Heritage Title moving from Sixth Street to West Racine

Sixth Street's loss is West Racine's gain.

Heritage Title, 610 Sixth St., is pulling out of Downtown Racine and moving to West Racine. An employee confirmed Wednesday the title insurance company was moving, but we were unable to reach owner Rhonda Lapotko. Lapotko owns the building, which was assessed at $178,000 in 2008.

The move is scheduled for some time in December.

Heritage Title has been in business since 1963.

'Raytown Roadhouse' proposed for Sixth Street

The Raytown Roadhouse's mechanical bull passing Monument Square Saturday afternoon.

Update: A centerpiece of the new Raytown Roadhouse arrived Saturday. Jim Spodick and Pete Karas bought a mechanical bull for the first floor of the country western-themed bar they hope to open in the former Century Market building.

Here's Karas riding the bull ...

Karas riding the bull.

Original post: Jim Spodick and Pete Karas are teaming up to open a new restaurant and bar in the former Historic Century Market building on Sixth Street.

The duo applied for a liquor license to open the "Raytown Roadhouse" at 506 Sixth St. The two-story business will have a Country-Western theme with a full restaurant, bars and live music.

The proposal will start the city approval process next week.

The Roadhouse's business plan features a chophouse restaurant, several bars, a VIP room and a stage for live country music and line dancing.

The restaurant could open this month and Spodick and Karas hope to secure a liquor license by mid-October. They had to pay $10,000 to apply for one of the city's reserve "Class B" licenses; most of the fee will be refunded once one of the city's 121 regular license - a number set by state law - is freed up.

Committee gives Sixth St convenience store another setback

A proposed convenience store on Sixth Street can't get any traction with city officials because the owners want to sell packages of wine and beer.

The Public Safety and Licensing Committee voted 3-0 Monday night to deny a license for a proposed store at 420 Sixth St. The vote practically dooms the store, which was opposed by several Sixth Street business owners.

James and Caroline Chun had proposed opening a convenience store that would sell basic groceries and household items along with prepackaged beer and wine. The couple had initially applied for a full liquor license, but that was rejected back in April.

Alan Bagg, the owner of Corporate Images at 417 Sixth St., told the committee during a public hearing that the convenience store would disrupt a "fragile area."

"A bad fit is a bad business for everyone else," Bagg said.

Fritz Cape, the owner of 302 and 304 Sixth St., said there was already a large concentration of liquor licenses on the street.

"It's not in keeping with the vision of a revitalized Sixth Street," said Cape, whose wife, former Alderwoman Cherri Cape, also spoke against the proposal. Cherri is also the owner of Moxie Child at 304 Sixth St.

Jeff Shawhan, the owner of The Elements Gallery at 409 Sixth St., wondered why the committee was considering a proposal it had already rejected. "What's changed in those few months?" he asked.

Several people spoke in favor of the store. A petition with 61 names supporting the business was submitted and members of the Racine LiberTEA party attended the hearing to speak in favor of the proposal.

Elizabeth Jones, who owns the building at 612 6th St., said the convenience store was a good fit for the area, even if it sold alcohol.

"I don't think we should be discouraging business," she said.

Blogger and Downtown business owner Dennis Navratil argued the city doesn't have problems with businesses that sell packaged alcohol, and pointed out businesses like Uncorkt and the former Braun's and Historic Century Market never have had a problem.

Navratil also pointed out Downtown has at least 20 vacant buildings, which would seem the indicate the need to attract new businesses. If Downtown bars are creating problems, he said, take away their licenses, don't punish a convenience store that's never opened.

Kate Remington, who owns a building at 613 Sixth St., said the convenience store would be a nice addition for Sixth Street residents. "We don't have a grocery store. We get hungry," Remington said.

But ultimately the committee members were unswayed by arguments for the store, and its chances are now slim of getting the needed two-thirds majority support from the City Council. With Aldermen Aron Wisneski, Jim Kaplan and Terry McCarthy voting against the license, one woud have to switch their vote and the rest of the City Council would need to support the Chun's for them to receive a license. That's unlikely because Alderman Jeff Coe, whose district includes Sixth Street, spoke against the proposal.

The two-thirds majority vote is required because the City Council recently passed an ordinance limiting the number of "Class A" liquor licenses in the city. Two-thirds of the City Council would need to make an exception to the freshly enacted ordinance to allow the Chuns to sell beer and wine.

Opposition to the convenience store is a blow for local businessman Michael Choi, who has opened three successful restaurants in the Sixth Street area (Shogun, Asiana and Olde Madrid). He spoke to the committee and pointed out that it makes no sense for him to open a business that would harm is surrounding restaurants. He also said the convenience store would be a better fit for Sixth Street than a vacant storefront.

"This is not a packaged liquor store," Choi said. "It's a convenience store that sells packaged liquor."

But the aldermen, set in their belief that alcohol will harm Sixth Street, were unconvinced.

Kaplan actually said the site at 420 Sixth St. was a "perfect place" for a convenience store. But he said selling alcohol in the store was a deal breaker. McCarthy and Wisneski made similar comments and suggested the Chuns open without selling alcohol.

But the Chuns had earlier shut down that idea, estimating alcohol sales would make up 25 percent of their business.

Ironically, shortly before the committee rejected the Chuns' license they paved the way for Keith Fair to reopen the Tango Bar on Sixth Street. Fair is planning to reopen the bar by Labor Day.

Differing visions raise questions about Sixth Street club

Thomas Holmes (right) appears during Monday's Public Safety and Licensing Committee meeting.

Alderman Jim Kaplan took a minute out of the Public Safety and Licensing Committee Monday night to give some business advice to the operator of Park 6 club on Sixth Street.

"Stop advertising," he told Thomas Holmes, who was called before the committee for complaints about his club. "It's having a negative impact on your business."

The advice came while the committee reviewed four police reports, all for fights, in or near the club in the last six months. A police officer was injured in one of the incidents after a private security officer responding to the fight forget to put his car in park and it rolled into the officer.

Committee members essentially told Holmes his club was too successful and he may want to consider moving out of its building at Sixth Street and Park Avenue. The club is drawing large crowds late on Friday and Saturday nights.

"It seems like you're a victim of your own success," said Alderman Aron Wisneski, chairman of the committee.

Holmes, who agreed to make changes to please the committee, offered a different vision for Sixth Street. He pointed to Brady Street in Milwaukee where night clubs, stores and condos coexist late into the night.

"That's my idea coming from Milwaukee," said Holmes, who envisioned people shopping in clothing stores until 10 at night and then stopping at clubs with live music throughout Downtown.

But Kaplan shared two letters from city residents who offered a different vision for Sixth Street. They suggested small, artisan shops on the street could prosper, but out-of-town business owners may be scared off by a rowdy night club.

Kaplan added that he warned the council about allowing a former furniture store - the building's last tenant - become a club. "I don't want to say, 'I told you so,'" he said.

Holmes, who appeared at the hearing with his attorney, agreed to install additional digital cameras and work on security. He also noted that he's now closing early at 1:30 a.m. (as opposed to 2:45 a.m.), which has helped control crowds.

Holmes said a change in the bar's crowd over the last four months has increased the security challenges. The first six months his place was open was a predominantly white crowd. But in recent months the crowd became predominantly African-American, Holmes said. He attributed the change to other bars closing and their patrons looking for a new place to hangout.

"As other establishments broke off, the African-American community turned out," Holmes said. "We saw the change."

Park 6 charges a $5 cover on Saturday nights, including $10 for anyone who leaves and wants to come back in. It's also turned down large parties - and thousands of dollars in business - because it was concerned about the crowd, Holmes said.

Wisneski also asked Holmes about food served in the bar. The original agreement with the city called for a restaurant, but Park 6 doesn't serve food.

Holmes said the original person he was working with to start the restaurant left. He now has a new partner, has installed all of the needed kitchen equipment and should be up and running by next Friday.

Following the meeting, which ended with a deal that Holmes would work with police and the city attorney's office on a written agreement, a Park 6 supporter told Holmes he may need to re-examine his approach to the bar.

"You're from Milwaukee," she said. "This isn't Milwaukee."

Sixth St's Blueberries temporarily closed

Blueberries Eatery on Sixth St. is temporarily closed pending the restaurant's move across the street.

Owner Lauren Bell gave Downtown business owners the news on Tuesday during their monthly Downtown Connections meeting. The cafe, which opened in 2008, closed over problems with the utility bills at the former Century Market Building.

Bell said she paid her share, but gas was turned off to the building due to problems with other tenants. A now defunct night club and La Terraza, Mexican restaurant, are also in the building.

Bell said Blueberries (read a review here) is moving across Sixth St. to the former Wilbur's BBQ at 515 Sixth St. She also warned the business owners that she's petitioning for an existing liquor license, but only to sell bloody mary's and mimosas, drinks she described as "breakfast booze."

"I'm not interested in running a third-shift bar," Bell said.

Look for Blueberries to re-open in the fall around the time work on Sixth Street is finished.

Housing Authority 'surprised' by negative reaction to Sixth Street plan

314 Sixth St., built in 1886

It's clear where Downtown business owners stand on the Housing Authority of Racine County's proposal to convert an historic Sixth Street building into low-income apartments.

"Who's in favor of this thing?" Monte Osterman asked a group of about 30 business owners Tuesday during a Downtown Connections meeting.

No one said a word.

Linda Ring Weber, executive director of the Housing Authority, said she was stunned by the reaction to the idea of renovating the former YMCA and Red Cross Building at 314-324 Sixth St.

"Surprised is such an understatement," Weber said. "There has to be some misunderstanding."

At issue is the need, or desire, for low-income housing on Sixth Street. Devin Sutherland, executive director of Downtown Racine Corp., is leading the opposition to the proposal. He said Sixth Street, or really anywhere Downtown, isn't a good site for additional low-income housing.

"It's market-rate apartments we don't have enough of," Sutherland said.

But Weber said she has a five-year waiting list for people seeking affordable housing from her agency. People who qualify for her program pay 30 percent of their income for rent - well under the low-income housing rates in places like the Arcade Apartments or Belle Harbor Apartments in Downtown.

Weber said the Housing Authority has received an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the proposal. "Had we known, this would not have been a place I would have pursued," she said.

But the Housing Authority has an option to purchase the building for $425,000 and an architect is drawing up plans, she said.

Money is a concern. The 1886 Queen Anne-style building was built as the Racine branch of the YMCA. Its ground floor is now home to the Sixth Street Theatre, but its second and third floors have been vacant for years. Renovating the upper floors into apartments and offices for the Housing Authority, now located at 837 Main St., could be too expensive.

But Weber was optimistic. Her agency's plan is to revive an historic building that's been largely ignored over the years. The Housing Authority even intends to retain a large, open ballroom on the second floor to serve as their offices.

"Many private developers would divide (the ballroom) into offices," she said.

Weber and the Downtown business owners had a missed connection on Tuesday morning. The Downtown Connections group had scheduled Weber to speak, but Weber said she'd only offered to address the group when she had information to share. Since they're still waiting for the architect's report, she didn't feel she had much to say about the project. She said she hopes to meet with the business owners in a few weeks.

It'll be a tough crowd.

The group is already lobbying city officials, with some success, to oppose the project.

"I don't feel any support for this at City Hall," Sutherland said.

But the opposition may not matter. Since city zoning is set up to favor residential developments there's little the city can do to oppose the development. The major obstacle for the project could be the Housing Authority's own charter, which requires city approval for low-income housing developments.

But what city approval means, and how much of an obstacle the requirement is, remains to be seen. What also remains to be seen is the Housing Authority's plans to breathe life into a dormant -- aside from the Sixth Street Theatre -- building in need of restoration.

"This should be so welcome," Weber said. "We're preserving an historic building."

Night time sawing coming to Sixth Street

Here's an update on the Sixth Street reconstruction:

Most of the curb and gutter on the south side of Sixth Street has been poured and on May 27, crews began pouring concrete for the eleven foot travel lane and the eight foot parking lane.

AW Oakes received permission from the City to engage in limited night time sawing operations beginning May 28. Sawing creates joints in the concrete and is done at a mid-point after the fresh concrete is poured but before it hardens. Variations in temperature affect the time it takes the concrete to cure to the point sawing can occur.

Thanks in advance to residents and business owners for their understanding if sawing is necessary outside regular daytime hours. The project is not without its surprises.
When AT&T workers arrived to adjust five manhole covers over their vaults housing communications equipment, they discovered the vaults needed to be replaced. Oakes is "gapping out" sections of pavement to accommodate AT&T's work in the intersections and both companies are working with Wis-DOT to keep the project on schedule.

Over the next two weeks, the crews will continue to set forms and pour the remaining curb and gutter on the side roads and corners. Paving of the travel and parking lanes
will continue until the stage two work on the south side of Sixth Street is complete.
Outdoor Lighting is scheduled to come in this week to place light pole and signal pole bases behind the curb. Lighting poles will then be set in place and temporary hookups made to provide lighting during construction.

First Friday: The next First Friday is June 5. Crews are aware of the event and will work to make sure the street looks its best possible for the celebration.

Progress Meeting: If you want first hand information on the progress of the project,
plan to attend the next progress meeting, 3 pm, Thursday, June 11, 2009, in
Room 130 City Hall Annex, 800 Center Street, Racine. You can also contact the field office by phone at (262) 619-3556 or fax them at (262) 619-3558.

To be added to the e-blast list to receive this news update, email or call Kris Martinsek at numbers listed at left.

Committee rejects Sixth Street convenience and liquor store

Michael Choi (left) with the Chuns at Monday's Public Safety and Licensing Committee meeting.

A proposed convenience and liquor store on Sixth Street failed to win support of the City Council’s Public Safety and Licensing Committee.

Caroline Chun and her father applied for a license to sell alcohol in the former Horst Music Store at 420 Sixth St. The store, named Lakeside Pantry, would have been about 75 percent grocery items and 25 percent alcohol.

But the proposal met strong opposition from neighboring business owners. Several spoke Monday night and told the committee they’d support a convenience store, but not one that sells alcohol.

The Chuns tried to placate the opposition by agreeing not to sell single cans of beer, including malt liquor. But the gesture didn’t sway the committee, which voted unanimously against their proposal.

Michael Choi, who owns the restaurants Shogun and Asiana and helped open Olde Madrid, owns the building the Chuns wanted to use for the convenience and liquor store. Choi helped the Chuns addressed the committee, translating questions for them and answering some for them.

Aldermen Terry McCarthy, Aron Wisneski and Jim Kaplan spoke against the liquor store after about 20 minutes of questions about the business plan. The aldermen each said they felt the store selling alcohol on Sixth Street jeopardized an area that the city has worked hard to clean up in recent years.

“I am concerned this would create a lot of foot traffic in what is one of the major thoroughfares in and out of Downtown,” Wisneski said.

Kaplan said he supported 75 percent of the plan, but not the 25 percent involving alcohol. He added he couldn’t support the plan “knowing the history of Sixth Street.”

McCarthy said he was happy with the Chuns’ answers to the committee’s questions, but had to listen to the business owners’ concerns.

“I just have a hard time supporting a full liquor license in this area,” he said.

Problems around Sixth Street?

We reported on the status of the Sixth Street reconstruction project last week. The word was merchants want Sixth Street shutdown so construction gets done sooner. Initial plans had called for one lane of traffic to remain open during reconstruction of the Downtown street.

The project is a bit more complicated. First, there hasn't been a meeting yet to set the schedule for the roadwork. Nothing can happen until that meeting happens.

Second, shutting down Sixth Street could open the city up to a lawsuit because it bid the work as requiring one lane of traffic to remain open. Switching the project after it was bid may cause problems. It may also require the contractor to give back money because the project becomes cheaper if it gets done in four months instead of eight.

Third, there's talk the road work could affect - even cancel - this year's Party on the Pavement. That seems like an odd idea given the popularity of the event and the fact that Main Street and Monument Square will be open. But more than one merchant suggested the Party could be canceled in October if the Sixth Street issue isn't resolved.

More on this as it develops ...

Sixth Street may close to traffic this spring

Sixth Street may shut down to traffic this year to help contractors rebuild the Downtown thoroughfare quicker, according to Rick Jones, the city's commissioner of public works.

The decision rests with general contractor AW Oakes & Son and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Jones said. The contractor needs to submit its plans to shut down Sixth Street - technically a state highway - to the state before the change can be made.

Original plans called for one lane of traffic on Sixth Street to remain open throughout construction, Jones said.

City officials are now waiting for WisDOT to set a date for Sixth Street's pre-construction meeting, which brings together contractors and utility companies to schedule the project.

So what does all of this mean for Sixth Street businesses and customers?

First, it looks like traffic will be shut down on the street in hopes of completing the roadwork faster. That could cause some inconvenience with traffic, but Jones said businesses requested the change because they had a decent summer last year thanks to dedicated customers navigating the work zone. (Last summer, sewer and water pipes under Sixth Street were replaced.)

Second, there's a real effort to get Sixth Street done as quickly as possible. But as of now, there's no start date for construction.

Third, spring is near. Forget snow drops and robins. What better to signal the end of winter than road construction?

P.S. The road-building equipment now seen at the Monument Square end of Sixth has nothing to do with the rebuilding project; it's just Time-Warner replacing some cable.

Suds to ... suds on Sixth Street

It didn't take long for someone to snatch up 420 Sixth St. after a proposed laundromat fell flat. Instead of pushing laundry suds, a new business owner may be pushing the other kind of suds - beer (and wine and liquor).

Caroline Chun, of Lakeside Liquor, wants to open a new store in the former Horst Music Store. Her application for a "Class A" license is pending before the City Council's Public Safety and Licensing Committee. The committee will take it up at its March 23 meeting.

It'll be an interesting issue for the committee, which at the same meeting it takes up Chun's request will try to crack down on new liquor stores in the city. The committee wants to limit the number of liquor stores in Racine to a number less than presently exist. That means three existing business with "Class A" licenses would have to close before someone like Chun could apply for a new license.

But, the new ordinance isn't in effect yet. It hasn't even been approved. So the committee will have to consider Chun's request to open a liquor store in the heart of the key downtown thoroughfare.

Click here to see the committee's March 23 agenda.

La Terraza restaurant opens on Sixth Street

A couple of early diners tryout the new La Terraza on Sixth Street.

A new Mexican restaurant is the latest to join a growing nightlife district on the west end of downtown Sixth Street.

The appropriately named La Terraza opened on the second floor of the former Historic Century Market in the space that was formerly Sticky Rice. La Terraza means balcony or terrace in Spanish.

The business opened last week and had its grand opening this weekend. I met briefly with owner Carlos Cervantes on Saturday afternoon.

Cervantes has 25 years' experience working in restaurants in the Milwaukee area. He's started other Mexican kitchens, but this is his first full restaurant.

The restaurant looks great in the balcony location and the menu has a wide variety of Mexican standards and specials, plus appetizers and salads. Prices range from about $7-$12 per entree. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

There's parking east of the building, which is in the middle of a suddenly strong bar and restaurant district. Blueberries cafe is downstairs, Fireside BBQ, Henry and Wanda's and Timothy York's Bistro are across the street and Asiana, Shogun and Olde Madrid are nearby. The Park 6 bar is also on the block, and the Hopes Center coffee shop is close by.

Not bad for an area that looked pretty desolate a few years ago after the impressive, but money-losing, Century Market was forced to close. Let's hope this area keeps up its momentum.

Nesting will move from Sixth Street

Sixth Street's retail landscape is changing again. Nesting is moving.

The custom home sewing and decorating shop that has been at 316 Sixth St. for two years will close on Aug. 28, and relocate to new quarters on the corner of Romayne Avenue and Geneva Street, near the Zoo.

Owner Cindy Miller said she needed a smaller space, "and I didn't want to be here for the road construction." Sixth Street, which was torn up for three months this spring for the first phase of utility line replacements, will be under construction again next year for the final part of the street's repaving and beautification.

Nesting's mission will not change in its new location. It can be reached at (262) 637-8100.

Sixth Street getting another new restaurant

Sixth Street has its ups and downs lately. While the Tango Bar and Wilbur's are closed, the impressive Park 6 is open and now a new BBQ place is opening.

The owners of Fireside BBQ, 515 6th St. (Wilbur's former site), received a liquor license this week. Robert Watson and Crystal Morris appeared before the Licensing and Welfare committee to talk about their restaurant.

They described the restaurant as providing a relaxing, nonsmoking environment with jazz and 60s and 70s music for entertainment.

The committee approved the liquor license.

We have a call to the owners to learn more about the restaurant.

Doing it right: Impressive Park 6 club opens on Sixth Street

Thomas Holmes, coordinator of events at Park 6, stands behind the bar
at Racine's newest club.

Where'd this place come from?

I drove past Sixth and Park streets yesterday and saw the "Park 6" club for the first time. The front doors were open so I ducked in to find out when the club was going to open. Turns out it's been open for three weeks. ... so much for being on top of things. (I was still waiting for the salsa club to move into this place.)

Park 6 looks incredible. I met briefly with Thomas Holmes, coordinator of events at the club, and, in his words, "the man who made things happen." I'd try to describe the place, but the pictures below do a better job.

A view from the back of the club looking forward.

The club has a huge open space with a raised stage, floor to ceiling windows, leather couches, two pool tables, a dart board and tables throughout. It's obvious the owners sunk some money into this place, which should work out well for them. Let's all take note: You can't get by on the cheap. If you're going to do something, do it well and put the money in on the front side.

It's also completely smoke free. "We want people coming in smelling good and leaving smelling good," Holmes said. He added that they've only gotten positive feedback on the smoking ban, and it's smokers who are the most complimentary. (Don't forget the smoke-free celebration at Shilling's today.)

Here are the leather couches in the front window.

Holmes described the crowd they've gotten so far as being a little older and sophisticated. There's dancing most nights, and Tuesday nights there's a jazz jam session. The hours are 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Cold sandwiches are served from 5-9 p.m.

The bathrooms are getting rave reviews. Here's the women's bathrooms ...

... and the men's.

The Park 6 has a good chance for success. Holmes, who designed Park 6, owns three establishments in Milwaukee, including Temptation Jazz and Blues, Fitzgerald's and the Amistad Pavilion. He's in business with owner James McCaine. Kati Connor is the manager.

Sixth Street could be done a full month early!

Looking west: Utility work done, almost ready for paving

Work on this year's portion of Sixth Street's rebuilding could be completed a month early.

You read that right: A full month!

The newsletter sent this week to Sixth Street merchants offered the good news -- work to replace ancient utility lines, including some wooden water pipes, isn't just going well, it's going very, very quickly. Here's a portion of what the newsletter said:

Work has been completed on the first phase of the utility construction in the 200 through 400 blocks of Historic Sixth Street, and the contractor is ahead of schedule with work in the 500 and 600 blocks. If work continues at the current pace, the project could be completed nearly a month ahead of the July 3rd target for completion.

Sidewalk restoration in the 500 and 600 blocks should be completed this week, and if all goes well, road restoration, paving, and striping will occur after Memorial Day the week of May 26. Barricade removal and cleanup is planned for the first week in June.

John Rooney, City of Racine’s Assistant Commissioner of Public Works could not be more pleased with the progress. “We knew when we bid out the utility work on Sixth Street that it was important to minimize the disruption to property owners and businesses,” said Rooney.

“ I thought the March 3 start date and the two-phase, four-month construction schedule was very aggressive, but Globe Contractors has done an excellent job.”

Work began on schedule March 3, crews were undaunted by the Good Friday snow storm that resulted in nearly a foot of snow, and they went on to complete work through the west side of Park Avenue in phase one. That gave Globe a jump start on phase two work and allowed Park Avenue to open to traffic earlier than anticipated.

Wilbur's BBQ on Sixth Street is NOT closing

No matter what you've been hearing, Wilbur's BBQ on Sixth Street is NOT closing. Let's repeat that: Wilbur's is not closing. 

"I don't know where it's coming from, but it's not coming from me," said Wilbur Jones, owner of the restaurant. 

In an interview Tuesday, Jones said he's been hearing the same rumors about his restaurant's demise. Other people are saying that he's going to close Viper's on High Street, too. Jones said both businesses will keep going. 

"People have been saying I'm closing since I opened, " Jones said. "If people stopped coming because they thought I was closed, then I guess I'd have to close." 

Construction on Sixth Street has hurt his BBQ business, but they've opened an entrance on Seventh Street and continue to serve food. Jones took out the buffet for now, but will bring it back once the construction finishes up in June. He's also planning on bringing back Sunday dinner in June. 

"No, I'm not doing OK," said Jones, acknowledging that the Sixth Street work has slowed business the past two months. "But it's only a couple more weeks and we should be back to normal."  

Wilbur's is located at 515 6th St. in Downtown Racine. Jones also runs a catering business out of the restaurant. You can call Wilbur's at: (262) 633-8416.  

But first, Sixth Street was our historic Plank Road

There's a phone line down at the bottom...

Like an archaeological dig, Racine's Sixth Street utility work and repaving project is exposing the city's history. Unlike archaeologists, however, the construction crews are destroying what they find.

Not that there is much to save, beyond some rotting planks and brick pavers upon which the city's commercial reputation was built; even a hollowed piece of wooden water pipe here and there. All have been uncovered by the Sixth Street road construction crews -- and for the most part unceremoniously hauled away to the landfill to be crushed and buried.

Sixth Street, layer by layer...

Some of the bricks have been recovered by adjoining storefront owners. Alongside the construction path today, a few small piles of rotting planks -- four or five feet long, maybe 6" by 8" in dimension -- lay by the sidewalk.

Kate Remington, whose concrete art studio overlooks -- and shortly will become part of the reconstruction project -- brought it to our attention Thursday morning. She took a portion of a plank to the mayor, suggesting that a cross-section of the road would make an interesting historical marker along the street.

Kate Remington, with a plank road remnant

Indeed, a glance deep into a 15-ft. pit, at the bottom of which workers this morning had uncovered a working telephone line -- normally, all utilities are buried no more than three feet deep -- clearly showed the street's evolution. There were remnants of the old wooden plank highway, the brick paving stones above that, railroad tracks on top of the brick, and then the cement we're used to.

Yes, we said wooden plank highway.

Kate Remington directed our attention to an Historic Sixth Street Business District Walking Tour Guide, a slim pamphlet published in 1990 by the Racine Landmarks Preservation Commission. It described how Congress appropriated funds in 1838 for a "military highway" from Racine to Janesville, and how the Racine-Rock River Plank Road was constructed in 1848, "the year Wisconsin became a state and Racine became a city."

The following material comes from that pamphlet. It was written by Don Rintz.

"In 1834 Gilbert Knapp laid claim to about 140 acres of land lying both north and south of the Root River and the western shore of Lake Michigan. These lands were platted in 1836 as the Village of Racine...

"Much of Racine was then a forest. A few log cabins and even fewer frame houses might be seen here and there in the woods, but most of the early buildings were in a clearing south of the river at the foot of Main Street. Thea area around Sixth or Seventh Streets was 'way out of town.'

"But it became a way into town when, in 1838,Congress appropriated money for a military highway from Racine to Janesville and onward to Sinipee on the Mississippi River. The easterly section of the government road ran along the route of what is now Washington Avenue an connected at Campbell Street (now Grand Avenue) with Sixth and Seventh. They became principal routes into Racine and out again on the west. Sixth Street became very nearly as important as Main, and commercial development, rather than continuing south on Main Street, turned the corner along the south side of the public square and ran west along Sixth.

"The Historic Sixth Street Business district, as a result, was the second area of the city to develop commercially...

" 'As an inducement for neighboring towns to trade' in the city, the first county history explained, 'Racine took an advanced and liberal position in relation to road improvements.' The Racine-Rock River Plank Road Company was organized by a number of the city's leading citizens on March 6, 1848 -- in the year Wisconsin became a state and Racine became a city.

All that's left from 1848's commercial thoroughfare

"The highway came to be known as the Janesville Plank Road, and it is said to have been the first roadway constructed of planks to be laid westward from the shores of Lake Michigan. It began at Main Street and ran from the square along Sixth and out the government road. The plank pavement was considered a great improvement, a boon to travel and shipping. Stagecoaches used it daily, carrying passengers and mail on a regular schedule, and farmers drove their wagons in to the city filled with sacks of grain or piled high with hay, to be dumped for sale in the public square.

"The plank road was responsible in no small part for the growth of the City of Racine and, most particularly, of the Sixth Street business district...

"The Historic Sixth Street Business District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on March 24, 1988."

Sixth Street reconstruction ahead of schedule

Asphalt done; striping under way Wednesday

Good news for Sixth Street: The first phase of utility construction in the 200 through 400 blocks is nearing completion and asphalt repaving should be under way. Globe Contractors expects to paint the roadway striping, remove the barricades and replace the parking meters by the end of the week. The original timetable said this work wouldn't be completed until May 5.

Phase two work in the 500 and 600 blocks has started ahead of schedule. Sanitary sewer work has begun on both blocks with work in the 600 block starting at Grand. Installation of laterals is scheduled to begin on the North side of the 600 block around April 30, and on the North side of the 500 block beginning May 18. Water main work is scheduled to begin on approximately May 14.

The entire project -- this year's portion of it -- is due to be completed by July 3.

Sixth Street sidewalk replacement starts Friday

Good news for Sixth Street merchants and customers: The reconstruction work is on schedule -- maybe even a bit ahead -- and construction of new sidewalks could begin as early as Friday. Weather permitting!

Goodbye to sheets of plywood and steel underfoot.

As sanitary sewer and water work is completed between Monument Square and Park Avenue, sidewalk work will start in the 200 block of Sixth, and then continue into the 300 block through April 18. New sidewalks for the 400 block should begin on April 22.

Although some of the roadway itself looks ready for repaving, that work is also weather-driven, and will have to wait for a while: Asphalt plants, needing warmer temperatures, typically don't open for the construction season until the last week of April or the first week of May.

This news, especially good for those merchants at the east end of the Sixth Street reconstruction project, comes from the latest construction update newsletter, sent by Kris Martinsek of Martinsek & Associates.

Kris emphasizes that this optimistic schedule depends upon "no surprises and cross your fingers that it doesn’t rain or snow." Gas work will continue through April 18, assuming that all sanitary sewer, sanitary laterals, water main and water laterals have been completed. At present, water lateral work is scheduled for the north and south sides of the street from April 7 through April 11.


The 300 block may also start getting new sidewalks April 11 with restoration ongoing through April 18. Crews have to complete one sewer lateral to Porters, scheduled on Wednesday, and several water laterals on the north and south sides of the street this week to keep to this schedule.

The schedule calls for sanitary laterals on the south side of Sixth to be completed by Thursday and on the north side between April 15 and April 22. Replacement of water laterals could begin sometime the week of April 12 and continue through April 22.

Of course, once this is done, the construction moves farther west for its second phase, doing the section of Sixth Street from Park to Grand Avenue. Final completion date for this year's work is July 3.

The newsletter says Globe Contractors is making good progress toward the completion of the Phase 1 sewer and water main replacements by May 5. The only surprises so far -- "normal when contractors dig 14-ft. deep trenches and excavate aging sewer and water systems," says Kris -- have been damage to an unmarked power line, which caused an interruption in service to Uncorkt during one day; discovery of some roof drains tied into the sanitary sewer system rather than the storm system; and a completely rotted sewer lateral was found in the 400 block, quickly replaced with new PVC pipe by the store owner's plumber.

The total project, reconstruction of one-third of a mile of Sixth Street, from Monument Square to Grand Avenue, and from store front to store front including removal and replacement of all pavement, curb and gutter, and sidewalks, has a total cost of $3.09 million. This year's project involves the replacement of utility lines that are nearly 100 years old and well beyond their service lives -- including some wooden water pipes. The roadway improvement part of the project won't take place until 2009.