Party on the Pavement in Racine. – Photo: Racine Convention and Visitors Bureau
RACINE — Gays and gentrification.
Maybe not quite yet like love and marriage, but the two do tend to go together like a horse and carriage when it comes to finding and fixing up urban diamonds in the rough.
Asbury Park, N.J. Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. Boystown in Chicago. The Oak Lawns/Cedar Springs area of Dallas. They all are among the neighborhoods where gay people have settled to restore homes — increasing property values and civic pride in the process.
If the Belle City’s new mayor has his way, we soon may be able to add Racine to that list of LGBT-friendly locations.
Mayor John Dickert hopes that LGBTs will see lots of reasons why relocating to Racine is a good thing — for them and for the southeast Wisconsin city.
Suave, debonair and perhaps a bit too good-looking for his own good, the take-charge man in town is seen by some residents as slicker than hair gel, while others — especially those new to the area — hope he and his “Ten Year Plan” can redeem and resurrect Racine, bringing about the city’s salvation.
In his quest to turn Racine into a “top 10” city, Dickert plans to overhaul the city’s housing codes, departments and programs. Parks are important to him, too, and he’s hoping to turn Racine’s parks system into one of the finest in the nation.
He wants to blend the city’s five divergent neighborhood plans into a single road map for rehabbing neighborhoods and industrial sites.
Attracting small- and medium-sized companies that focus on green jobs also appears to be among the new mayor’s priorities.
How and where do LGBTs fit within the mayor’s plan?
“My plan allows for all Racinians to play a role in our growth,” he offers, as if part of a speech. “No one person can do it alone … and it will take time and energy (to bring about). As I look to rebuild the city, I look to those around me who are willing to provide ideas and help to mold and bind this city together. I welcome new ideas and people who are willing to challenge — in a positive way — what I am doing,” Dickert declares.
With his business and real estate development background, Dickert believes that LGBTs can contribute to his city’s rise and top off its drooping bottom line.
Some locals see this as city hall’s rotten-to-the-core values, creating a Sodom and Gomorrah out of the rust belt city; others, however, celebrate Dickert’s Garden of Eden.
So, just where does Dickert, the man and the mayor, stand in terms of increased sexual diversity and inclusivity within his community?
As befits any whose purported calling is the common good, the man mines his answer in politically correct terms: “I believe it’s time to stop judging others and time to start working together for a better Racine,” he says. “As I stated during my campaign, the only thing I will discriminate against is gangs and drug dealers … and our recent arrests have proven that out.”
Racine has charm. It remains relatively cheap. Its commitment to the arts and culture, and a “family” company — SC Johnson — that’s been recognized by such groups as the Human Rights Campaign for its dedication to diversity and LGBT causes add to the balance sheet.
But is that enough? Is that ample reason for LGBTs to take a gamble, betting that this rough-and-tumble town will welcome them and be a good investment both financially and socially?
“With its vibrant community, wonderful housing stock and cultural diversity to be proud of, Racine is a location that rivals any in the world,” the mayor argues. “With our lake, river, and downtown, this is the place to be.”
If that’s still not enough motivation to move households and minions, Dickert underscores his hubris with a bit more humility: “I also believe, if people see the new direction we are taking the city — along with my commitment to building up our cultural opportunities — I hope (those inside and out of) the community sees as bright a future here as I do.”
