BY BRIDGET THORESON
Journal Times | Posted: Thursday, April 10, 2008 12:00 am
RACINE - The new owner of the YWCA's former Downtown building expects it to be open for business June 1.
Dr. Kenneth Kurt, a Racine osteopathic physician whose office is at 1532 S. Green Bay Road, is planning to make the building into a sports complex, including a medical center, health spa and art gallery.
"I want to develop this into a fitness center that integrates medical care," Kurt said. "Integrative medicine is used in traditional medicine with complimentary therapy."
In the case of the complex, 720 College Ave., the complementary therapy is expected to include services such as acupuncture and massage therapy. Kurt also plans to have nutritional counseling and physical and aquatic therapy in the medical center. Health care areas such as family practice, sports medicine, men's health and substance abuse care will be included.
Kurt said the complex will be open to his patients and will also be open to public membership. No fee amounts have officially been set.
The sale of the building, which has been home to the YWCA from 1952 until late last year, was closed Monday.
In December members of the YWCA board of directors announced the organization was both eliminating its executive director post and putting the building up for sale. A financial consultant the Y hired had recommended those moves to stem a financial crisis as the organization moved toward a "virtual YWCA" model.
"I think this building is very substantial, I think we can make it into a destination," Kurt said. "It's going to take a lot of work."
For the health spa, Kurt has plans for an exercise facility with personal trainers, a martial arts academy, basketball and volleyball leagues, indoor soccer, and activities such as spinning, yoga, pilates, aerobics and dance. He also has a fine art gallery and dining options planned.
Kurt said he already has four or five people in his medical group who can work at the complex, and plans on hiring four or five more full-time staff and about 20 part-time staff.
Kurt, a Racine native, said he wanted the complex to help expand Downtown.
"It's the old neighborhood," Kurt said. "I want to keep an open mind and develop an asset that everybody will be proud of in the Downtown area."