Sept. 29, 2025 6:15p
(WGTD)---The City of Kenosha is pressing ahead with plans to demolish four recently-vacated school buildings, despite some social media criticism as word of the initiative spread.
The former Washington Middle School on Sheridan Road was the last school to be publicly added to the list. City Development Department Director Tim Casey said the building’s age, design and level of asbestos would make it a poor candidate for conversion into housing, not to mention the rapidly rising cost of construction.
Once the building is down, the city will solicit proposals from developers.
The city also plans to demolish the former McKinley Middle and Elementary school buildings. Mayor Dave Bogdala tells Wisconsin Public Radio that he expects that new housing will eventually spring up on all three sites. "We believe removing some of these schools and adding a housing component will definitely going to have a positive impact," he said.
The fourth building to be razed is the former Lincoln Elementary School which most recently was home to KTEC. The land will be used for parking and a pick-up and drop-off loop for the nearby LakeView K-8 Academy.
Development Department Director Casey added that the public will have a chance to comment on whatever plans are put forth for the McKinley and Washington sites.
The city wound up with a role on the future of the former school sites as the result of a deal struck with Kenosha Unified.
WGTD first reported on the collaboration between the school district and city in June of 2024. The story was updated in the ensuing months.
Contracts to raze the buildings have already been let.
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