Racine’s $68M King Center Project to Break Ground in October

RACINE, Wis. (WRJN) — Racine’s ambitious $68 million Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center project is set to break ground in October, Mayor Cory Mason announced Tuesday.

The new facility, located in the Lincoln-King neighborhood, will expand and modernize the city’s community programs and health care services. It will feature a larger gymnasium, running track, climbing wall, and various indoor and outdoor recreational facilities.

The center will also house classrooms, computer labs, and spaces for after-school programs and adult education. 

A key component is the inclusion of a Federally Qualified Health Center, aimed at improving access to affordable medical and mental health care.

“This project combines the community center, health center, and educational programs under one roof to become more than the sum of their parts,” Mason said. “It will create positive improvement for the City of Racine for decades to come.”

The Common Council approved the project on August 20, allowing the city to issue up to $21 million in bonds for bridge funding. 

Construction is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2026.

Major donors include Ascension, We Energies, and the Pat Connaughton Foundation. The project team comprises architecture firm SmithGroup, general contractor Pepper Construction, and owner’s representative The Concord Group.

The new King Center will be located north of Julian Thomas Elementary School at West Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.