St. Vincent de Paul setting up shop in Waterford

Groundbreaking expected next month

By Patricia Bogumil

Editor

A St. Vincent de Paul presence in the west end – sorely missed by many since the group’s pantry and thrift store closed in Burlington more than four years ago – is coming back.

Monday night, the Waterford Village Board approved a Precise Implementation Plan (PIP) for a new St. Vincent pantry and thrift store to be built near the Baymont Inn off Highway 36.

That means with some luck – especially from the weather – groundbreaking should be ready to start next month.

“We’ve got a pretty aggressive timeline, trying to beat the cold, freezing weather in order to put down asphalt,” explained Dan Ostrenga, one of the project’s leaders.

Also, some permits still need to be obtained, he added, and final approval received for a loan.

But Monday night’s vote is definite progress. “It’s been a long road to get this far,” said  Ostrenga.

The PIP reviewed Monday has already received approval from the village’s plan commission, subject to some minor modifications and submission of a final signage plan for approval.

“Other than clearing up some of those items, no additional approvals are required by the Village Board or Plan Commission,” noted Rebecca Ewald, the village’s administrator.

The plans reviewed Monday night show a 10,500 square-foot building on Forrest Lane, which will house a food pantry and thrift story.

Parking consists of 38 spaces. Shrubbery and trees will be placed to offer aesthetics as well as screening from nearby housing.

“This has been a long process and they’ve done a great job,” commented Village President Tom Roanhouse.

For many years, a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store and pantry was part of the social fabric of the west end community.

The group’s Burlington facility closed its Chestnut Street location in 2008, when its lease expired and another tenant offered to pay a much higher rent.

The group then moved around the corner to Milwaukee Avenue, briefly operating a store there. That also closed.

In 2009-2010, the group seriously explored the possibility of setting up shop in the building that houses the Freddy Bears Antique Mall on the outskirts of Waterford.

But that deal never developed, and for years the nearest St. Vincent de Paul facility for most west end residents has been located in the City of Racine.