Rockwell Automation has announced plans to develop a large manufacturing campus in Section 35, which is between Grange Avenue, College Avenue, Sunny Slope Road, and Moorland Road. Pending approvals, construction is planned to begin in 2027. It was announced in February 2026 that the company intended to locate on 100 acres in New Berlin.

Project Details

The proposed facility will be operated by Rockwell Automation, Inc. Phase I of the development will include ~770,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space and ~40,000 sq. ft. of office space in the southwest corner of the proposed development. Entrances to the property will be from Moorland Road (opposite the Moorland East Business Park entrance, just south of the existing driving range) and from Grange Avenue (opposite the Costco entrance).

Entry Perspective from Southwest - courtesy Pinnacle Engineering Group, SunCap Property Group

 

Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Changes Needed

Two existing properties will need to have the Comprehensive Plan changed from "Business Park/Industrial & Urban Residential" to "Business Park/Industrial." These properties are located at:

• 14811 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.999) [Loomis Farm, LLC – 80.22 Acres]
• 14655 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1289.995) [Maureen E. Bosch Revocable Trust - 39.83 Acres]

Multiple properties will need to be rezoned from A-1, A-2, R-4, M-1, P-1, C-1 & C-2 to A-1, M-3/PUD, P-1, C-1, & C-2. A Planned Unit Development (PUD) Overlay for the properties located at:

• 15393 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.998) [E. James Rausch, Marie A. Rausch A. May – 2 Acres]
• Tax Key #: 1290.998.002 [E. James Rausch – 10.11 Acres]
• Tax Key #: 1290.998.003 [E. James Rausch, Marie A. Rausch, Marie Rausch A. May – 7.92 Acres]
• 15301 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.998.001) [E. James Rausch – 20.34 Acres]
• 14811 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.999) [Loomis Farm, LLC – 80.22 Acres]
• 14655 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1289.995) [Maureen E. Bosch Revocable Trust - 39.83 Acres]
• Tax Key #: 1291.997 [Baas Farm, LLC - 24.49 Acres]
• Tax Key #: 1291.986.001 [Baas Farm, LLC – 34.84 Acres]
• Tax Key #: 1291.994 [Raymond E. Saltzmann, Marie L. Nielsen – 37.13 Acres]
• 15920 W College Avenue (Tax Key #: 1288.997) [Virgil A. Saltzmann, Raymond E. Saltzmann – 34.94 Acres]
• 5900 S Moorland Road (Tax Key #: 1288.999) [Virgil Saltzmann – 32.18 Acres]

These properties encompass a large portion of that section of the city.

Project Timeline

May 13, 2026 - A neighborhood meeting was held May 13, 2026, where local residents were invited to view a presentation by Rockwell staff and ask questions about the development. It was well-attended, with more than 100 people from the community. The company produced a memo as a response to some of the questions and concerns raised during that meeting.

June 1, 2026 - The Plan Commission will hold a joint public hearing on the Rezoning and Comprehensive Plan Amendment on June 1, 2026 at 6pm. This is one of those opportunities that the public has to impact the direction the city goes with development. The Comprehensive Plan must be adjusted to remove residential development and multiple properties must be rezoned to make this project possible.

View the Plan Commission Meeting Agenda

July 15, 2026 - The Plan Commission will consider recommending this project to the Common Council.

View the Plan Commission Meeting Agenda

July 28, 2026 - The Common Council is planning to review and take possible action on the Rezoning, Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Land Division at its July 28, 2026 meeting.

Our Take

We always welcome businesses that are interested in making New Berlin their home, and we appreciate the investment that they may make in our community. However, we want to make sure that Rockwell Automation will be good neighbors. There are a large number of homes to the east of this property where the development is being planned. Noise, smells, light, and other issues are a real concern for those that have to live with the results of this project long after the planners leave.

The property abuts the city's newest park land, and we're concerned that a chain link fence that says "stay out" is not exactly the kind of neighborly behavior we'd like to see. We've recommended that they consider taking advantage of the wooded and wetland areas to make a campus that could be enjoyed by the community as an extension of the park area. Rather than have the project be a scar on the land, it could be much better. While executives were polite and showed interest, I'm not confident that they will do so without being pushed to do it. The same goes for community investment. Muskego's schools have benefited from a positive relationship with some of its major businesses, in both funding sports fields and in developing partnerships for students. A resident raised the latter idea during the neighborhood meeting, but the executives were pretty careful not to commit to anything.

Last Updated: Jul 15, 2026

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