Not So Fast (The Daily Bite)

It appears I may have been wrong. News is out today that SoMil has agreed to provide big bucks to improve this site for development for non other than Wal-Mart. I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach. This will decimate our neighborhood and kill what's left of our downtown.

I certainly hope SoMil receives enough tax income from this new development to make up for the drop in property taxes that will occur in the surrounding neighborhoods since property values will suffer. It's a TID though: tax incremental district. So if they do, it won't be for awhile.

Neighborhood Disaster Averted

I'm so excited today, relieved and hopeful even. I've learned that proposed plans for a Wal-Mart in our neighborhood have been terminated. It's an incredible relief: the plans had been for a 100,000+sf store that would have drawn upwards of 30,000 car visits per day through residential neighborhoods, past two different schools and a number of churches, and the closing of a residential through street. The parcel of land is only partially vacant, so several local businesses would have been absorbed - that is: purchased, shut down, and demolished.

Image from SMCDA

The current development proposal posted on the South Milwaukee Community Development Authority website shows a creative mixed use plan of housing and small retail with parking, dressed up with trees. What a wonderful addition this would make to our South Shore community!!