(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — A growing controversy is brewing after the City of Kenosha announced plans to demolish four former Kenosha Unified School District (KUSD) buildings — all of which, critics say, are structurally sound and have recently undergone costly upgrades.
The schools slated for demolition include KTEC East (formerly Lincoln Elementary), KTEC West (formerly McKinley Middle), McKinley Elementary, and Washington Middle School. The city acquired the properties in May 2025 and intends to redevelop the land into single-family housing, a neighborhood park, and expanded KTEC space.
But many taxpayers are furious, arguing that hundreds of thousands of dollars in public money were recently spent on improvements such as new windows, air conditioning, and tuckpointing. “These are very solid, invested-in buildings,” one critic said. “Instead of valuing that, they’re being torn down.”
The move has been described by opponents as the result of a poorly negotiated quid pro quo between KUSD and the city. Under the arrangement, the city gets control of the land for redevelopment while the school district offloads unused facilities. Detractors say both sides benefit politically, but taxpayers lose financially.
City officials maintain the demolitions will make way for community development and relieve traffic congestion around KTEC East. Demolition contracts have already been awarded to New Berlin Grading Inc. and KR Contractors, with work expected to begin soon.
Despite those assurances, the backlash shows no signs of easing. Many residents see the plan not as progress, but as a reckless waste of money and a betrayal of public trust — tearing down schools that were still in good condition, only to clear land for projects they never asked for.
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21 Responses
I would like to see apartments in some of the buildings
If this doesn’t show zero accountability at KUSD with our tax dollars I’m not sure what would. There were rumors from kusd members well before those building upgrades that they may be shutting those schools down in near future
But it’s for the kids
Wow it’s almost like events like this could be prevented. Knock em down, the price of living would be too expensive for apartments.
KUSD tracks registrations and future student enrollments by many ways. They can
Calculate years in advance that they will need “less” buildings or square footage for students.
How long until they ask the taxpayers to “build” another school?
Maybe they should use those buildings for separate schools that the students are allowed to vape THC in the bathrooms all day… oh wait, they already do that in every high school all day without punishment.
How does offloading four 100 year old buildings leave taxpayers on the hook? A lot less future maintenance and increased tax revenue with the future projects.
Because they just spent major money upgrading the buildings in last few years
Which developer will profit?
My guess Bear realty
Democrats are a group of people good at wasting other people’s money !
So if we are tearing down schools why did we just build a brand new one by the Kenosha Innovation Center? New windows were just put into Washington a couple years ago. KUSD, Please ask us, the taxpayers, for more money! You are so responsible with the money we already give you! You seemed to have made it work when we didn’t give you your last referendum, and that was without cutting any staff AND building a new school. And now you are going to cheat it out of us by raising the tax levy! It is your duty to manage our money better while educating children. Continually throwing money at a deficit doesn’t fix it if you don’t spend it on the right things. You need to pull your heads out of your Asses and put the Children first. Go back to the basics and teach reading, writing and math. And maybe learn a lesson of two on how to manage money.
KUSD doesn’t own the new Lakeview Tech building. The City owns the property, KABA funded the construction of the building and leases it to KUSD. The old Lakeview Tech in Pleasant Prairie was another lease arrangement with Gateway.
As long as teachers get a raise and my property taxes go up Smh
What does that have to do with this situation lol?
Because taxpayers money is wasted like water “lol”
Awarded demo contracts to businesses outside of the district and our city.
Should support local.
Is anyone surprised at the mismanagement of tax monies?
Downsizing is reality in light of declining enrollments. Keeping the buildings now would just waste more money. The mistake was wasting money in upgrades beforehand. Poor management like this is why voters denied the request for more tax money.
KUSD. The City. NO worries. It is just tax money. No accountability required.
Why not try to SELL the unused buildings privateli to someone who could re-purpose them? I have absolutely no idea why Kenosha would demolish them!
I’m sorry, what do we need with more single family homes for? They closed a bunch a schools because there are no children. Didn’t KUSD just give themselves a raise? What happened to the wahhhh we need more money please vote to give us another $400 million. WTF?