UWM at Waukesha campus closing, band holds final rehearsal

WAUKESHA, Wis. - On the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Waukesha campus, a band got together one last time on Friday morning.

What they're saying:

The Windy Hill Symphonic, a band that's been together for decades, will lose its home when the campus shuts down for good at the end of the semester. The 40-member ensemble is made up of alumni, community members and current students.

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"I have to be honest with you. I have mixed feelings. It’s sort of bittersweet," said Craig Hurst, the band's director. "Life has beginnings and it has endings."

Friday was the group's final rehearsal. Windy Hill's last concert is Friday night, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. It will be held at UWM at Waukesha's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. 

Windy Hill Symphonic Band rehearses at UWM at Waukesha

What's next for UWM at Waukesha?

What's next:

The UWM at Waukesha campus closure will leave more than 70 acres of land, which is currently leased to the university, up for grabs.

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UWM at Waukesha campus closing; what's next for 70-acre site?

The UWM at Waukesha campus will close at the end of this semester. What takes the campus' place could include $1 million homes.

In January, Waukesha Ald. Rick Lemke said new homes at the site could come with big price tags. Dale Shaver, Waukesha County’s director of land use and parks, said a project of single-family or multifamily homes could generate more than $1 million per year for the tax base.

Shaver said the county has already heard from a dozen developers, as of January, but he doesn’t anticipate construction happening until next year. County leaders said they are listening to neighbor feedback – such as the desire for parks and trails.