Photo courtesy Friends of the Domes
Mitchell Park Domes at night
Mitchell Park Domes at night
Several recent developments could affect the prospects of the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, known widely as The Domes, unless those efforts are thwarted. The trio of beehive-shaped horticultural structures are considered “unique in the world”—and have long been one of Milwaukee’s most beloved places and oases. The Domes were named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2016 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places® and in March 2017 they were designated as a National Treasure by the nonprofit organization. Milwaukee County has long deferred maintenance of the Domes, especially the glazing system that covers the structures. Repairing the Domes has been determined to be essential to averting “demolition by neglect.” The Domes were closed twice in the past 15 years because of cracked glass panels and chipping concrete.
County Supervisors Taking the Lead
Milwaukee County Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez, elected to the board last April, has pushed for stewardship of the Domes. “This is a passion of mine,” he said at a county board meeting in September. Martinez told fellow parks and culture committee members that this was not his first, nor would it be his last, resolution to help preserve it. Other supervisors have also pushed to allocate funds for the Domes maintenance to make long-term preservation of the Domes a priority.
The Domes Task Force, which included county officials and appointed community representatives, wrapped up its work in late 2019. Milwaukee County staff were directed to review recommendations made by that task force, which had enlisted input from several consultants. An overall vision was approved by the task force and the county board. County officials were charged then with developing an actionable plan for the Domes but have not yet done so.
National Register Listing
Photo courtesy Milwaukee Preservation Alliance
Mitchell Park Domes
Mitchell Park Domes
Although National Register listings are integral to the preservation of all types of buildings, landscapes and heritage sites, one county employee recently questioned the value of such a designation for the Domes. James Tarantino, deputy director for business services of Milwaukee County Parks, said “Being designated on the national or state registry is not just a matter of being on a list. It’s a commitment to an approval process with a separate governing body that I think we should understand a little bit more before pursuing this action.”
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However, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted 15-3 in September to pursue designation of the Domes in the National Register of Historic Places. Introduced by Supervisors Martinez and Dyango Zerpa, this was viewed as a positive step forward by advocates hoping to restore the conservatory. “National Register designation can provide recognition and open doors to funding that will help move restoration forward,” said Jeremy Ebersole, executive director of the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance. He said that it establishes the national significance of a property and paves the way for potential use of historic preservation tax credits for restoration.
Inexplicably, given widespread public support for preserving the Domes, County Executive David Crowley vetoed the board’s National Register resolution. He said he does not want the county to pursue historic designation until a “long-term, sustainable plan” has been developed for the Domes and that demolition should be considered. The entire county board abstained from voting on a veto override. That leaves National Register designation of the Domes in limbo.
No ARPA Funding to Repair the Domes?
Photo courtesy Milwaukee Preservation Alliance
Mitchell Park tropical dome
The tropical dome
Supervisors Martinez, Zerpa, Ryan Clancy and Felesia Martin sponsored legislation proposing that funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) be allocated to the Domes project. The resolution stated that “preservation and continuity of the Domes has already involved extensive public engagement with broad input and support … and there is no better utility for one-time use of ARPA dollars than to make a transformational investment toward ensuring the survival of an iconic and historic community asset such as the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory Domes.”
However, in September, Milwaukee County’s ARPA Task Force rejected that proposal, which had requested $19 million to repair the long-neglected glazing system—the glass and aluminum shell that covers the three conical domes’ underlying concrete structure. The figure is based on a preliminary estimate provided in 2019 by architecture and engineering consultant ZS LLC, which is working on a final glazing repair study for the county.
A Conservancy Could Help
Photo courtesy Milwaukee Preservation Alliance
Mitchell Park arid dome
The arid dome
Since the creation of New York City’s Central Park Conservancy about 40 years ago, this model has been implemented on behalf of many parks and other public resources. The purpose of a conservancy is to assist in conserving a public resource. Conservancies can take multiple forms and often go beyond the scope of a “friends” group. CPC is credited with “saving Central Park,” which remains a fully public park and is owned by the city.
William Lynch, who chaired the Domes Task Force, said recently that numerous individuals have already informally pledged a commitment to forming such a nonprofit conservancy. “As soon as we are confident that Milwaukee County intends to move forward on conserving the Domes, we will move ahead. It is almost impossible to launch a major community fund-raising effort without the cooperation of the county, which serves as the landlord of the Domes,” Lynch said. He added that he was pleased to see the growing interest of the county board in moving forward with the Domes. “However, I am discouraged by the county executive’s veto of the board’s resolution.”
