HarborPark Kenosha, Wisconsin

HarborPark, a 69-acre redevelopment site in the heart of Downtown Kenosha, presents the community with a unique opportunity to create a major focal point on Lake Michigan. The site is bounded by downtown Kenosha to the west, Lake Michigan to the north, and the Southport Marina to the east and south. The current development initiative--spearheaded by the City--will transform this once delinquent industrial land into a vibrant center of activity with inviting public gathering places, a mile-long promenade, a series of visitor attractions and a new water-oriented residential neighborhood. HarborPark will not undermine downtown; rather, it will serve as an extension of the historic center and build on the existing scale and character of the surrounding area. This summary presents an overview of the plan for HarborPark, including several artists’ renderings that depict how buildings and public spaces might appear in the new development.

Kenosha is built on a strong heritage of manufacturing, most prominently auto manufacturing. In 1987, the Chrysler Corporation purchased American Motors, occupying the 42 acre lakefront manufacturing facility. A year later, Chrysler closed the majority of its Kenosha-based assembly plants, leaving the lakefront manufacturing facility vacant. Since the plant closed, the owners demolished all buildings, remediated environmental concerns, and transferred title to the City. The site has been viewed as one of the most significant redevelopment opportunities Kenosha has seen in a century. Together with a 26.5-acre parcel owned by the City, the HarborPark site contains 69 total acres.

Several planning initiatives have proposed visions for this prominent lakefront property. In 1989, the City of Kenosha began a two year planning process that led to the creation in 1991 of the Kenosha Downtown Plan - A Guide for Urban Design and Development. The foundation for HarborPark was laid in this plan, which proposed a mixture of residential, parks, a marina and some retail activity for the area. The proposed marina south of HarborPark was designed to create a major water-oriented amenity to stimulate private investment. The development of Southport Marina represented the first step in implementing the 1991 Kenosha downtown plan.

In 1996, a panel from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) was engaged to jump-start the development process with an intense, week long planning and economic development initiative. The panel assessed the site's market potential and developed strategies for the design, future marketing and implementation of new development on the lakefront site. Design ideas were presented as schematic concepts, with the intention that detailed plans would be developed as a next phase.

The current plan for HarborPark builds on past efforts and takes the community's vision for the lakefront to the next level of detail. The plan was developed with full community consensus and buy-in. Two city-wide public forums and numerous staff presentations have been conducted throughout the planning process to ensure that the plan accurately represents the community's desires. With continued community support, the plan for HarborPark will be taken through detailed engineering and design, with major public improvements commencing in the spring of 1998.

The plan for HarborPark is a long-range vision. The primary objective is to create a high-quality public environment that will allow residents and visitors to enjoy Kenosha's lakefront all year round. The plan illustrates how the site can be developed with a balanced program of public investment in infrastructure and private investment in commercial, office and residential development. The plan for HarborPark also proposes to:

The development plan for HarborPark reflects the site's dynamic location on Lake Michigan and its proximity to downtown. Several other factors were considered including important views, existing uses and development constraints imposed by the 1836 meander line, which defines the original shoreline.

Maintain a strong orientation to the water. The design of HarborPark capitalizes on its advantageous location on Lake Michigan. Continuous public access to the water's edge is maintained throughout the development with a continuous waterfront promenade. A rectilinear grid system for HarborPark's public streets creates a strong orientation to the lake, with each street terminating with a water view. Water views are not limited to Lake Michigan. Views of Kenosha Harbor, Simmons Island and Southport Marina provide engaging views of maritime activity including fishing boats, lighthouses and bobbing masts.

Implement Bartholomew's Grand Boulevard. The design for HarborPark celebrates Harland Bartholomew's original concept for a grand boulevard along 56th Street to link Kenosha's Civic Center with Lake Michigan. This concept dates back to 1925, but was never realized because for decades, industrial uses occupied the area that was to terminate this axis.

Create a variety of public gathering places. HarborPark will offer several types of open space for the public to enjoy, including:

Create a high-quality street environment. HarborPark will include a pedestrian-friendly street network with generous street trees, ample pedestrian areas and high-quality furnishings including benches, signage and historically inspired light fixtures. Parking will be placed behind buildings or screened from view with perimeter plantings. Buildings will be oriented to reinforce important street corners and provide a pleasing scale to the development.

Concentrate civic uses to create a destination. Under the Public Land Trust Law, the filled land east of the 1836 Meander Line (original shoreline) must be dedicated to a public purpose. Essentially, this includes all land east of 2nd Avenue and north of 56th Street. Two primary public buildings are proposed to define a civic focal point within HarborPark.

The Kenosha Public Museum is slated to occupy the corner of 2nd Avenue and 56th Street. A second public/community use, proposed as a transportation museum, will occupy the site to the north. In the long-term, additional civic uses and buildings will be located to the east fronting Celebration Park. This assemblage of public uses will create a new civic focal point for Kenosha with a strong water-oriented identity.

Encourage mixed-use development. While the design limits the amount of commercial and office space within HarborPark to ensure that it will not compete with downtown, ground floor office and commercial uses are recommended along 56th Street within the development. Active ground-floor uses, as well as several flexible-use buildings, are proposed along 56th Street to increase street-level activity and provide services to new residents. A new mixed-use office and residential development is proposed for the corner of 5th Avenue and 54th Street.

Create a new water-oriented residential neighborhood. Across the United States, communities are building new urban neighborhoods to provide housing alternatives for their residents and to generate 18-24 hour activity that stimulates downtown economic development. The Harborview Residential Neighborhood, proposed to contain approximately 220-300 new residential units, will provide a variety of owner-occupied housing types including townhomes and garden apartments. Fifty-fifth Street will provide a pedestrian linkage between the neighborhood and Celebration Park.

HarborPark will continue the existing street grid system of downtown Kenosha. The proposed right-of-way is typically 66 feet wide and includes an urban section measuring 36 feet face-to-face of curb. The street section accommodates a 10 foot wide through lane and an 8 foot parking lane in each direction. Curb and gutter and sidewalk are located on both sides of the street. The preliminary design thickness for the streets is 8 inch asphaltic concrete on a 6 inch granular base.

The 56th Street typical section includes a 28 foot wide pavement, measured face-to-face of curb, in each direction separated by a 40 foot wide median. Each direction of pavement accommodates two 10 foot wide through lanes and an 8 foot wide parking lane. Sidewalk is located on both sides of the right-of-way. The proposed right-of-way for 56th Street is 132 feet to match the 56th Street right-of-way between 6th and 8th Avenues. Existing 56th Street between 8th Avenue and 6th Avenue would be improved to match the 56th Street typical section on the HarborPark property. The real estate located on the south side of 56th Street between 6th and 5th Avenue would be purchased and the existing building demolished to provide a consistent roadway section for 56th Street from 6th Avenue through the site.

A streetcar loops through the HarborPark site along 56th Street, Ring Road, and 54th Street. Refer to the Streetcar section of this report for more information about the streetcar system.

Demolition of the 6th Avenue bridge over 54th Street was also included in the HarborPark project. The area was regraded and improved to provide an at-grade intersection for 54th Street and 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue would allow the extension of 54th Street to 13th Avenue (the train station).

At the east end of HarborPark, the existing access drive to Fisherman's Point would be maintained. Also, an access drive and parking will continue to be provided for the boat storage area and the boat lift out well in order to accommodate the marina operation.

The intersection of 56th Street and Sheridan Road is signalized. The signal should be updated to current standards and evaluated to accommodate the HarborPark improvement. Regulatory signing would be implemented in accordance with MUTCD and City requirements for public safety.

Parking lots will be constructed to replace those being eliminated by the HarborPark development. A marina lot will provide parking for patrons of the boat storage area, a Navy Park lot will provide parking at the northwest corner of the site, and the lot located at the southeast corner of 57th Street and 3rd Avenue will be extended.

A paved promenade provides pedestrian access to the lakefront and provides the connecting link between the Southport Marina walkway and the existing walkway at Navy Park. Parallel walks will be constructed along the harbor channel, one along the waterfront for people fishing and walking, and one farther inland for faster traffic on bikes and rollerblades. Activity centers, art objects, and landscaping located along the promenade would provide additional interest.

The preliminary grading plan allows future development and provides interim positive drainage. Grading should include a minimum 2 foot thick integrated site barrier over the existing site materials in accordance with the City agreement with the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Approximately 220,000 cubic yards of fill material from a City retention pond project will be used at HarborPark. To minimize additional loading of the existing bulkhead wall, the grading plan is designed to match existing grade 60 feet from the bulkhead wall.

The existing site has numerous concrete foundations, asphalt pavements, and rubble from previous property owners. Pavements will be broken up or removed to ease future excavation and lessen the layering of the subgrade. Existing pavements left in place will be covered with a minimum 2 foot depth of cover material. A site demolition contract is underway for the site that specifies the above work, as well as abandoning existing site utilities.

The utility plan is designed to accommodate future development based on the preliminary site plan. Minimal disruption of the infrastructure should be necessary as development occurs. The utilities are sized to accommodate projected development, but should be verified as development progresses.

Storm sewers are sized to convey runoff from the developed site based on a 10 year design storm. Runoff was determined using rainfall intensities and runoff coefficients in accordance with the City of Kenosha design policy. No detention is required for development of the area.

The HarborPark storm sewer system outlets to the harbor channel north of the site. Proposed 48 inch diameter storm sewer outfalls are located at 4th Avenue, 5th Avenue, and East Avenue. These outfalls would require penetration through the existing bulkhead wall.

Two existing storm sewers and outfalls are utilized. An existing 36 inch storm sewer located north of the park area on the east end of the site is used to convey runoff from the park area. An existing 24 inch sewer located between 5th and 4th Avenues near 54th Street is used to convey runoff from the west end of the HarborPark site and outlet to the lake.

An existing 60 inch combined sewer is located in the southwest quadrant of the site. This sewer flows diagonally from the intersection of 5th Avenue and 55th Street to the intersection of 3rd Avenue and 57th Street, and then flows west to the 4th Avenue and 57th Street intersection. This sewer will be relocated within the right-of-way of 55th Street from 6th Avenue to 4th Avenue and then south within the 4th Avenue right-of-way to 57th Street. This will provide clear block areas for future development. Lateral service sewers to the proposed 54 inch sanitary sewer are located to provide service connections from future development.

An existing 24 inch water main is located along 3rd Avenue from the harbor to 56th Street, then proceeding west along 56th Street. This 24 inch water main is located as little as 3 feet below existing grade. A new 36 inch water main is scheduled for construction by the Kenosha Water Utility that will be located adjacent to the 24 inch water main. The 24 inch water main, and later the 36 inch water main, provides service for a substantial section of the greater southern Kenosha area and special care should be taken to avoid disruption of service. No service connections should be made to the new 36 inch main. Instead, the 24 inch water main would be used for connections and extending the water system for the HarborPark site. Hydrants will be located throughout HarborPark in accordance with City of Kenosha criteria. Final design and approval for the future development will require approval by the City.

The proposed routing of electric, gas, telephone, and cable television are shown on the plans. Continued correspondence with these utility companies is necessary in the design phase to reevaluate needs. The electric and telephone service system includes an underground ductbank system to facilitate future service installation by the utility company. Possibly the utility companies would share a portion of the installation and leasing costs, but a commitment has not been obtained. Further utility commitment should be received as specific utility loads and tenants are identified.

Lighting will include street lighting, promenade lighting, and park lighting. Additional site feature lighting may be included as recommended for the final plan. Proposed lighting should match surrounding City lighting to provide continuity. The preliminary lighting plan will determine light standard spacing and illustrate the layout. Electrical supply will come from the west end of the site.

The DNR should be notified of any construction activities on the former Chrysler site. Most of the site was granted Act 453 protection from the DNR. As a result, the City is not responsible for cleanup if new hazardous materials are found on the site. Exempted from the Act 453 protection are designated as Lot I and Lot 2. These areas have not had sufficient testing performed to be included in the Act 453 protection, and the City is responsible for potential cleanup of these areas. The DNR should be notified of work done on the property and contacted for interpretation. Coordination is underway with the DNR for approval to abandon monitoring wells on site.

An existing 3,000 foot bulkhead wall is located along the north side of the site. The structural capacity of the walls is being analyzed for existing design strength and recommendations. No additional site fill would be placed within 60 feet which would increase the loading on the bulkhead wall. However, new materials may replace materials removed from the area such as asphalt and concrete removal.

The preliminary design concentrates on providing a complete buildout of the site based on anticipated development. However, construction staging should be included in the final design to keep the construction time schedule. Also a substantial fill depth is proposed for the site which should be allowed to settle over at least one winter to allow some consolidation under the additional weight.

The existing property located along the south side of 56th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue would be purchased for construction of the proposed 56th Street. The existing buildings on this property would be demolished. This would allow construction of a consistent cross section for 56th Street.

A trolley system is proposed to service the HarborPark development from the train station. The trolley would be electric powered, running on a rail system loop from 13th Avenue and 56th Street, down the median of 56th Street to 1st Avenue, north to 54th Street, and back along the north side of 54th Street to the train station at 54th Street and 13th Avenue. Costs for the trolley infrastructure and maintenance are separate from the HarborPark project. Some HarborPark construction costs would receive federal funding through implementation of the trolley. This funding would offset construction costs of the trolley. The Kenosha Transit Department is responsible for funding agreements with various agencies.

The preliminary cost estimate for the HarborPark project is $18,500,000. This includes development of the infrastructure, including streets and utilities, to facilitate development as shown on the plans and discussed in this report. This estimate includes grants from the trolley construction that pay some of the development costs.

HarborPark will generate an estimated $60 to $75 million in private investment and transform a delinquent industrial site into a vibrant extension of downtown. New museums and public gathering places will provide opportunities for residents and visitors to learn about Kenosha's heritage and enjoy beautiful Lake Michigan all year round. New development will provide employment opportunities to residents as well as a place for small businesses to start up. The Harborview Residential Neighborhood will provide new housing for over 700 residents in the heart of the city.

Together, these elements will create an active new environment that will evoke community pride and enhance the quality of life for all Kenoshans.

This summary presents conclusions with respect to market support for the development program for the HarborPark site. The analysis addresses potential demand for housing and commercial development.

The program includes two types of residential units, town homes and garden homes, both of which would be sold as condominiums. Unit prices would be competitive with prices for comparable types of products in the area but will reflect the premium value of the location and site.

The commercial component would include retail and office space, including two restaurants. The office component will be developed in response to demand that arises as the project gains recognition in the region.

Kenosha is situated roughly in the middle of a regional population of more than nine million residents in the area between Chicago and Milwaukee (Table 2).

1/ "Chicago Area" includes nine Illinois counties
2/ "Kenosha County" Includes the City of Kenosha
Sources: Southeastern Wisconsin Regional
Planning Commission; Northeastern
Illinois Planning Commission; Thomas Point Assoc.

This geographic area is highly integrated into a single economic region. The proportion of Kenosha's population that commutes to jobs outside the City, particularly in northern Illinois, is very significant. There are also many commuters to Milwaukee, Racine and other locations in southern Wisconsin.

There has been growth in employment in Kenosha County and in the three counties that make up the economic region. Table 3 summarizes trends in these areas since 1980.

The regional economy expanded from 368,000 jobs in 1985 to 497,000 jobs in 1995, representing an average annual growth rate of 3.5 percent over the decade. The City of Kenosha has bounced back from a significant loss of jobs in the auto industry in the mid-1980's. The City's job base is now bigger and more diverse than it was a decade ago.

The core of the HarborPark Project is the development of for-sale town homes and garden homes. While Kenosha is known as a conservative housing market, there is a sound basis for predicting that such units will be popular. There will be a significant change in the market over the next three to ten years as a large component of the population makes a transition from single-family detached to other types of housing. In Kenosha this will mean much wider acceptance of town homes and garden homes as are proposed for the site.

While the housing market in Kenosha is somewhat limited in the types of residential products that it offers, there is some precedent for town homes and condominiums. The most comparable products are located in Lake County, Illinois, across the State line and a short distance from Kenosha. There are other comparable types of housing in Racine, to the north, and some within Kenosha itself.

There has been a substantial level of town home development in the northern Illinois suburbs of Chicago, an area that is part of the same housing market as Kenosha. There is a wide range of good-quality town homes in Lake County and there is clearly a market for expensive town homes.

There are units available from under $100,000 to $250,000, indicating the wide range of demand for this type of product. The history of townhouse development goes back to the 1970's, with the development of Heather Ridge. The new projects include Antioch Manor and Stonebrook. These new units appeal to retirement and pre-retirement households. The most expensive, at Edgewater in Antioch, are close to a regional train service (METRA) that provides access to downtown Chicago. The same units have a community marina that provides water access to Lake Marie.

Based on comparable unit prices the Harborview town homes will command prices in the range of $110- 115 per square foot.

There are a few examples of garden homes available in the market area. The leading comparable is the Gaslight Point Complex in Racine, which includes 52 "mid-rise condominiums" (three-story buildings) that are similar to the concept proposed at HarborPark.

There are also several successful projects such as Cornerstone Condos that are more suburban in location but tap into a somewhat similar market. These units, located next to the White Caps single family development, sell in the $82,900-149,000 range. While they are advertised as "luxury" condos, they appeal to a very value-conscious mix of retirees, singles and young families.

The Harborview site will command prices in the range of $105-130 for this type of product. The range is great because of the values associated with views, heights and other special features.

The principal sources of demand for these types of housing will come from the local market. There will be a significant number of buyers in transition from larger family homes. This will include pre-retirement/"empty nesters" and retirement households. These households will favor the low maintenance and good location, near public services, medical and shopping. They will probably be "buying down" from larger single family homes.

There is a very important segment of the Kenosha market in the annual household income range of $60,000-90,000. This group makes up 15.9 percent of households in the County. This is the most important local component of demand for units at Harborview.

While the market for residential development on the site is essentially local, there is significant potential to connect to potential buyers outside Kenosha. These will include households in transition from larger homes as well as young, two-income households. The latter group may include some with professionals employed outside Kenosha, particularly to the south, in Lake County. The main components of demand are indicated in Table 4.

The three-story condominiums on the waterfront in Kenosha will attract a similar but slightly different market than the townhouses, probably both older and younger than the townhouse sector. The fundamental distinction is that the potential purchaser will prefer better views and no maintenance. Potential buyers will include retirement households who probably spend a portion of the winter at homes in Florida or the Southwest. There will also be two-income households of professionals working in the Kenosha area and, for one of the partners, commuting south to Chicago or north to Racine or Milwaukee.

Unit Type	Singles/ Mingles	Retirement	Pre-retirement	Second Home	Young Family
Town Homes	20.0%	25.0%	30.0%	5.0%	20.0%
Garden Homes	25.0%	30.0%	30.0%	10.0%	5.0%
"Weighted Demand"/1	22.7%	27.7%	30.0%	7.7%	11.8%

Note 1/: Proportional demand based on number of units.
Source: Thomas Point Associates, Inc. Project7

While it is difficult to predict the absorption of a type of housing product that is not widely represented in the immediate market area comparable units relatively nearby, in Racine County, Wisconsin and Lake County, Illinois, provide a basis for estimating demand potential. Table 5 summarizes projected absorption for the two types of residential product.

Annual Average Residential Unit Demand By Price Range in the Primary Trade Area

We project demand for an average of 24 units per year, roughly divided between the town home and garden home products, in the price ranges shown.

The HarborPark project will include important retail and office components. While demand for new commercial space in the downtown is weak just now, it is expected that the project will create an opportunity for a new type of product and generate demand as a destination in itself.

The types of retailing envisioned for the site are ones that complement the waterfront location, the marina and the nearby downtown. The proposed uses are summarized in Table 6.

There has been an important new project in the downtown office sector, the Harborview Office Center. In the future there will be some potential support for office development from prime tenants who may prefer a downtown location. We estimate that this demand will amount to roughly 10,000 square feet per year.

Kenosha is well-situated in the middle of a highly integrated economic region of some 9.3 million residents.

The regional economy expanded dramatically in the past two decades, from 368,000 jobs in 1985 to 497,000 jobs in 1995, representing an average annual growth rate of 3.5 percent. Continuing growth is projected.

While value-driven, the housing market in Kenosha is also strong and growing. It includes a significant multi-family component of demand. The regional income pattern suggests that there is a strong niche in the development of good-quality, multi-family units, including town homes and garden homes.

The HarborPark project will combine residential and commercial components into a new, year-round neighborhood. It will offer housing and commercial activity that will attract Kenoshans and others from the region.

Component	Total Program
Residential Units	Units
Garden Homes	120
Town Homes	100
Total	220

Commercial Space	Square Feet
Retail Specialty	36,000
Restaurant	12,000
Office Specialty	12,000
General Occ.	24,000
Corporate	36,000

Total	120,000

Area	1995 Population (000)
Chicago Area 1/	7,725
Milwaukee-Racine Consolidated MSA	1,662
Kenosha County 2/	137

Total	9,524

Year	Three County	Kenosha County
1950	345,632	44,800
1985	367,987	38,800
1990	438,097	41,900
1995	496,735	48,400

Total	1,648,451	173,900

Unit Type & Price	Total Percent	Total Number	HarborPark Site
Town Homes and Garden Homes
Under $125,000	30.0%	18
$125,000-160,000	35.0%	21	10
$160,000-200,000	25.0%	15	10
$200,000+	10.0%	6	4
Total	100.0%	60	24

Type of Space	Description
Retail Stores	Boutique: nautical clothes, hats Framing Shop and Gallery Gifts: nautical specialties Marine Hardware Nature Store: marine, Great Lakes theme Nautical Books, Charts, Specialty Items Sporting Goods: water sports
Restaurants	Great Lakes/ nautical/ seafood themes
Retail Services	Boat Repair Boat Brokerage Business Service Center Financial Services Office Stock Brokerage Travel Agency