Neighbors feel misled after learning Dollar Tree may be moving in



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Residents living in the Bronzeville neighborhood in Milwaukee were excited about redevelopment plans. They thought a grocery store was coming to the area -- but instead, the owner of the building where the store was headed is efforting opening a Dollar Tree store there instead. Residents aren't happy, and neither is their alderwoman.

Bronzeville residents and city leaders say a Dollar Tree was not what they had hoped for as part of the redevelopment plans in the neighborhood.

"The city has invested over $5 million in everything from infrastructure, to purchasing and acquiring land for development," Alderwoman Milele Coggs said.

Coggs says the redevelopment of the Bronzeville neighborhood is centered around an African-American culture.

"Spent the last year-and-a-half building what we thought was MLK Supermarket. We saw the grocery store at King Drive and North Ave. as an opportunity to enhance the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the owner has seen fit to go back on what he promised the neighborhood, and we started seeing signage for Dollar Tree," Coggs said.

Coggs and those who live in the neighborhood say they feel misled.

"We were looking forward to the grocery store. We need some fresh fruit and not processed things. Dollar Tree doesn't have that. It has microwave things. We need healthy foods in our neighborhood," a Bronzeville resident told FOX6 News.

Coggs says the building is zoned for retail, however, the occupancy permit has not yet been granted.

"We hope that wiser minds would prevail," Coggs said.

FOX6 News reached out to the building's owner, but we have not yet received a response.