Maureen Wallenfang

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Costco Wholesale filed its first permit application this week, confirming the Grand Chute site first identified last Wednesday in an exclusive Post-Crescent Media story about the retail giant coming to the Fox Cities.

The Special Exception Permit application filed Tuesday with the town was for automotive-related uses on the site, listed on the permit as 5441 W. Wisconsin Ave. That site is west of Menards on a farm field. It is adjacent to the existing Allied Pools.

"Costco will develop a 150,000-square-foot retail warehouse and freestanding fueling facility on approximately 16 acres of the southern portion of the property at the corner of N. McCarthy Road and W. Integrity Way," said Bob Buckingham, Grand Chute's community development director.

Buckingham said the Special Exception Permit request will go before the town in January.

"Other pre-development approvals to be considered in the coming months will include a site plan and a roadway development agreement for the extension of W. Integrity Way between N. McCarthy Road and N. Mayflower Drive. These approvals would clear the way for construction of Costco's Grand Chute store, which is expected to occur sometime in 2015," he said.

Costco's executives based in Issaquah, Washington, declined to comment on the new site.

"Thank you for your interest and support of Costco Wholesale however, our corporate policy is to not comment on specific markets," said P.J. Faria, Costco's corporate communications coordinator.

Costco is a membership-based warehouse store with 671 locations around the world. The nearest one to date is in Bellevue, in the greater Green Bay area.

— Maureen Wallenfang: 920-993-1000, ext. 287, or mwallenfang@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @wallenfang