The West Allis Common Council on Oct. 7 voted to adopt its economic development committee’s recommendation to grant a conditional use permit for Sona Lofts Phase 2, Lot 3, on the condition that the developer provide an updated floor plan.

The conditional use permit covers a proposed four-story, mixed-use building about 55 feet tall at Lot 3, adjacent to the farmers market. Steve Sher, director of city planning and zoning, told the council the project would include 66 residences — including 15 ground-floor units — and a retail space of roughly 3,000 square feet.

Sher said the building would provide 37 underground parking stalls and 38 surface parking stalls (75 total) and would include 37 indoor bicycle parking stalls plus four exterior bicycle stalls. He described the site as zoned C-3 and roughly one acre in size, and said the developer expects to begin construction in 2026 with occupancy in 2027 after about 15 months of construction. "It'll have 66 residences, ground floor 15 ground floor units, with a retail component on the east side of the building," Sher said during the public hearing.

Sher said the Mandel Group is the developer and that Mandel Property Services would manage the property. The planning commission recommended approval of the design revisions before the council’s action; Sher also said there were no objections published in the Class 2 notice for the hearing.

Council members asked several operational and design questions during the public hearing. Alderman Weigel questioned the developer’s interest in retaining retail space in the area given prior vacancy at nearby Maker’s Row and asked whether the retail space would be divisible into smaller storefronts. Sher answered that the future retail use was "to be determined" but that the Mandel Group sees market demand with the additional units and nearby activity. Weigel also asked whether the public parking shown on plans is city-owned; Sher said the Community Development Authority (CDA) currently owns the area and that a purchase-and-sale agreement would be developed and include provisions to maintain shared parking for market customers.

Alderman Keane raised the possibility of adding a pedestrian or bicycle connection along the decommissioned railroad corridor to improve access; Sher said staff could discuss the idea with the developer. "We could certainly talk with, you know, Dan is here tonight from Mandel, about that possibility of a connection," Sher said.

The economic development committee reported its recommendation on Oct. 7 to grant item 29 upon updating the floor plan. The council voted to adopt the committee reports, including that recommendation, by roll call vote of 10-0.

If the developer proceeds, the next steps noted in the hearing include a purchase-and-sale agreement with the CDA and submission of the updated floor plan required by the committee. Additional site plan or building permits and final permitting actions would follow normal city review processes.