Oak Creek Increasing Spending On New Civic Buildings

The city of Oak Creek has increased its budget for a new library-city hall building by about $2 million and a new fire station by $300,000. 

Oak Creek will now spend $22.4 million on the construction of a roughly 87,000-square-foot, two-story building housing the city hall and library at the Drexel Town Square development. 

A new fire station will be built on Centennial Drive at a cost of $4 million. 

Officials anticipate breaking ground on both buildings by the end of the year.

The additional spending will be paid for through bonds, cash on hand and future land sales from Drexel Town Square, City Administrator Gerald Peterson said. Property taxes will not increase, he added.

A large factor driving the increase in spending is to accommodate underground parking at the city hall-library for city vehicles.

Plans had previously showed a detached garage to the east of the building; some aldermen wanted it removed to open up space for development opportunities at Drexel Town Square, among other reasons.

After a debate lasting more than an hour, the Oak Creek Common Council approved the change Tuesday night on a 5-1 vote, with Alderman Jim Ruetz opposed.