'Real Signs of Progress' at Oak Creek Lakefront

The machinery is out in full force on the south end of Oak Creek's lakefront redevelopment area, just east of Fifth Avenue and north of Ryan Road. 

Crews are working on environmental remediation of the former DuPont and EPEC properties, near the 9100 block of S. 5th Avenue, to get the land ready for development.

The work includes removing select areas of trees and concrete slabs, excavating along part of the bluff and treating soils. A building has also been demolished.

"It's real, tangible signs of progress down there at the lakefront," City Attorney Larry Haskin said.

The factories that operated on the land years ago—at a time of lax environmental regulations—left a host of problems that have plagued redevelopment efforts up to this point.

City officials say that when the remediation is done and approved by regulatory agencies, ownership of that land will transfer to Oak Creek, which will probably be sometime in 2014. Roughly half of it will be marketed for private development, and the other half maintained for public use.

Oak Creek's long-term plan for the lakefront is a mix of residential, retail, commercial and public space.

A public park is the first component of the plan expected to be constructed, which could start next year.