Roers Companies is eyeing a stretch of Somers farmland for a 200-unit apartment community, a project the developer is branding as "attainable luxury" and pitching to local workforce renters. The plan covers roughly 27-27.5 acres just north of Somers Fire Station No. 2 along the Union Pacific line and would swap open fields for a cluster of low-rise apartment buildings, if village leaders sign off.
As detailed by the Milwaukee Business Journal, Roers is seeking zoning and site-plan approvals from the Village of Somers and positioning the project as a step-up, higher-amenity rental option compared with traditional market-rate apartments and single-family homes.
Site Plan, Amenities And Location
Village documents put the site at about 27 acres along the Union Pacific Railroad, just north of Fire Station No. 2. The concept calls for 14 multifamily buildings totaling about 200 units, plus a 5,093-square-foot clubhouse as the hub for shared amenities. According to the Village of Somers, the complex would replace farmland west of Sheridan Road and north of County Highway E.
The public planning packet lists an amenity mix that reads like a checklist of modern suburban perks: walking trails, dog parks, playgrounds and pickleball courts, along with significant landscaping and on-site open space woven through the buildings.
Neighbors, Commissioners Raise Concerns
Not everyone is sold on trading cornfields for condos. At a March Plan Commission hearing, several residents pressed officials on density, traffic and potential strain on village services, according to the Kenosha County Eye. After the public pushback, the commission voted against the plan.
Residents also asked whether the apartments would tap federal housing programs. Developers reportedly told attendees the project would not operate as a traditional Section 8 complex, though it could use income-restricted tools to assist qualifying tenants. Village officials told the local outlet that despite the commission’s rejection, the proposal is still set to advance to the Village Board for further review.
Developer Background And Financing Clues
Roers is no stranger to multifamily developments in the Upper Midwest, and its name appears on state housing agency rosters of monitored tax-credit properties. Data from WHEDA shows Roers-affiliated projects in Wisconsin that have used housing tax credits, a signal that the developer has experience navigating affordable or income-restricted financing structures.
That history is one reason locals are parsing not just the number of units but how the Somers project might be funded if subsidies come into play.
What’s Next For The Somers Proposal
Roers is continuing to pursue village approvals, and the plan is expected to cycle back to local officials for another public hearing and vote as part of Somers’ standard review process, per the Milwaukee Business Journal. Upcoming Village Board meetings will offer more chances for residents to sound off before any permits are issued.
Village leaders have indicated they will weigh the service-capacity concerns raised during earlier hearings. For now, Somers’ would-be "attainable luxury" complex sits in the familiar small-town limbo between ambitious renderings and an actual groundbreaking.
