Downtown

The City of Racine works closely with the Downtown Racine Corporation and the Downtown Racine Business Improvement Business District #1 to promote and enhance one of the Midwest’s most unique and vibrant lakefront communities in the heart of the Milwaukee-Chicago MegaCity. 

The Department also manages nine Tax Increment Districts (TIDs) in the Downtown area, which are a tool we use pursuant to Wisconsin law to help finance economic development projects.  

City Development also offers Façade Grant Program available to Downtown commercial property owners, and administers a Downtown Overlay Zone to ensure that new development keeps Downtown unique character intact.

RootWorks

Made possible through a vibrant community partnership, in 2012 the City of Racine adopted the RootWorks Plan.

This Plan has set the stage for Racine to return to its roots and create a dynamic place for next generation business, urban workers and residents, building upon the area’s innovative heritage and spirit of world-class manufacturing.  All of this is to be done while respecting and restoring the ecological balance to the Root River.

We planned our work, and are working our plan. In 2014, the City announced a partnership with Financial District Properties to transform 20 acres of Machinery Row into a $65 million mixed-use redevelopment. This is City’s largest redevelopment effort in its history to date. We are not done yet though. The Plan addresses a broader 325-acre Root River Corridor primed for redevelopment.

If you are interested adding to the relentless positive action occurring in the implementation of RootWorks through business investment, please review our Business Toolbox to see how we may be of assistance. Individuals can also get in on the action by volunteering through the Root River Council.

Uptown

The goal of the Uptown Strategic Development Plan was to identify and implement a clear set of catalytic projects and strategies to help accelerate revitalization of the Broader Uptown area. Through the planning process a clear three-pronged vision for Uptown Racine was developed:

Uptown Strategic Development Plan 

2017-2019 Greater Uptown Area NRSA – Adopted

• Global, Corporate, & Historic: A triple bottom line employment center and global headquarters district.
• Diverse, Vibrant Neighborhood; A vibrant destination commercial and living district serving neighborhoods, area employees and the region.
• Eclectic, entrepreneurial. Arts/creative nexus: A regional urban entrepreneurial and creative hub. 

Many exciting implementation projects are currently in the works.

The Uptown Business Improvement District was created in 2007.