Milwaukee County Parks will address the future of the Domes Sept. 12. Here's what to know

As it has been many times over the past decade, the future of the aging Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory Domes ― a near southside landmark that's a crumbling nuisance to some and a beloved Milwaukee treasure to others ― is again in question.

Tuesday, Sept. 12, the Milwaukee County Parks Department, which manages the Domes, will present a final report about next steps for the Domes. The presentation is expected to consider multiple proposals, including demolishing all or some of the three Domes.

Here's where the issue stands.

Why is the county looking at demolishing the Domes?

The main reasons the county is looking at demolishing the Domes are infrastructure-related and financial.

Even the Friends of the Domes, an organization dedicated to ensuring "that Milwaukee always has a world-class horticultural conservatory," admits that "the Domes face some serious maintenance challenges."

An essay by the National Trust for Historic Preservation reported that after decades "of wear and tear, the Domes need refurbishment." Mesh safety nets line the ceilings after a piece of concrete fell inside one of the structures in 2016.

The wire mesh installation was expected to last no more than five years before more work would be needed to keep the Domes open and ensure public safety.

After the concrete fell, the city and other organizations considered a number of plans to address infrastructure problems with the Domes but continually ran into funding issues and could not reach a decision.

• In 2018, the Milwaukee County Museum Task Force commissioned a study on the feasibility of joining the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Domes in one new building.

• The following year, Gallagher Museum Services submitted a report that recommended knocking down the Domes and building a 222,000-square-foot structure to house both the Public Museum and the horticultural exhibits on the footprint of the Domes, linking into the current greenhouse. The estimated price of the project was $300 million, and the plan faced opposition from both officials and residents.

• In 2019, the Domes Task Force submitted a $66 million restoration plan to the County Board, which was ultimately not adopted. A report heard in June 2022 by the County Board's parks committee revealed that the 2019 plan was proposed with a "highly unfeasible" set of funding sources.

• In late 2022, the county's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Task Force unanimously rejected a proposal to allocate $19 million of the county's $183 million ARPA funds for restoration purposes.

• A petition to nominate and register the Domes on the National and State Register of Historic Places for their historic status was vetoed last-minute in early November 2022. Supervisors unanimously abstained on voting an override of the veto during last year's budget cycle.

Before the end of the decade, the Domes, and all Milwaukee County Parks, could face an even more uncertain future.

In November 2021, the Journal Sentinel reported that, because growing costs are outpacing the county's annual revenue, the county could run out of property tax money to support parks services as soon as 2027. The county is not mandated by the state to provide parks services.

What has been proposed so far?

Those invested in the Domes saga will likely have to wait until the Sept. 12 meeting to hear the most recent proposals on what to do with the Domes. However, one recent proposal has garnered some attention.

The proposal? Demolish two of the domes and raise funds to refurbish the remaining one.

Supervisors did not discuss which of the three domes would survive if this plan moved forward.

Discussion of that proposal included other options, including demolishing all the Domes and focusing solely on Mitchell Park, carrying out repairs to address deferred maintenance, rebuilding or building a new conservatory facility. All of these plans could be very expensive.

More: Two of three Mitchell Park domes could be demolished under county plan

What are the costs of demolishing the Domes?

In 2022, director of the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance Jeremy Ebersole estimated demolishing the Domes would cost $15 million.

Additionally, supporters of the Domes argue there are non-economic costs of demolishing them. Friends of the Domes writes that the Domes represent a "powerful tool" for helping Milwaukee County address equity and wellness issues.

Research shows that spending time in nature reduces negative emotions, blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and stress hormones, Friends of the Domes writes. The Domes, the group argues, provide a space where people who may not have access to natural spaces, due to weather or living in an urban environment, can access one all year round. Spending time in a natural space like the Domes is also an effective way to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder during the winter months.

Furthermore, the Domes' location in the heavily Latino Clarke Square Neighborhood is notable. Studies have shown that heavily white neighborhoods have more parks and natural space than majority non-white neighborhoods. The Domes not only provide year-round natural space for the Clarke Square community, but the Domes and their giftshop ― which features products from neighborhood residents ― provide economic benefits for nearby residents.

How can I attend the Sept. 12 meeting?

The Parks Department will present a final report, including construction cost estimates and other remaining information requested, about the next steps for the Domes at the Sept. 12 parks and culture committee meeting, at 9 a.m.

The meeting takes place at the Milwaukee County Courthouse in Room 203R and online through the County Legislative Information Center. Members of the public may attend the meeting and request to speak or submit comments.

What are the Mitchell Park Domes?

The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory ― often better known as the Mitchell Park Domes or just "the Domes" ― is made up of three, "beehive-shaped conoidal glass domes" located on the city's near southside at 524 S. Layton Blvd.

The conservatory describes the Domes as a "living plant museum" that's home to over 1,800 species from across the world. Each dome represents a different theme. The Tropical Dome features rainforest plants, fruit trees, hibiscus and other tropical flowers, birds and koi fish. The Desert Dome features giant cacti, succulents, cactus flowers and Steve the Bearded Dragon. The Floral Dome hosts five seasonal displays, including the Holiday Show and the Spring Floral Show.

As part of Milwaukee County Parks system, "the mission of the conservatory is to inspire people through plants." In addition to the main Domes, the Mitchell Park campus has six propagation greenhouses and a special events greenhouse.

When were the Domes built?

Construction on the Domes began in 1959 and lasted until 1967. The total cost of the project was $4.5 million.

In 1955, a design competition was held for the new conservatory, and Milwaukee architect Donald L. Grieb won with his Domes design.

According to the Domes website, Mitchell Park was "one of the first five parks created as part of the Milwaukee Parks Commission, which formed in 1890." Tulips, willows trees, a lily pond and boating lake were soon added to make the park a "horticultural destination."

The park's first conservatory, a glass building "inspired by London's famous Crystal Palace," opened to the public in 1899 and had year-round plants, seasonal floral shows, a sunken garden and held cultural events. The conservatory was "a popular attraction for decades," but after visitor numbers declined in the 1940s and 1950s, it was decided the conservatory building would be demolished and replaced with a more modern facility.

Journal Sentinel reporters Don Behm, Meg Jones, Vanessa Swales and Issac Yu contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Why is Milwaukee County considering demolishing Mitchell Park Domes?