Pabst Mansion begins first phase of $5.6 million restoration project

The restoration of the historic Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee is officially under way.

Located at 2000 W. Wisconsin Ave. in the city’s Avenues West neighborhood, the Pabst Mansion was built in 1892 for Captain Frederick Pabst of the Pabst Brewing Company.

The building’s $5.6 million restoration project will repair the mansion’s exterior so that it can be preserved for generations. The nonprofit held a ceremony on Thursday to mark the project milestone, which will focus on brick, mortar and terra cotta repairs “in the most critically affected areas,” according to a news release.

“This is more than a construction project; it’s a promise to the future,” museum director Jocelyn Slocum said. “It’s about ensuring that this irreplaceable cultural resource endures, inspires, and educates for generations to come.”

The building has endured over a century of Wisconsin’s freeze-thaw cycle, which has deteriorated the exterior. According to the organization, the planned repairs would not be needed again for another 50-70 years.

Through the “Pabst, Present, & Future” capital campaign, the nonprofit is looking to raise:

• $3.2 million for masonry restoration.
• $1.3 million for window restoration.
• $900,000 for roof replacement and repair.
• $200,000 for architecture and engineering management.

Tax credits and government grants will help cover some of these costs, according to the Pabst Mansion’s website.

Significant donations have been pledged to the project so far from the Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation, members of the Pabst family and many more.

Chicago-based Berglund Construction is a partner for the project.

More articles about the Pabst Mansion:

• Pabst Mansion to seek permission to reconstruct pavilion
• Behind the Scenes: The Pabst Mansion
• Pabst Mansion names its first president