Gov. Doyle Announces $60,300 Grant

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced a $60,300 grant to the City of Racine to assist in the redevelopment of a brownfield.   

“I am pleased that we could help the City of Racine undertake a project that will increase the availability of residential housing,” Gov Doyle said.  “Cleaning up brownfields is about more than just renewing damaged or vacant land – it is about renewing the pride of a community,

The City of Racine purchased the project site in 2004.  The Commerce grant will be used to help remediate the site occupied by the four-story Thompson Building. The city is working to rehabilitate and convert warehouses into attractive residential complexes. The Thompson Building is one of the first buildings in the Root River area targeted for this type of conversion. The remediation of the site will consist of excavating contaminated soil and importing fill.  The total project cost is $1,050,300.

Commerce’s Brownfield Redevelopment (BEBR) Program provides grant funds to municipalities, local development corporations, and the private sector to support site assessment, remediation and returning 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 at the Department of Commerce at 608-261-7714.