Pewaukee Golf Club could be redeveloped to include a baseball stadium and 410 apartments under a multi-phased, $65 million proposal.
Diamond Club Entertainment LLC, a development group led by Tom Kelenic, submitted conceptual plans for the project to the city of Pewaukee.
The project, being dubbed, The Lake Country Commons, includes redeveloping the Pewaukee Golf Club, which is located at N12 W26506 Golf Road, north of I-94 between Country Springs Hotel & Water Park and GE Healthcare. The golf course was formerly known as Willow Run Golf Club until its name was changed two years ago.
Kelenic has the property under contract and said development plans have been in the works for about a year. The city plan commission will get its first look at the proposal on May 17.
“I think there is a need for this in the community,” Kelenic said. “Our first meeting is Thursday and I want to get a feel about how the community is going to respond to all of this being at that location. Everything is preliminary at this point, but hopefully the community will be excited about the venture and we can go through the approval process.”
Kelenic plans to build a baseball stadium on the east side of the property, just south of where 200 market rate apartments would be constructed in two separate buildings with a clubhouse in the middle.
The baseball stadium would have 2,500 seats and a maximum capacity of up to 3,500 people. While the specific users of the stadium are currently unknown, Kelenic said he has had preliminary discussions with Pewaukee High School and Carroll University about having their baseball teams play there.
At least one year-round, full-service restaurant is also planned, according to documents submitted to the city. The restaurant would be located within or directly adjacent to the stadium.
The conceptual plans also show six lacrosse fields. It is likely that some or all of these fields will be constructed as multi-purpose fields for other sports, such as soccer, according to the plans.
The north half of the 144-acre property, which is currently the back nine of Pewaukee Golf Club, will continue to be used as a golf course and the club house would be remodeled, under the plans. The New development will be built on south half of the property, where the Pewaukee Golf Club’s front nine is currently located.
Kelenic is also proposing 210 age-restricted multi-family senior apartments, directly to the west of the market rate apartments, for people 55 years and older to be built in two separate buildings.
A community center would be incorporated as part of the senior living development. Kelenic intends to incorporate trails throughout the development and community gardens, according to plans submitted to the city.
“In further discussions with the applicant, several other uses may be part of the development as well,” according to city documents. “These could include additional commercial/retail uses, entertainment type uses and a public market.”
According to the city, Kelenic plans to request financial assistance from the city of Pewaukee to assist in infrastructure improvements; however, specifics of that request have not yet been disclosed.
If it moves forward, Pewaukee could have a baseball stadium similar to what is proposed and moving forward in nearby Waukesha. The city of Waukesha and Northwoods League team owner Big Top Baseball are working on a $12 million plan for a ballpark at the city-owned Mindiola Park near West Sunset Drive. The project would create a 2,500-seat stadium for a Northwoods baseball team. Carroll University, Waukesha North High School and Waukesha South High School baseball teams could also play at the Mindiola ballpark.
In Franklin, Ballpark Commons will include a 4,000-seat baseball stadium that will host an American Association of Professional Baseball team as well as the UW-Milwaukee Panthers baseball team.
