Board shows support for West Racine grocery store, gas station, but city still has questions

Architect Ryan Rudie, of Butterfield, Rudie and Seitz, stands before the Access Corridor Review Board Thursday to discuss a proposed grocery store, restaurant and gas station in West Racine. Rudie designed the $4.2 million project proposed by Tom Tousis.


Pieces may be falling into place for a proposed grocery store, restaurant and gas station in West Racine.

The $4.2 million project took a small step toward City Council approval Thursday night when the Access Corridor Review Board took up the project. The board voted unanimously to defer the project to a special meeting sometime before the March 31 Plan Commission meeting.

(Photo-Right: Zak Williams, a spokesman for Tom Tousis's West Racine development, talks with city planner Matt Sadowski following Thursday's Access Corridor Review Board meeting.)

City Planner Matt Sadowski ran through a list of concerns the Planning Department had with the projects ranging from more windows and the placement of doors, to the location of fuel tanks near utility easements and proposed signage. Also, the state may have to review the entrance and exit off of Washington Avenue, Sadowski told the board.

But Sadowski also listed positives. Most materials selected for the 14,000-square-foot building fit with the West Racine design guidelines and the copper, historic-style canopy over the gas pumps fits the need for an architecturally significant design, he said.

Discussion among the board focused more on process than whether the proposed design was a good fit for West Racine. After a flurry of procedural moves, the committee settled on holding another meeting and directing staff to work with Tousis to address their concerns.

Zak Williams, a spokesman for Tousis, said the city's concerns could be addressed with "minor changes" settled in a half-hour meeting.

"Tom feels good about tonight," Williams said.

(Photo-Right: Frank Smith and Alderman Jim Spangenberg, both members of the Access Corridor Review Board, talk after Thursday's meeting.)

Despite the unanimous vote, it's still unclear where the majority of the board sits on the proposal. If Tousis can work out a deal with city planning, it appears he'll have the support of aldermen Mike Shields, Jim Kaplan and David Maack. But it's clear Alderman Jim Spangenberg has not softened his opposition to the project, which he describes as a gas station in the middle of a neighborhood.

Spangenberg also raised questions about additional traffic the development will bring to the corner and the value of the new construction, which he suggested may not be valuable enough to pay off the loans the city took out to clear the site for redevelopment.

"If we wanted a gas station we could have had it five years ago," Spangenberg said.

Shields (left with Kaplan) took the lead on the board's discussion, immediately moving to approve the project's design. Kaplan seconded the motion, and both aldermen came out firmly in support of the proposal with changes recommended by city development.

Maack attempted to serve as the voice of clarity in a confusing discussion over what, exactly, the board could approve or defer. After settling procedural disputes, he seemed to give tentative support to the proposal with the changes recommended by city planning.

Kaplan is clearly in favor. He held up a picture of the empty gravel lot that's now on the proposed site at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard and said Tousis' project would be a much better gateway to West Racine.

"It's a lot more attractive than an empty lot with a pine tree and a bus stop," Kaplan said.

He added: "This is a wonderful business for Racine. If West Racine doesn't want it, you can come to Douglas Avenue and the Fourth District any time you want."

As a side note, there's a peculiar dispute going on over the estimated value of Tousis' project. The JT, like us, reported Monday that the scaled-down project - it's smaller because of easements on the property - was valued at $4.2 million, which is about $1 million less than the original proposal.

JT reporter Michael Burke then corrected their story the next day saying the new project costs $2.8 million, and attributed the number to Williams. The problem is Williams denies ever saying the project was worth $2.8 million, and the JT now has a story on its site correcting the correction and returning the project's total value to $4.2 million.

Meanwhile, the JT "corrected" its original story by changing the project's estimated cost to $2.8 million, but has yet to change the number back to what it's now reporting is the correct number.

West Racine grocery store faces buzzsaw of opposition

The proposed grocery store in West Racine is headed for a buzzsaw of opposition this week.

The Access Corridor Review Board is set to take up Tousis's $4.2 million project on Thursday. The committee, which is advisory to the city's Plan Commission, is stacked with opposition.

Opponents include Alderman Jim Spangenberg, who has publicly fought the project for several months, Dave Namowicz, president of the Douglas Avenue Business Improvement District who has been quietly angling against the project, and Mitch Wemmert, owner of Mitch & Marty's gas station, which competes with Tousis' Better Day BP on Douglas Avenue.

Other members of the committee include: Chief Building Inspector Rick Heller, Aldermen David Maack, Jim Kaplan and Michael Shields, Linea Anthony, Randy Aukland, Steve Joosten, Frank Smith, Kelly Jensen, and Mark Madsen.

The three opponents could cause problems for Tousis's proposal, but they can't outright kill the project.

The Access Corridor board focuses on projects in the city's main corridors - including Washington Avenue and Douglas Avenue - and determines if they're a good fit for what are, essentially, the welcome mats to Racine. Members will vote on Tousis's project, but the Plan Commission, chaired by Alderman Greg Helding Mayor John Dickert, doesn't have to take their recommendation.

The same goes for the City Council and the Plan Commission. The council, which has final say, can go against the Plan Commission, though it's rare, particularly if the commission votes against a proposal.

So in that sense, Access Corridor could sway the Plan Commission, which could sway the council, which will decide if the West Racine grocery store, restaurant and gas station move forward.

That sets up a showdown between Tousis and three of his critics - public or otherwise - at Thursday's meeting. Should make for some interesting exchanges.

Proposed West Racine grocery store, gas station faces Monday deadline

Jim Spangenberg, Nicole Loop, Brian O'Connell, John Crimmings and Jean Wolfgang

at Wednesday's RDA meeting.

Developer Tom Tousis has until Monday at 4:30 p.m. to pay the city $5,000 or he'll lose an option on the West Racine site where he intends to build a grocery store, restaurant and gas station.

The city's Redevelopment Authority voted 3-2 to set the Monday deadline after Tousis missed a Jan. 16 deadline to make the payment. Tousis withheld payment after discovering a pipe on the property, located at Washington Avenue and West Boulevard, ran through the middle of his proposed building.

The standoff is based around the complicated, and distrustful, relationship between Tousis and city officials. Tousis claims the city has worked against his project, most recently, by not telling him about a stormwater pipe that runs through the property.

On the flip side, city officials are mystified by Tousis' unwillingness to meet deadlines and follow through on a development he's spent $30,000 on to this point.

Assistant City Attorney Nicole Loop said, legally, Tousis is in breach of contract for failing to pay the $5,000 on time.

"I'm at a loss of where this is coming from," she said.

"If he'd set out to complicate a matter, he couldn't have done a better job," O'Connell added about Tousis.

But the RDA was unwilling to kill Tousis' project Wednesday. Alderman Jim Spangenberg, an outspoken opponent of the proposal, moved to end Tousis' option on the land, but the motion died because no one else seconded the motion.

Cory Mason, a member of the RDA, then sifted through the issue and came up with a proposal to give Tousis until Monday to pay. Spangenberg then moved to set the deadline until Friday, but his amendment was defeated 3-2. The Monday deadline then passed 3-2, with RDA Chairman John Crimmings, Mason and Scott Terry voting in favor. Spangenberg and Robert Ledvina voted against the proposal.

It's unclear what Tousis will do next. He's deposited $5,000 with Landmark Title with the intention of releasing the money to the city when he gets a reliable survey on the West Racine site.

But the RDA made it clear Wednesday Tousis needs to pay the money directly to the city. If he doesn't, the option is dead and the project won't move forward.

"I really don't think he's going to come with the money," Spangenberg said. "I think he's afraid he's going to lose the money."

Karen Sorensen (left), who represented Tousis at the meeting, said the project is at a standstill until the city presents them with a survey showing all easements on the site.

"We never dreamed there was information that we didn't know," she told the RDA.

Council passes option for West Racine grocery store, gas station

The City Council voted 14-1 Tuesday night to grant Tom Tousis an option on land to build a grocery store with gas pumps in West Racine.

The council's vote finalizes a recommendation from the city's Redevelopment Authority to move Tousis' $5 million project forward. Tousis needed the option because the city owns the land he wants to build on at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard.

Tousis' plan is to build a grocery store and sit-down restaurant with gas pumps. The council's vote forwards Tousis' project to the city's Access Corridor Review Committee and the Plan Commission for further consideration. The proposal needs to pass both committees and the City Council to win approval.

Tousis' plan also calls for a liquor license, which would require approval from the Public Safety and Licensing Committee.

Tuesday's vote was a long-time coming for Tousis, who has been publicly pushing his controversial project since July. While there's been little opposition to the proposed grocery store or restaurant, the gas pumps have drawn criticism as a bad fit for West Racine.

But Tousis has built support by noting his project would help pay off the tax incremental finance district used to clear the West Racine block, would create new jobs and meet two West Racine needs - a place to buy groceries and a sit-down restaurant.

Alderman Jeff Coe was the only vote against the project. Alderman Jim Spangenberg, an opponent of the project, voted for the option but said it didn't mean he supported Tousis's proposal.

Up next is a more detailed review of what the grocery store, restaurant and gas pumps would look like. A key question will be if the project fits with the city's development plans for West Racine. City committees will take up that issue and make a recommendation to the full City Council in the next few months.

RDA passes option for West Racine grocery store, restaurant and gas station

A crowd packed Monday's Redevelopment Authority meeting to see what would happen with Tom Tousis's request for an option to build a grocery store, restaurant and gas station in West Racine. His request passed on a unanimous voice vote. So many people packed the committee room Mayor John Dickert, left-foreground, stood for the discussion and vote.

A proposed grocery store in West Racine cleared the first of several hurdles Monday evening.

The Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously to grant developer Tom Tousis an option on land at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard to build the grocery store, along with a restaurant and gas pumps.

Tousis's request now heads to the full City Council on Jan. 5 for final approval on the option. It's a positive step forward for Tousis, but the approval process is far from over.

If the City Council finalizes the option, the city's Access Corridor Review committee and Plan Commission will review the specifics of Tousis's proposal. Both committees will take a close look at the project's layout, traffic impact and the overall fit in West Racine.

Monday's meeting went relatively smoothly for a project that's proven controversial in recent months. The meeting opened with RDA member Pete Karas asking the proceeding be held in open session. No one objected and the meeting proceeded with the understanding that it could go into a closed session, if needed.

Tousis and developer Ray Leffler sat at the table along with the RDA members and City Development Director Brian O'Connell. Mayor John Dickert, Aldermen Terry McCarthy, Aron Wisneski, Sandy Weidner and Mike Shields watched in the audience. Alderman Jim Spangenberg sits on the RDA.

There was little debate on the proposal and once Karas made a motion to accept Tousis' option, with Scott Terry seconding, the proposal passed on a unanimous voice vote with no further discussion.

Despite taking a step forward, Tousis's proposal is far from finalized. Along with passing city committee and the City Council, it needs to come back before the RDA to finalize a developer's agreement. Tousis must also secure a liquor license and financing for the $5 million project.

The option approved Monday by the RDA would sell RDA-owned land at Washington Avenue and West Boulevard to Tousis for $250,000. Tousis would receive $50,000 of mortgage relief every year for five years - or $250,000 - if he creates at least 24 jobs.

Leffler, a prominent local developer who is working with Tousis, said the project would create more than 24 jobs.

"We want to over-deliver, which is what our intention is," Leffler told the RDA.

Special meeting set on proposed West Racine grocery store

The city's Redevelopment Authority is scheduled to meet in closed session Monday at 4 p.m. to discuss the proposed grocery store with gas pumps in West Racine.

Tom Tousis's proposal for the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard is the only item on the agenda for the RDA's special meeting. Tousis wants to build a $5 million grocery store and restaurant with gas pumps on the vacant site.

Tousis needs the RDA to agree to sell him the land to move forward with the city approval process. He's run into resistance from a group led by Alderman Jim Spangenberg, who opposes the gas pumps.

The meeting's first vote likely will be an effort by RDA members Pete Karas and Scott Terry to hold discussion of Tousis' option in open session. Two meetings ago the RDA voted 4-3 against discussing the proposal in open session. Robert Ledvina joined Karas and Terry in trying to prevent the closed session. John Crimmings, Cory Mason, David Lange and Spangenberg voted to close the meeting to the public.

It's unclear if the RDA will take action on Tousis' proposal Monday. If they vote to approve Tousis's option, the City Council will not consider the proposal at its meeting on Tuesday. Instead, it will be put off until the council's Jan. 5 meeting.

Spangenberg laid out his objections to Tousis's project (including objecting to Tousis supporters' tactics) in a commentary that appeared in The Journal Times on Thursday. In the commentary, Spangenberg said he supports a grocery store and sitdown restaurant (with a liquor license to serve beer and wine) and even suggested some wiggle room on the gas station. Instead of outright rejecting the idea, Spangenberg suggested he could support a well-designed gas station on the site, writing:

The gas station would need to be a new urban design. This means the gas station does not look like a gas station but fits in with the business district and neighborhood.

Many of Spangenberg's concerns, such as too much traffic at the intersection, are issues that would be discussed by the city's Plan Commission and Access Corridor Development Review committee. But Tousis's proposal has not reached that stage because the RDA needs to decide if it wants to sell the land for the project.

Tousis offered to buy the land for $250,000 with a forgivable mortgage of $50,000 for five years if he creates at least 24 jobs. It's unclear if the city will make a counter-offer or simply accept or reject the proposal. Monday's meeting should answer that question.

Showdown on West Racine grocery store, gas station set for Wednesday's RDA meeting

UPDATE 2: The ongoing saga about a 1.5-acre plot of land in West Racine continued this week with some odd behind the scenes moves before Wednesday's Redevelopment Authority meeting.

Based on the agenda for the meeting, we reported Sunday that city staff was recommending the authority "receive and file" Tom Tousis's $5 million proposal, which is typically government speak for throwing it in the garbage.

But then we received an email from City Development Director Brian O'Connell that said, in part:

City staff has not yet taken any position on the Tousis proposal. City Staff has requested information from Mr. Tousis; we will not be making a recommendation on his proposal until we have received and reviewed that information and the information that Mr. Tousis may present at the public hearing on Wednesday.

The Racine Post chose to interpret the “receive and file” recommendation on the agenda for the Redevelopment Authority meeting as a recommendation for denial.

Interestingly, the JT quoted O'Connell on Monday saying Tousis had not submitted needed paperwork for the RDA to consider his request for a 12-month option on the land.

Zak Williams, a spokesman for Tousis, contested this claim Monday. He said the city requested additional information and said Tousis could bring it to Wednesday's meeting.

The JT later dropped O'Connell's quotes from its story about Wednesday's RDA meeting without explanation.

So where do things stand?

Apparently, Tousis has the needed paperwork into the city, and the RDA (the legal owner of the property) may vote up or down on giving him a 12-month option on the land. But even that's unclear because the agenda lists a public hearing, but not a straight-up agenda item, on the project.

O'Connell told the JT the RDA may make a recommendation Wednesday, but he doesn't anticipate them doing so.

We're hearing odds are increasingly likely there will be a vote on Wednesday, but it's unclear if the RDA will grant the option and it could come down to a 4-3 vote either way.

Pete Karas and Scott Terry are reportedly solidly behind Tousis, and State Rep. Cory Mason is likely to support the project because Tousis agreed to use union labor to build the grocery store, gas station, restaurant and bank. Alderman Jim Spangenberg firmly opposes the project, which leaves RDA Chairman John Crimmings, David Lange and Robert Ledvina as the deciding votes.


UPDATE: City Development Director Brian O'Connell called Monday to say the city staff is not recommending that Tom Touisis' West Racine proposal be denied. He said, rather, that Wednesday 's meeting focusing on it by the Redevelopment Authority is a public hearing on the project and there is no staff recommendation. That's contrary to the RDA agenda posted on the city's website, but make up your own mind.

Original post:

City staff is recommending the city's Redevelopment Authority "receive and file" a proposal to build a grocery store, restaurant, bank and gas station in West Racine.

The recommendation, listed on the agenda for Wednesday's meeting, amounts to dumping the proposal without taking further action. You can see the agenda here.

Tom Tousis wants to build the roughly 25,000-square-foot, $5 million development on the southwest corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard. The plan received strong support during a neighborhood meeting on Sept. 30, but there's high-level opposition to the proposal.

Alderman Jim Spangenberg, who sits on the RDA and lives in West Racine, is fighting the project, and a West Racine work group is asking the RDA to adopt restrictions on the vacant lot that would discourage, if not ban, a gas station on the site. Opponents of the Tousis project argue it would be better to wait for the right development than force something that isn't a good fit.

Tousis is fighting back with an organized effort to build support for the development. He's committed to using local union labor to build the project and to preserve the farmer's market on the site.

Wednesday's RDA meeting is an important step for Tousis. He needs the RDA's support to move ahead, because the authority technically owns the 1.5 acres of land he wants to build on. Without the RDA's backing, he won't be able to proceed.

West Racine turns out to debate future development

Tom Tousis takes questions about his proposed development from the crowd
Wednesday night at Gethsamane Lutheran Church in West Racine.

Plans to build a grocery store, restaurant, bank and gas station got a boost Wednesday night during a raucous neighborhood meeting at Gethsamane Lutheran Church.

About 175 people turned out to discuss the vacant lot at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard. The majority backed Tom Tousis's $5 million proposal and dominated the spoken comments during the two-hour forum. Only two people spoke against Tousis's plan.

Written comments taken during the hearing suggested a stronger opposition. Of the more than 100 comments collected, 47 supported a gas station on the site and 28 opposed a gas station. Another 22 comments generally spoke in favor of Tousis's proposal, but made no mention of a gas station. Six comments addressed other issues.

The hearing turned heated as it focused on Tousis's proposal. It started out as a general discussion of restrictions and recommendations a citizen's group in West Racine put together for the vacant lot, which is located in the 3100-block of Washington Blvd. But conversation turned almost immediately to Tousis's proposal, which is the only active proposal for the site.

About 175 people attended the public hearing about the vacant lot at the corner of
Washington Avenue and West Boulevard in West Racine.

Supporters rallied around Tousis's plans to building businesses that would created 50 jobs on the site, plus construction jobs to build the 25,000-square-foot project. They also noted the project would generate tax revenue to pay back loans the city took out to demolish the buildings leased out to a check cashing business, a cigarette store, Western store and tatoo parlor

But Dick Hinsman, who owns a building next to the site, said he opposed the project because it would cut into his building's property value. He later said Tousis approached him about what could be done to make the project more acceptable. Hinsman's response: "Nothing."

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it," Hinsman said.

Alderman Jim Spangenberg also spoke against the project, but mostly defended himself from what he described as attacks on his business and his family. When he was finished, a woman yelled out: "Why are you acting so unprofessional?" Spangenberg didn't respond, though a woman sitting near him answered: "What was unprofessional?"

Alderman Jim Spangenberg spoke against a proposed gas station on the site.

Toward the end, the meeting gave up an sense of being about a draft list of recommendations that will be presented to the city's Redevelopment Authority next Wednesday. Instead, audience members asked Tousis questions about his project. A few bits of new information emerged:

* Tousis's proposed sit-down restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
* He's planning to study the ground beneath the proposed grocery store to determine if a basement is possible on the site.
* Tousis said video gambling was not part of his business plan.
* The proposal will preserve the Farmer's Market. Tousis plans to sell produce bought at the Farmer's Market.

The hearing also revealed another developed had looked at the site about a month ago, but they pulled out of consideration after discovering three unbuildable utility easements on the site. The developer was interested in building a "Gooseberries" grocery store.

City Development Director Brian O'Connell watched the hearing from the balcony.
Here he's answering a question from the audience.

That leaves Tousis's proposal as the only one up for consideration. It'll also appear before the RDA on Oct. 7, the project's first step in winning city approval to begin construction. It's an important meeting because the RTA - which is run by appointed volunteers - owns the vacant lot in West Racine and needs to agree to any development.

It's unclear how the RTA's vote will go. Members Pete Karas and Scott Terry are likely to vote with Tousis, while Spangenberg will vote against. That leaves Rep. Cory Mason, who could be swayed by Tousis's signed deal to use local union workers to build the project, along with RTA Chairman John Crimmings and commission members David Lange and Robert Ledvina to settle the issue.

Mayor John Dickert said in an interview this week he was looking forward to reviewing the details of Tousis's project to cut through hurt feelings. He added there's a practical aspect to the proposal.

"We need to take the emotion out of it," he said, noting any new development helps the city's tax base. "My job is not to get emotional. It's to benefit the taxpayers in this city."

"Are there any other developers looking at that site?" Dickert added.

County Board Supervisor Van Wangaard spoke in favor of Tousis's proposal, including the gas station.

Tim Casey, the Realtor in charge of the property, answered that question during Wednesday night's meeting. While others have looked at the land in recent months, no one other than Tousis had been interested enough to submit plans for city review.

Aldermen Greg Helding, Terry McCarthy, Aron Wisneski and Spangenberg attended the Wednesday night meeting, which was moderated by Rev. Al Guetzlaff. City Development Director Brian O'Connell was also in attendance.

Keith Deschler asks Alderman Aron Wisneski a question.

About 105 people left comments on their preferred use of the West Racine site.

Spangenberg rips post card supporting West Racine proposal

Alderman Jim Spangenberg is fighting mad over a post card sent to West Racine residents last week in support of a proposed development at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard.

The post card shows a vacant lot in the 3100 block of Washington Avenue on one side and on the other side speaks in favor of Tom Tousis's proposed $5 million development, which includes a grocery store, restaurant, bank and gas station. The post card singles out Spangenberg as an opponent of the project and asks people to call him to voice their support.

Spangenberg provided RacinePost with a copy of the post card. Here's the front:

And the back:


Zak Williams, a spokesman for Tousis, said he hadn't seen the post card and said Tousis had nothing to do with it. He added Tousis did not pay for the post card and was unaware it existed until RacinePost called to inquire about it. The post card likely came from local unions, which are backing Tousis's project because he's agreed to use union labor to build the development.

Spangenberg called the post card "sleazy" and inaccurate. For starters, he said, the post card states Tousis wants to build a grocery store, restaurant and bank, but makes no mention of the gas station.

Spangenberg also contested the post card's claim that lot has been "an eyesore for nine years." Buildings in the 3100 block of Washington Avenue were demolished in 2006 to make way for new development. This is the third year the lot, which houses the West Racine Farmers Market, has been vacant.

"This is sleaze," Spangenberg said, adding that he's up for a fight if Tousis wants to challenge him over the development.

"They don't know who they're messing with," Spangenberg said.

The post card, and Spangenberg's response, is the latest in an increasingly tense fight over the vacant lot in West Racine. Tousis' proposal is controversial, in part, because it's largely what West Racine has been seeking for years. Tousis intends to build a grocery store with a produce section and butcher, a sit-down family restaurant named after his father, Gus Tousis, a long-time restaurateur in Racine, and a bank branch. The development would also preserve the West Racine Farmers Market.

But Tousis also wants to build a gas station on the site, which Spangenberg adamantly opposes. He said gas stations always cause problems in their surrounding neighborhoods, adding Tousis' gas station is simply a bad fit for West Racine.

Spangenberg rejected the argument that it's time to build on the vacant lot. He said Downtown Racine waited a number of years to replace the Venetian theater, but then landed the Johnson Bank building. (That said, Spangenberg estimated in 2006 that the loss of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store in West Racine cost nearby businesses 10-15 percent of their sales.)

A key meeting on the proposal is scheduled for Sept. 30. A small group West Racine business owners, and a few residents, met in recent months to discuss their hopes for the 3100 block of Washington Avenue, which is owned by the city's Redevelopment Authority. Organizers of the group said it was not called in response to Tousis's proposal. The group was actually forming back in March, before anyone had seen Tousis's plans.

But the group's recommendations do affect the proposal. The final draft of the proposal, which will be considered by the Redevelopment Authority at its Oct. 7 meeting, calls a gas station an "unacceptable/undesirable" use of the land. "Undesirable" was added to "unacceptable" in the final revision of the group's proposal, in part to soften the recommendation. In theory, adding "undesirable" gives the RDA the opportunity to consider Tousis's plan without immediately discarding it because it does include a gas station.

One person close to the process said the RDA could may adopt the West Racine recommendations and then grant Tousis an exception on the gas station based on the positive aspects of his projects, mainly the grocery store and restaurant. "I think that may be what happens," they said.

But support from the RDA is simply the first of several steps any development in West Racine would have to survive. Tousis also wants a "Class B" liquor license for the development, and needs approval from city committees and the City Council to proceed.

The Sept. 30 public meeting on the West Racine group's recommendations to the RDA will be held at 6 p.m. at Gethsamae Lutheran Church, 3319 Washington Ave. The church has offered to provide activities for the children for parents who would like to attend.

Council headed for showdown over Lathrop Ave. lights

The City Council is headed for a showdown over six street lights on Lathrop Ave.

Alderman Aron Wisneski appeared before the council's Finance and Personnel Committee Monday night hoping to secure $16,250 for six decorative light poles in the 700, 800 and 900 blocks of Lathrop Ave. The poles would match the lights installed on Orchard and Russet streets one and two blocks to the west.

The city's Public Works Department intends to install standard new lights on the street, which are the basic black poles used throughout the city. Here's a breakdown of the lights in question (there are taken from city records; we didn't add the labels):

These are the lights that need to be replaced. According to residents,
the lights haven't worked for over a year.

The type of light proposed for Lathrop Ave.

The type of light residents want installed, but will cost the city $16,250.
You can see more detailed photos of the lights here.

Wisneski and about 10 residents attended the meeting to make a case for the decorative poles, which in addition to cost an additional $16,250, are also less efficient than the standard poles (though the decorative lights are far more efficient than the current poles and only slightly less efficient than the standard poles). That would cost the city an estimated $200 per year in lost energy savings.

Their main argument was this section of Lathrop Ave. should be included in the Manree Park historic neighborhood and receive the historic looking lights. But the street isn't included in the district, and that left them with the standard lights.

They took their case to the Public Works Committee and got approval to install the historic lights. But the Public Works Committee sent them to the finance committee to find money for the lights. Members of the finance committee were skeptical.

Alderman Mike Shields, who sits on the Finance Committee, outright opposed the request, saying he wouldn't support spending city money on the lights. He called the proposal "fiscally irresponsible" and made a motion to reject the request. The motion failed for lack of a second.

Alderman Bob Anderson backed Wisneski's request, but Alderman Q.A. Shakoor II said he wasn't comfortable voting until he had more information. He motioned to send the proposal to a Committee of the Whole meeting (that's the entire City Council meeting as a committee) to discuss the request, which he said could set precedent for other areas of the city.

Alderman Jim Spangenberg, chairman of the committee, was non-committal. But he did point out sections of his district are near an historic area, but still had standard lights installed. He also wondered where the money would come from for the lights. Kathleen Fischer, assistant finance director, said the money would come out of the city's reserve fund.

One option not discussed by the committee was the city staff's recommendation to consider charging residents a special assessment to cover the additional cost of the lights.

The committee voted 2-1 to pass Shakoor's resolution and recommend sending the proposal to Committee of the Whole. Shakoor and Shields voted yes; Anderson no. Spangenberg, as chairman, didn't vote.

The committee's decision sets up a debate at next Tuesday's City Council meeting over the proposal. The Public Works Committee supported the decorative lights and it seems likely that Wisneski and Anderson would support dipping into the city's reserves to cover the upgrade. The council could vote next week to approve the lights, send the issue to committee or simply vote it down.

It'll be interesting to see how the council proceeds.

A couple more notes ...

Anticipating comments about wasting time on small issues like lights, this is important to residents. Forty-four residents on Lathrop or nearby streets signed a petition asking for the historic lights, and about 10 turned out for Monday night's meeting. One resident stood up Monday night and said she'd rather the city wait a year and install nothing rather than put in the standard poles, which they feel will detract from the street. This matters to people. Now, whether it fits with the city's budget is for the council to decide. But it certainly seems worth their time.

The city spends about $1.2 million a year lighting its streets. Stimulus money to install LED high-efficiency lights should help control that number, which had been jumping close to 10 percent a year in recent years. Spangenberg said he recalls not long ago the number being close to $400,000.

Anyone know why it's called Manree Park? If so, post in the comments. If you want to see more names for Racine's neighborhoods, check out this map that includes areas in the city such as: Westown Heights, Maple Grove, Slausondale and Garden City.

Spangenberg on West Racine development: 'We're trying to do the right thing'

Alderman Jim Spangenberg is withholding judgment on a proposed development for the corner of Washington Ave. and West Blvd. in his district. But he does want people to know he's worked "tirelessly" for eight years to find the right project for the site.

"I don't toot my own horn," he said, "but I've worked like a dog on this."

Developer Tom Tousis wants to build a combo grocery store, restaurant, car wash and gas station on the corner lot. His plan would also preserve the Farmer's Market that's now there.

But Spangenberg said he has concerns about a gas station in West Racine. Gas stations tend to deteriorate in quality over time and leave an eye sore in the community. He also noted there's a gas station less than a mile away from the proposed site, and that the development is hardly a novel idea.

"We could have had a gas station and convenience store eight years ago," Spangenberg said.

All of this isn't to say Spangenberg is opposed to the project. He's meeting with Tousis on Tuesday to discuss plans and ask questions about how the restaurant will run and whether Tousis's proposed grocery store will really be a large convenience store. In short, Spangenberg is skeptical.

"He's not doing this out of love for the neighborhood," Spangenberg said of Tousis.

What happens at the corner of Washington and West is personal for Spangenberg. His business, Johnson Home Furnishings is just down the street from the site, and his home is just a few blocks away.

"I have a large investment here," Spangenberg said.

For that reason, he's upset to hear anyone suggest he's "doing nothing" to help the area, because he's worked non-stop for eight years to get something going.

"We're trying to do the right thing here," said Spangenberg, who gave an example with the Farmer's Market.

The market needed a sign so he convinced the business improvement district and the West Racine Business Association to buy a sign. But then they needed posts for the sign, so Spangenberg called contractors and begged them to donate the work. The sign is going up within the next week.

"I've worked tirelessly for this area," he said.

Aldermen lean toward appointing 10th District council member

Chatter among aldermen suggests the council is leaning toward appointing a replacement for Tom Friedel to represent the 10th aldermanic district, which is located in the southeast corner of the city.

Aldermen Jim Spangenberg, QA Shakoor II and Bob Mozol kicked it around Monday night while waiting for the Personnel and Finance Committee to reach quorum. Alderman Bob Anderson was running late for the meeting, Alderman Mike Shields was on vacation and Tom Friedel's spot on the committee is vacant because Friedel resigned to become the city administrator.

Friedel's seat won't be up for election until April. The council could leave the seat vacant until then, but another alderman would have to address constituent issues until then. It's also one less person to sit on committees and handle city business.

"It's a long stretch without an alderman," Spangenberg said.

Shakoor added about leaving the seat vacant for 10 months: "We can't do this."

Mozol, who was waiting to address an issue before the committee, said the seat should be filled to avoid problems like the lack of a quorum at meetings.

Dollar store gets a second vote of confidence from city committee

The City Council will get another chance to approve a new dollar store on Washington Avenue.

The city’s Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously Wednesday night to re-recommend support for a roughly 14,000-square-foot development anchored by Family Dollar at 1130 Washington Ave. (See our previous story for more details on the development.)

The council had sent the proposal back to the RDA after Alderman Jeff Coe raised questions about the development. The site, the former home of Schaefer Pontiac, sits in Coe’s district.

During its regularly scheduled Wednesday meeting, the RDA initially seemed to favor starting the development process over. Coe, Alderman Michael Shields and the owner of Puma Cycles, located across the street from the development site, all were against the proposed dollar store.

But a strong argument from Kristin Niemiec, of the Racine County Economic Development Council, and Linea Anthony, of the Uptown Business Improvement District, seemed to reinvigorate support for the dollar store development proposed by Abdo Markethouse of Minneapolis.

Niemiec argued the city had issued two requests for proposals for 1130 Washington Ave. already. Sending out a third RFP could turn away Abdo and leave the city with fewer options for the site, she said. “My hunch is we’re going to lose them,” Niemiec said.

She also noted this would be the first new construction in the Uptown area in several years, and the developer is using their own money to pay for the new construction. The development is expected to be assessed at over $1 million.

“Macy’s isn’t coming,” she said. “I hate to break it to the Uptown folk, but it’s not coming.”

“How many times are we going to be able to do this?” she asked. “… this ideal development that doesn’t take a subsidy and everyone wants doesn’t exist. There’s always going to be someone who’s unhappy.”

Niemiec, whose frustration showed through, poked fun at herself. She called herself the “crazy RCEDC woman trying to railroad everything” through the council.

Railroading or not, the RDA listened. The breakthrough compromise came when the RDA agreed to talk to Abdo Markethouse about including groceries or a deli inside the Family Dollar store to serve as a resource for the surrounding neighborhood.

Coe said he would support the development if it included the grocery component. Shields raised questions about how, exactly, the city would convince or require the developer to add those elements.

City Development Director Brian O’Connell said the project had a lengthy review process that would give city officials opportunities to influence the design. But he also noted the Common Council’s vote in two weeks, technically to give Abdo Markethouse a 90-day option on buying the land at 1130 Washington Ave. for $70,000, would lock in the site’s general use. For example, a city committee couldn’t force the developer to abandon the dollar store.

Underlying approval of the development was the impact new construction could have on the entire Uptown area.

Anthony noted the $1 million+ development would lie within the Uptown BID and generate money for the group, which works to support Uptown businesses. The development also lies within the Uptown tax incremental finance district that’s being used to improve buildings in Uptown.

“Trader Joe’s is not coming here,” Anthony said. “We can’t even get a Starbuck’s in Downtown Racine. This is a lot of tax revenue, a lot of BID money that can be used for something down the road.”

Alderman Jim Spangenberg, who sits on the RDA, also noted the city has to be careful about how it works with developers. It put out RFPs and got responses. If it’s constantly turning people away, it could give the city a reputation as being hard to work with.

In the case of 1130 Washington Ave., getting too picky could result in an empty lot for the “next 20 years,” Spangenberg said.

Coe hinted at a possible competing use for the site. He said the developer interested in building a gas station had talked about adding space for a small grocery store and working with neighboring businesses to help them expand.

The RDA approved a gas station for the site the first time around, but had to seek new proposals after the first deal fell through. Shields asked what changed from the first time when the RDA voted for a gas station and the second time it voted for the dollar store.

John Crimmings, chairman of the RDA, said input from Uptown business owners convinced the committee to approve a retail development over a gas station.

Puma, who seemed to oppose the dollar store, said he was hoping the city would work toward a development that would tie together Uptown with Downtown. He didn’t think the dollar store would serve that role.

“We have a golden opportunity,” Puma said. “… I’d hate to see it lost on a rush to judgment.”

City Notes: Committee approves crypt sale; City receives grant for farmer's markets

Odds and ends from Tuesday night's Personnel and Finance Committee, which included the return of Alderman Tom Friedel to the committee he once chaired:

Senior Center

As mayor, Friedel asked the city to track attendance at the Belle City Senior Center, which is located at the former Lakeview Community Center. From January to March attendance was split 50-50 between Racine residents and people from outside of the city, according to Finance Director Dave Brown.

The numbers roughly broke down as 50 percent from Racine, 20 percent from Caledonia, 20 percent from Mount Pleasant and 10 percent from other communities.

Farmer's Markets

The city received $2,298 from the State Department of Health to give out vouchers to low-income residents so they can shop at local farmer's markets. The city also received an additional $25,581 for the city's Women, Infants and Children program.

Crypt Sales

The city is hoping a sale will jump start the sale of crypts in Mound Cemetery later this year. Parks and Recreation Director Donnie Snow sought permission from the committee to waive fees for people buying new crypts in the cemetery. The final resting places are now under construction. The committee agreed to waive fees on the crypts, which include $760 for residents and $990 for nonresidents, until the end of the year. Snow said the crypts will go on sale later this summer.

Water fees

The city is likely to pull $365,214 out of its savings account to pay for a surprise fee increase from the state Public Service Commission on March 25. The 30 percent increase will help pay to maintain water pressure to fire hydrants throughout the city.

"It's non-negotiable and we have to pay it," Brown said.

Friedel, who sits on the board that manages the water utility, called the increase "unprecedented."

The city has plenty of money to cover the budget hit. Brown said the city's reserve balance is around $22 million, which is roughly 29 percent of the city's budget. The city must keep at least a reserve fund equal to 20 percent of the budget, Brown said.

"This is why we have that fund," he said.

The budget amendment passed the committee unanimously.

You can read the JT's story on this here.

State Street business damaged by city contractor

Adam and Jessie Modrow are trying to make a go of their small restaurant at 1949 State St. They didn't get much help from the city last June when a street contractor dug into the ground and cracked the foundation of their building.

Mann Brothers was doing excavating work for the city near the Modrows' shop, a former Dairy Queen, when the incident occurred on June 25, 2007. The shops walls were also damaged by the contractor, according to city officials.

The Modrows filed an $82,500 claim with the city asking for the building to be razed and rebuilt to fix the damage. Mann Brothers has denied responsibility for the accident.

The Finance Committee reluctantly denied the claim Tuesday. Committee members noted the claim was a procedural step for the Modrows to sue Mann Brothers and the city.

"They were told to put the documentation to the city, so the city could lean on Mann Brothers," said Alderman Jim Spangenberg, who was representing the district after Pete Karas resigned from the council last year.

Spangenberg said he met with the Modrows. They said they had received no response from Mann Brothers, and had hired a lawyer, he told the Finance Committee.

"I feel bad for them," he said. "They're really trying hard (to make their business work). The foundation is in bad shape, the walls are in bad shape. They know they did it, but they refuse to do anything about it."

City may give senior center to zoo; Aldermen skeptical of zoo's request for additional $50,000

The city may give the former Lakeview Community Center to the Racine Zoo, according to a plan presented to the City Council’s Finance Committee on Monday.

Racine Zoo CEO Jay Christie appeared before the committee requesting more money from the city to help the zoo break even in the coming years. The zoo is seeking a $50,000 increase in the city’s annual $550,000 payment, plus an additional 3.5 percent increase each year.

The zoo is also asking the city to give it the Belle City Senior Center, which is the former Lakeview Community Center. The center would allow the zoo to generate an additional $15,000 per year, plus get more parking near the zoo’s main entrance.

David Easley, chairman of the zoo's Board of Directors, said many more people would use the former community center if the zoo had control of it. Christie estimated thousands of people would use the center if it was run by the zoo, compared to "hundreds" who use it now as a senior center.

The committee spent most of its time discussing the zoo's request for the $50,000 increase. Alderman Tom Friedel, chairman of the Finance Committee, was skeptical of the proposal. He said he would support an annual increase that matches inflation, but not the one-time increase.

“Frankly, I have a hard time making a recommendation like,” he said. “If I had to vote on this today, I’d have a hard time … if that means a policeman is out of the budget, I’m not interested.”

Friedel also raised questions about why the zoo is projected to lose money in the coming years, despite making an additional $180,000 last year by charging a fee.

Christie said a combination of a cut in the amount of money Racine County paid the zoo and rising costs hurt the zoo’s bottom line. After the meeting, Christie also noted that the zoo’s Board of Directors voted in 2000 to use donations over $5,000 to build up its endowment, rather than paying day-to-day expenses. If the zoo doesn’t get additional public support, Christie said, the zoo would have to tap its endowment and cut back on its building projects to meet its budget needs.

“I hope nobody thinks we’re going back to the well too often, or asking for too much here,” Christie said.

Alderman Jim Spangenberg voted to refer the item to the City Council’s Committee of the Whole – a committee of all council members – for further discussion. Alderman David Maack suggested Christie bring animals to the meeting and give the council an update on the zoo’s success in operating the popular attraction for the city since 1989.

The Racine Zoo is run by a nonprofit organization that covers more than 60 percent of the cost of running the zoo.

The county had given $100,000 per year to help the zoo covers its operating expenses, but cut that number to zero in its last budget. The county may restore $15,000 in funding for the zoo in future budgets, Christie said.

Friedel said that Racine County Executive Bill McReynolds does not understand that money negotiated for the zoo in the sewer agreement between the city, Caledonia and Mount Pleasant does not count as county money.

The sewer money is technically excess reserves for the Racine sewer plant that came from Racine, Caledonia and Mount Pleasant. It’s not county money, Friedel said.

“He has a hard time understanding that. I don’t know why,” he said, adding: “It’s the same mistake he makes with the library.”

During the committee’s discussion, the aldermen noted that even if they supported the zoo’s request, they didn’t have control over the budget. Mayor Gary Becker writes the budget and the City Council approves it. Though the council can make changes to the mayor’s budget, it’s difficult to free up $50,000 for any one item.

“It’s still the mayor’s decision,” Spangenberg said. “He’s got to balance his budget for every factor.”