First apartment building opens in Cobalt’s downtown Kenosha Harbor District redevelopment

First apartment building opens in Cobalt’s downtown Kenosha Harbor District redevelopment

Posted in Downtown Kenosha, Kenosha County Economic Development

The first residents have begun moving into The Karrick, a newly opened, 158-unit, five-story apartment building in downtown Kenosha that marks the first completion of the sweeping redevelopment planned for the area.

Leasing began in the fall, and residents have recently started moving into the building, located at 5522 7th Ave. Ten units are currently occupied, with that number expected to reach 15 by the end of the week, according to property manager Kristoffer Saunders. A total of 30 units were pre-leased.

Rents for available apartments range from $1,500 to $2,660 per month, according to the property’s website.

The building’s amenities include a fitness room, courtyard and community rooms on the second and fifth floors. Construction was led by Fond du Lac-based C.D. Smith.

The building is the first completed project in the Kenosha Harbor District, a nine-block redevelopment project by Milwaukee-based development firm Cobalt Partners. Announced in 2023, the project’s concept plans include more than 1,000 housing units, 100,000 square feet of retail space, 420,000 square feet of office space, a hotel and green space, with the total investment estimated at $450 million.

Named for a nautical knot, the Karrick is located at the southern end of Cobalt’s development area and the northern edge of Kenosha’s central business district. The building sits across the street from several bars, restaurants and businesses, including Church and Market, Hold My Beer, The Apis Hotel & Restaurant, Subway, and hair salons Hair By Marty & Associates and Sallese & Co.

Planning is underway for the next phases of the Kenosha Harbor District, Mayor David Bogdala said. The next proposed building is a seven-story mixed-use development with 210 residential units and about 6,000 square feet of retail space at the corner of 54th Street and 6th Avenue. Cobalt is also working on plans for a 24-unit condominium building at the eastern end of the development near 55th Street and 6th Avenue.

“It’s exquisite, and we’re proud to welcome people not just into this building, but into Kenosha,” Bogdala said. “Kenosha has had to reinvigorate and reinvent itself before, and this is a great example of that.”