Chateau I and II Apartments (Racine, Wisconsin)

Chateau I and II Apartments is an apartment complex in Racine, Wisconsin, on the south side of Byrd Avenue facing the foot of Perry Avenue. Chateau I, at 5001 Byrd Avenue, is the western building, while Chateau II, at 4901 Byrd Avenue, is immediately to its east. The buildings, built in 1976 and 1978, respectively, neighbor Westbrook Apartments to the west and 1750 Ohio Street to the southeast.

History
The area was annexed by the city of Racine in 1959. In March 1974, Schostak Brothers and Co. of Southfield, Michigan proposed building 140,000 square feet of retail space on a 15-acre site, which included 1.7 acres already zoned for multiple-family residential housing. The City Plan Commission rejected Schostak's proposal to rezone those 1.7 acres so that it could be part of their shopping center, saying that the area was zoned residential by the county before it was annexed by the city, and "had been set up as a buffer between residents to the north and the light manufacturing area to the south." It was also concerned that the center's proposed entrance at the south end of Perry Avenue would lead shoppers to use that residential street to get to the Westgate Mall Shopping Center, creating traffic problems there. Schostak revised its plans to avoid using the 1.7 acres, and the other 13 acres were used to create Kmart store #4477 at 1750 Ohio Street.

In December 1975, the city of Racine issued a building permit for a 20-family apartment building at 5001 Byrd Avenue costing $220,000. The building was opened by Robert H. LaPour Real Estate, which also owned Sunset Terrace a few blocks west on Byrd Avenue.

Chateau II is owned by the Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corporation of Madison, Wisconsin, which purchased the building in 2001. Chateau I is owned by Future Wisconsin Oakwood LLC of Middleton, Wisconsin, which purchased the building in 2004. As of 2020, both buildings in the complex are managed by Meridian Group of Middleton, Wisconsin. It offers affordable housing under Section 8, with Chateau I designated for "individuals and family households", and Chateau II designated for "seniors and persons with disabilites".