SAUKVILLE — It’s a start of something unique in Saukville, maybe in the whole state, said speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony last week for the Northern Gateway Community Collective mixed-use project.
In August 2022, the Saukville Village Board approved a development agreement with Northern Gateway Partners, LLC for the Northern Gateway Community Collective that could provide up to 620 mixed housing units, a hotel, a business park, an indoor sports/recreation facility and more. The Northern Gateway Community Collective will be located across 99 acres in Saukville, adjacent to Interstate 43.
Northern Gateway Partners is a partnership among the Wisconsin businesses Ansay Development Corporation and Three Leaf Partners. It is also a collaboration with Mel’s Charities, a Cedarburg nonprofit organization with an emphasis in human services, special needs and memorial scholarships, and Balance, Inc., a nonprofit organization supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in and around Ozaukee County.
"Northern Gateway is on its way and we’re just so proud to be here," said Mike Ansay, president of Ansay Development Corporation, to a crowd of people that gathered for the ceremony Thursday.
The project is using a developerfunded TID model, meaning no borrowing up front by the village of Saukville. All of the costs will be borne by the developer.
"The mission we’re going to fulfill on behalf of Mel’s (Charities) would not be here if it wasn’t for that," Ansay said of the TID.
The goal for this mixed-use for the Northern Gateway Partners is to improve the quality of lives for all residents, especially those with IDD.
There will be a North Campus and South Campus, or "Mel’s Village," a specially designed space catering to individuals with IDD. The village will offer an array of amenities, activities and events tailored to support their unique needs.
The North Campus will have up to 470 units, which will include single-family lots, apartments and active senior living units, according to the plans.
Also to the North, American Orthodontics will have a 130,000 square-foot building on a 22-to 30acre business park that could bring 100-plus jobs. It is set to be fully constructed in December of this year.
Mel’s Village could have up to 150 units of multi-family and townhome units, with some of them to be IDD-inclusive residences, according to the plans. There will also be a 110-key hotel; a childcare partnership; office, commercial and catering space; and an indoor sportrecreation facility that could be up to 48,000 square feet.
The South Campus will also have a community green space that can host potential activities such as farmers markets, movies in the park, live music and performances, Mel’s Charities events and more.
"It’s not often you have a place where you can live, work and play, but we have all of that here," said Matt Burow, co-founder of Three Leaf Partners and CEO of Catalyst Construction.
Saukville Village Board President Andy Hebein thanked Ansay and those it partnered with for investing in the village with this project.
"This is a great addition to our community," he said. "We are very blessed to have the opportunity to have such a unique community in our own village."
Barbara Dickmann, the former Village Board president, has been involved with the project since the very beginning. She explained that different ideas were brought up for the site, including adding a Walmart or a large sports complex with a "soft roof."
"It certainly appears that now the puzzle pieces all fit together perfectly and this project is aimed for success," she said.
Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, was also present at the ceremony to speak about the project. She said the WEDC supported American Orthodontics with a tax credit to enable them to expand at the project site.
Many of the speakers spoke of the uniqueness of the Northern Gateway Community Collective. Hughes said while it may be unique to the community, it’s also unique to Wisconsin.
"It’s my goal as I leave here today to help you celebrate, but also to think about how can we replicate this around the state?" she said. "How can we think about other opportunities to create incredibly inclusive development that takes into account the whole community …" Jordan Luhr, executive director and CEO of Balance, Inc., said he and the organization were very excited when Ansay Development Corporation and Mel’s Charities approached them to be a part of this project.
"While I heard the word several times today, unique, I would agree. This is a very unique development," Luhr said. "But the inclusion of the services and living for intellectual and developmental disability individuals makes it extraordinary."
Luhr added that this is a gamechanger for IDD individuals that will provide them the ability to work, live, play and shop all in one place with minimal transportation issues. "It is in the development that we believe they will have a great opportunity to thrive and flourish," he said.
Tom "Mel" Stanton, president of Mel’s Charities, said this development will be one of the coolest places in the state.
"People are going to want to replicate this," he said.
Stanton added, "We started with nothing 25 years ago. This land was nothing for 25 years. But now look at what’s happening. God bless to everyone who’s been a part of this. God bless the Ansay family and God bless Saukville, Wisconsin."
