Major Players Reportedly Lining Up For Drexel Town Square Project

Several major players will join Oak Creek's Drexel Town Square project, with announcements likely coming after Jan. 1, according to a story from BizTimes Milwaukee.

The BizTimes report is in line with that I have been hearing as well, although BizTimes was able to get a lot more specifics: the newspaper reported that Zilber Ltd., a prominent Milwaukee residential real estate firm, and Barrett Visionary Development, which recently completed The Moderne in downtown Milwaukee, will participate in the project.

Officials are also "close" to obtaining commitments from key retail tenants and have approached several prominent Milwaukee-area restaurateurs, according to the report.

Make sure to read the whole story here.

The goal of the Drexel Town Square project is to create a new downtown for Oak Creek on the former Delphi property at Drexel and Howell. The city and Wispark, the development arm of We Energies, envision apartments, a "Main Street" with shops leading to a town square, restaurants, retail and a new city hall and public library.

I've heard some frustration and doubt from people what has appeared to be a lack of progress at the site, which is understandable. It's been a sea of concrete for well over two years now.

But you should start to see movement after the calendar turns. In addition to the likely announcements noted above, the concrete is scheduled to come out in the first few months of the year. Designs for the new city hall and library will also be presented, with construction on those buildings beginning in middle to late 2013. I expect some retailers and restaurants to be named at some point next year, as well.

Although progress on Drexel Town Square hasn't always come quickly, 2013 is shaping up to be a year of momentum.

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