Menard storage units near Northridge win city OK
Menard Inc.’s plans to develop an outdoor storage business near the former Northridge Mall have won city approval − reversing an earlier ruling. The Milwaukee Board of Zoning Appeals said the home improvement retailer can operate the storage units until August 2027, when it can reapply for approval. Menard will build the storage units on the parking lot of a former Pick ’n Save supermarket, 8120 W. Brown Deer Road. Eau Claire-based Menard, which operates a neighboring store, bought the former supermarket in 2017 and converted it into an indoor self-storage center. The company will add around 200 outdoor self-storage units to the 3-acre parking lot. That $2 million investment will generate more revenue for Menard and create a barrier to prevent illegal dumping and truck parking on the lot, according to the company. Department of City Development officials in 2022 opposed an earlier version of that proposal which called for nearly 250 storage units. They said Menard’s plans ran counter to the type of developments they’ve been seeking for the area – which has seen few commercial projects since Northridge closed 20 years ago. The zoning board in June voted 5-1 to reject Menard’s application for specialuse permits needed for the project. The board’s reversal on Thursday came after Menard revised its proposal − drawing support from DCD staff. Menard reduced the number of proposed storage units to accommodate more landscaping. That greatly improved the development’s look, according to DCD. The department also referred to the spate of arson fires at Northridge. Several occurred this summer, with another fire in December. “Menards is the largest active business in the area and this request to expand their operation in a manner that increases security in the area will assist in the preservation of their property and as a deterrent to fire, vandalism and abandoned vehicles,” wrote Sam Leichtling, city planning manager, in a letter to the zoning board. City plans call for revitalizing the Northridge site. Self-storage centers conflict with these goals, according to a DCD report from 2022. That’s because they use a lot of space while creating few jobs and failing to spur commercial activity. Menard representatives say the proposed storage facility would be similar to other former neighborhood retail properties that have been converted to industrial use. Meanwhile, city officials in January made a court filing seeking to take ownership of the blighted Northridge property. If that motion is granted, it would result in a much faster transfer of the property’s control than if the city pursued a property tax foreclosure case against U.S. Black Spruce Enterprises Inc., which owns Northridge. That process could take up to a year. The motion said the city is pursuing funding for the estimated $15 million needed to demolish the former mall and safety dispose of its asbestos. A March 17 hearing on that motion is scheduled before Milwaukee County Circuit Judge William Sosnay.