RACINE — As the city of Racine continues work in the Lincoln-King neighborhood, where a $65 million community center and health clinic are under construction as part of a broader redevelopment plan, residents are expressing mixed reactions.
Ervin Marshall grew up in the neighborhood, moved away and recently returned. For Marshall, the ongoing construction is a sign of progress.
"As a whole, I love it. I think it's a great thing," he said of the city's investment in the area.
The city broke ground in October 2024 on the new Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, which will also house a health clinic. The city had projected the center would be operational by the end of this year, though it was unclear Monday whether that timeline remains on track.
"People around here really need that, because there's a lot of people around here, they don't even drive. They don't even have a car," said Cerefino Martinez, who's lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years.
Martinez said bringing healthcare directly into the community is "a great idea."
The community center and health clinic are just one piece of the Lincoln-King redevelopment plan. The city is also providing resources for residents to revitalize their own homes, and is acquiring other properties and building new residences — including 8 townhome buildings with 33 units in total. The city says some of those units could be for sale by mid-summer.
Marshall said he thinks the new construction is encouraging for the broader community.
"That actually is an incentive for everybody in the community to continue doing better," he said. "Because if you look around, a lot of the distressed properties have been revitalized."
WATCH: Residents express mixed opinions as City of Racine progresses on Lincoln-King neighborhood redevelopment
However, TMJ4's Lauren Sklba also spoke to multiple residents off camera who were concerned about aspects of the city's plan. One resident said people are being pushed out of the neighborhood. Another resident said the neighborhood was working well before the city's investment.
Still, Marshall said he is already seeing an impact.
"I'm glad I took the chance to come back," he said.
He believes the investment is something the neighborhood needs, including the new community center.
"It's a give back to the community, and then it's resources that the kids need, right?" he said. "Because if the kids don't have that resource, then they look for it in other places."
The State Building Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a $2 million grant for the center.
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