KENOSHA, Wis. — One of the biggest development projects in Kenosha history added a significant piece on Tuesday in groundbreaking of the $23.5 million Kenosha Innovation Center.
It continues the $1 billion Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood project – designed to turn the old Chrysler Engine Plant into a hub of the future.
The 107-acre site is located east of 30th Avenue between 60th Street and 52nd Street.
Gov. Tony Evers, Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian and a standing room only crowd of elected officials and invited guests attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
“The future of Kenosha is right here where I’m standing,” Kenosha Ald. Dominic Ruffalo said.
The Kenosha Innovation Center, a three-story, 64,000-square-foot building, will be situated on a 3.5-acre portion of the Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood. It will include tenant space as well as event and meeting space open for community use.
Construction is expected to be completed in summer 2025.
“We’re starting to see things moving around and before you know we’ll have that innovation center,” Kenosha’s Anthony Jefferson said. “And that’s super important because we’re bringing a lot of technology and a lot of opportunities that normally wouldn’t be in the middle of a city.”
The entire project began last October with the groundbreaking of a 58,000-square-foot high school. Pleasant Prairie’s LakeView Technology Academy is expected to move into its new building as early as the second semester of the 2024-25 school year.
Antaramian has been working on the project for years.
“We are older and need to make sure we keep our young people, attract more young people because that is going to be the future,” Antaramian said.
“So that’s why that becomes so very important. And that means you have to have the type of jobs and the type of living that these young people want and that’s what this project creates.”
The City of Kenosha received a $14 million state Neighborhood Investment Grant to support funding of the $23.5 million Kenosha Innovation Center.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
