The Kenosha City Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of the massive Downtown development plan Monday night.
The master plan covers nine blocks of Downtown bordered by Sheridan Road on the west, 52nd Street on the north, 56th Street on the south and Lake Michigan on the east.
Council members passed the development agreement between the city and Kenosha Downtown Partners, LLC 15-to-1. Ald. David Mau was the sole vote against it and Ald. Holly Kangas was absent from the meeting.
Mayor John Antaramian talks about the proposed development for Downtown at his office in City Hall on Thursday.
The vote paves the way for phased development on the multi-year plan that would fundamentally change Kenosha’s Downtown if completed.
The master plan covers nine blocks bordered by Sheridan Road on the west, 52nd Street on the north, 56th Street on the south and Lake Michigan on the east.
It would include approximately 1,000 units of multi-family dwellings including condominiums adjacent to Harbor Park, a large corporate office space, a hotel, retail space, new parks and a public market and a new city hall, among other things.
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A architect’s rendering of the proposed west aerial view of the nine-block area of the Kenosha Downtown as proposed in the major development plan. If approved by the full City Council on Monday, construction could begin on the first phase as early as this fall.
Each new structure and outdoor development would still face approvals from city regulatory committees and commissions, as is the case with all new projects in the city limits.
This is an rendering of the proposed Kenosha Downtown Development Project, which would take much of the next decade to develop on nine city blocks in the Downtown area.
City officials and Wisconsin-based developers Cobalt Partners, LLC and C. D. Smith estimate it will take about a decade to fully complete. The projected aggregate assessed valuation of the fully developed project is estimated to exceed $450 million.
Alderpersons passed the development agreement between the city and Kenosha Downtown Partners, LLC 15-to-1. Ald. David Mau was the sole vote against it and Ald. Holly Kangas was absent from the meeting.
The plan utilizes the existing Tax Increment District No. 27 to assist in funding needed public improvements, parking and the central park space, according to Mayor John Antaramian. Construction on the mixed-use district could begin this fall. The plan was unveiled last week with enthusiastic support from Antaramian.
Before the vote lifelong Kenoshan Tobin Boyle, a delegate to the Building-Construction Trades Council of Wisconsin, spoke in support of the project.
“We wholeheartedly agree to the proposed Downtown expansion,” Boyle said. “We’ve lost so much industry over the years and we’re looking for new revenue sources and I believe that this is right on spot to be what we’re looking for going into the next generation for future generations.”
“In general the TIF funding will be $62 million. Fifty-two million (will go) toward this project in general through the developers and then $11 million for the parking structure at the new City Hall,” City Administrator John Morrissey said.
Council reactions
Ald. Daniel Prozanski spoke in favor of the project.
“The icing on the cake as far as this project is concerned is the fact that in the developer’s agreement, in this plan, is the commitment to employ Kenosha residents,” Prozanski said. “It also puts forward a sense of pride because not only is it a project that’s being developed long-in-coming, which every Kenoshan can take pride in, but it’s also something that those people that work on these projects can say ‘we had a hand in making these and building this.’
“It’s part of who we are. It’s a fabric our city. I think that goes very far in any sort of project — to have ownership.” he said.
Prozanski said he believes the Downtown will benefit from the development plan.
“The Downtown is much better today than when I came into office in 2008 but what it lacked was this comprehensive plan,” Prozanski said. “Here we have a plan and it’s a really good one. It’s a plan that’s going to take Kenosha into the future. That’s where we need to be.”
Ald. Dominic Ruffalo expressed similar sentiments.
“You’ve got to look into the future,” Ruffalo said before listing closed manufacturing companies in the area including Chrysler and American Motors. “In front of you tonight ladies and gentlemen is the future of Kenosha to be enjoyed by future generations. It’s probably a 10-year build-out completely. I’ll be pretty old by then but we have to get the wheels moving on it. … I think it looks phenomenal.”
Mau said he has deep concerns about the project and the nature of its funding.
“I may hear from you guys all of the reasons why this is important and why the city should be doing this. And I agree with you that these are important things. The development of Downtown … I can agree these are all very good things for the city. I care about the same things that you guys care about. I just don’t think that the government should be doing them. I don’t think that we need the government to be dishing out millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money,” Mau said. “If this isn’t special interests I don’t know what is.”
Mau also said he believes the matter has been “pushed through really, really quickly.” Mau unsuccessfully motioned to defer the vote to give the public more time to look over the plans.
Marijuana ordinance
The City Council also voted to take up a proposed ordinance change regarding marijuana at its next meeting June 5.
Monday was the first reading of the proposed ordinance change that reduces the fine for first-time offenders in possession of a small amount of marijuana. It is sponsored by Mau and co-sponsored by Alds. Anthony Kennedy, Rollin Pizzala, Kelly MacKay, Jan Michalski and Brandi Ferree.
Last week the Public Safety and Welfare Committee narrowly voted in favor of the ordinance change.
