmans. You moved here 24 years ago. You moved to a developing community what have you seen developed by the city that made the city a better place to live? Did your children receive the education you supported as the best we could offer? Do you think you got the most for your tax dollars when it comes to quality of development? Is there anything novel to our city besides having the most dangerous air in S.E. Wisconsin? Did you get any tax breaks or reduced cost electric service for housing the 6th largest coal plant in the nation? Does your toilet flush better seeing we house a part of MMSD? Reportedly we have the best water. What does this mean? It means we use lots and lots of chemicals to remove pathogens and improve the smell. Drexel development will support the ideology of your leaders, a big square empty box which by the time a deal is struck we as a city will probably not recognize tax dollars as council will give them a huge long term break that will expire about the same time any company that comes here will close up and leave. I don't travel to Greenfield to shop in their quaint old town village. I don't shop at our Market Place and I certainly don't like the owners nor food and prices at the Market Place Cafe. No one helped the Cellar, The majority of our old restaurants have closed only to be replaced with less than desirable new business like the Prime Table and their cockroaches.

When is the next public meeting? Comments on PATCH are nice, but public disapproval will make the statement.

Jill, we don't have public meetings in OC. We have presentations to meet the legal mandate of Public Hearing. Council can't listen to you, doesn't want to and won't even if your allowed open mic which of late is not the case. . You need to examine the debt plan spending (175 mil) they approved over the voice of objection to understand where were at. The city is now a BUSINESS not a local governmental unit. I wish the county would come up with a good plan to abolish local municipal governments in Milwaukee County and get rid of the riff raff currently dictating policy at the muni level.

I have to agree with most of the posters on this subject.... it really seems like this is no where near the original proposal.... nothing against Meijer's but I don't seem additional people coming to OC to spend money just to go to Meijer's. All this will do is take money that already would have been spent in OC hurting existing OC businesses. I really hope then think about this before pushing this through.....

Another big box discount store? Seriously? We need some new things that will draw people in, not hurt other existing businesses in town. "High end" and "modern" definitely doesn't describe Oak Creek so I don't think a Crate & Barrel or similar stores would be the best idea. I do think a Michael's or Jo Ann Fabrics, Old Navy, DSW, CVS, Books A Million, Sweet Tomatoes, or Dave & Busters might do well in the area.

I think Meijer is just a Farm & Fleet with groceries and a few more shoes.

I think the people of OC were sold a bill of goods with promises of an experience like Bay Shore. Perhaps we don't need quite that experience, but we don't need another run of the mill store that will take business away from stores already established and part of the Oak Creek community. I don't think bringing in a store like Meijers is being very supportive of those established businesses. Do we really need the same old same old? With the economy the way it is, lets let the businesses already here keep afloat without bringing in more of the same. Please think long and hard on this one and lets do what is best for Oak Creek for once!!