The Downtown Vision Project continues to gain momentum and clarity for what is poised to be a significant facelift ahead for Kenosha.

A public hearing will take place at today’s city Plan Commission meeting for the creation of an overlapping Tax Incremental Financing District, slated at the epicenter of the Downtown Vision Project from 52nd Street and Sheridan Road to the corner of 55th Street and Sixth Avenue.

The TID also includes the corner of 56th Street and Sheridan Road, the site targeted for construction of a new city hall.

The building housed the original Kenosha Police Department and was most recently occupied by the Kenosha Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the Kenosha Public Library’s Administration and Support Center.

The building will likely be torn down before the end of the year, according to Zohrab Khaligian, a city redevelopment specialist for Community Development and Inspections.

“All the dominoes are being set up,” Khaligian said. “We’re looking for a temporary home for the administrative offices in that building. As soon as they move out, I can raze that building.”

Once the parcel is leveled and construction begins in 2020, the current city hall at 625 52nd St. will be replaced with a new public park and performing arts center. One of three new downtown parking structures is slated at the corner of 52nd Street and Sheridan Road, with luxury, high-rise condominiums planned along 54th Street from Eighth Avenue to Fifth Avenue.

The potential $400 million project could include over 1,000 residential units, approximately 2½ times the amount of housing constructed in HarborPark.

The city is working with a developer on the project and is expected to sign a contract shortly. Once that happens, the city will release the name of the developer and its plans moving forward, according to Khaligian.

The proposed TID (No. 27) is designed to eliminate the blighting influence of deteriorating and/or obsolete buildings, site improvements and platting on vacant parcels and parking lots. A TID allows the city to collect new taxes generated from private development to fund improvements and recoup costs.

“The city will use the tax revenue generated from private development to make improvements to city infrastructure,” Khaligian said. “Hopefully, we’ll see the streets all improved.”

Several properties in the proposed TID district have been identified as blighted in the plan. The Plan Commission will discuss the TID today with a final vote coming Aug. 19 in front of the Common Council.

In February, the city closed on a $1.6 million purchase of three downtown properties — located at 5407 Eighth Avenue and 700 55th St., and an attached parcel — previously owned by Kenosha Human Development Services, Inc.

There are three parking structures planned to accommodate downtown residents, employees and visitors. A five-story, 331-spot ramp slated just east of the Kenosha Post Office on Eighth Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets was sent back for rebidding when estimates came in roughly $1 million over the $8.5 million budget.

The city is focused on its fiscal and environmental responsibility throughout the project, according to Khaligian.

“We’re changing the face of our downtown,” Khaligian said. “Right now, we don’t have as much buildable space. It’s mostly open lots. We’re going to have to address the storm water generated because we’re going to have more concrete surfaces.”