RACINE, Wis. — A business owner in Racine wants city leaders to demolish the abandoned warehouse directly adjacent to his property after he said an odd situation turned downright hazardous.
The site on 17th Street was once the home of Dumore, but in the decades since the electric motor manufacturer left Racine, the structure has become dilapidated, filled with garbage, debris, broken glass, and loose beams.
Jeff D’Acquisto, who runs D&D Industrial Coatings with his children, told TMJ4’s Tahleel Mohieldin that the abandoned warehouse is more than a nuisance.
“Slowly but surely, people start going inside, and before you know it, kids are in there throwing fire extinguishers, hitting our people, just causing a lot of commotion,” he explained.
The D’Acquistos have had to deal with their windows being broken, leaving at least one employee injured from flying shards, abandoned cars left in shared courtyards blocking access for fire crews, squatters disrupting their business practices and sometimes threatening violence, and debris falling from the crumbling warehouse to damage their property.
Watch: Racine business owner says abandoned warehouse next door is a serious hazard
D&D administrator and Jeff’s daughter, Ashlie Klein, said they believe city leaders aren’t doing enough to rectify the situation.
“We feel that the city, while they respond, the responsiveness and the action aren’t really followed through on,” Klein shared.
She said with squatters using open flames at the crumbling warehouse, they’re worried the mounds of debris and paint stored in their own building are a disaster waiting to happen.
“Regardless of us following regulations,” Klein said, “there would be explosions.”
"We have residential neighbors just across the street,” she added. “We don’t want them to have to deal with the health hazards that come with that type of cleanup.”
They’re asking city leaders to take the issue seriously and get it resolved for their safety and that of their community.
“I just want it to be safe,” Matthew D’Acquisto emphasized, “for my employees, my family, my friends to have a place to continue to go to, to make a living, to take care of their families.”
The D’Acquistos have been at their Racine property since their founding in 1983. Owner Jeff said a move would cost the company hundreds of thousands, and their current building would likely be very difficult to sell.
TMJ4 News has reached out to the city of Racine about the concerns surrounding the warehouse.
A spokesperson with the city responded to TMJ4 News Thursday morning with the following statement:
The City of Racine is aware of the concerns regarding the abandoned warehouse at 1300 17th Street. The property has been cited multiple times for violations, but the current owner, RPMONE, LLC, has not been responsive to enforcement efforts. While the interior of the building is in poor condition and has attracted unauthorized access, it does not meet the criteria for a raze order, as it has not been deemed structurally unsound.
To deter trespassing and improve safety, the City took action last year to board up the building. However, as the property remains privately owned, the City does not have the authority to intervene further regarding its interior condition. Trespassing should be reported to the police department.
The City of Racine does not have the authority to foreclose on this property. If foreclosed upon, Racine County—not the City or the Community Development Authority (CDA)—would take ownership.
The City is committed to enforcing property maintenance standards within the limits of its authority. However, because this property is privately owned, any further action regarding its condition would need to be addressed directly between D&D Industrial Coatings and the current owner.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
