General Capital withdraws offer
Condo proposal dead

March 18, 2005 -- General Capital has withdrawn its proposal to develop condominiums on the Story Hill Gardens site, according to Ald. Michael Murphy.

The move came after Murphy made clear he would not support the proposed 13-unit development in the face of neighborhood opposition and a 5-2 vote by the Story Hill Neighborhood Association Board against the project.

Murphy said he did not know what is next for the site at 5033 W. Bluemound Rd., but said he thought the rejection of condos meant the receiver handling the sale of the property might have to lower the asking price. General Capital had a $475,000 option on the parcel, which is a bit more than an acre in size.

Murphy also said he has asked the Department of Neighborhood Services to monitor the deteriorating condition of the greenhouses. Pieces of the buildings have been disappearing.

Murphy said he would be sending a letter to residents about the matter.

---

Capital General tries again
13-unit proposal explained to residents

Feb. 28, 2005 -- General Capital's proposed 13--unit Story Hill Townhomes development is "pretty radically different" than the 17-unit plan the firm first offered, a company official told neighborhood residents at a meeting last week.

The buildings are set back further from Bluemound than originally proposed and the nine units that would face west across Mitchell Blvd Park would be divided into two structures, one of five units and one of four units.

"There's no long, eight-unit building now," said General Capital's Sig Strautmanis.

The condo development would replace the former Story Hill Gardens at 5033 W. Bluemound Rd. The business is in receivership because of financial difficulties.

The average height of the buildings would 39 feet; the site size is 115 feet by 340 feet, Strautmanis said. The number of guest parking spots would increase from the 12 originally proposed to 14.

The greenhouse is being taken apart, bit by bit

"This is kind of a downtown scale property," he said.

To see site plan of the new proposal, click here. To view the site plan of the old proposal, click here.

Residents expressed concerns about the the cookie cutter clone look to the proposed condos, but Strautmanis said adding touches of architectural diversity could make the project look too busy and would be too expensive.

"We have to juggle a lot of diverging things here," he said.

General Capital's proposal also calls for four units to face W. Bluemound Rd.

Strautmanis said the proposed development would be "high quality" and downplayed concerns about negative property value impacts.

Ald. Michael Murphy made clear the city would not try to acquire the site to prevent its developement. The county, too, is unlikely to match General Capital's $475,000 option price for the site.

Murphy said he would survey those who attended the neighborhood meeting at Neeskara Elementary. General Capital, hoping to win more support, followed up on the meeting by sending to residents a letter and renderings of its proposal along photographs of the deteriorating greenhouse.