The Olesen family of O&H Bakery has purchased the vacant parcel next to their Washington Avenue location, but they don’t have any concrete plans yet for the land.
A Racine County property transfer list from the Register of Deeds office confirms that the 2-acre parcel at 5930 Washington Avenue sold for $1.5 million on Nov. 30.
Peter Olesen from O&H told Racine County Eye in an email Thursday that PALE Properties, a company controlled by his family, purchased the property but that there aren’t any plans to expand O&H there.
“I can tell you that O&H Danish Bakery does not have any plans to expand onto the neighboring parcel, as we have plenty of room in our new facility and expansion opportunities available within the existing 5-acre site we currently operate on,” he wrote.
Staffers at PALE are working on ideas for what to do with the Golden Keys property, Olesen added.
“PALE Properties is in the process of determining the highest and best use for the Golden Key property, and I can confirm that our intention is not to leave it as a blighted property for much longer, but we don’t have a timeline or end use determined yet,” he continued.
Olesen did point out that prior to buying the old Towne Ford site and turning it into O&H’s flagship store and primary production facility, that property was also in bad shape. He is looking forward to turning the Golden Keys around as well.
“As a family we are excited to take another blighted property in the area and turn it into something the community will hopefully appreciate and enjoy,” he said.
