Plan to repair Milwaukee’s Mitchell Park Domes gets $30M commitment from county

A $134 million plan to renovate Milwaukee’s Mitchell Park Domes just got a boost from county officials. 

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a budget amendment Thursday to allocate $30 million to a plan that would renovate the domes and add amenities to the historic landmark. 

“It was very exciting,” Christa Beall Diefenbach, executive director of the Friends of the Domes, said about the vote. “This is obviously many years in the making.” 

The Domes, also known as the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, have been in disrepair for years. In 2022, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution to consider repairing, renovating, demolishing or creating a new project on the grounds of the conservatory. 

In September, the Friends of the Domes presented a plan to fix the domes, add a new cafe, add a nature learning center and an outdoor garden, expand the gift shop and renovate the nearby Mitchell Park. 

“There are no vanity projects included in this plan,” Beall Diefenbach wrote in a statement about the “Domes Reimagined” plan. “Every aspect achieves two goals: improved visitor experience and greater revenue.”

The Friends group plans to fund the project through a combination of federal and state tax credits, a capital campaign, private donations and federal and state grants. But securing support from the county was key to moving forward.

“We have heard from various entities that they would be unwilling to be part of that solution (plan) if there wasn’t a commitment from the county,” Beall Diefenbach said. 

Milwaukee County Board Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez said the amendment means the county will commit $30 million to the plan over six years.

“I am just super encouraged that everybody is willing to back it up and say…that is something that is needed,’” Martinez said.

Now, the budget amendment is in the hands of Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. He could veto it, but Martinez said he worked with the county executive’s office to ensure it would have Crowley’s support. 

In a statement, a spokesperson for Crowley said the plan “represents a good faith effort” for the future of the site. 

“The County Executive is reviewing the proposal to ensure it is financially feasible,” the statement said. “As we continue navigating Milwaukee County’s fiscal challenges and considering all other future capital needs, the County Executive remains focused on addressing the backlog of deferred maintenance needs across the community, while working towards a stable financial future for Milwaukee County.” 

The Friends of the Domes, a nonprofit, has managed the gift shop, retail sales, fundraising, marketing and public events for the site since 1989. The amendment says the county director of parks will work with the Friends group to implement an agreement for the “Domes Reimagined” plan. That agreement will need to be approved by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.

The Domes, which opened in 1965, have been closed to visitors on and off over the past decade to address repairs and maintenance issues. In 2016, the facility shut down temporarily after a chunk of concrete fell from the ceiling.

The plan would replace the glass on the Domes to repair water leaks. Construction would start in 2027 and be completed sometime in 2030 or 2031. 

There have been discussions on and off for years about the future of the site, but Beall Diefenbach said she believes the “Domes Reimagined” plan is the right move.

“What we did is we took all of those plans before us and we pulled out the parts that were really going to work and that were going to achieve that sustainable business model and would allow us to generate enough revenue in order to cover the capital requirements,” Beall Diefenbach said. 

Martinez said he’s also happy “Domes Reimagined” includes plans to update Mitchell Park, which is next to the Domes. 

“It’s just not about the Domes. It’s about the park and it’s about the community,” he said.

The Domes were included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2016 and designated as a National Treasure in 2017.