“The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is honored to have been asked to contribute to the rehabilitation of the Old Main building. Much like the Soldiers Home, the museum was created to serve Wisconsin’s Civil War veterans and those veterans that succeed them. We believe the imagery from the museum’s collection created by Wisconsin veterans can inspire, comfort, and uplift this generation of Soldiers Home residents. We hope the art will help residents recall positive memories of fellowship, perseverance, and pride linked to their service. We realize not everyone is able to visit the museum in person, and so this collaboration is another avenue to share the stories of our men and women in uniform. We are grateful for the opportunity.”

“Wisconsin’s heroes deserve the best. The historic rehabilitation of the Soldiers Home will show the commitment our community has to making sure veterans get the support they need at home.”

“We’re honored to collaborate with a strong team of community partners to return a piece of national history to the service of veterans. Our nation’s veterans are in critical need of resources and support, and we’re eager to connect with and welcome the next 50 veterans to this community as the leasing process continues.”

“I am so proud of the work my office has done to ensure the Milwaukee Soldiers Home has a future, and that its future is rooted in serving veterans. It is so important that we were able to both maintain and restore one of the original historic Soldiers Homes sites. I am sincerely gratified to see its successful completion and to know that the Milwaukee Soldiers Home is now able to provide housing for veterans and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. I am passionate about what this building represents for our community and our nation and believe we have a continual duty to ensure every veteran can access the care and services they need. This has been a major collaborative effort that serves as a guide map for future housing and expanded services for our Veterans.”

“We celebrate this important step in the long-term vision to return these iconic and significant buildings to use. As one of three original branches of the National Asylum approved by President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, Milwaukee’s Soldiers Home (now the Zablocki Medical Center) continues to provide care for veterans. The rehabilitation of Old Main and other buildings of the National Historic Landmark campus demonstrates how many partners can work together to expand this service to our veterans by giving new life to a property of national importance. Congratulations to the Alexander Company on the exceptional project to bring residents back to Old Main!”

“The successful rehabilitation of these incredibly significant buildings on the Soldiers Home campus is a testament to the power of historic preservation to not only save bricks and mortar, but to preserve the valuable stories that are imbued within them, and make a true difference in people’s lives as well. MPA is proud to have helped make this creative, visionary project a reality and return these special buildings to service to veterans.”

“Once again, we see how it takes a village to raise a village. The intentionality of the VA, the commitment of HUD and WHEDA, and Mayor Barrett’s drive in supporting HACM’s participation, and the involvement of investors, philanthropic-minded corporations, and individuals are what made the preservation of Soldiers Home possible. We thank all of them and The Alexander Company for envisioning this endeavor.” 

“The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation wishes to extend its congratulations on the highly successful Milwaukee Soldiers Home project. This monumental achievement resulted from the collaboration of committed partners that jointly brought the return of this National Historic Landmark to productive use in service of our nation’s veterans. The Milwaukee Soldiers Home success story serves as an excellent example of how Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act has been used effectively by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take vacant and underutilized historic buildings in its stewardship and give them new life through its Enhanced Use Lease Program. Consultation with devoted community members, a hallmark of the Section 106 process, led to identifying opportunities for revitalizing these buildings. This incredible success – by the VA, Alexander Company, Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, Wisconsin Historical Society, National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Park Service, and so many other partners – exemplifies the power of meaningful consultation and we celebrate this outstanding accomplishment.”

“We are thrilled that the extraordinary historic preservation of one of our National Treasures has culminated to provide homes for veterans who need them. Restoring this iconic landmark in Milwaukee not only serves as a national inspiration, but it demonstrates the powerful ways that historic tax credits and historic preservation can support the dire need for affordable housing in this country and help resolve the issues of homelessness. The legacy of the building itself is a source of pride to those who live there. It adds meaning and value to the homes of those who have sacrificed for their country, while it also conserves the environment and all the many natural resources that new development would require. The Alexander Company deserves special congratulations for their dedication in successfully navigating the complexities of this project. The National Trust looks forward to building this momentum to help the VA achieve preservation solutions for the historic Ward Memorial Theater, the Governor’s Mansion, and the Chapel, on the Milwaukee VA campus.”

“It is our never-ending obligation, as a state and a nation, to support our outstanding veterans, who have served with honor and courage. It has been gratifying and wonderful to work with The Alexander Group and its partners on the Soldier’s Home project with our housing tax credits and financing. Our collaborative efforts will help house and support our hometown heroes with stable, affordable housing.”

“I am so inspired, though not at all surprised, by the outpouring of generosity from our community that has breathed new life into the Milwaukee Soldiers Home. Beyond its symbolic meaning, this preservation effort is providing a direct lifeline to many who have served our nation with honor. This project is strongly aligned with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s strategic priority of supporting quality housing options that residents can afford. Investments the Foundation and many of our donors have made in this work are helping provide housing stability to at-risk veterans and their families. In addition, this collaboration has resurrected and reclaimed a space of deep historical significance, providing Milwaukee area veterans a connection dating back to the Civil War era. This is a winning proposition from every perspective.”

“At NEF, projects like the Milwaukee Soldier’s Home are the whole reason we exist: to support life-changing efforts that impact residents and communities alike,” said Debbie Burkart, NEF’s vice president for supportive housing. “We may not be able to change the circumstances that have left some of our veterans with physical, emotional and economic challenges. But, we can change what happens next. We can help make sure that incredible local assets like the Soldier’s Home are preserved and that they can provide the housing and services veterans need to reclaim their health and independence. The city, the state, the VA and the Alexander Companies have achieved something truly remarkable here, and we’re so proud to be a part of it.”