MILWAUKEE- Last week, officials from HSA Commercial joined leaders from Wauwatosa in suburban Milwaukee to break ground on Phase I of The Mayfair Collection, a large-scale, mixed-use development which will repurpose obsolete warehouse buildings into retail outlets. The buildings sit near the Mayfair Mall, one of the largest retail destinations in the state. Officials say they will preserve the property's industrial heritage. Nordstrom Rack, Dick's Sporting Goods, Ulta Cosmetics and other leading retailers have already signed leases for the development's first phase which will open in the summer of 2014.

“Our leasing efforts target the best possible retailers that will keep the Mayfair Mall trade area at the center of the retail universe in Wisconsin,” said Tim Blum, an executive vice president with Chicago-based HSA. “Attracting that type of regional traffic will be essential in kick-starting a long-term development plan that achieves the ambitious vision that we share with the community of Wauwatosa.”

Last November, Wauwatosa and HSA agreed to create a tax increment financing district that will provide $8.5 million to cover infrastructure costs for the project. The highly-visible 69-acre site, known as the “Burleigh Triangle,” has Highway 45 to the west, Burleigh Street to the south, and the Union Pacific Railroad to the east. City officials say the site has been underutilized for years and long-targeted for redevelopment. And although the first phase will concentrate on bringing in retail, subsequent phases may develop multifamily residences, general offices, and medical office buildings depending on market demand.