Racine

An expanding major employer and nearby parks and shopping are some of the best parts of living in Buhler Heights. “Microsoft is starting to build a big data center nearby,” Modesti says. “So there are going to be a lot of jobs available.” Microsoft indicates the new plant will add 460 jobs to their Foxconn Campus, roughly 7 miles southwest of Buhler Heights. Amenities closer to Buhler Heights include Lockwood Park, located just across Ohio Street, and a collection of stores and restaurants around the intersection of Washington Avenue and South Green Bay Road. Ohio Street is lined with sidewalks, but the inner roads of Buhler Heights do not provide walking space. Racine Transit route 86 bus stops line Ohio Street, connecting residents to Racine’s public transit system. Interstate 94 is 7 miles west of the neighborhood and puts downtown Milwaukee about 30 miles away. To head into Downtown Racine, drivers can take Washington Avenue, south of the neighborhood, or Spring Street to the north. Modesti says there are a handful of popular grocery stores surrounding the neighborhood. Just north of Buhler Heights, residents can pick up groceries at Pick ‘N Save on North Green Bay Road. To the south, there’s a Walmart Neighborhood Market and a Festival Foods on Washington Avenue. Across from Walmart, local burger joint Georgie Porgie’s serves custard, shakes and sundaes with a full menu of signature burgers and sides. East of Georgie Porgie’s on Washington Avenue, The Sanctum Tabletop Gaming Emporium offers a large selection of card and tabletop games and holds regular events for players. Modesti says Lockwood Park is a popular spot for all sorts of sports. “People go there to play football and soccer,” he says. They’ll fly kites or drones. There’s a big hill there, and in the winter, it’s really fun for sledding.” Northeast of Buhler Heights, Quarry Lake Park holds a brilliantly blue lake that was once a limestone quarry. In the warmer months, the lake attracts kayakers, fishing enthusiasts and swimmers. With the availability of townhomes and the smaller sizes of the neighborhood’s single-family homes, renting is common in Buhler Heights. But Modesti says most homes, whether rented or owned, are well-maintained. Ranch-style homes dominate the scenery, but colonial-style homes and townhomes add variety to the architectural landscape. Townhomes typically sell from $250,000 to $285,000, while single-family homes sell between $200,000 and $300,000. The median home price is $287,450, up 25% from the previous year. Pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students can attend Goodland Montessori School, which earns a B-minus on Niche. Starbuck Middle School earns a C-minus serving students in grades six through eight. As one of Wisconsin’s first public schools, Park High School first opened as Racine High School in 1852, then reopened as Park High School in 1928. Park earns a B-minus. Within Franksville Park, 5 miles northwest of Buhler Heights, the Franksville Beer Garden combines a local brewery with an event venue. The award-winning space holds weekly events in the summer, including live music, fish fries and food trucks. Downtown Racine is another nearby hotbed of events, less than 4 miles east of Buhler Heights. After Thanksgiving, the Bourbon and Beer on Black Friday event covers four blocks of Racine and features 10 bourbons and 10 bourbon-infused beers.

Country Club Acres is a suburban neighborhood tucked between two of Racine’s largest green spaces. Quarry Lake Park is a major landmark of the Racine area, says Lance Penniston, Realtor with First Weber Realtors in Racine. The other attraction around the neighborhood is Meadowbrook Country Club, which Penniston says draws people to the area with its beautiful greens. “It’s a sought-after place to go in that area.” Homebuyers looking to move to Country Club Acres have their choice of condos or single-family homes. Condos range in price from roughly $100,000 to $280,000. Split-level and ranch-style homes are popular single-family styles in the neighborhood. They sell between $200,000 and $350,000. The median home price in Country Club Acres is $272,450, up 7% from the previous year. Fratt Elementary School offers pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and earns a C-minus on Niche. For grades six through twelve, students attend Walden III Middle and High School, which requires all seniors to complete a career portfolio to demonstrate their personal skills and interests. Walden III earns a B-plus. Roughly half of the neighborhood streets are lined with sidewalks, so the neighborhood receives a walk score of 20/100 from walkscore.com. The neighborhood’s largest thoroughfare, Spring Street, is lined with RYDE Racine route 86 bus stops. Drivers of Country Club Acres can head 7.5 miles west to reach Interstate 94, putting downtown Milwaukee roughly 30 miles away. Quarry Lake Park spans 40 acres and features a dog park, picnic tables and grills and a blue-hued spring-fed lake that was once a limestone quarry. “There’s a lot of swimming and diving there,” Penniston says. “A lot of kayaking.” Meadowbrook golf course offers Meadowbrook Country Club members 18 holes that spread out over 6,417 yards of serene, wooded greenery. The course was designed by Todd Sloan and opened in 1927, with the back nine opening in the 30s. The course was redesigned by David Gill in 1962. For residents who love the water, Country Club Acres is just 3 miles west of Lake Michigan’s shores and North Beach. Pico’s Tacos Premier serves locally loved tacos from its restaurant on Spring Street and a food truck that travels the area and frequents popular live events. Also on Spring Street, Blueberry Hilltop Café serves a full menu of breakfast and lunch options. West of the neighborhood, on North Green Bay Road, residents can find all of their grocery needs at Pick ‘N Save. To the southwest, at the intersection of South Green Bay and Washington Avenue, Village Center mall holds national stores like Kohl’s and Five Below. Winner and nominee of dozens of “Best of Racine” and “Best of Milwaukee” awards, Franksville Beer Garden combines locally brewed beer and live events in Franksville Memorial Park. In the summer, the beer garden hosts weekly events like live music and fish fries, and frequently features local food trucks like Pico’s Taco Truck. On Black Friday, residents can head to Downtown Racine for the Bourbon and Beer on Black Friday annual event, featuring samples from 10 bourbon distillers and 10 bourbon-infused beers.