Fox River apartment plan advances

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Editor

With the first phase of a new apartment complex in Burlington now approaching completion, the City of Burlington Common Council last week approved the second phase.

The Fox River Crossing apartments, located along the Fox River on Bridge Street, have officially opened.

“They already have some tenants in there,” Mayor Bob Miller said Tuesday. “I think three or four of the units are rented, maybe a half dozen by now.”

With that in mind, the Common Council agreed following a closed session last week to waive sewer and water connection fees for the next building in the project.

S.R. Mills of Bear Development, Kenosha, is heading the project. The first building has 24 apartments, ranging from one- to three-bedroom units.

The land sat unused and undeveloped for several years after a planned retail development fell through in 2006. Charles Mesec purchased the property and intended to develop it as a combination dental office and restaurant.

However, as Miller explained back in 2012, “the whole concept basically fell apart.” After a partner backed out of the project, Mesec still broke ground in 2007, but construction stalled on the $3 million, 27,000-square-foot project.

For several years, the only evidence of the project was a two-story concrete elevator shaft. Those finally came down in the fall of 2009, and Mills came forward with the apartment plan after that point.

The project needed to clear contaminated soil as well as gain clearance from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the incidental taking of protected turtles – incidental meaning it would not threaten the safety of the species.

With the first building now open – Miller did say that a punch list of items must be addressed before full occupancy could be established – the next phase of Mills’ plan can start.

Miller said Tuesday that a letter from the city indicating its financial commitment would be issued, allowing Mills to apply for Wisconsin Economic Development Association Funds.

The mayor did add that having a project finished on that site was a major relief.

“I can tell you from my standpoint and from the council’s standpoint, we’re glad to have something in there,” Miller said.