Grafton Continues to Develop
The Village of Grafton is one of the most exciting and fastest growing of the north suburban communities. During the last few years Grafton has been in a continous state of new developments and improvements. The largest new development is the 44-unit Heritage of Grafton condominiums. The incremental value this development added to downtown Grafton enabled the village to begin streetscaping 11th Ave. from Hwy 60 to Beech St. The road was widened; new sidewalks, park benches, and period lighting were added; and two dozen trees were planted.
Some of the exciting activities that have been taking place are:
The Village of Grafton River Walk -- A one block long elegant River Walk provides residents of Grafton with a direct connection to the Milwaukee Riverfront and its historic waterfalls at the foot of Bridge Street.
The Paramount Plaza -- 12th Ave. south of Bridge St. has been closed and the area created into a historic plaza recognizing the musical heritage of the Village of Grafton. In the 1920's Grafton was the home of the blues and jazz recording industry. The centerpiece of Paramount Plaza is a fountain with a saxophone in the middle with the water flowing from the horn. The pavement design resembles piano-like ivories, which creates the Paramount recording artists' "Walk-of-Fame". The "Walk" will recognize the artists who recorded in Grafton.
The Paramount Restaurant -- A fine dining restaurant with a music/entertainment venue honoring the historic recording studio.
The Historic Grafton Hotel --A Mequon development firm known for its histoic renovations has purchased the property and will be undertaking a complete renovation and restoration of the hotel. The plans include a new restaurant with a re-creation of the renowned turret and parapet walls as they existed at the turn of the century,
Historic Facade Improvement Program -- The Village of Grafton has encouraged existing business owners to upgrade and restore their historic building facades through a matching grant program.
The Heritage of Grafton -- 44 unit condo community made up of first time home buyers, empty nesters, and single individuals who desire to be near the revitalized downtown district. The
Heritage of Grafton offers units ranging in size from 900 square feet to 1600 square feet.
The Bridgewater Condominiums -- 15 unit town house style condos built along the Milwaukee River with access to the River Walk.
The Grafton Brew Pub -- The developers of The Bridgewater plan to construct a Riverfront Brew Pub similiar in theme to the Milwaukee Ale House.
The Grafton Village Center -- New retail and office center offering over 15,000 square feel of retail space and 15,000 square feel of professional office space along with 61 public parking spaces. Part of the new retail space is occupied by Grafton Ski & Cyclery, a 30 year fixture in Grafton; Altera Coffe Roasters; and Vino 100.
Costco -- The first Wisconsin Costco retail store will be located at the northwest corner of Hwy 60 and Interstate 43 approximately 1.5 miles east of downtown Grafton. In addition to Costco, up to 250,000 square feet of additional retail space is planned.
Form & Fitness Health Club -- A professional training center based in Mequon has constructed a 20,000 square foot, state-of-the-art fitness center approximately one mile from downtown Grafton.
Village of Grafton officals are committed to assist in the successful redevelopment of their historic downtown.