Village paves way for Northern Gateway subdivision

The next stage of the Northern Gateway Community Collective got the go-ahead from the Saukville Village Board last week.

The board and the Plan Commission approved a preliminary plat for the Paape Family Farms, a subdivision on the northern half of the development that will include 30 single-family houses and 10 buildings with side-by-side homes.

The neighborhood will consist of smaller houses of 1,000 to 2,000 square feet, ideal for first-time buyers and retirees, Ian McCain, design/construction manager with Ansay Development, said.

For the side-by-side buildings, he said, each side will be sold as a stand-alone home.

There will be an architectural theme to the neighborhood, he said, with buyers being able to pick from a set of concept designs by project architectural firm Rinka.

Right now, he said, there are six designs but the number may expand, depending on the market.

Each of those designs can be further tweaked with different finishes for the homes, McCain said.

“There will be no houses in there that match the others,” he said. “We don’t want to have the same house next to the same house.

“It’s part of what we think will differentiate this from other developments.”

Village Administrator Dawn Wagner said that was an important point for the village.

“We don’t want the monotony,” she said. “That was really important to us.”

McCain said the homes will be made of long-lasting, durable materials, have long warranties and they will be “very energy efficient.”

“Most of the homeowners will never have to replace the roof,” he said.

McCain said the number of lots in the subdivision has increased from 36 to 40, adding each home will have a 25-foot front yard. Homeowners will not be allowed to have storage buildings on their lots.

“The lots are way too small,” Wagner said.  

While prices haven’t been established yet, McCain said the homes will be priced “very competitively.”

Ansay hopes to begin construction this fall, he said, with a goal of building out the subdivision in two to four years.

“What we’re finding is time on the market is quick,” he said. “There’s a lack of inventory.”

In addition to the preliminary plat, the Village Board and Plan Commission also approved a number of other items for the Paape Family Farms, including a certified survey map, preliminary landscaping plan and homeowner’s association documents.

The Plan Commission also approved adding a private dog run to the northern portion of the Northern Gateway project to be used by residents of the Daniels Apartments on the far north side of the development.

“It’s an amenity our residents like,” McCain said, noting a large percentage of the renters have dogs. 

Even as Ansay continues to build on the northern half of the Northern Gateway Community Collective, work is continuing on plans for the south side of the subdivision, known as Mel’s Village.

The Plan Commission also gave approval to signage for Orthopedic Hospital of Wisconsin, which will occupy a portion of the building housing the Gateway Sports Academy.

The hospital at 555 Market St. will primarily offer physical therapy services as well as athletic training, Calvin Thomas, manager of rehabilitation services, said.