The $490 million plan to replace Milwaukee County’s Safety Building is inching closer to reality, thanks to a budget maneuver.
The existing Safety Building, constructed in 1929 at 821 W. State St., has long been considered inadequate. County and court officials say that the outdated facility poses safety risks and contributes to delays and errors in the justice system; however, the project has stalled in the past due to its substantial cost and political disagreements over funding.
While full construction funding remains uncertain, the project could advance into detailed planning and design after officials secured state funding to keep the project moving, according to a recent Milwaukee County report.
Milwaukee County is the only county in Wisconsin that patrols its own state highways. Elsewhere, that responsibility falls to the Wisconsin State Patrol. The enacted 2025–2027 state budget includes $40 million in funding for expressway patrol for Milwaukee County over the biennium.
County officials plan to use this funding boost to help balance the 2025 budget and redirect freed-up local funds toward courthouse design efforts.
This year, Milwaukee County expects to receive an additional $9 million for expressway patrol, according to the report. Of that, $7.5 million will be reallocated from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office budget to support the courthouse project.
Gov. Tony Evers had initially proposed $25 million in direct funding for the new courthouse, but the Republican-controlled Legislature removed it, citing concerns about setting a precedent since the state hasn’t historically funded courthouse construction for other counties, the report says.
Pending approval by the County Board, the current funding strategy will bring the courthouse project’s planning and design budget to $22.8 million. County leaders are also seeking an additional $11 million in cash financing in 2026 to keep the design work on schedule.
Requests for construction funding are expected to begin with the 2027 county budget.
The project is now in the fourth of five design phases, with conceptual plans underway. Earlier this year, officials voted to demolish the existing Safety Building and construct the new courthouse on the same site. The county was previously considering building the new Safety Building on the site of the current Milwaukee Public Museum, which is moving to a new location in 2027 and its existing site is being studied for redevelopment.
According to a county report, construction is expected to begin on the Safety Building project in 2029 and end in 2032, followed by a renovation of the historic Milwuakee County Courthouse, at 901 N. 9th St., from 2032 to 2033.
