Page 7 - Annual Report FINAL

1869 SOLDIERS HOME

AMONG KEY PROJECTS

ometime within the next two years, Draeger’s office during the 2017 fiscal
Sa previously homeless veteran will year. The 366 approved tax credit
finally have shelter thanks to a series of projects, which range as far north as
events that began 10 years ago with an Douglas County, have the potential
anonymous phone call to the Wisconsin value of more than $512.6 million and
Historical Society. could lead to more than 9,300 jobs
That tip led to an exploration of a across the state.
collapsed roof and the badly deteriorating Draeger said there was initial mistrust
conditions of vacant historic landmark from veterans groups in the Soldiers
buildings at the Wisconsin Soldiers Home case, given the hallowed ground
Home in Milwaukee, which was one of on which the buildings sit. But after
the first three Veterans Administration asking their wishes for the property —
hospitals authorized by President care for homeless veterans, they said —
Abraham Lincoln to be built following Draeger’s group won over the veterans.
the Civil War. “I said it was going to take 10 years,
“It’s richly historic,” said State Historic but we have to do this because it’s one of
Preservation Officer Jim Draeger. “It’s the most seminal historic properties in
the most intact 19th-century VA hospital the state of Wisconsin,” Draeger said. “I 1,556 compliance projects were completed by the State Historic
property in the United States.” said, ‘If we’re not going to fight for this Preservation Office, impacting every county in Wisconsin.
As a result of that decade of effort, building, what are we going to fight for?’”
Madison’s Alexander Company was
selected to guide a project that will utilize Industrial Survey The Milwaukee Industrial Survey examined every industrial building
$40 million in historic preservation tax built in the city before 1975 to determine how many were eligible for
credits to save six buildings — including Evaluates 900 Buildings historic preservation tax credits. Out of 900, over 100 were eligible.
iconic Old Main, built in 1869 — and Thanks to generous gifts made to the “Developers that do these projects, they do them because they love
convert them into 100 units of housing Wisconsin Historical Foundation by history,” Draeger said.
for veterans who are homeless or at risk of state developers and others, Draeger’s The project was made possible by Cardinal Capital Management,
being homeless. office was able to complete a vital project Inc., Mandel Group, Inc., Phoenix Investors, LLC, Wangard Partners,
It is just one of the more than 1,500 that will spark economic growth in the Inc., Wisconsin Preservation Fund, Inc. and several other generous
compliance projects completed by state’s largest city. partners active in Milwaukee’s economic development community.

SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTS | HISTORIC PRESERVATION ANNUAL REPORT 7