Restoration begins on Milwaukee's 133-year-old Pabst Mansion

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In 1892, Milwaukee brewing pioneer Frederick Pabst had a mansion built on what is now Wisconsin Avenue near 20th Street. 

Since then, it's stood as a proud symbol of Milwaukee's history as a beermaking capital. 

On Thursday, a ceremony was held marking the start of a restoration of the 133-year-old home. Over the years, water has caused damage, especially to the exterior of the building. 

That will be the focus of this restoration. The facade will be repaired and restored, along with windows, a low-sloped roof and a mosaic floor on the porch. 

Officials at Thursday's ceremony talked about the value of keeping up buildings like the Pabst Mansion. 

"Most recently, we had a whole lot of people here for the Republican National Convention, and I can't tell you how many comments I received to the effect -- 'Boy, you've preserved a lot of your historic buildings,'" said Alderman Robert Bauman. 

"This is our fabric, right? Of our community, of our city, of our state, of our people. So these buildings tell a story. They talk about who we are and where we came from and where we're gonna go," said project executive John Padberg. 

The first phase of the renovation project is scheduled to be finished in October. 

Tours of the mansion will continue while the work is being done.