Rural revitalization
By Mary Beth Matzek • Feb 1st, 2010 • Category: Work in Progress
The new Walmart Supercenter begins to take shape in Muskego in January. The store is expected to open in September. Photos submitted by R.A. Smith National Inc.
Few people consider the corner of Moorland Road and College Avenue in Muskego as a retail destination.
The rural intersection has one business — a coffee shop in a converted house. There are few other signs of life aside from the herd of cows at a nearby farm.
But city officials want that to change with the addition of a 156,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenter.
“It’s going to be an anchor for what we hope is more business growth on Muskego’s east side,” said Mayor John Johnson. “There are a lot of retailers that follow Walmart, and we anticipate that happening here.”
Some residents are not as optimistic about the growth, however. When the retailer first announced plans for the store, residents opposed the move, saying it would create traffic headaches and hurt local retailers.
Walmart worked closely with Muskego’s Plan Commission on traffic and environmental studies to answer the traffic questions. Though the retailer broke ground for the $15 million project in November, the new store has been in the works for nearly two years.
Construction continues on a 156,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenter at Moorland Road and College Avenue in Muskego. The retail development is anticipated to bring 320 jobs to the area.
The 106-acre development will include an 8- to 12-foot tall retaining wall along the building’s rear to cut down on store noise and visibility. Kerry Hardin, project manager with R.A. Smith National Inc., Brookfield, said the landscaping plan calls for numerous evergreens as well as lighting fixtures that mimic existing lights on Moorland. Such touches are important, she said, because the store will be visible to people driving by.
R.A. Smith National helped Walmart prepare the site for the store’s underground utilities, parking and landscaping, Hardin said.
In addition to creating an estimated 320 jobs, Walmart will bring many of the latest sustainable design trends to the Muskego store, Walmart spokeswoman Lisa Nelson said. That includes energy-efficient technology and features to reduce energy and water consumption while minimizing waste. Skylights will harvest daylight, reducing by up to 75 percent the amount of energy required to light the store. The store’s LED lighting also will operate 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting.
Other green aspects of the building include low-flow toilets and faucets in the bathrooms and a floor finish that will reduce the need for chemical cleaners.
The store also will have an aggressive recycling program.
The Supercenter will include a grocery store, pharmacy and optical and photo departments in addition to the traditional offerings of sporting goods, electronics, lawn and garden products, apparel and general merchandise.
If other retailers follow Walmart to the site, as city officials foresee, the rural area will be ready for them.
When R.A. Smith National prepared the Walmart site for construction, the engineer also laid the way for additional growth, Hardin said.
“It’s a great location for the store, and there will be other stores out there that will likely follow Walmart to the site,” she said. “Part of what we did was to prepare for that as well.”
When completed in September, the $15 million Walmart Supercenter in Muskego is anticipated to bring increased activity to the rural area.
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Mary Beth Matzek is a UW-Madison graduate, freelancer MaryBeth Matzek writes for numerous Wisconsin magazines and newspapers. Before becoming a freelancer, MaryBeth was a business reporter and editor for more than 10 years. MaryBeth lives in Appleton with her husband and two children, who keep her constantly on the go.
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