Milwaukee Rising

Negotiators for the county and University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee are near a deal that would have the county selling about 89 acres — including 13.3 acres of conservancy land — to the university for construction of an engineering school and other facilities, according to County Supervisor Lynne DeBruin.

The proposal to include conservancy land is bound to infuriate environmental organizations and those who bargained in good faith to preserve the property for the public as a natural area.

“The negotiating team feels they are close to a final agreement and that a final proposed agreement will be available for public and county board review possibly by March or April for consideration in the April cycle,” DeBruin wrote in a memo obtained by Milwaukee Rising through other sources.

The land to be obtained by the college includes, DeBruin said:

• 51.6 acres in the county grounds development zone, inclusing the historic Eschweiler buildings and a grave of trees used by monarch butterflies that are prevalent on the grounds.
• About 6.6 acres that include the site of the Parks Department Administration building and surrounding parking land; and
• the conservancy land.

Another 17 or so acres between the development zone and US 45 would be set aside for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, which is planning to reconstruct and possibly expand the Zoo Interchange and surrounding freeway segments.

“The total amount of acreage set up for sale is 88-89 acres,” DeBruin said. “This footprint is much larger than the original 67 acres publicly set aside by county representatives, myself included, for the development zone. Proponents for the expanded footprint, including the County Executive, Sup. (Jim “Luigi”) Schmitt, and most of the county board, say the added land is necessary due to the state’s widening of the freeway.”

Proponents also argue that encroachment onto conservancy land will be limited to recreational use and for and storm water runoff, she said.

Because neither the WisDOT land nor the conservancy land would be building sites, “the total amount of land available for actual development shrinks significantly. It is likely tha the developed land will be densely developed as a result,” DeBruin said.

The development zone property to be sold includes a grove of trees used by the butterflies, and the deal is to include a UWM agreement not to disturb the trees, she said.  “Whether this is sufficient for the butterflies is unclear since we don’t have the final language or final sign-off  by naturalists,” DeBruin wrote.

The Parks Department also would be able to stay in its current headquarters as long as it wants to, she said.

“The 17 acres set aside for WisDOT may be eventually used by the state for the expansion of I-45 to eight lanes north and south,” DeBruin wrote. “The land could be used for storm water run off areas, relocation of Swan Boulevard and freeway.”

In addition, she said, “How well the Eschweiler buildings will be maintained and their ultimate use could be controversial.”

The City of Wauwatosa ultimately contols zoning of the property.

“The County’s amount of control could vary significantly based on how much or how little control the county wants,” DeBruin wrote. “At present, the negotiators are interested in the county keeping approval rights for any roadway changes for Swan Boulevard or Watertown Plank. The university would have substantial control of the land both in terms of development and re-sale; Milwaukee County’s control would be very limited.”

DeBruin said most of the issues between the parties are resolved. “The outstanding issue is price — how to establish a fair maket value for the land involved,” she said. “Both sides have had appraisals done — the primary differences between the appraisals are estimates of how much of the land will actually be developed.”

March 2 update — The Business Journal reports that the sales price will be about $11.8 million.