The owner of the former Brookfield Moose property in Brookfield will continue to pitch for a plan to bring townhomes to the site, despite a negative review of the plan from village staff.

Michael Beckerman of Triumph Real Estate said last week that his plan for 21 or 22 townhomes at 4000 DuBois Blvd. is the best and, to date, only feasible solution for the property, which is included in the Brookfield 2020 Master Plan as a part of a “superblock” retail or mixed-use development site.

Beckerman said he hopes to appear before the village’s Plan Commission within the next two months. If he doesn’t receive approval, Beckerman said he has no idea what will become of the property.

“If I don’t have the blessing of the Plan Commission and, more important, the village board, then I have no reason to go forward. At that point I’d put [the property] up for sale.

“I’ve stated I’d sell the property for my costs,” he said, adding that buyers haven’t exactly been knocking down his door. “I don’t want to be in the way of the greater good for Brookfield.”

According to the master plan, the parcel is part of a special C-2 zoning district bordered by Ogden Avenue and the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad on the south and north and Eberly Avenue and DuBois Boulevard of the west and east. In addition to the Moose property, the district includes the vacant Lucas Tire building, which is owned by the village, several single family residences, commercial property and apartment buildings.

The master plan envisions the entire area consolidated into one site for development.

The problem is that there is no plan for such consolidation nor any incentives from the village to make it happen, said Beckerman.

“They prefer we miraculously come up with ownership of the entire area and do retail development,” Beckerman said. “I think we’re going forward with the most viable plan there is.”

The townhome idea is not a new one for the site. Beckerman previously floated the idea of erecting townhomes on the site last fall, after he walked away from a plan to build a 48-unit condo building there.

The Brookfield village board in 2004 approved 11 zoning variations for a six-story condo building pitched by a previous owner. Beckerman bought the property in January 2006 with the intention of moving forward with the condo plan. But with rising construction costs and a time limit on the zoning variations looming last fall, Beckerman pulled the plug.

While a previous village board approved a residential use for the site in 2004, the current village management doesn’t appear to be disposed to clearing the way for a residential use for the Moose property.

According to an analysis performed by Village Planner Meena Beyers in April, Beckerman’s townhome plan “is not a feasible option for consideration” and “is inconsistent with goals for the Ogden Avenue Sub-Area as outlined in the 2020 Master Plan.”

Keith Sbiral, the assistant village manager and director of the Zoning and Planning Department, said he agrees that the master plan is “difficult” in that it calls for a 55,000 square foot grocery store with parking for the superblock site.

“We need to look at the site as a whole,” Sbiral said. “There needs to be some retail presence, but it all needs to work together.

“When we finally approve something, it can’t be something that closes more doors than we open.”