Three years ago veterans housing opened in a pair of buildings at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center’s National Soldiers Home site, creating 101 permanent supportive and affordable apartments for veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and their families.
In addition to being an asset to those who served, the $44 million project, led by a partnership that included Madison’s The Alexander Company, also buffed up two beautiful historic buildings that had been growing ever-more endangered, one of them being the iconic Old Main, designed by architect Edward Townsend Mix.
It was recently announced that another Mix-designed building on the grounds – the 1868 Governor’s Mansion – and two buildings designed by Henry C. Koch (who drew Milwaukee’s City Hall, Turner Hall, Golda Meir School, The Pfister Hotel, Gesu Church and other landmarks) will be restored next as part of a partnership between The Alexander Company and the Center for Veterans Issues, who are leasing the buildings from the VA for 75 years.
One of those is the gorgeous 1881 Ward Memorial Theater and the other a Shingle Style chapel, from 1889, which is rather unique among Koch’s designs, which tended to be executed in masonry.
This next phase of the project is as exciting as the previous one because the buildings are among the most beautiful in the area and because they will again be put to the service of veterans.
Click here to continue reading »
This article was originally published by OnMilwaukee.
