With the restoration of some buildings at the Milwaukee's Soldiers Home campus nearly finished, a local group of preservationists are exploring ways to save even more.
The
Milwaukee Preservation Alliance announced it is looking to save the Ward Memorial Theater, Chapel and Governor's Mansion on the Soldiers Home campus, located on the grounds of the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center.
According to a news release, MPA is working with a team of historic-preservation consultants, led by Minneapolis-based architecture firm
Miller Dunwiddie to explore new uses for the vacant buildings and sources of funding for their preservation.
Six buildings on the campus have been restored as part of a
$40 million redevelopment project. They include the iconic Old Main building, which will house veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The building will open in the spring, according to the release.
Other buildings that have been restored are the Headquarters Building, the Catholic Chaplain's Quarters and three private homes, all of which will also be used for veterans housing.
The consulting team expects to issue a report this spring that will be used to show the viability of reusing the three additional buildings. It will also be used to encourage the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to issue a new request for proposals seeking developers to lease and redevelop the buildings to meet the needs of veterans.
“We are thrilled to embark on this effort to study ways to save these three remarkable buildings that are a vital part of our community's history and can be a vital part of our future,” Jeremy Ebersole, MPA executive director, said in a statement.
MPA is seeking public input on desired uses for the buildings. It is gathering feedback through a listening session with the Wisconsin Veteran Chamber of Commerce and a
public survey. The survey closes on Friday.
It is also seeking donations to fund the study. The initial study phase is estimated to cost $15,000.
"Public input and involvement was a crucial part of the successful effort to restore Old Main to the service of veterans and will be equally important as we work to find ways to save these three historic buildings," Dawn McCarthy, president emeritus of MPA, said in a statement.
The consulting team consists of historic preservation architects, a financial advisor and a cost estimator who specialize in the sustained use of historic properties.
It includes several people who have worked on the Soldiers Home campus, such as Melissa Christenson Ekman and Denita Lemmon of Miller Dunwiddie; Nick Migan of Elm Grove-based
Allume Architects; Jonathan Beck of Madison-based
Alexander Co.; and Jasun Berka of Janesville-based
J.P. Cullen & Sons Inc. Nissley Environmental Consultants is also part of the team.
