The Curly Fry Credit Union

Construction is underway on a new credit union at the corner of S. Chase Ave. and W. Oklahoma Ave.

UW Credit Union will open later this year at 115 W. Oklahoma Ave., giving the organization a presence at the nexus of the Bay View, Tippecanoe and Polonia neighborhoods.

“UW Credit Union’s Milwaukee growth progression is largely member-led. As more UW Credit Union members settle down in the greater Milwaukee area, we’ve increased our branch footprint to keep member access to direct, physical financial support as convenient and accessible as possible,” said CFO Brad McClain in an April statement to Urban Milwaukee.

The financial institution operates 29 branch locations, including eight branches in the Milwaukee area and one in the city of Milwaukee (UW-Milwaukee). It is also planning branches in Elm Grove and Greenfield.

The credit union acquired the Bay View property in December for $2.15 million. Rams Contracting demolished the Arby’s restaurant at the site in recent months.

Kee Architecture is designing the new, 6,000-square-foot building. J.H. Findorff & Son is leading the general contracting.

The credit union will use a drive-through, but unlike the former Arby’s restaurant it will be detached from the building. Twenty-four parking stalls are planned. The corner of the site nearest the intersection is unbuildable, according to a permit application, with a sewer running east-west through the parcel.

The restaurant property was sold by Carisch Brothers LP, an affiliate of Arby’s franchisee Carisch, Inc. The company website reports having 64 locations across seven states. According to city assessment records, the Bay View building was constructed in 2000. Shortly after the Bay View restaurant closed, a new Arby’s location was announced by Carisch for Mequon.

The restaurant parcel sits at the northeast corner of a shopping center, 123 W. Oklahoma Ave., anchored by a Piggly Wiggly grocery store and a Family Dollar store. A number of other tenants occupy outlot buildings, including Goodwill, Rosati’s Pizza, T-Mobile and AutoZone.

South of the grocery store, a 6,000-square-foot commercial building was completed in 2020. AT&T is the only tenant.

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