A Goodwill Store & Donation Center is proposed for Bay View

Ald. Tony Zielinski announced today a tentative meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 1 at 6pm to discuss the proposed Goodwill development on Chase and Oklahoma. Location to be announced.

Background:

Source: Goodwill Industries

A Goodwill Store & Donation Center is proposed for the southwest corner of Chase and Oklahoma avenues, adjacent to the Piggly Wiggly Store.

The project consists of a newly constructed 20,000 square-foot Goodwill Retail Store & Donation Center, including a 2,000 square-foot Goodwill Workforce Connection Center located within the retail store.

Along with the building permit process, submittals will be required to BOZA (Board of Zoning Appeals) for approval on the special use required to operate a Goodwill Retail Store & Donation Center (Secondhand Store) in the LB2 Zoning District. The goal is to start the approval process as soon as possible and commence construction in the summer of 2012 for a Grand Opening in February, 2013.

The proposed development blends in with the existing uses of the neighborhood and with other permitted uses in the LB2 Zoning District. There is an existing Piggly Wiggly grocery store, an Arby’s fast food restaurant, and a vacant Citgo Gas station all within this development. To the north is an industrial building (Mac Tech) and to the south is another retail development with Pick ’n Save and Home Depot. To the west are more industrial type uses and to the east is another fast food restaurant (Wendy’s) and some residential. There are also several other existing and operating retail businesses to the north on Chase Avenue as well as several other industrial buildings.

Goodwill Store & Donation Center

Goodwill Retail Services, Inc. currently operates 46 retail stores in Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois. Goodwill Stores & Donation Centers are retail stores specializing in the resale of quality donated items. Goodwill gives their patrons the opportunity to sign up for a loyalty program called Club Goodwill, as a member, you will receive extra discounts and email alerts of special events. Club Goodwill has over 700,000 members throughout their territory, of which, 3,663 reside within the 53207 zip code area and 7,958 reside within the 53215 zip code area so, more than 11,000 Club Goodwill members reside within the demographic serving the proposed project.

This store will include an easily accessible donations drop-off along the north façade of the building. There donors will be greeted by an attendant who will unload their donated goods, and provide them with a receipt, which may be used for tax purposes.

These donations are sorted for quality, priced for sale, and brought to the sales floor. There is an ongoing rotation of fresh merchandise brought to the sales floor. Merchandise on the sales floor turns over every 3 to 4 weeks and on average 60-70% of all donations are sold. Merchandise not fit for sale is baled and sent to a distribution center, where it will be sold for salvage or recycled.

All of these services are handled within the footprint of the building; no outdoor storage or trash is planned for this project. A compactor, with interior access only, is used for trash disposal. It is estimated that each Goodwill Store & Donation Center recycles 2 million pounds of goods each year. Aside from the positive environmental impact on landfills, this reduces a community’s trucking and hauling expenses, saving tax payers tens of thousands of dollars each year.

Goodwill installs interior and exterior web-based 24-hour surveillance cameras at all sites. Along with posting signs and providing a very clean, well-maintained site, these cameras deter any donors from dropping off items outside of normal business hours.

The proposed store in Bay View (Milwaukee) will employ 40-50 individuals in full- or part-time employment, ranging from management to supervisory, to various production, and customer service opportunities. Half or more are full time positions and flexible to the needs of the individual. Goodwill extends competitive wages and offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Goodwill Store and Donation Centers operate seven days a week. Monday through Friday stores operate from 9am-9pm, Saturday from 9am-7pm, and Sunday from 10am-6pm. Each day, the donation entrance opens one hour earlier to accept donations for the convenience of our donors.

There is very limited truck traffic related to the operation. In addition to an occasional delivery of supplies by UPS or similar provider, a Goodwill truck will service the store approximately 3-5 times per week, during normal operating hours, via the truck dock. No trucks will be left onsite, unless inside the loading dock and no products or pallets will be stored outside the building.

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin relies heavily on the revenue generated from these Retail Store & Donation Centers to help fund their mission. Goodwill’s mission is to provide training, employment, and supportive services for people with disabilities or disadvantages who seek greater independence. Goodwill served just over 47,000 individuals last year alone.

Goodwill Workforce Connection Center Goodwill’s Workforce Connection Center is designed to provide assistance to people who are unemployed or underemployed. The center offers help throughout the job search process and helps users develop pre-employment job search skills. The center does not provide vocational or skill training which would prepare individuals for employment in a specific industry. This Workforce Connection Center will be accessed through a separate door inside the building via the Retail Store & Donation Center sales floor.

Goodwill’s Workforce Connection Centers offers resources such as computers, internet access, printers, fax machines, telephone and email access; resume and cover letter preparation; job postings and onsite interviewing; as well as career exploration and assessment tools. Services are provided to a wide range of people, from individuals in entry-level positions to professionals, all at no cost and with no referrals required. There are currently 3 workforce connection centers in Wisconsin and 3 centers in Illinois.

Employers also benefit by the Workforce Connection Center providing them with a resource they can use to more efficiently identify and pre-screen job candidates. In some cases,

Goodwill’s Workforce Connection Center staff will work with an employer to match individual candidates to a specific job. Other times, employers meet multiple prospective employees at on-site recruitment events. The classroom area at the center would be used to host these on-site employer recruitment activities.

The Workforce Connection Center in Milwaukee will serve dozens of people every week. This location was selected because it is centrally located and there are limited workforce resources in the area. There is a demonstrated need in the surrounding communities given the high unemployment rates.

The Center will have three on-site staff members: one full-time Connection Center Manager; one full-time Facilitator; and one full-time Customer Relations person. The Workforce Connection Center will operate Monday through Friday, 9amm-5pm.

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. Goodwill’s mission is to provide training, employment and supportive services to individuals with disabilities or disadvantages who seek greater independence. Founded in 1919, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. is the largest of 168 Goodwill affiliates in the US and Canada. Its territory encompasses 13 counties in Wisconsin and 10 counties in Illinois. It employs approximately 5,000 people. Last year, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago provided services to approximately 47,000 individuals.

 

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