June 2, 2020 – West Bend, WI -The City of West Bend has officially closed on the first purchase of land within its new 216-acre industrial park, West Bend Manufacturing Center, with the sale of 22 acres to Schwer, Pflicht & Werkzeug Properties, LLC, on behalf of Milwaukee Tool. The property is located in Tax Incremental District (TID) 14 along River Road (north of County Highway NN).
Milwaukee Tool purchased the site for one dollar with the agreement to build a new 94,700-square-foot manufacturing facility, to be valued at a minimum of $10 million. The facility will manufacture new-to-market hand tools for professional electricians and utility linemen. Milwaukee Tool will create 50 full-time jobs in West Bend within three years and is projected to provide up to 100 jobs by 2025.
“We are proud to welcome Milwaukee Tool to West Bend,” said Jay Shambeau, City of West Bend Administrator. “Milwaukee Tool’s investment is bringing high-value employment opportunities and will attract additional industrial development.”
The City of West Bend plans to begin site construction as soon as next week. It will contract for the extension of gas, electric, water and sanitary services to the property. The City will provide rough grading, stormwater management facilities and other public improvements for the development. A new road—Forge Lane—will be constructed in 2020.
Milwaukee Tool will break ground as early as August 2020. The first phase of construction will include the 94,700-square-foot building that can be expanded to a 185,000-square-foot structure in the future. Milwaukee Tool has the first right of refusal to purchase an additional 20 acres for future expansion.
The City of West Bend Plan Commission will review the Milwaukee Tool site plan on Tuesday, June 2 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Just when I thought the city of West Bend was starting to get themselves out of problem TIF Districts They go and spend close to 3 MILLION to create a new TIF district,and then give the land away!
Sure wish someone from the city could explain to the taxpayers how the tax money spent to buy land, benefits taxpayers ?
Are property taxes going to go down in the city now because the city just spent over $20,000 an acre.
Then gave Milwaukee tool 22 acres for $1 ?
I’d like to know the answers to these questions as well.