WEST BEND, Wis. — The city of West Bend has approved a new housing project on the north side of town, with construction set to begin this summer across from Barton Park on Stratford Road.
Lush Homes has been approved to build 6 duplex buildings on Stratford Road, creating homes for 12 families. The units are expected to be priced between $360,000 and $420,000 and residents will purchase rather than rent their homes. Move-ins are predicted by early 2027.
Some neighbors near the development site have expressed concerns about the change to their quiet street. A neighbor who lives near the development, who asked to be identified only as Emily, said the peaceful nature of the block was a key reason she moved there.
"You know it's just quiet and cozy over here," she said. "It's a bit of an eyesore, I guess you could say, but I love that our street is just so quiet and there's no traffic. That was one of the appealing reasons why we bought this."
Watch: New duplex development approved for West Bend's Stratford Road neighborhood this summer
Emily said she and her neighbors worry the development will change the character of the area.
"It's just so quiet and worried if we're going to get a bunch more stuff, it's going to get busier," she said. "And I just feel like if they're going to have multi-family units built, it's just going to be crazy."
She also expressed concern about the multi-family nature of the project.
City officials said the impact on the neighborhood should be minimal. John Fellows, community development director for the city of West Bend, said the new residents will fit naturally into the existing neighborhood.
"They might have a neighbor with kids, so they might get to hear a few extra kids in the summer or something like that, but I wouldn't perceive that there will be any more noise than what they're already hearing in the neighborhood."
Fellows said the project addresses a real gap in the local housing market.
"There is a shortage of homes for that missing middle class of community members," he said. "It's hard for them to find on the market. The price point is just a little above their budget, so these meet that criteria with the county to bring that price point down."
The city noted that while some neighbors expressed a preference for single-family units, the duplex project differs from typical multi-family rental housing because buyers will own their homes.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
