Rockwell Automation’s plan for an 810,000-square-foot manufacturing and office facility, with more to come, in New Berlin will face the public in a June 1 hearing before the city’s Plan Commission.
Specifically, residents will have a chance to comment on Rockwell’s effort to have the city amend its long-term land-use documents and rezone what’s mostly agricultural land to allow a more than $200 million industrial campus on the east side of Moorland Road from Grange to College avenues.
In all, about 325 acres would have to be rezoned to allow Milwaukee-based Rockwell, which makes industrial automation technology, to build what could be its largest facility, featuring advanced automation, robotics and digital technologies.
Public interest, pro and con, over the development is already evident. According to city documents included in the June 1 hearing agenda item, about 77 people attended a May 13 neighborhood meeting in which the project was outlined. Though mostly rural in nature, the project area includes residential subdivisions to the east along Sunnyslope Road and commercial and residential areas on the south side of College Avenue.
While the main facility, envisioned at 810,000 square feet but with plans to expand it to more than 1 million square feet, represents a bulk of the campus, another 425,000-square-foot building along Grange Avenue is also planned. That building, too, could be expanded, to more than 800,000 square feet at some point, according to planning documents.
It’s part of a national initiative by Rockwell Automation to expand its facilities and increase output, company officials have previously said. The company had considered other sites before committing to the New Berlin land in 2026.
The hearing is at 6 p.m. June 1 in the council chambers of New Berlin City Hall, 3805 S. Casper Drive.
The Plan Commission is not expected to act on the proposal during the meeting. According to city documents, the commission will likely consider the land-use and zoning changes on July 15. The New Berlin Common Council will subsequently also consider those elements.
Construction isn’t anticipated prior to 2027 and is dependent on other factors, including city support and possible tax subsidies to help finance the project, as previously reported.
Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at james.riccioli@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: June 1 public hearing set for Rockwell Automation plan in New Berlin
Reporting by Jim Riccioli, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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