City Notes: Plan Commission gives Lincoln Lutheran plan another year

The Plan Commission voted Wednesday to give Lincoln Lutheran of Racine another year to build high-end condos at 3720 North Main St.

Carolyn Seeger, senior vice president at Lincoln Lutheran, said in a letter to the commission that the economy hurt the project. She wrote:

At this point, we have many people interested in the concept of Woodland Pointe Condominiums, however, many are not willing to take a risk that they can sell their home timely in this economy. Not to mention the hits their investments have taken as we all know.

The starting price for a condo in the new building is $347,000, Seeger wrote. Lincoln Lutheran needs eight confirmed reservations to proceed with construction; so far there are two. The city approved the development on June 17, 2008, with the stipulation that work begins within the year.

The Plan Commission voted Wednesday to give Lincoln Lutheran another year.

Alderman Greg Helding, who sits on the Plan Commission, said Wednesday the commission supports the project and understands the effect the economy is having on new construction. "It's a good project," he said, "it's just not the right time."

High Rollers Motorcycle Club

The Higher Rollers Motorcycle Club will need the approval of another city board before it gets the blessing of the Plan Commission.

Commission members deferred action on the High Rollers' (not to be confused with the High Riders Motorcycle Club) request until their proposal passes the city's Access Corridor Development Review Board.

The High Rollers are seeking a conditional-use permit to for a meeting hall at 1333 Douglas Ave. between Barker and Hubbard streets. The club is not seeking an alcohol license for the hall.

Olympia Brown

The commission deferred action on re-designating Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church, 625 College Ave., a historic landmark. The move is largely procedural given that the church was named a landmark in 1976. But the building technically doesn't fall under a preservation ordinance passed in 2005. The re-designation would align the building with the most recent ordinance.

Helding said the commission delayed action on the vote over confusion on what, exactly, the new designation would mean. Once the questions are worked out by city staff, the proposal will head back to the commission for review.

Olympia Brown has a long history in Racine. From the church's website:

Our congregation was one of the earliest churches in Racine, being founded in 1842, and called "The Universalist Society of Racine." In 1878 the Rev. Olympia Brown came to our church and served as its minister until 1887. Olympia Brown, ordained in 1863, was the first woman in the United States to be ordained by a regularly established denomination.