A Germantown golf course could become the site of hundreds of new housing units, commercial space and a new public park under a new redevelopment proposal from a local developer.
Blackstone Creek Golf Club, N112 W17300 Mequon Road, is currently owned by
The Heimat Group, a commercial real estate firm based in Mequon.
The Menomonee River cuts through the golf course, making a bulk of the property wetland and floodplains not suitable for permanent development.
Thus, Heimat is requesting a land transfer with the village. The Village of Germantown currently owns a couple of parcels surrounding the golf course, which Heimat would acquire and turn over a large portion of the golf course property to the village.
The land exchange would leave Heimat with a property along Mequon Road and a separate property along Main Street for development.
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Plans are still in early stages, but Heimat envisions a mixed housing development with approximately 350 to 425 residential units that would unfold in several phases, a memo to the village says.
The land at the intersection of Mequon Road and Division Road is intended to be a mix of commercial and residential uses, focusing commercial uses along Mequon Road and transitioning to residential uses as the site moves to the north.
The residential housing uses will generally consist of a mix of market rate rental residences in varying types including two-story garden style units, row-style townhome units and traditional multi-story apartment buildings, according to the memo.
"The housing will be high quality, market rate units of varying sizes, styles and price points in order to attract and satisfy a range of housing demand that continues to exist within the village," Heimat said.
Portions of the golf course have previously been developed with a single family home on the course's western end built in the 2000s and a senior living facility on the southern end built in the 2010s.
The village is interested in making the golf course land it would acquire into a public park with access to the Menomonee River for fishing and kayaking, as well as trails, picnic areas, playgrounds and other park amenities elsewhere on the site.
At a Plan Commission meeting Monday night, village staff emphasized that all plans are preliminary and the village will need to have extensive negotiations with Heimat before entering into a deal.
While residents that spoke at the meeting were generally opposed to the plans, commissioners were generally receptive to the proposal, but said they want to ensure the village gets a fair deal in the land transfer.
Further, commissioners were concerned about the density of the project and that it is advancing at the same time as a proposal for a
town center-style development further east on Mequon Road that would also include multifamily housing units and commercial space.
