Renovation of historic Heritage House in downtown Kenosha moving forward

Gorman & Company is moving forward with plans with a $25 million project to renovate Kenosha’s 102-year-old Heritage House Inn building in downtown Kenosha into an 80-room boutique hotel and banquet hall.

The building at 5706 Eighth Avenue in Downtown Kenosha will undergo a complete renovation. Features will include a pub-style restaurant, a rooftop bar, and a 4,000-square-foot banquet hall and ballroom.

A new addition will be built directly to the south of the historic building, which will house 65 of the 80 modern guest rooms. Construction is expected to be complete in early 2019. The hotel is expected to employ up to 75 people.

“The strength and unique aspect of this project is the diverse and broad ranging partnerships and financing sources that came together to make this development in downtown Kenosha happen,” said Ted Matkom, Gorman & Company’s Wisconsin Market President.

Gorman & Co., has been trying to remodel the 35,000-square-foot dilapidated Heritage House building for at least four years but had trouble securing financing for the project.

In 2016, the city approved a $3 million tax increment financing district for the project. Heritage House also received federal and state historic tax credits as well as new market tax credits from the Greater Wisconsin Opportunities Fund (GWOF) and First-Ring Industrial Redevelopment Enterprise (FIRE).

“I am very excited about the Heritage House being able to move forward,” said Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian. “A lot of people have worked hard to make this project a success. I believe this is one of the many positive developments that will be occurring in the downtown to encourage growth.”

Source:  Biztimes.com