Uptown gets its own plan

By Mick Burke

Monday, October 6, 2003 11:51 AM CDT

RACINE - Downtown's revitalization is well under way, West Racine has improvement plans, and Douglas Avenue wants to pull itself up by its bootstraps.

But, when it comes to resuscitating this city's business districts, no area needs a breath of life more than Uptown. Such an effort is in embryonic stage now for Washington Avenue from Taylor Avenue to Eighth Street.

That process got moving Tuesday when the contracted urban planners, Schreiber/Anderson Associates of Madison, conducted interviews with stakeholders. An open forum followed that evening.

What did the consultants - paid for with federal Community Block Grant money - learn so far?

"I think there are definitely a lot of different needs that came out," said Kevin Firchow, project manager for the Madison firm.

One issue: "Uptown is not perceived as healthy or vibrant for business," he said. The district also needs a broader business mix to attract more shoppers.

Another theme was that the Washington Avenue business areas are not very "walkable" - the street is busy and hard to cross, and the areas feel somewhat cut off from the surrounding neighborhoods.

There is also a perception - some Uptown stakeholders say it is exaggerated - of a somewhat unsafe area.

Over the next several weeks, the consultants will do a market analysis and formulate a "vision plan" that will identify possible opportunities. The final plan will take up to nine months.

Asked if it's possible to nurse an area like Uptown back to health, Firchow said, "Rehabilitation is a difficult task in general." It requires a plan, cooperation from the municipality and people to see it through.

However, he said, "Uptown has many great, unique strengths. One is an incredible core of historic architecture."

Density of the surrounding neighborhoods is another plus, as those people constitute potential shoppers, he said.

"I feel it can be done," Firchow said. "Corridors that are in worse shape than Uptown have been revitalized."

About the chances for turning that stretch into a vibrant district, Joe Heck, assistant city development director for Racine, said, "I think they're good." Much can change in 20 years, which is the time period under consideration, he said.

"It's a good location, buildings are well-suited for a center type of shopping," being close together. With a good retail mix, people become more likely to shop at multiple stores in one visit, he explained.

Over time, Heck said, "I think we'll see increasing connections between Downtown and Uptown along Highway 20."

He added, "Certainly, there are some issues to be addressed, but there always are."

Linea Anthony, owner of several Uptown properties - including the former nightclub The Bank, which closed recently - maintained the area has a better retail mix now than when The Bank opened in 2000. She said business people there have a better attitude and also contends the area is safer than the perceptions about it.

"Downtown (property) is getting kind of expensive, and things are starting to fill up," Anthony said. And Uptown is still on Racine's main entryway from the west.

One of the primary ingredients in reviving an area like Uptown, she said, is food. The area would like to land more of a day-time restaurant to complement the evening dining of the Corner House.

Area people have also voiced desires for ethnic dining.

Jim Huycke comes to the Uptown improvement effort from a different angle, as director of a social service agency, Safe Haven. Much of his concern is centered on quality of life in the area neighborhoods - as 90 percent of the youths at Safe haven come from the inner city.

Asked how a city can improve the quality of a neighborhood, Huycke replied, "I hope to be seeing these people's faces for years and years. This is a multi-year-long project."

However, he said he's hopeful about real improvement. "Absolutely. We're looking for a rising tide that would float a majority of the boats. Anything that can help turn (the area) around can be a benefit."

The Junction area, including the bend on Washington Avenue, is an area of racial integration "that Racine can crow about," Huycke added.

"The concept of a peaceful melting pot is very intriguing to us in social services."

The Uptown plan is a subset of the much larger South Side Revitalization Plan, Sustainable Racine Interim Director Bonnie Prochaska noted. But the Uptown Improvement Organization "wanted to take it further."

What happens from here, she said, will be a collaboration between Uptown businesses, the city, nonprofits, the neighborhood and Sustainable Racine.

She compared the situation to the State Street area. "It seemed that everything was leaving that area."

But then a small but strong group of people started pushing for change. Soon, a new grocery store will open there, and other improvements are in the making.

"It's now time to hear what the neighbors want, so all of those thoughts and concerns can be brought together," Prochaska said.

"We have a great downtown, but we need to expand out to the other areas, to make sure people are coming through viable commercial areas. There's a vibrancy that started in the center of the city, and it's got to expand out. It's a real typical next step."

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