Kenosha Turns Old Grocery Store Into $10M Tech School

A grocery store that closed its doors in 2017 is about to become the most exciting classroom in Wisconsin.

KTEC Schools of Innovation just spent $10 million renovating a 55,000-square-foot former Pick 'n Save in Kenosha into a permanent home for its K-12 charter school. The new campus opens this fall with specialized labs for construction, robotics, transportation, and welding that didn't fit in their current leased space.

The school purchased the building at 1901 63rd Street for $5 million last October. Madison-based Findorff is handling the construction, with local firm Partners in Design serving as architect.

What makes this campus special is its design. Massive windows surrounding the common area let younger students watch their older peers working in the labs during lunch. CEO Angela Andersson says that's intentional.

"This building was really meant to be aspirational for all of our students," Andersson explains. "Aspirational about career pathways for our high school students as they're getting ready to leave us. But also aspirational for our youngest of learners, who are getting to see our older students in there."

The 2,000-square-foot labs partner with real companies like Snap-on, Festo, and Lincoln Electric to give students hands-on experience they can't get elsewhere. KTEC currently enrolls about 300 students but expects 415 this fall, with the new building able to support up to 600 at full capacity.

The school split from Kenosha Unified School District in January 2024 after operating under their charter since 2006. The renovated campus includes classrooms, a full-size gymnasium, kitchen, and plenty of room to grow.

The Ripple Effect

Beyond preparing students for technical careers, the project breathes new life into a building that sat empty for seven years. The investment shows how abandoned retail spaces can transform into community assets that serve families for generations.

Renovations wrap up July 15, with students moving from their current 40,000-square-foot leased facility on 67th Avenue. KTEC will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. on August 13.

A grocery store once fed Kenosha families, and soon it will feed their dreams instead.