Walmart Gets Green Light from Tosa Council

After dispensing with any attempt to override a mayoral veto of the ratification of new contracts with city workers Tuesday night, the Common Council forged ahead with regular business, approving five applications for conditional-use permits, including one for a new Walmart grocery store.

The Walmart Neighborhood Market at 3850 N. 124th St. will occupy part of a former Jewel-Osco building that has stood vacant for nearly five years. The new store will include a pharmacy, and the plan calls for up to three additional retail tenants to fill the rest of the building.

The only condition that the city placed on the redevelopment is a review of the market's planned 24-hour operation. That issue arose because of the police department's concerns about potential crime.

A similar Walmart Market plan for a west side Milwaukee location at South 70th and Main streets was recently given the thumbs down by area residents and the Milwaukee Plan Commission. But Wauwatosa aldermen fielded only a few negative comments for the store here, and far more messages of support for redeveloping a vacant commercial site.

The council also approved a request from , 7000 W. State St., to build a small addition on the front of the store to enclose more indoor seating for diners and workshops. The addition will encompass what is now an outdoor seating area and involves moving a portion of the front wall out about 12 feet to gain about 300 square feet of indoor space.

, 869 N. Mayfair Rd., asked for and received permission for expanded outdoor dining, and a massage therapy clinic at 2751 N. Mayfair Rd. also was approved.

Finally, the Wauwatosa School District was granted a conditional-use permit for its Montessori elementary school to be located in the lower level of the Fisher Building, 12121 W. North Ave., which is being remodeled for at least three classrooms.

The Montessori school will open this fall, with enrollment nearly complete and waiting lists for the lower grade levels.