The latest iteration of a proposed tower at the corner of Mayfair and Bluemound roads in Wauwatosa was in general received warmly by the city's Design Review Board Thursday night.
But residents, who railed against the developer's previous proposals, again voiced strong opposition.
John "Johnny V" Vassallo, the owner of
Mo’s Restaurants, is heading up the investors group proposing a 28-story tower on what they call a landmark site at the southwest corner of the busy intersection.
His previous proposal called for 20 stories and 340 units, but in the face of intense opposition he
withdrew his plans before the Common Council could reject them.
The latest project, called Drew Tower, does not require Common Council approval because it follows the existing commercial zoning district requirements. But it needs the approval of the Design Review Board.
Review board members reviewed the project yesterday. They did not vote to approve or deny the project, but gave their thoughts on what they liked and what they thought should be changed.
In general, they liked what they saw. Board members applauded the overall design, especially the curved edges of the tower facing the street corner.
"I think this is a very well-done tower design," board member Eric Harrmann said. "It's a very attractive, elegant structure."
Board members said the street-level experience could be improved with tweaks to landscaping and building designs, or the addition of more ground-floor commercial space.
Vassallo said in an interview with BizTimes following the meeting that he felt good about what he heard from the review board.
"We took all those notes and we will go back and forth and make sure we address (board members' feedback)," he said.
Representatives of project architect
Kahler Slater presented the design plans. They said their objective with the glass tower, which would stand atop a six-story parking structure, was to create a simple but timeless look for what would be a landmark building in the city.
Residents who spoke during a public-comment portion of the meeting said they weren't happy that Vassallo was still pursuing a tall tower at the site.
As proposed, Drew Tower would stand 364 feet tall. The building height was a primary reason residents opposed Vassallo's previous plans.
"This will definitely negatively affect our neighborhood," said Lisa Maglio, a Wauwatosa resident who lives near the project site.
Fellow resident David Okruhlica noted the Drew Tower as proposed would become the tallest building west of the Milwaukee River in the state of Wisconsin. That title now belongs to the Moderne high-rise in downtown Milwaukee. The Moderne is 30 stories but only 348 feet tall.
The other tall buildings along Mayfair Road, said Okruhlica, are only 145 feet tall. And those are on the edges of the Mayfair Mall property.
"I do not see where this is aesthetically consistent with the rest of the corridor," he said.
Residents were also worried about reflections from the glass, its monolithic appearance from their vantage points as owners of one- and two-story houses, and the lack of street-level activation for pedestrians.
Several people said they were concerned about an increase in traffic, which could in turn lead to more accidents. They also worried about how the project would affect their property values. But the review board specifically focuses on design aesthetics of a building.
In an email prior to the review board meeting, Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride said he was opposed to Vassallo's previous proposals.
But, he said, he and fellow elected officials will not get the chance to weigh in on the latest project. That's because it does not require a zoning change or variance from the property's current zoning restrictions.
McBride shared an opinion from city attorney Alan Kesner.
The statement reads, in part, that "the proposed building is a permitted use in a C2 (commercial) zoning district, so it will not need Plan Commission or Common Council approval. A property owner is entitled to develop permitted uses on his property without approval of those bodies if the development complies with other applicable ordinances."
The Design Review Board only reviews the exterior design of proposed buildings, and has no authority to stop the project from moving forward, according to Kesner.
The building would contain 65 apartments and about 80,000 square feet of office and medical office space in the tower itself. It would also have 572 parking spaces and some additional ground-level commercial space.
Vassallo said he has some commercial tenants lined up for the building. A bank branch would occupy the ground floor. Meanwhile, he has two users on board to occupy some of the office space. One user would take up 30,000 square feet, while the other would occupy roughly 25,000 square feet.
He's working with broker Jack Price of
Cushman & Wakefield | Boerke in leasing out the remaining office space. Vasssallo said the building will have around three or four total office users when fully occupied.
