The City of South Milwaukee, as part of a broader effort to reimagine and redevelop its central business district, envisioned a new community center capable of hosting a variety of events and meetings as a catalyst for future development. Among the most important considerations for the project was to celebrate, preserve and communicate the city’s longstanding industrial heritage as home of the former Bucyrus company. 

The selected site was a former Bucyrus campus building, originally built in 1892, which had become neglected over the years and had fallen back into the control of the City.

Renovating the building posed many challenges due to age and lack of maintenance. The design team developed plans to preserve the historical charm and embrace the old-world character throughout the renovation, while modernizing the amenities. Many of the design elements of the original building were preserved. Original ceiling joists were cleared and Terrazzo flooring was revitalized to make the 1893 Room a truly unique space. The breathtaking wood roof structure was engineered back to a safe and functional condition, and the building’s original cream city brick is likewise exposed throughout renovated spaces.