Milwaukee VA Medical Center

On Sept. 21 Doors Open Milwaukee came to the Milwaukee VA as a part of their scheduled stops in touring historic architectural buildings which included going inside the Ward Memorial Hall.

For the first time in more than 20 years the Milwaukee VA opened the doors to the Ward Memorial Hall for a one-day event, allowing the public to soak in the rich history of the building.

This is the first time the Milwaukee VA participated in “Doors Open Milwaukee”, which takes tours of more than 130 historically and architecturally significant buildings in the city of Milwaukee. The Ward Memorial Hall is one of the oldest theaters in Wisconsin, and due to its rich history it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The Milwaukee Preservation Alliance organized the event, working with the Milwaukee VA Medical Center showcasing to the public our historic campus that was recently dedicated as a National Historic Landmark.

“We achieved our goal of bringing a great size group out to the landmark,” said Megan Daniels, project manager from the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance. “It’s a fascinating space that still exists, that is fairly untouched and that’s special.”

The Milwaukee VA recently made significant improvements on roof repair and stability renovations in compliance with the National Preservation Act of 1966.  This law requires federal agencies to allow federal, state and public sector experts to consult on any project undertaken inside a historic zone. More than 50 people came out Saturday to get a peek inside this historic building, and standing where legendary acts performed like West Allis’ own Liberace.

“We are looking to preserve the history of the Ward Memorial Hall to the best of our abilities,” said Milwaukee VA Program Manager Matt Cryer. “This is not just a historical building for the veterans, but for the entire state of Wisconsin.”

Cryer led the safety briefings, handing out hard hats as each tourist entered the building. People came out of the building with enjoyment and excitement of standing where legends of entertainment once performed. The tourists were taken in by its charm and relieved to see it is being preserved.

Cryer also mentioned to the visitors that the Milwaukee VA Medical Center contracted with a local Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small business for project design and engineering on the Ward Memorial Hall for future possible use.

“It’s important for us at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center to keep veterans as involved with this and other projects anyway we can,” said Cryer. “We are currently in renovation projects with other buildings, all of which contribute to providing veteran’s health care.”

Read more stories online at Milwaukee.VA.gov, or go to Facebook.com/MilwaukeeVA.