Major Development Projects Will Revitalize the City of Kenosha

The City of Kenosha announced today it is moving forward with a $400 million-plus revitalization plan that will increase affordable housing, grow and scale up downtown, and seek to attract new businesses to the city.

The plan includes the Downtown Vision, which is an eight-block redevelopment, and the creation of Uptown Lofts, a mixed-use retail and residential complex in the Uptown community.

The $400 million Downtown Vision project will include two 11-story towers, to be known as the Brindisi Towers, featuring luxury apartments and condos with restaurant and retail space on the ground floor. A new entertainment and performing arts center will be built with both a 1,200-seat main theater and smaller 300-seat community theater, and a gallery that will be operated by the Kenosha Public Museum. The performing arts center will connect to a yet-to-be-determined higher-end hotel. Kenosha City Hall will be relocated as part of this development and the current location will be transformed into another one of the city’s beautiful parks. The current construction of a new parking ramp at 56th Street and Eighth Avenue will add 356 parking stalls to accommodate the increased activity planned downtown.

The Downtown Vision development agreement will be presented for review and recommendation to the Public Works Committee, Public Safety & Welfare Committee and Finance Committee in early December. Then, it will go to the Common Council for approval, with the goal of receiving final project approval by the end of the year.

“We’re thrilled to be moving forward with some major developments that will benefit Kenosha now and into the future,” said Mayor John Antaramian.

The plans for Downtown complement a recently released plan for the Uptown Neighborhood with the development of Uptown Lofts, a mixed-use retail and residential complex, and the purchase of the former Brown National Bank building at 2300 63rd Street. During the City Plan Commission meeting on Nov. 19, the conceptual plan for Uptown Lofts was discussed, with an overwhelmingly favorable response by the commission. The $18 million project, being developed by Gorman & Company, will turn the currently damaged single-story retail center on 22nd Avenue into two buildings with both retail and residential units. The 22nd Avenue building will have four stories with 76 residential units on floors two through four and 16,624 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. The 23rd Avenue building will consist of three stories with 28 residential units on floors two and three with 8,223 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. Both buildings will also offer underground parking for residents. The residential units are designed as affordable housing and commercial retail space is designed to include many original tenants of the Uptown district that were recently displaced.

As a next step, the developer will present a Conditional Use Permit application for Uptown Lofts, which will be reviewed by the City Plan Commission, likely in early 2021.

On the heels of the city’s partnership with international network developer SiFi Networks earlier this year, each of these projects will be part of the new Smart City design that will make Kenosha a FiberCity™. Details for all of these projects are continuing to be finalized and will be shared once available.

“Most of these projects have been in the works for quite some time, and they will bring a sense of revitalization to the Uptown and Downtown,” Antaramian said. “The well-being and vitality of our community and residents is always at the top of my mind, and these developments will bring new opportunities - new jobs, new businesses, new residential spaces - that will positively impact our city.”

In addition, a major shoreline protection project along Lake Michigan has been substantially completed. The $6.3 million project began in June of 2020 and included reconstruction of the shoreline revetment stone along Lake Michigan from the Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Southport Beach House. All of the major stonework is completed and landscape restoration will be completed by spring of 2021.

For more information and to learn more, visit www.kenosha.org.

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