City lights

Waukesha sets a fast pace

Developers hustle to keep up

By Kristine Hansen

Carroll College's Main Hall casts an impressive vision in the Waukesha night following Oscar J. Boldt Construction's $3 million renovation of the structure. Photo courtesy of Oscar J. Boldt Construction

When translated, the word Waukesha means "by the little fox." But today, the city is anything but little.

Patti Wallner, president of the Waukesha Area Chamber of Commerce, finds it hard to conceal her enthusiasm about the area's growth.

"We're very excited about the economic outlook in Waukesha County," she said. But downtown Waukesha is where she witnesses the most powerful makeover.

Downtown shopping and congregating is quite popular with city residents. The historic district has 18 restored buildings and an 1870s-era Silurian springhouse replica.

Two condo projects are in the works downtown, including a nine-unit project on Brook Street.

"Their target market is a young professional, so now we're looking at a new vision for downtown Waukesha," Wallner said. In several Waukesha households, she's noticed, one person works in Madison and the other in Milwaukee, making a commute from Waukesha County tolerable.

"We're now to the point where every other house has someone (originally) from a different area," said Wallner, adding that this creates threads of diversity in the community. Many residents are returnees to the community they grew up in.

The second-floor corridor of Carroll College's Main Hall provides an intricate view of the stonework restored during Oscar J. Boldt Construction's renovation project. Photo courtesy of Oscar J. Boldt Construction

"The feedback we're getting from developers is that they can barely keep up with the growth," said Wallner.

But the developers are doing their best to keep pace. Bielinski Homes, Waukesha, has been contracted to build two single-family housing developments under the Meadowbrook name in Waukesha, one on Highway 18 and the other on Madison Street.

According to Michael Hoeft, the city of Waukesha's planning director, construction has started on a commercial plaza on Grandview Boulevard called Grandview Plaza. Walgreens and Office Depot have signed on as tenants.

Carroll College recently completed a $3 million renovation of an old building into a lecture hall. Oscar J. Boldt Construction, Waukesha, worked on the project, which totaled 20,000 square feet.

Voss Jorgensen Schueler Co. Inc., Waukesha, started a $3.1 million expansion at Fox River Christian School — which tacks on additional sanctuary space and a meeting space — in April and will wrap up by December, said Tracy Roder, marketing coordinator at VJS. The total project area for that job is 27,164 square feet.