Different Development Possible On Postal Service Land

An extension for the to construct a mail-processing center at College and Pennsylvania would not be the only thing that a proposed memorandum of understanding would accomplish.

It would also open up the possibility of a different development altogether on those empty 64 acres, City Attorney Larry Haskin said.

Oak Creek officials like that aspect of the proposed agreement because, unlike the , a private development would generate property tax revenue.

However, it would only happen should the USPS decide not to move forward with its plan to build the processing center, Haskin said.

Needing more time

With a December deadline approaching, the postal service to begin construction on the facility. The USPS has suffered heavy financial losses and stopped spending money on any new construction, but wants to keep its right to build the processing center in Oak Creek.

"This two-year window would give the post office the opportunity to take a little bit more time to assess their situation and determine whether or not they want to proceed," Haskin said.

The proposed agreement would move the deadline to begin construction from Dec. 8, 2011 to Dec. 8, 2013. It would also include an "alternative development plan," Haskin said.

No ideas about what kind of development that could be has been discussed, said Scott Yauck of Cobalt Partners, a Milwaukee development firm working on the project.

For the postal service, the memorandum of understanding is all about keeping their options open. It could even mean a smaller mail-processing facility, Yauck said.

"It lets them look at all of their alternatives," he said.

Some issues still need to be worked out before the Oak Creek Common Council can vote on the agreement. 

Even if it's approved, a public hearing would need to be held before an extension can go through.

From Wednesday: .