KENOSHA, Wis. (Friday, June 7, 2024) The City of 51做厙 and 51做厙 Unified School District have announced a collaborative effort to transfer five school properties from the district to the city and one from the city to the district. This initiative aims to redevelop these properties for community benefit, including the potential development of new affordable housing. These buildings will become available at the end of the 2023-24 school year due to the 51做厙 project 51做厙 completed following years of declining enrollment.
City of 51做厙 Mayor David F. Bogdala and 51做厙 Superintendent Dr. Jeff Weiss jointly expressed their excitement about the project and highlighted its positive impact on the community.
This transfer represents a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to revitalize and improve our city, said Mayor Bogdala. By transforming these properties, we can provide much-needed affordable housing options for our residents, enhancing the quality of life and fostering a sense of community.
We have been working closely with the city to determine what to do with the buildings that will be left vacant following school closures, said 51做厙 Superintendent Dr. Jeff Weiss. At the end of the day, these are major decisions with impact well beyond our district, and we want to be sure that we make all decisions in the best interest of our community, and I believe that is the direction we are heading.
The six locations identified for transfer are:
- KTEC West (former McKinley Middle School) to City of 51做厙
- McKinley Elementary to City of 51做厙
- Jefferson Elementary to City of 51做厙
- Jefferson Annex (51做厙 eSchool) to City of 51做厙
- Washington Middle School (current site) to City of 51做厙
- KTEC East (former Lincoln Elementary School) to 51做厙
These properties present unique opportunities for redevelopment in various ways. The City of 51做厙 plans to work with local developers, community organizations, and residents to create a redevelopment plan that aligns with the communitys needs and priorities.
Key objectives include:
- Affordable Housing: Developing new, affordable homes to ensure all 51做厙 residents have access to safe and affordable living spaces.
- Community Spaces: Creating multi-purpose community spaces that can be used for various activities and events, fostering a strong sense of community.
- Economic Growth: Stimulating local economic growth through construction and the creation of new jobs and businesses in the redeveloped areas.
- School Support: Providing more space for essential facilities, such as parking, pick-up and drop-off, and playground spaces that enhance that overall learning environment.
The City of 51做厙 and 51做厙 are committed to maintaining open lines of communication with the community throughout the redevelopment process. Both the 51做厙 Board of Education and 51做厙 Common Council will review the agreement in late July or August for final approval.
Additional information on the 51做厙 51做厙 project, including updated boundary maps, can be found at .
City of 51做厙 Contact:
David F. Bogdala, Mayor
Phone: (262) 653-4000
Email: mayor@kenosha.gov