PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Construction has begun on a four-story, 51-unit apartment building in Port Washington, marking the first development in a new residential corridor the city is working to establish west of its main commercial strip.
WATCH: Port Washington neighbors react as apartment project breaks ground
Pier Street Development held a groundbreaking Wednesday for the project, which will bring market-rate one- and two-bedroom apartments along with first-floor retail space.
According to project leaders, the building is expected to be completed by late 2027, replacing what is currently a mostly empty parking lot. The approval process had been ongoing for more than a year.
Developer Haley Dobre with Pier Street Development said the project is designed to fill a gap in the local housing market. Job growth tied to new developments, like the $15 billion data center complex being built north of downtown, has increased the demand for housing.
"I did see a lot of condos, which are really great, you know, lakeside living, but they are also pretty premier in terms of pricing," Dobre said. "We wanted to offer an alternative."
Dobre said the apartments will, unlike some of the condos in the area, be used year-round, thus generating activity for nearby businesses.
Holly Hunt, who grew up in Port Washington and works at Studio 231, a salon directly across the street from the development site, said she welcomes the project and what it could mean for the community's future.
"I personally think it's a good idea to bring in just a younger generation to give Port a little more life," Hunt said. "This would be a nice stepping stone for that younger generation to establish themselves."
Not all longtime residents are without reservation. Paul Kopp said he supports thoughtful housing growth but wants to make sure development does not come at the cost of what makes Port Washington distinctive.
"I'm fine with adding the right kind of housing supply, and just managing growth, so that we don't lose the small town charm," Kopp said.
The apartment complex is the first project in what city planners envision as a new residential core west of the main commercial corridor. TMJ4 has been covering the plans extensively, including a separate proposal to turn the old police and fire stations into condos.
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