As the world around us bursts with color this month, we’re bursting with amazing news! We’re thrilled to introduce our fabulous new Executive Director, share our behind-the-scenes Preservation Month tour at one of MKE’s coolest adaptive reuse projects, launch a new Soldiers Home website and new season of free walking tours, and a whole lot more. Let’s get our hands dirty and dig in! | |
This month’s MPA 20th Anniversary history tidbit: Do you know which historic Milwaukee building played host to MPA’s first official meeting on August 6, 2003? The Central Library! We even made the paper. 20 years later, we’re proud to still be creating strong and vibrant communities around our cultural and architectural heritage! | |
Meet MPA's new Executive Director: Emma Rudd!
The MPA Board of Directors is pleased to announce that preservationist and architectural design professional Emelia Rudd has joined the organization as its next Executive Director. Rudd’s background in architecture, preservation, and non-profit work will advance MPA’s ongoing mission and build upon its 20-year foundation.
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This year’s big Preservation Month event takes us to one of Milwaukee’s great adaptive reuse success stories: Lakefront Brewery! This exclusive behind-the-scenes tour with Brewery President Russ Klisch explores how he turned the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company’s coal-fired power plant into the beloved brewery we see today.
Highlights of the tour will include the brewing process, Bernie Brewer's Original German Chalet, the Mug of Beer from County Stadium, and historic hanging lights from the Plankinton Hotel.
Each attendee will receive four sample tokens and a souvenir pint glass!
Tickets are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, and all proceeds support our work to advocate for the protection and stewardship of Milwaukee's built heritage.
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Free Soldiers Home
walking tours are back!
We’re pleased offer you the chance to explore first hand this incredible award-winning preservation success story. Join us for free 1.5 hour tours of the National Historic Landmark campus this summer. Each tour dives into the history and architecture of the buildings, the important role women played in the campus’ founding and restoration, the amazing story of how Old Main was saved, and the continued work to save the Chapel, Theater, and Governor’s Mansion. We even go inside Old Main to visit its little history museum. New this year: check out the view from the central tower!
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We are excited to introduce the redesigned Save the Soldiers Home website and logo! We’re really excited about the site’s updated look and feel, which makes researching the history of the campus, sharing your story, watching videos of the still-endangered buildings, and contributing to our ongoing preservation efforts even easier. As an added bonus, we now have 3 beautiful new logos featuring Old Main, the Chapel, and the Ward Theater, soon to grace a lovely sticker set you’ll be able to purchase! We’re grateful to Mueller Communications for their help on this gorgeous redesign. | |
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Have you seen Milwaukee PBS’ fantastic new digital docuseries “The Women Founders: Milwaukee Soldiers Home”? These fun short videos honor the important women who brought the Soldiers Home to Milwaukee in the 1860s and continue to support it today. Check out all 6 episodes online now, and keep a lookout for a longer documentary in time for Veteran’s Day!
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You know you need these sweet 3D printed Domes in your life! Whether it’s the large single Dome or the complete building with all 3 Domes, these realistic models are sure to brighten your day and show your support for your favorite endangered Milwaukee icon.
Made in Milwaukee with love by local craftsman Adam Spoerri, each and every pane of glass on the Domes is accounted for. Over 2000 per dome! Even better, Adam is generously donating 25% of all proceeds from sales to MPA.
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There is a lot of good news this month in the local preservation world and opportunities for you to help advocate for places that matter to your community. | |
Pabst Pavilion deconstruction
MPA wrote a letter of support for the proposed deconstruction of the Pabst Mansion Pavilion encouraging the retention of as much original material as possible, the reproduction of new materials in kind, and a timeline on reconstruction. The proposal is scheduled to be before the Historic Preservation Commission this Monday morning. While reconstruction is the least common treatment for the preservation of historic buildings, in rare instances such as this, it can be the best possibility to save an endangered building. For more on the proposed deconstruction and reconstruction, see here. To read MPA’s statement of support, see here.
City supports HTC-GO
MPA also supported a successful resolution by Alderman Bauman enlisting the City’s support for the federal Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act, which would enhance this incredibly valuable tool for making restoration projects in Milwaukee and beyond financially feasible.
Bay View Neighborhood Plan needs your input
The final public meeting on the Bay View Neighborhood Plan, which will guide planning and development in the community through 2040, will be held at South Shore Pavilion on May 1 at 6:00pm. Bay View residents especially are encouraged to stop by to review the plan and encourage the retention of elements focused on the value of historic tax credits and the importance of renovating existing buildings as part of the larger sustainability plan.
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Milwaukee’s oldest building restored
We’re excited for the success of the restoration of the St. Joan of Arc Chapel on Marquette University's campus. The beautiful 15th Century French chapel was moved to New York State in 1920 before being gifted to Marquette in the 1960s. It was restored in late 2021 and recently received an award from Partners for Sacred Places. Congrats to R.A. Smith and The Kubala Washatko Architects on a job well done!
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Preservation, Architecture, and Sustainability meet
Check out this really fabulous video highlighting Galbraith Carnahan Architects’ efforts to move and preserve the log cabin used for their office as well as an inspiring take from the architecture world on the value of a preservation first mentality.
Main Street housing report
The Main Street approach has helped revitalize commercial corridors nationwide for over 40 years. A new study, At Home on Main Street, provides action-oriented recommendations on how Main Streets can be further enhanced through the development of vacant space and infill for housing. Check out the report on the state of housing and guidebook for local leaders here.
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As a community partner of Milwaukee Film's upcoming Milwaukee Film Festival we are excited to see "Casa Susanna" directed by Sébastien Lifshitz.
Showings:
April 28th at 1:30pm at the Avalon Theater
April 29th at 7:15pm at the Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema
In the 1950s and '60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a shelter for them to live for a few days as they had always dreamed. Told through the moving photographs and memories of its visitors, CASA SUSANNA provides a look back at a secret world where the persecuted and frightened found freedom.
MPA chose this particular film to highlight the many reasons places can have significance to the people who use them. It's not just architectural prestige or association with a particular influential individual that makes a building important and worth preserving. This film shows that "modest houses" can hold deep meaning to communities as well. We hope the film helps you consider what places in our own neighborhoods might be important to your communities!
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Sustainability Corner
Preservationists have been saying the greenest building is the one that’s already built for decades. Today, we are far from alone. Check out this great story from the American Institute of Architects on the renovation of their 50 year old HQ building and why an organization of architects decided to restore instead of build new. Hint: it’s more sustainable!
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Your membership and support are appreciated!
With your incredible support, MPA has been able to advocate for effective Historic Tax Credit policy, continue our work finding preservation solutions at the Milwaukee Soldiers Home and Mitchell Park Domes, and spread the word about the environmental and economic benefits of historic preservation. Please join MPA, renew your membership, or donate today to increase the power of your voice in support of the restoration and adaptive reuse of Milwaukee's architectural heritage. Thank you!
Milwaukee Preservation Alliance is a proud member of the National Preservation Partners Network.
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You received this email because of your interest in the revitalization of the City of Milwaukee through restoration and adaptive reuse of Milwaukee's historic assets.
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