One of the liveliest discussions and most sharply divided votes at the March 24 meeting of the Wauwatosa Common Council related to a much delayed redevelopment of the corner of Wright and 74th streets, where Saint Pius X Parish's former parking lot has sat vacant and crumbling for years.
The divisions on the council weren't over whether to redevelop the lot — all who spoke said they favored the plan — but rather whether to give the developer, Cardinal Capital Management, more leeway as it finalizes its financing plan in an effort to start construction in the coming months.
Last week, the council's Community Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend extending a zoning accommodation known as a "planned unit development" for another year, which would be the latest in a series of extensions of the original 2022 agreement. Cardinal Capital representatives told the committee they finally are ready to move forward with the project, Le Bon Vivant, an "active adults 55+ community" that will feature 41 apartments in a mix of sizes.
At the full council's March 25 meeting, however, Rob Gustafson, who represents District 5, which includes the East Tosa property, proposed an amendment to limit the developer's extension to six months and require a progress update after three months.
"Letting it sit has real consequences," Gustafson said of the vacant property, and he argued for keeping up a sense of urgency for Cardinal Capital to act on its plans.