Kenosha looking to the future, moving forward on $450 million revitalization plan

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha left a trail of damage in 2020. Today, the city is moving forward on a major revitalization plan.

This pile of dirt used to be the old Kenosha Civic Center. A new building is going up that will house all city hall offices, and that's just part of the project that the council approved this week.

Nearly three years after Kenosha unrest shattered glass, set fires and broke hearts, #Kenosha strong continues.

The unrest that occurred definitely changed some of the speed in which some things were able to happen because of the damage that was done," said Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian.

Mayor John Antaramian toured us around nine blocks, now being developed in this $450 million project.

"The far one is a, b, c, d," he said.

Here is what Mayor Antaramian is referencing. "A" is right across from the Brownstones at Harbor Park. It's condos that may be built later this year.

"It's gonna be a gamechanger in the downtown area. The population growth will help the downtown," said Mayor Antaramian.

Cobalt partners LLC and C.D. Smith Construction plan to build a thousand apartments and condos, retail spaces, a market hall similar to Milwaukee's public market, offices and a hotel.

"The hotel will be on this corner, so Sheridan Road and 52nd Street and off to the south will be the corporate office building," said Mayor Antaramian.

All totaled, the project covers 14 acres near the lakefront, currently most is vacant land. The building where the city hall is at now will be razed and replaced with an 18-story tower.

A separate project is already underway in the uptown neighborhood, which also saw unrest in 2020, and there are plans for the city to annex 3,300 acres west of I-94.

"So, when you look at Kenosha, you have to look at all those things. It's not just one thing. Downtown is moving. Uptown is moving. West end is moving. I believe this community is in for tremendous growth and opportunity," said Mayor Antaramian.

Here on 22nd Avenue, near 63rd Street, the Uptown project will be getting programs to help young people, including a K-5 reading library and a STEM high school.

"The Chrysler site is surrounded by six neighborhoods, all of which have challenges and we believe this will be beneficial to dealing with all those challenges. And I think the big key here is making sure that young people have an opportunity, that to me is the biggest thing that we can accomplish," said Mayor Antaramian.

Again, the city hall will move over here, right across from the courthouse and law enforcement center, essentially putting all city government offices on the same corner.