Two months after the city of Waukesha's Landmarks Commission approved one aspect of the Waukesha County Museum's redevelopment project, the project may be moving forward.
The Waukesha Landmarks Commission was set to review a proposal on Wednesday, Aug. 5, by developer Historic Prairieville LP to construct a 41-unit apartment building that would connect to the Waukesha County Museum and former jail building that is attached to the property in downtown Waukesha.
If the landmarks commission recommended the apartment addition for approval, the plan commission will likely take up the item at its next meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 12, at City Hall.
The apartment proposal was put on hold at the landmarks commission's meeting in June because the commission wanted the developer and architect to further iron out details of the building and design.
A better design
Dennis Cerreta, the museum's director of operations, said the time allowed for the architect (AG Architecture), the developer, the museum's team as well as city staff to put the best possible plan forward.
Cerreta said he wanted to make sure there was a consensus from these groups before bringing it back to the commission.
"The team has been committed to working together," Cerreta said. "I'm comfortable with what we have now."
Cerreta said the materials of the building will include stone and brick. The stone blends in with the courthouse and jail, which will remain intact as it is incorporated into the new apartment complex design, he added.
"The design lets the historical elements of the former courthouse and jail come to the forefront," Cerreta said. "The apartment aspect doesn't dominate the site. We feel it's really well done."
The developers are proposing a five-story complex with 41 units on the museum property, 101 W. Main St. There will also be an underground parking structure for 29 vehicles. As proposed, another 20 vehicles will be able to park on the enclosed first floor parking structure.
Units include 33 one-bedroom, seven two-bedroom and one studio, ranging from 626 square feet to 1,385 square feet.
The Waukesha County Museum, which owns the former Waukesha County Courthouse, is looking to sell the buildings on site to Historic Prairieville.
The developer would allow the museum to remain as a tenant of the building and would restore and renovate the aging building — something the museum can't do on its own due to a lack of funds.
Public review
The sale and the courthouse renovations, however, are contingent on the city bodies approving the apartment addition.
At its meeting in June, the landmarks commission approved of the demolition of a 1938 connector building on site. The space is needed to make way for the proposed apartments.
The commission must sign off on these aspects of the project because the museum property is on the historic landmarks registry list.
With two committees expected to review the project within the week, Cerreta is happy to see this redevelopment project move forward.
"You could say it's the last hurdle," Cerreta said. "But I don't like to use the word 'hurdle.' It's really just the next opportunity for us, as we've really all been working together on this project."