Kenosha State of Downtown Report.indd - The Lakota Group

SECTION 2: LAND USE AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONS
The Code makes no reference to separate design guidelines
for use in COA reviews but incorporates defined standards
within the text for granting and denying COA applications.
These standards are based on the Secretary of Interior Standards
for Rehabilitation, which are used as a basis for most historic
district design guidelines in other communities.
Overall, Kenosha’s historic preservation code is relatively
strong and comprehensive in that no owner consent provisions
for designating local landmarks and districts have been
incorporated and National Register Districts and properties are
given priority for local designation and protection. The code
also requires preservation plans be prepared prior to district
designations. Between 1997 and 1998, each Historic District
adopted preservation plans that define guidelines for COA
reviews to be used by property owners and commissioners.
While the preservation code is comprehensive in the
way it approaches the preservation and maintenance
of individual buildings and districts, there are
several ways in which it could be strengthened.
First, the code should allow the development of a more
detailed, illustrated set of design guidelines, either on a
citywide basis or by individual districts, which could assist
the Commission in its COA reviews and property owners
as they plan their rehabilitation projects. In effect, design
guidelines describe with both images and text how one can
meet the design review standards presented in the preservation
code. Secondly, demolition by neglect provisions, which are
becoming more prevalent in historic preservation ordinances,
could be incorporated into Section 15 to equip the Historic
Preservation Commission with the adequate tools to remedy
demolition by neglect situations, either through enforced
minimum maintenance requirements or a defined use of
municipal condemnation powers.
However, a majority of existing historic buildings may just
need a smaller incentive program for projects that have smaller
cost-value gaps, such as façade and storefront improvements
that can make a significant difference in downtown’s overall
appearance. While a Historic Property Revolving Loan Fund
was established in 1994, it was discontinued due to lack of
interest. Additionally, the Business Improvement District also
provided facade improvement loans at one time.
There no longer appears to be organized efforts,
on the part of the City or any private sector
organizations, to work with properties owners on
building rehabilitation projects and improvement
initiatives.
In addition to the lack of local historic preservation incentives,
the City of Kenosha is currently not a designated Wisconsin
Certified Local Government (CLG). The Certified Local
Government Program, established by the National Historic
Preservation Act of 1980 and managed by Wisconsin SHPO,
provides local municipalities and counties opportunities to
apply for matching grants for survey and other preservation
planning activities. Other benefits of the program include
eligibility to use the Wisconsin Historic Building Code for
locally designated historic buildings, which can provide costs
savings for rehabilitation projects.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
Currently, beyond the Federal and State Tax Credit programs,
there are no locally financed incentives to encourage the
rehabilitation and maintenance of downtown Kenosha’s
historic resources. The tax credit programs are suited, ideally,
for more substantive rehabilitation projects where large gaps
exist between the rehabilitation cost and the value of the
completed development, or what is sometimes defined as “the
present worth of future benefits”. In even some cases, the tax
credit incentive may not be enough to close in gap in financing.
Mid-century Modern storefront
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CITY OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN
KENOSHA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN: STATE OF THE DOWNTOWN
LAND USE AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONS