Briggs & Stratton Corp. confirmed Friday it is interested in leasing the 700,000-square-foot industrial building that Zilber Property Group is developing as part of the proposed Germantown industrial park development.
The $28 million building would be part of the first phase of development in an industrial park Zilber is planning north of Holy Hill Road and east of I-41. A 150,000-square-foot building is also planned as part of the first phase. A user for that facility is not identified.
A second phase would include four additional 150,000-square-foot buildings to be built through 2027 and a 250,000-square-foot building to be constructed in 2022.
The full development is valued at $64.25 million.
Germantown’s plan commission is holding a public hearing Monday to discuss the creation of a tax increment financing district to support the project. The village would incur nearly $7.7 million in costs during the first phase and another $4.6 million in the second phase.
Village officials have been working with accounting firm Ehlers Inc. to create the tax increment financing district.
Potential land use and zoning changes are also on the agenda.
Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton would use the 700,000-square foot space as a distribution center for its engines and products.
The distribution center would be in addition to Briggs’ existing service and parts distribution center in Menomonee Falls, a company spokeswoman said.
Staffing levels will likely remain flat, due to the consolidation of smaller local facilities.
In April, BizTimes reported Briggs & Stratton was in negotiations with Zilber to occupy the Germantown facility.
Zilber representatives declined to comment on Friday.
The new building would combine operations from Briggs’ current warehouses in Milwaukee’s central city, according to sources.
Briggs & Stratton has been looking for space for several months, turning down deals for 500,000 square feet in Kenosha and for the J.C. Penney Co. distribution center in Wauwatosa, which was recently purchased by Phoenix Investors, sources say.
“Briggs & Stratton expects to communicate additional information following completion of a final agreement,” said Lauren Vagnini, corporate communications manager at Briggs.
