Plan to restore Mitchell Park Domes presented to Milwaukee Co. committee after years of uncertainty about their future
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – After years of questions from residents on Milwaukee’s south side, wondering what would happen to the Mitchell Park Domes, a grassroots group aiming to save them presented a plan to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
Christa Beall Diefenbach, the executive director of Friends of the Domes, presented her group’s plan on Tuesday. She said decades of deferred maintenance on the Mitchell Park Domes have led to declining admissions and a diminishing quality of the unique gardens.
The Domes Reimagined is a partnership between the Milwaukee County Parks and Friends of the Domes, aiming to save the Mitchell Park Domes. The plan addresses the physical limitations of the current facility and addresses a previous unsustainable revenue model.
“The result is a sustainable business model, with limited ongoing support necessary from the county,” said Beall Diefenbach. “It is truly a win-win-win for our community.”
“We’re trying to cap the county’s commitment as low as possible, but also in a way that’s significant enough that matches our obligations to the structure,” said Jim Tarantino, the deputy parks director of Milwaukee County Parks.
Most notably, the plan aims to remove the Mitchell Park Domes from Milwaukee County’s ledger and asks the city for $30 million over the course of six years.
The total capital expenditures for the project are at $134 million. This includes adding a children’s garden and cafe, expanding the gift shop, and adding a new nature learning center with an outdoor garden.
Beall Diefenbach said they brought in the Alexander Company, a Madison-based real estate development, to help with the development.
“We did our homework, we came prepared, and we presented them with a plan that’s doable,” Beall Diefenbach said.
On Tuesday morning, a small room at the Milwaukee County Courthouse had a strong showing of people wearing badges that said they love the domes.
Many people who live near the area gave short statements sharing excitement that a project is in the works, as many people once thought the domes would be torn down if there weren’t plans in place for repairs.
The Committee on Parks and Culture seemed to be excited about the proposal but shared concerns with the ability to be able to fund it.
“I’m sure many of us are willing, we just don’t have the ability,” said Felesia Martin, a Milwaukee County supervisor. She added that perhaps further developments could make it a feasible plan.
“It’s not only important to the city, the county, but to the rest of our state, so I think they are incredibly worth preserving,” said Anne O’Connor, a Milwaukee County supervisor.
After Tuesday’s meeting, the future of the Mitchell Park Domes is still uncertain. Diefenbach said the plan now falls on one of the supervisors to eventually get it over to the finance committee for approval.
Beall Diefenbach said if the proposal were to make it into this year’s budget, the county would have to work fast, as the budget is finalized in October.
The Mitchell Park Domes were originally constructed in the 1960s and are the only beehive-shaped horticultural conservatory in the world, according to Friends of the Domes.
Friends of the Domes has more than 25 staff, 250 volunteers, and 5,000 members. You can read more about their mission on their website.