By Jan Axelson
Northside News
On Oct. 3, Alder Syed Abbas hosted a third public meeting on the proposed development on the former Hartmeyer property located south of Roth Street and east of Kavanaugh’s Esquire Club on North Sherman Avenue. The meeting’s focus was to present a final site design and provide information relating to the site’s environment, archaeological findings and planned methods for soil stabilization.
The project provides 553 units of senior and family workforce-level housing on 7.5 acres, with 15.2 acres preserved as a conservation area and an additional 2.7 acres planned for future market-rate housing. The developer is Lincoln Avenue Capital of Santa Monica, California.
Outdoor spaces include an active play area, courtyard, swimming pool and a designated area for dogs. Public comments at the meeting expressed concerns about providing enough space for dogs and whether a swimming pool is a good use of land due to the expense and limited swim season.
Stemming from the site’s past uses, soil contaminants are present, including arsenic and hydrocarbons known as PAHs, which result from burning coal, oil and gas. Eric Oelkers, a hydrogeologist with SCS Engineers, reported that the developer will submit a material management plan for managing the contaminants to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). On approving the plan, the DNR will issue a permit.
Due to the soil condition and groundwater levels, the buildings will have no underground levels. Rammed aggregate piers of crushed stone will stabilize the soil beneath the buildings.
Randy Dickson, principal investigator for Midwest Archaeological Consultants, reported on an archaeological survey of the site. The project area intersects an uncatalogued linear mound site that was documented around 120 years ago and is exempt from state burial law. The soils of the project area have been heavily disturbed over the years including being used for soil borrows, landscaping, fill, buried utilities and development.
The recent survey was the fifth survey of the area performed in the last 29 years. None of the surveys found any surface indications of mounds. The recent survey included only the area planned for development.
The Common Council is scheduled to vote on the project at their Dec. 6 meeting.