Oct. 10, 2023 9p
(WGTD)---After years of site remediation work, construction has begun on the 107-acre redevelopment site that was once home to auto manufacturing in Kenosha.
A formal groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday for the Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood's first building. LakeView Technology Academy will move there from its current location in Pleasant Prairie.
LakeView—deemed to be the second-best high school in the state by U.S. News & World Report—is a partnership between Kenosha Unified and Gateway Technical College.
Both the Kenosha Area Business Alliance and the City of Kenosha are involved. KABA, owner of LakeView’s current home, is also putting up the new building, with the help of the city.
Mayor Antaramian was the first speaker at the groundbreaking. "This is a remarkable---the opportunity we are giving our young people to be able to prosper and learn and to be able to move on to create jobs themselves and a life for themselves in our community," Antaramian said. "That's what it's about. The ability to make sure that young people stay in Kenosha..the ability to make sure they get an education that is going to give them the tools they need..."
A couple of speakers noted that LakeView's new location--in the heart of the city--will give new opportunities for some. "Relocating here provides access to opportunities for those that didn't have that access," said Tim Mahone, president of the non-profit that oversees development of KIN. "It puts them a lot closer to the vision that maybe they didn't think they had," he said.
The second building that’s expected to go up at KIN is an innovation center for start-ups that’ll also serve as a welcome center. Construction on that building is expected to begin either late this year or early next year.
The new LakeView is will be in the southeast corner of the development, not far from Jockey’s headquarters on 60th St.
LakeView is expected to be ready for occupancy in January of 2025.
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