A $133 million plan to restore the Mitchell Park Domes has taken a huge step forward.
The Milwaukee County Supervisor Board of Supervisors Committee on Finance on Thursday approved an amendment to the county executive’s recommended budget to commit $30 million over six years to help restore the conservatory.
The two-phase project is led by the Friends of the Domes (FOD), Milwaukee County and The Alexander Company. In September, the former submitted plans to fix the crumbling domes structure and add a new building.
If the $30 million, six-year item is approved in County Executive David Crowley’s final budget, it will cover 28% of the first phase of renovation. The county isn’t expected to contribute to the second phase of construction.
In 2016, the domes temporarily closed after a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling. Conversations over maintaining the conservatory kicked off and paused during the pandemic. The county looked at different avenues for what to do with the domes, including demolition.
Friends of the Domes operates part of the facility and wants to enact a long-term capital lease with Milwaukee County to manage the entire conservatory, said Christa Beall Diefenbach, executive director of the FOD. The county will still have the park underneath the building, she added.