Real Estate

What Will 76th Street's Next 'Big Thing' Be?

The stretch from Greenfield's northern border to Grange Avenue in Greendale has been revitalized over the last two years, but there could be more additions, changes to come.

Last week, Designer Shoe Warehouse opened its doors to shoe lovers, quickly filling the vacancy created when Borders left Greendale.

Next week, it’s LongHorn Steakhouse’s turn to turn on the lights for good, as the popular restaurant opens its third Wisconsin location with a grand opening Monday.

DSW and LongHorn Steakhouse represent a slew of new additions or improvements along the Greendale and Greenfield stretch of 76th Street, from Grange Avenue to the south to just north of Cold Spring Road, that are part of a revitalization of one of the more vibrant shopping and commercial corridors in southeastern Wisconsin.

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“It’s an incredibly important and vibrant commercial district," Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke said. "Greendale had done a wonderful job with what they’re doing at Southridge, and I’m thrilled to see the occupancy rates near 100 percent.

“Whenever there is a vacancy, there’s another commercial tenant that quickly wants to take its place.”

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The approximate 1.75-mile strip has long been a crucial cog in the economic success of both Greendale and Greenfield, but in recent years, the area has rapidly blossomed.

Southridge Mall improvements and the addition of Walmart have been at the epicenter of the developmental explosion.

The mall’s addition of a fifth anchor tenant in Macy’s and the $52 million remodeling project that will include the return of Old Navy and the opening of , turned Southridge into the biggest mall in Wisconsin.

The mall’s improvements have been supplemented by the additions of DSW, LongHorn and Panda Express. The two restaurants replaced the former Leath Furniture building.

Just across the street, retail giant Walmart opened in January where the Bowling Congress building once stood, and its outlots are expected to be filled by U.S. Cellular and Chick-fil-A this summer.

Greenfield improves, too

But Greendale isn't the only community seeing the new development. In Greenfield, Indianapolis-based appliance chain hhgregg opened last August, one year after a new Pick ‘n Save was built at the corner of 76th and Cold Spring.

And though Greendale still has some opportunities for growth, it is Greenfield that has the potential to make the next big splash.

Pick ‘n Save’s move across the street created a big vacancy in the area known as Spring Mall, which also lost Fashion Bug in January when that company decided to shut down all its stores nationwide.

“Spring Mall is complicated because there have been a number of ownership changes over the last few years, and from what I understand, Pick ‘n Save controls the lease to their store,” Neitzke said. “While the city has a strong interest in doing something with the vacancy that’s there, anyone that wants to go in there needs go through Pick ‘n Save first.”

But don’t think that Greendale is done. Village Manager Todd Michaels said the former Bally Total Fitness just north of Grange remains a prime location for redevelopment, as are the former JC Penney auto center and the vacant commercial lot on the east side of Southridge.

“There is also a good opportunity for further development around the mall using some of the underutilized parking lot areas,” Michaels said.

In addition, back in Greenfield, a sprinkling of vacant spaces are available in the Greenfield Place shopping center, though one could be filled by the summer with .

A few other small vacancies exist, including one in the Kopp’s shopping center next to Starbucks that was created when Printgraphix moved down the road to the Barnes and Noble shopping center. Also, when U.S. Cellular moves to a Walmart outlot, as expected, it will open up space at the corner of Edgerton and 76th, where it sits now.

Unlimited cuisines

While grocery shopping and retail shopping have improved dramatically along the stretch, the 76th Street improvements have perhaps been most attractive to food fans and restaurant goers. Buca’s, Chick-fil-A, LongHorn Steakhouse and Panda Express, as well as the new Dr. Dawg, which replaced Hooters this month, were preceded by the addition of El Beso, the popular Mexican restaurant on 74th Street in early 2011.

What’s more is several national chains have remodeled their current 76th Street mainstays; Greenfield’s Burger King, Applebee’s and Starbucks have all gotten a facelift in recent years, as has McDonald’s, .

And remodeling has just begun at Red Lobster at well.


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