Brown Deer board approves 178‑unit mixed‑use building for Riverside Landing

The Brown Deer Village Board on June 15 approved a development agreement with the Riverside Landing developer to construct a five‑story mixed‑use building north of Target that will contain 178 residential units and about 21,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail.

Staff said the Plan Commission recommended the project and that the development agreement carries forward obligations established in the project's principal agreement, including guaranteed construction value milestones. The building will emphasize studios and one‑bedroom units: staff reported a breakdown of 22 studios, 88 one‑bedrooms, 47 two‑bedrooms and 21 three‑bedrooms (178 total).

Trustees asked about parking and stormwater. Staff said the site will rely on significant surface parking and an underground storage system in the rear lot, plus bio‑swales for the western parking area; an underground garage was not feasible because of flood‑plain adjacency. Staff also described anticipated market rents for many units (staff estimated starting rents in a range around $1,000–$1,400 for studios), and said the building will include a first‑floor lobby, leasing office and amenity spaces.

The motion to approve drew a second and carried. Developer representatives told the board they intend to begin construction on the building north of Target as their next vertical phase and to time later phases to avoid oversaturating the rental market.

Why it matters: The project is the first residential tower piece of the Riverside Landing master plan and is tied to broader site economics that include outlot activity and future commercial tenants.

Next steps: The project will proceed through building‑board and landscaping reviews; construction was described as likely to begin this fall with completion anticipated in 2027 and lease‑up to follow.