A walk through a Sheboygan ghetto

Mayor Ryan Sorenson disbanded the Neighborhood Leadership Cabinet

Jul 08, 2024

The 800 block of Georgia Avenue in Sheboygan has seen better days

SHEBOYGAN — Across the street from Longfellow Elementary School is a neighborhood in decline, just one of several across the City of Sheboygan.

Just around the corner from the popular Sunday Dough Donut Shop, the 800 block of Georgia Avenue in the King Park Neighborhood will reveal a number of failures by property owners, renters, community stakeholders and Mayor Ryan Sorenson. There are six homes between South 8th Street and South 9th Street and none are owner-occupied. This means those living in those homes are renters who are likely responsible for cutting the grass and snow removal.

If you were to take a walk or drive-by, you’ll notice some homes with uncut grass, tall weeds and trees that haven’t received a trim. One home has piles of what appears to be junk in the back yard while another has a snowmobile with weeds growing around it. When the grass is cut on this block, weeds are still left behind to grow out-of-control and grass clipping litter the sidewalk and street. There is no evidence of pride and you’ll likely leave feeling depressed that this is what Sheboygan has become.

817 Georgia Avenue in Sheboygan is owned by **Patrick Ortlieb**

This neighborhood began slipping away in the early 2000s. Former Sheboygan Police Officer Todd Priebe held meetings with neighbors to combat drug dealing and bad renters. Priebe, who later became Sheboygan County Sheriff, even brought his Neighbors Against Drugs program with much success. A block party was at Longfellow Elementary School to announce the results of their efforts.

Before losing to Sorenson in 2021, former Mayor Mike Vandersteen was vested in improving safety and life in the intercity neighborhoods.1 He spent his first term working and building relationships with neighborhood associations. He cared about Sheboygan and you clearly saw his passion through his work as Mayor of Sheboygan and on the Sheboygan County Board of Supervisors. He understood there was work to do to improve neighborhoods facing a number of challenges.

When Sorenson was handed the keys to the Mayor’s Office, he disbanded the Mayor's Neighborhood Leadership Cabinet. This was a commission formed by Vandersteen to bring together city officials and residents to address issues and chart a plan to improve neighborhoods across the City of Sheboygan. Vandersteen led 23 meetings of Neighborhood Leadership Cabinet while there were just four meetings before Sorenson disbanded it.

819 Georgia Avenue in Sheboygan is owned by **Jose Vicente Rincon-Tavera**

A developer is proposing to build a five-story apartment building just one block away at South 7th Street and Clara Avenue. It’s a $40 million development that will bring a five-story with views of Lake Michigan but will the new residents appreciate the views other than the ones they see to the east? The nearest convenience store is across the street from a ramshackle of a warehouse and a corner building, formerly Rehab Bar & Grill and Shenanigans, owned by the Sheboygan Paper Box Company that is being used to sell mattresses by appointment.

815 Georgia Avenue

Directly west of Sunday Dough, this single-family home is owned by Stacy Joaquin through her Reineking Properties LLC. She purchased this home in 2016 and has rented it out ever since. This particular home seems fairly in shape compared to the rest of the block. While the front lawn is usually cut, a large portion of the backyard is not. The backdoor swinging back and forth in the wind does cause quite the commotion. This is one of three rentals Joaquin owns in the King Park Neighborhood.

817 Georgia Avenue

This single-family home is owned by Patrick Ortlieb through his Ortlieb Homes LLC. Ortlieb purchased this home in June 2015 from Wells Fargo for $37,400.2 In total, he owns at least 27 properties in the City of Sheboygan. Ortlieb lives at 4527 Culla Hill Circle in the Town of Sheboygan, which looks nothing like the condition of the home on Georgia Avenue or the many others he owns.

Uncut grass, tall weeds and overgrown shrubs can be found in the front and back yard of this rental. The detached garage is clearly not being used as it is being overrun with weeds and a pile of brush. Ortlieb also owns a dilapidated warehouse at 818 Clara Avenue which is directly south of this single-family home rental on Georgia Avenue.

819 Georgia Avenue

This fixer-upper is owned by Jose Vicente Rincon-Tavera of Sheboygan. He owns two others in the City of Sheboygan and one in the Village of Glenbulah in western Sheboygan County. Even before he purchased this scruffy property for just $10,6003 in 2021, there had been a number of code violations and complaints. Faded blue paint over the asphalt siding is ever-so-slowly being replaced. A pile, of what appears to be junk, is in the back yard along with uncut grass. Work on the foundation seems to have stalled and the lawn has also gone uncut.

The City of Sheboygan lists eight violations in 2023 alone.

823 Georgia Avenue

This is one of 12 rentals owned by Marc Brami and Rhonda Brami. They purchased this upper and lower duplex from David Giuliani in September 2013 for $22,000. Gone are the front lawn flowers Giuliani had planted for decades. The backyard has a snowmobile parked behind the garage with weeds attempting to provide cover.

Before Giuliani sold his only home in Sheboygan, he had taken great care of his lawn and always ensured his lawn was cut. He had a love for gardening4 and was sure to share his bountiful harvest from his two large gardens with any who may have been in need. When aging neighbors were unable to mow their lawns or shovel during the winter months, he did not hesitate to help them out.

Marc Brami was the owner of Creative Screen Printing.

827 Georgia Avenue

Owned by Kerry Bardon of Plymouth, this duplex appears to be in decent shape from the outside. However, storm doors leading to the basement appears to constantly be left open and the grass is occasionally cut. Several years ago, a former tenant had beautiful flowerbeds in the backyard and flower pots in the front lawn. This can be seen on Google’s Street View along with Giuliani’s landscaping.

818 Clara Avenue in Sheboygan is owned by **Patrick Ortlieb**

829 Georgia Avenue

This corner duplex is owned by Gregory D. McGuire of Madison, Wisconsin. He purchased this property for $88,500 in November 2017 from Fred Onnink of Oostburg. In recent years, this once well-cared for lawn has become neglected with overgrown grass, out-of-control weeds along with toys and other items thrown about the yard. When the grass is cut, as was the case this past weekend, grass clippings are all over the place along with remnants of a beer can and other items being mowed over.

Long-time tenant Mary Jacobchick formerly lived in the upper apartment and took great pride in maintaining the lawn and planting flowers every year.5 Snow removal was promptly taken care. Jacobchick lived there until her death in December 2012.

831 Georgia Avenue and 1401 South 9th Street is owned by **Gregory McGuire**

Public school playground closed

The playground at Longfellow Elementary School is surrounded by a chain link fence and the gates are locked. In a neighborhood with 200 or so children, school officials decided to close the playground to the kids. The nearest playground equipment is located at General King Park on South 7th Street. The second closest playground is Franklin Park on Broadway Avenue. This wasn’t always the case. The playground had been open for children to enjoy at anytime before 2020.

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