Multifamily apartments eyed for Fort’s northwest side

By Chris Spangler

The Fort Atkinson Plan Commission on Tuesday got its first look at two multifamily apartment buildings proposed for the city’s northwest side.

Ryan Quam submitted a concept plan of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for housing at 1310-1320 Campus Drive, on land owned by Tip of The Spear LLC.

According to a memo by city engineer Andy Selle, a “PUD overlay zoning district enables possible relaxation of certain development standards, such as use or setbacks. In exchange for such flexibility, it is expected that the development will reflect the city’s planning policies as set forth in the Comprehensive Plan and offer additional advantages such as positively contributing to the appearance and function of land uses and site design, promoting a greater level of architectural quality, providing substantial buffers and transitions between different land uses or other advantages outlined in the zoning ordinance.” 

Tip of the Spear proposes to construct two four-story, 36-unit apartment buildings on the site, which was annexed to the city last year and is in the new Tax Incremental Financing District No. 9. The units would be a mix of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and two-bedroom plus loft apartments, with both underground (below the building) and surface parking. 

“Each floor has nine units, three one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units,” Quam told the commission. “The upper level has loft units. There will be a mix of materials on the sides; We’ve got fiber cement siding, stone veneer, fiber cement panels. Each unit would have its own patio or deck.”

Refuse collection would be located in the underground garage.

Construction of the first building would begin this summer. 

“I typically like to break ground and have it open in May, so the goal would be to break ground as early as July 2023 for the phase-one building so it would be available for rent in May 1, 2024,” Quam said. “That hopefully would also provide an indication of how high demand is such that I could break ground on the phase-two building in July or August 2024 so that building could be ready to be open and rented in May of 2025.”

Quam said that the primary access road would be off Campus Drive with a secondary access hopefully onto the high school driveway. 

Selle stated in his memo that city staff would continue discussions on the efficacy of the future secondary road with School District of Fort Atkinson, although phase two of the proposed development is not dependent on the outcome of these talks. 

Quam told the commission that there will be a wet pond in the southeast corner for stormwater runoff. The design would have to be submitted to the city and state Department of Natural Resources for approval. 

He noted that there are some wetlands on the north side of the property and he has done some permitting with the DNR to fill in some “fingers” to accommodate the development.

“It’s kind of a low-lying area. There’s an existing septic field that’s kind of at the end of its life. It’s been stubbed, water and storm to the site; My guess is to accommodate possibly a future road they maybe we’re thinking about putting through here at one point. But it’s kind of asking to be redeveloped, in my opinion.”

Commissioner Jill Kessenich asked about Quam’s plans to save existing trees.

“There are some trees along the high school drive that are going to be saved. The phase-two plan includes a dog park, so the idea would be to maintain the trees in the dog park and also plant that with many more trees. But, for instance, there is a nice big pine tree right on the north edge that I think will have to go, though I really would like to save it. If there is a tree that is on the fringe of being saved, I will bend over backward to save it,” Quam said.

Commissioner Loren Gray asked whether a traffic study had been completed.

Selle said that the city will be undertaking a regional traffic study in the area of the high school, potential middle school and development along Banker Road. 

Quam, a civil engineer, said he has developed some similar apartment buildings in McFarland. He served as architect. 

“It’s been well-received in McFarland, so the idea is to mimic what we did in McFarland and put the same similar buildings here,” he said.

Quam said he has worked with a Madison builder for all his past projects, but anticipates that local contractors will be considered for work on the project.

A yet-to-be-chosen professional management company will oversee the complex. 

The developer said that the rent range will be $1,150 per month for a one-bedroom apartment and up to $1,550 for a two-bedroom and loft apartment. 

Kessenich said that, off the top of her head, that sounded high to her.

“I took McFarland rates and dropped them $150,” Quam said. “I will say that the rents have been increasing in McFarland. I don’t know how it is in Fort Atkinson. Where the rates are now and where they’re going to be in a year might be different as well. I’ve got to dial in on that.”

He continued: “The goal is to have, I don’t want to say high-end apartments, but we do have granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and some nice lighting that is attractive.”

City Manager Rebecca Houseman LeMire pointed out that all types of housing are needed in the city.

“Fort Atkinson has not seen an apartment complex like this for many years, probably decades, and this is proposed to be a market-rate rental project. Any additional housing is a good thing in Fort Atkinson right now and even if those rental rates seem high …. it would move people around a bit to open up additional housing that is older or more cheaper and more affordable for other folks wanting to live here in Fort Atkinson.”

LeMire said a market study was done last fall, although she could not recall the rental figures right now.

Responding to a question by Commissioner Davin Lescohier, Quam said the the McFarland apartments are rented by move-in day, and he expects to see a similar occupancy schedule.

“Several years ago, I moved to Fort Atkinson and the first place I tried looking for housing were apartments, and they were very few and far between, especially for what I was looking for,” Commissioner Eric Schultz said. 

He said he moved from Sun Prairie, where a studio apartment was going for more than $1,000 a month.

“First, thank you for your interest and investment in our city. … A lot of communities are competing to grow. … Fort Atkinson is an attractive community. We have people who live in town who work in Madison, work in Stoughton, Janesville is close by,” Schultz said.

He pointed out that a house equivalent to his in Fort Atkinson would be sold for more than $100,000 in Sun Prairie.

“You’re looking at Fort Atkinson where possibly other cities are more attractive financially to go,” Schultz told Quam. “I think, based on how much recent apartment additions we’ve had in the city in the past couple decades, this is something I’ve heard many people say that they’ve wanted.”

He said that housing studies, including one from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, have shown that Jefferson County will be several-hundred units short over the next 10 years.

“I believe this would be a very welcome addition to the city and hopefully this will be a mutually beneficial venture,” Schultz said.

Tuesday’s presentation was for discussion of the concept plan only. The Plan Commission will review a preliminary certified survey map and hold a public hearing on the proposal on March 14, with a potential recommendation advancing to the city council on April 6.