Tom Daykin

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Franklin - The Franklin Common Council has approved a proposal that sets the stage for spending up to $26.8 million to help finance a mixed-use development centered on a new baseball stadium.

The council voted 6-0 Tuesday night to create a tax incremental financing district for Ballpark Commons. A city study estimated Ballpark Commons would have property values totaling $101.2 million by 2021 if it is fully developed.

The new property taxes generated by Ballpark Commons would pay back the city's funds by 2034, according to that study, conducted for the city by Ehlers & Associates Inc.

The council's approval of the tax financing district doesn't automatically mean the city will spend the money.

"This is a plan, not a budget," said Dawn Gunderson, Ehlers vice president, during her presentation to the council.

But it's a necessary step before the city and the developers create an agreement that would authorize the spending within the tax financing district at Ballpark Commons.

The city funds would include an estimated $9.3 million in grants to the developers; $7.3 million for building streets, sewer lines and water mains at the project site; $4.2 million for environmental cleanup work; $3 million for shared parking expenses; and a $2.3 million contingency fund, according to Ehlers.

Graphic: Financing approved

Developers Mike Zimmerman and Blair Williams plan to develop up to 400 apartments, stores, restaurants and other buildings near S. 76th St., W. Loomis Road and W. Rawson Ave.

The centerpiece would be a 2,500-seat baseball stadium and a 25,000-square-foot indoor sports complex. Zimmerman would develop those facilities next to his outdoor sports complex, The Rock.

The baseball stadium would be built primarily for an independent professional baseball team owned by Zimmerman, who also owns the Milwaukee Wave professional indoor soccer team. The stadium would host other events, including University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball games.

The stadium and indoor sports complex, including four little league-size baseball fields, would be developed in the first phase of Ballpark Commons. Construction is to begin in spring 2017, with that initial phase including the first group of apartments developed by Williams, who operates Wired Properties LLC.

The stadium, indoor sports complex and apartments would help attract customers for restaurants totaling 36,800 square feet, and 27,500 square feet of additional commercial space, according to a study done for the city by Melaniphy & Associates Inc.

Future phases could include a 120,000-square-foot office building. However, the Melaniphy study called that "an aggressive undertaking given the challenging office market environment and financing hurdles."

Ballpark Commons also could include a hotel with 60 to 100 rooms if the stadium and indoor sports complex generate enough business, Melaniphy said.

Some nearby homeowners oppose Ballpark Commons, citing concerns about additional noise, light pollution and traffic. Zimmerman and his supporters say those concerns can be addressed with privacy berms and other measures.

Opponents also raised concerns about the development occurring on a former landfill, which has methane gas.

The development cannot occur without approval from the state Department of Natural Resources, which will address the methane issue, said Mayor Steve Olson.

The Ehlers study estimates the project will create 550 to 600 construction jobs during its development, 150 to 175 full-time jobs once Ballpark Commons is completed and 350 to 400 seasonal and part-time jobs.

That study also said Franklin's financial risk is reduced by allowing Zimmerman and Williams to receive city payments only if Ballpark Commons generates property tax revenue beyond what is needed to pay off the city's sewer, street and other project costs.