"Kenosha Mayor Focuses on Revitalization"

From the Shepherd Express:  

"How a declining factory town was turned around by sound public-private policy" 

by Elizabeth Elving  October 10, 2017  4:58 PM

"John Antaramian is Kenosha’s current and longest-serving mayor. He was first elected in 1992, serving four consecutive terms before stepping down in 2008. Eight years later, he ran again, winning in a landslide and resuming the role in the spring of 2016. Antaramian’s return comes at a time of rapid growth and rich potential for the city, and he has many plans for how to make the most of it. 'There are so many opportunities right now,' he says. 'I was excited to come back.'

"Kenosha County has attracted a lot of industry in recent years, and Antaramian says there’s a lot more coming. The arrival of companies like Amazon—which opened its enormous 'Fulfillment Center' in 2015—have helped lower the unemployment rate and make the county one of the top areas in the U.S. for job growth. As mayor, Antaramian is encouraging these developments and paving the way for more. One of the top priorities of his new term has been negotiating a boundary agreement with the neighboring village of Somers and town of Paris that will allow the city to incorporate 3,300 acres of land west of Interstate 94. 'That’s what we’re classifying as our growth corridor,' Antaramian explains. 'Our ability to grow is a major issue for us.'

"Also on the mayor’s list of priorities is cleaning up the former Chrysler Engine Plant and building a research facility in its place; investing in housing and attractions in downtown Kenosha (like the historic Heritage House Inn, which is being transformed into a boutique hotel); and revitalizing the older neighborhoods with updated infrastructure. 'I’m a big believer that the strength of the older neighborhoods is what propels the city in the long term,' he says."

Read more:  https://shepherdexpress.com/news/features/kenosha-mayor-focuses-on-revitalization/#/questions


Kenosha's largest advantage over Racine is that its city limits extend out to I-94.  And its link to Chicago.

Racine is surrounded.  How the hell did that happen?