Featured Site: Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood

A Site Built on Generations of Ingenuity

The KIN district occupies the former AMC and Chrysler engine plant site, a property woven deeply into Kenosha’s identity. Its industrial story began in the late 1800s, when the Thomas B. Jeffery Company manufactured Rambler bicycles here before pioneering automobile production.

That early spirit of innovation carried forward for decades. The campus later became home to American Motors Corporation (AMC), where thousands of Kenosha workers designed and built vehicles that reached drivers across the country. Under Chrysler Corporation and Chrysler LLC, the site continued producing engines and automotive components for the North American market.

But the story of this place is more than machinery. It’s about the people, generations of workers whose skill, determination, and creativity made Kenosha a nationally recognized manufacturing community.

Today, KIN honors that legacy while giving the site a new purpose.

The Kenosha Innovation Center: A Catalyst for What Comes Next

At the heart of the redevelopment is the Kenosha Innovation Center (KIC), a 64,000‑square‑foot facility designed to spark entrepreneurship, workforce development, business growth, and collaboration. It brings together startups, established companies, educators, nonprofits, and industry partners under one roof — creating an environment where ideas can become opportunities.

Inside, visitors will find:

• Private office suites
• Engine Works coworking memberships
• Fully equipped meeting and conference rooms
• Collaborative gathering spaces
• A rooftop terrace designed for connection and creativity

Whether someone is launching a new venture, expanding a business, meeting clients, or seeking collaboration, the Center offers a modern, flexible environment built for innovation.

Architecture Designed for Openness and Connection

The Kenosha Innovation Center’s design reflects its mission. Instead of a closed‑off office building, it emphasizes transparency, flexibility, and interaction.

Expansive glass and abundant natural light create an inviting atmosphere. A dramatic central atrium serves as the building’s focal point, encouraging people to cross paths, share ideas, and build relationships. Flexible floor plans allow the building to evolve alongside the organizations that use it.

It’s a fitting design for a place built to bring people together.

A Hub for Learning, Collaboration, and Community

The Center’s impact extends far beyond its tenants. It serves as a regional gathering place for:

• Workforce training
• Educational workshops
• Nonprofit programming
• Industry conferences
• Networking events
• Collaborative community initiatives

By lowering barriers to entrepreneurship — through flexible workspace, mentoring, programming, and strategic partnerships – the Center helps innovators move ideas forward. This collaborative approach supports local businesses, attracts investment, develops talent, and strengthens Kenosha’s economic future.

A Vision for a Vibrant, Walkable Innovation District

While the Innovation Center is the anchor, it represents just one part of the larger KIN vision. The master plan calls for transforming the entire 107‑acre former industrial campus into a walkable, mixed‑use innovation district where people can live, learn, work, and play.

At full build‑out, the neighborhood is envisioned to include:

• Over 1 million square feet of office, medical, research, educational, retail, and commercial space
• Up to 1,300 residential units — apartments, townhomes, and live‑work housing
• Approximately 20 acres of parks, greenways, and public open space

The district is planned as an interconnected ecosystem, not a collection of isolated projects. Innovation spaces will support business creation, educational facilities will prepare future talent, housing will welcome residents, and commercial amenities will create destinations for the community.

Walkable streets, bicycle connections, sustainable infrastructure, and thoughtfully designed public spaces will tie everything together.

Experience KIN During Keys to Kenosha

A visit to the Kenosha Innovation Center offers a unique opportunity to see Kenosha’s future taking shape while gaining insight into the site’s remarkable past. During Keys to Kenosha, visitors can explore the modern facility, learn about the transformation of the former industrial campus, and discover how Kenosha continues its long tradition of innovation in a new way.

The story has evolved — from bicycles to automobiles, from engines to entrepreneurship, technology, education, and business development. Yet the spirit remains the same: Kenosha is a place where people come together to build what comes next.

Guided tours of the Kenosha Innovation Center will be available on a first‑come, first‑served basis during the event.

Whether you’re interested in industrial history, curious about economic development, exploring entrepreneurship, or simply eager to see a part of Kenosha you may not have visited before, the Kenosha Innovation Center is a destination worth discovering.

The Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood is more than a redevelopment project — it’s a bridge between generations. Come unlock the story of innovation during Keys to Kenosha and see how a place that once built world‑class products is now helping build the next generation of businesses, ideas, and opportunities.