The Delco Electronics plant, which Drexel Town Square replaced, being demolished in 2010. CREDIT: Jonnyfixedgear This story is part of “Southeastern Wisconsin’s changing landscapes: Then, now and what’s next,” a feature in the 30th anniversary issue of BizTimes Milwaukee, published on March 17. Find coverage of more areas in the region
[caption id="attachment_609963" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] The Delco Electronics plant, which Drexel Town Square replaced, being demolished in 2010. CREDIT: Jonnyfixedgear[/caption]
This story is part of "Southeastern Wisconsin's changing landscapes: Then, now and what's next," a feature in the 30th anniversary issue of BizTimes Milwaukee, published on March 17. Find coverage of more areas in the region here or paid subscribers can see the full feature in the digital edition of the magazine.
In a county that has had its population decline over the past 30 years, Oak Creek has boomed.
The suburb has seen a more than 50% increase in population since 1995 as single-family neighborhoods and multifamily developments fill empty plots of land, while business parks and company headquarters line I-94.
Oak Creek landed the state’s first Ikea store and could be the home of the first Buc-ee’s. A sprawling former manufacturing site has been redeveloped as the 85-acre Drexel Town Square with apartments, retail, office and municipal buildings – a development style that some other suburbs have tried to emulate.
As Milwaukee County’s farthest south municipality, Oak Creek (along with neighboring Franklin) is the last frontier with development sites available, putting it in a strong position for continued growth in the coming years, industrial and multifamily developers say.
[caption id="attachment_609964" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] An aerial view of the Drexel Town Square development[/caption]
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