Les Blum, SVP and general manager for the local Opus North office, says the company was able to change the zoning after the demolition of the 561,000-sf distribution center and the purchase of the property for more than $11 million. The retail will be situated on a 54-acre site, with roughly 273,000 sf of space for three anchors and 204,000 sf of the rest of the space, and 4 acres for out-lots.

One of the anchors will be a 132,000-sf Target, while the other will be a 60,000-sf Pick 'n Save grocery store. "We're in negotiations with 11 other shops and a couple of outlots," Blum tells GlobeSt.com. "The two anchors we have now will occupy the property in July 2009." Michael Fitzgerald with Mid-America Real Estate-Wisconsin LLC is handing the leasing for the property. Opus owns the property, but Target paid almost $3 million for its site. A Lowe's Home Improvement Store was talked about for the site, but the retailer has pulled out.

Blum says the area has high demand. "The location is a good underserved market, with good demographics and new residential expansion to the south and west," he says. The company had to complete extensive landscaping to the property to appease nearby residents, including that which will block the retail shops from bicycle and walking paths near the Fox River.