The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Thursday to approve a budget amendment that provides key funding for a plan to save, renovate and expand the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory Domes.
The amendment codifies a financial commitment of $30 million to be paid over six years with a future start date to be determined. The funding is not included in the 2025 county budget.
You can read about the details of the Domes Reimagined plan – a partnership between the Friends of the Domes, Milwaukee County Parks and Madison-based real estate developer The Alexander Company – in this article.
The $134 million plan – which would restore the threatened Domes, build an addition and add amenities like a children’s garden, cafe, expanded gift shop and nature learning center – was presented to the board in September and th board’s Finance Committee unanimously approved the budget amendment at its October meeting, sending the matter to the full Board of Supervisors.
“The Domes have been facing an existential crisis for years,” said Christa Beall Diefenbach, executive director of Friends of the Domes. “Today’s vote changes that. We now have a path forward that ensures The Domes remain a horticultural oasis for generations to come.
“The County investment is 22 percent of the overall project cost. This project offers a stellar return on investment by all counts.”
Included in the amendment is a long-term lease that gives operations control of the Domes to the Friends of the Domes, while the facility remains the property of Milwaukee County. It also supports an effort to add the Domes to the National Register of Historic Places to help open access to funding sources like historic tax credits.
“Friends of the Domes applauds the County Supervisors for their support of this Initiative,” said Beall Diefenbach. “Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez in particular has been a great partner. His commitment and passion for the South Side are truly commendable.”
In addition to the $30 million in county support, the $107.4 million first phase of the Domes Reimagined plan is structured on raising $35 million in private donations, $30.7 million in federal and state tax credits and $11.8 million in other state or federal aid.
The Friends would seek additional federal grants to supplement private donations for the second phase, which includes the newly constructed addition.
“As a true Milwaukee treasure, the reason we love The Domes changes from person to person,” said Beall Diefenbach.
“For some, it is their place on Milwaukee’s skyline. For others, it is the mid-century architecture or the connection to nature. Regardless of the ‘why,’ today’s win is for all of us.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
