Transformation of EVS site could begin soon

Hollander Chocolate could begin to transform the former Ernie von Schledorn auto dealership on South Spring Street in Port Washington into its corporate headquarters as soon as next month, owner Doug Podzilni said Tuesday.

The Port Design Review Board on Tuesday recommended the Plan Commission approve a building, site and operational plan for Hollander Chocolate to create its headquarters at 1180 S. Spring St.

If that plan is approved by the Plan Commission during its 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, meeting, Podzilni said the company could purchase the former auto dealership as soon as the following week.

“We’re going to move to close as quickly as we can,” he said. “We’re all set.”

Design Review Board members praised the company’s plans for the building.

“It’s going to be a huge improvement,” Fire Chief Mark Mitchell, a member of the board, said. “It’s a disaster right now.”

Board member Jeremy Hartline concurred, saying, “It’s fantastic to see this building that’s been sitting idle transformed. That’s fantastic.”

Hollander Chocolate Co. is a producer of high-quality chocolate syrups and powders used primarily in cafes and restaurants.

The company has been growing “shockingly fast” throughout its seven-year history, Podzilni said, and it’s time to consolidate its operations in one facility and create a property that will be the face of the business.

The company’s operations are currently spread out in Germantown, Fox Point and Port with manufacturing plants in Illinois and on Milwaukee’s far west side.

Podzilni said the EVS site offers the company what it needs to house everything but its manufacturing operations — something he said that isn’t suited to a property at the city’s gateway.

Hollander plans to use the dealership’s offices for its offices, and the back portion of the building would become the distribution center for raw materials and finished goods.

The former showroom would house public areas, such as a gift shop, chocolate museum and coffee shop.

Podzilni said the company has a three-phase plan for the building that he would like to implement over the next two years.

Phase one involves removing remnants of the car dealership and bringing the building up to food-grade standards so the firm can receive the needed state and federal certifications, then move its inventory to the building and relocate its operations personnel to Port.

The company will also construct a loading dock at the south side of the building, screened with a berm and plantings.

The second phase involves remodeling the office area and relocating office personnel, as well as creating an interactive product innovation lab.

Those phases will likely be under construction at the same time, Podzilni said.

“We’re going to walk and chew gum at the same time,” he said.

The last phase includes building the public areas. This work probably won’t be completed until next summer.

“We’re going to do minimal structural changes,” Podzilni said, but the exterior of the building will be transformed.

They will eliminate the interior lightpoles in the parking lot, reseal the surface and add landscaping.

The company plans to do a traffic flow study and, depending on the results, will eliminate any unneeded parking, Podzilni said.

“It’s going to be the face of our company,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit for us. It’ll be a focal point on the road as you enter the city. We want it to look pretty.”