Drexel Town Square Plans Marching Forward

The ambitious plans for the corner of Drexel and Howell continue to move ahead, with work under way at the site now and a public hearing coming up in June.

Drexel Town Square Plans Marching Forward

The ambitious plans for the corner of Drexel and Howell continue to move ahead, with work under way at the site now and a public hearing coming up in June.

Progress on Oak Creek's much-publicized Drexel Town Square development comes in both visible and invisible ways. Visible work is happening now at the corner of Drexel and Howell avenues, where several trucks and workers are digging up concrete at the 85-acre site. That work will continue until the end of July, and the concrete will be re-used within the development. The invisible: the Drexel Town Square site plan has begun moving through the city government review process, with a public hearing set for June 18 and a final Oak Creek Common Council vote sometime soon after that. "Given the complexities of the commercial real estate market, the financing market and everything else that's been going on since the crash of 2008, I feel we're …

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Oak Creek Out $300K for Lakefront Land Purchase

The city withdrew its application for $300,000 in grant money after the DNR refused to waive a requirement regarding hunting and trapping.

Oak Creek's progress on redeveloping its lakefront was dealt a setback after the state Department of Natural Resources declined to award a $300,000 grant without the city allowing hunting and trapping. Lakefront plans are still moving forward, but city officials say money has to be reallocated and it will negatively impact the development of 250 vacant acres along Lake Michigan, where a mix of public, residential and commercial uses are planned. "It's going to take away from other things we can do on the lakefront," City Attorney Larry Haskin said. Oak Creek had applied for a DNR stewardship grant to help pay for the purchase of 30 acres along the lakefront at 9006 S. 5th Ave. The $300,000 grant, for which city officials say they received …

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Oak Creek Hires New Finance Director

Bridge Souffrant is an Oak Creek resident with nine years of experience in municipal government.

Oak Creek resident Bridget Souffrant has been hired as the city's new finance director. Souffrant, currently the Brown Deer village treasurer/comptroller, has worked in municipal government for the past nine years. She has a Master's of Business degree from Concordia University. Mayor Steve Scaffidi recommended her for the position, saying she brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm. The Oak Creek Common Council unanimously approved the hire Tuesday. Souffrant will begin her duties May 6. Her salary has been set at $88,329.

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Challenger Unseats Alderman; School Board Members Hold Seats

Steven Kurkowski upset two-term Alderman Dan Jakubczyk in Tuesday's general election, while School Board Incumbents Frank Carini and Paul Mason were re-elected.

Incumbent Oak Creek Alderman Dan Jakubczyk was unseated in his re-election bid, losing to challenger Steven Kurkowski in Tuesday's general election. According to unofficial election results, Kurkowski pulled in 348 votes (53 percent) to Jakubczyk's 308 (47 percent). Results remain unofficial until certified by the Board of Canvassers. Tuesday was a reversal of the primary, when Jakubczyk was the leading vote-getter in the February primary with 42 percent of the vote against Kurkowski's 30 percent. "I was very surprised," Jakubczyk said. "I thought I had a reasonably good chance, and I was comfortable with what I did." Jakubczyk said he stopped by Kurkowski's home and congratulated him on his victory. "I would like to thank the people for …

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Oak Creek Plans More Infrastructure Improvements

The city will replace bridges, add sidewalks on Howell Ave. and rehabilitate a portion of Puetz Road.

In addition to 18 local road projects set to take place in 2013, the city has scheduled several other infrastructure improvements over the next few years. Bridges on Nicholson Road, Weatherly Drive, Marquette Avenue and 6th Street will be replaced. Sidewalks will be extended throughout Howell Avenue, filling in gaps between College Avenue and Oakwood Road. And Puetz Road between Howell Avenue and Liberty Road will be rehabilitated. The Common Council has approved issuing $3 million in bonds, payable over a 10-year favor, to finance the work. The city is also applying for grants to offset the cost. The bridges are on 6th Street just north of Drexel Avenue; Marquette Avenue just west of Howell Avenue; Nicholson Road south of Puetz Road; and …

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Development Agreements In Place For Drexel Town Square, Business Park

Development agreements approved by the Oak Creek Common Council Tuesday night bring both projects one step closer to the beginning of construction.

Two major development projects in Oak Creek, the Drexel Town Square and a planned business park on Oakwood Road, continue to inch toward construction. The Oak Creek Common Council on Tuesday approved development agreements with Wispark, which owns both properties. Under the agreements, the developer will pay for infrastructure improvements—such as sanitary sewer, drainage facilities, roads, traffic signals and sidewalks—through a tax-incremental financing district. TIF districts allow developers or municipalities to borrow money to pay for infrastructure, and use the increased tax increment generated by the new development to pay off the loan. Wispark is the development arm of We Energies. Its projects are paid for by shareholders, not …

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More Aldermen Set Listening Sessions

With big votes coming this spring, Oak Creek council members seek to answer questions and gather public input.

With no shortage of hot topics in Oak Creek, city aldermen are setting up listening sessions to answer questions and gather input from the public. Alderman Tom Michalski will host such a meeting from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 9, while Alderman Dan Jakubczyk has scheduled a listening session for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 16. Both meetings will be held in the council chambers of Oak Creek City Hall, 8640 S. Howell Ave. All residents are invited to attend. Council members are facing big votes later this spring on plans for the Drexel Town Square development project. A proposed Meijer store is one aspect of the development that has attracted strong opposition. Jakubczyk is also bidding for re-election against challenger Steven …

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City Closes TIF District, Returning $6.5M To Tax Rolls

The TIF district, formed in 2000, supported the expansion of Nucor in the Northbranch Industrial Park.

Oak Creek has dissolved a tax-incremental financing district in a move that will return $6.5 million to tax rolls. The TIF was created in 2000 to support the expansion of Nucor, then called Milwaukee Steel Converting, at 400 W. Burkhard Court in the Northbranch Industrial Park. The business expansion has resulted in an additional tax value of $4.6 million, according to a report to council members. The project costs for the TIF district, which mostly went to expand a public street, were $722,528. The city has received the tax increments necessary to pay the project costs and can now close the district. "It's really a great example of how the city can invest in the future of its companies, of its businesses, of its business parks, and get …

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City Aims to Make Kids' Walk to School Safer

The federal Safe Routes To School program could allow the city to construct more sidewalks near the high school and Edgewood Elementary.

Oak Creek will explore a federal grant program in the hopes of making students' walk to school safer. The federal Safe Routes to School program is an initiative that aims to make conditions safer for children biking and walking to school. Alderman Jim Ruetz requested the city look into it because of conditions on S. Verdev Drive, near the high school and Edgewood Elementary School. "A lot of kids normally would take that route (to school), but very few do because it's a very dangerous route," Ruetz said. Sidewalks on Verdev Drive would cost an estimated $110,000 to $112,000. Safe Routes to School would be a funding source if the city's grant application is successful, City Engineer Mike Simmons said. The federal grant program is highly …

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