Milwaukee Art Museum, War Memorial groups reach deal

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Groups negotiating on behalf of the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) and the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center (WMC) reached a consensus on Wednesday, March 6th to pay for renovations of the building.

The idea was created over a year ago, when an audit of the memorial revealed the WMC was in a desperate state of disrepair.

The Milwaukee County Board requested that negotiations begin after the MAM agreed to pay 60 percent of a $25 million plan for renovation and improvements and committed to the full management of the structure. Milwaukee County has agreed to pay $10 million toward the project.

It took about one month’s time for the Milwaukee Art Museum and veterans’ communities to reach agreement under the guidance of Justice Janine Geske, with support from Marquette University Law School Professor Andrea Schneider.

The land both the Art Museum and the War Memorial occupy is owned by Milwaukee County. Both groups lease the land from the government.

The deal must be approved by the boards of the Museum and War Memorial as well as the County Board and County Executive Chris Abele.

Related stories: