Construction of Walmart Neighborhood Market to Begin in Fall

The final piece of the Walmart Neighborhood Market puzzle has fallen in place, and work is expected to begin this fall in the Pilgrim Village Shopping Center on the corner of Main Street and Pilgrim Road.

The Village Board Monday approved an $820,000 development agreement with Pilgrim Partners, a subsidiary of Walmart developer Gatlin Development. It was the final hurdle to clear for Gatlin before and adding a Walmart as an anchor store.

Village Manager Mark Fitzgerald said work on the site will begin this fall and progress throughout winter. He said three new retail buildings, which are part of the overall development plan, are likely to be occupied by late summer next year.

“This is one of the final requirements to move this project forward,” Fitzgerald said.

The village will advance no more than $820,000 toward redevelopment of the gas station site. A total of $620,000 will fund developer improvements, as well as a right of way land purchase allowing for future expansion of Pilgrim Road. The village also advanced $200,000 to buffer costs resulting from environmental remediation needed on the site.

Fitzgerald said all of the funds pertain solely to the gas station site, and will not be used for the larger development that includes the Neighborhood Market.

As part of the agreement, the village is requiring the developer to construct a “landmark” building on the corner of Main Street and Pilgrim Road. Fitzgerald said this will be a retail building with aesthetics suitable for that high profile corner in the village.

“This will be retail building very with pleasing architecture and appropriate design for that very visible corner,” Fitzgerald said.

An occupant for the “landmark” building is yet unknown, and plans for it will need to go through the village’s approval process. However, plans will likely appear soon as the village included a “time is of the essence” clause in the agreement, which requires timely completion of the project.

Since the gas station property is within a tax incremental financing district, the village will be repaid through additional tax revenue generated from redeveloping the site.

The overall redevelopment plans call for the construction of three more retail buildings along Main Street, in addition to , which will be remodeled. Both and will stay as well, but their storefronts will be revamped.

Both and have found new locations within Menomonee Falls. Minuteman Press has moved to the Falls Plaza II shopping center on Appleton Avenue. Sounds Audio has moved into the Neu’s building on Ridgeway.