Contact:
Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608/267-9661
MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced a $750,000 Department of
Commerce (Commerce) grant to the City of Racine to purchase and develop a
brownfields site in Racine.
“Through my ‘Grow Wisconsin’ plan, we are strengthening our cities by
investing in infrastructure,” Governor Doyle said. “An important part of
that is ensuring there are housing options for those that need them most.
This grant will help the City of Racine build an emergency shelter –
providing support to residents and new jobs for community members.”
The grant will help the City of Racine rehabilitate the former Massey
Ferguson campus so the existing 80,000-sq.-ft. structure can be renovated to
house an emergency shelter for men, women, and children in Racine County.
“The City of Racine is pleased that Governor Doyle is supportive of our
efforts to remediate and redevelop blighted and vacant older industrial
properties into sites that can benefit businesses as well as our citizens,”
said Racine Mayor Gary Becker.
This grant will help the City of Racine develop underutilized property
within the downtown district. The City of Racine will use the funds to
purchase the property and oversee the remediation. The site will provide
five acres of land that will be available for industrial development in the
downtown area. The Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization, Inc. of
Racine County will collaborate with the City of Racine to renovate the
existing warehouse to accommodate the emergency shelter. The project will
create 18 jobs. The total project cost is $3.2 million.
Commerce’s Brownfields Program provides grants to municipalities, local
development corporations, and the private sector to support assessment,
remediation and return of contaminated lands to productive use. Brownfields
are abandoned, idle, or underused industrial or commercial properties where
redevelopment is hindered by real or perceived contamination. For more
information about the Brownfields Program, contact Jason Scott, Commerce, at
608/261-7714.
