Milwaukee VA Soldiers Home renovation, 3 buildings to be restored

MILWAUKEE - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday, Feb. 13 announced plans to rehabilitate three additional historic buildings at the Soldiers Home – a national historic landmark district located on the grounds of Milwaukee's Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center.

In 2021, "Old Main" and five other historic buildings on the Soldiers Home campus were renovated into housing for homeless veterans. The new project will focus on rehabilitating the campus' Ward Memorial Theater, Soldiers Home Chapel and the Governor’s Residence.

Under the current proposal, the VA said the three buildings will be restored to provide over 35,000 square feet of community space and supportive services for veterans. Work is anticipated to begin in 2025, with all buildings completed in 2026.

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The Ward Memorial Theater will host community theater and musical groups and offer a venue for conferences and lectures for VA Medical Center staff. The Soldiers Home Chapel will become a nondenominational worship space and conference space for training and mental health sessions. The Governor’s Residence will hold offices for supportive services providers as well as a technological training center to provide computer literacy training.

The Alexander Company, a Wisconsin-based real estate services firm, is overseeing the financing, design, construction, and property management of developments. The firm also led the team behind the "Old Main" project, and continues to operate and manage those buildings today.

Planned financing for the anticipated $25 million project includes a variety of state and federal tax credits, funding and grants – as well as philanthropic funding.