Pabst Mansion seeking approval to deconstruct and preserve pavilion

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Pabst Mansion, Inc. announced Friday, March 24, plans to submit an application to carefully deconstruct and preserve salvageable elements of the pavilion structure adjacent to the Historic Pabst Mansion with plans to reconstruct the building which was originally added to the property as a free-standing airing porch.

“With new, advanced technology right here in Milwaukee, we will be able to restore the pavilion as it originally existed on the Pabst property as an airing porch,” said Mame McCully, Interim Executive Director of the Pabst Mansion, Inc. “Our first step to restoring the pavilion is to carefully and intentionally deconstruct the salvageable elements for scanning, documentation and preservation until it can be reconstructed.”

A news release says the pavilion was built as a temporary structure and not designed to be a permanent exterior structure in Wisconsin's extreme weather conditions. 

The pavilion and all elements of the Pabst Mansion grounds fall under the purview of the City of Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission. As a result, Pabst Mansion, Inc. must secure a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) in order to move forward with deconstruction.

A news release says the Pabst Mansion is working closely with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Institute to create a 3D scan of the pavilion, using advanced laser scanning tools and recording techniques to document the structure. By documenting the pavilion in this manner, missing and deteriorated pieces can be recast using 3D printing technology in Milwaukee. The reconstructed pavilion will be constructed with a proper back-up structure, movement joints, weather proofing and insulation and other technologies necessary for an outdoor location, ensuring its integrity for decades to come.

“As an organization, we are dedicated to celebrating the legacy of the Pabst family and its impact on the citizens, history and culture of the Greater Milwaukee community, most notably through the preservation and ongoing operation of the family’s 1892 historic Pabst Mansion,” said McCully. “The deconstruction of the pavilion enables us to preserve the pavilion before it is lost, while we work towards our plan to reconstruct the pavilion.”

Pabst Mansion, Inc. is working to develop estimates and a work plan for investments. Pabst Mansion, Inc. anticipates a capital campaign to support the work. 

“The Pabst Mansion is an incredible historic asset,” said Kathy Kean, Historic Preservation Advocate. “I appreciate and support the focus on the future of the mansion, and the careful consideration of what is best for the long-term preservation of both the mansion itself, and the pavilion structure.”

The city of Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission is expected to consider the COA application at its May 1 meeting.