Cedar Vineyard may get new life with new developer

The long-stalled Cedar Vineyard subdivision proposed for Port Washington’s far southeast side may be about to get new life.

A presentation on the 45-lot subdivision was to be made Wednesday, Feb. 17, by Ascend Real Estate Group of Chicago to the Common Council, and the Plan Commission on Thursday is to consider a revised site plan, plat and rezoning proposal for the project, which would be created between Highway C and the Lake Michigan bluff.

The subdivision would include not only houses but vineyards, a winery on property across Highway C and public access to the bluff.

The subdivision plan is an abbreviated version of the original Cedar Vineyard plan, which when it was proposed in 2015 included the 132-acre Clay Bluff Cedar Gorge Nature Preserve that the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust and Ozaukee County are now working to purchase. 

This plan would encompass 69 acres north of the gorge on the east side of Highway C, including the Lake Michigan bluff. 

Ascend’s proposal calls for 45 single-family lots surrounded by vineyards with a winery located on the west side of Highway C, on three to four acres owned by the Tillman family.

The plan also calls for public access to the bluff via bike and pedestrian trails.

These vineyards “remain integral to the project and provide separation between the public trails and most of the single family lots,” according to documents filed for the Plan Commission meeting.

Ascend Real Estate Group has an accepted offer to purchase the property for the subdivision from Waukesha State Bank, Keith Van De Laarschot, the bank’s commercial business development director, said Tuesday.

The offer, which was accepted within the last 30 days, is contingent on the firm receiving the approvals it needs to move ahead with the project, Van De Laarschot said. He would not say what the purchase price is.

Bob Harris, the city’s director of planning and development, said Ascend’s Cedar Vineyard proposal is “almost exactly the same” as one the city looked at more than a year ago.

That may be because that plan was created by Tom Swarthout, president of the Highview Group, who proposed the original Cedar Vineyard plan. 

The new plan is a cooperative effort between Swarthout and Ascend Real Estate, Harris said, although he said he does not know Swarthout’s role in the partnership.

Swarthout would not comment on the new plan or his role in the project, nor did Ascend.

To facilitate the original Cedar Vineyard development, the City of Port Washington created a tax-incremental financing district to pay for the extension of infrastructure to the property.

Harris said the city expects to receive a request from Ascend to amend the TIF agreement to reflect the current proposal.

While some people question the use of TIF districts, Mayor Marty Becker said Cedar Vineyard is “a perfect example of why you have a TIF.”

The TIF district would help pay for the extension of utilities, something that would otherwise be cost prohibitive, he said.

Becker said he is excited about the project and what it could mean for the city.

“I think the 45 lots they have planned is probably the perfect density,” he said. “It might be $20 million of housing there, and people will still have access to the bluff area. And it opens up that end of town for more development.”

The subdivision would be a good transition from the rural land to the south and the more urban city to the north, Becker said, and with the planned vineyards and winery will likely be a tourist attraction.

Harris said Cedar Vineyard could have a “catalytic effect on downtown.”

“I think it would be a catalytic project that would really benefit Port Washington. It would bring more people to the city and to downtown,” he said.

Ascend has a “pretty impressive portfolio,” Harris said, calling the firm “a top-shelf developer.”

According to the company’s website, it was established in 2009 and is involved in the ownership, development, brokerage and management of numerous assets throughout the greater Chicago area.

It has been focused on Chicago metro area real estate for the past 26 years.

Harris said he is excited that the Cedar Vineyard proposal appears to have new life.

“We’re excited it’s back and we’re excited to see this happen,” he said. “It would be such a nice thing for the city. It’s a great transition (from the town to the city), and the winery would be a big draw for the downtown.”