OBJECTIVE:
Preserving History
Completed in 1892, the mansion served initially as the Pabst family home. Now it serves as a historical monument and legacy of Milwaukee’s brewing industry.
With a backlog of deferred maintenance issues and much needed capital improvements, the Pabst Mansion Board of Directors first approved a full building condition assessment of the facility. This assessment included the full exterior envelope, specific known structural conditions, and a review of a historic elevator and the plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems. The building was also evaluated for code issues and ADA requirements.
Strang’s challenge was to properly preserve the building so future generations could experience this slice of local history. The goal of the space was to use the mansion for education, tourism, and study–to tell the story of Milwaukee’s past by showcasing the ornate rooms, furnishings, and artwork of a 127-year-old building. Strang’s facility assessment identified the work needed so the mansion could be available for the next generation of students, art scholars, tourists, and anyone else interested in history.
SOLUTION:
Extensive Assessment
The 20,000-SF building has had multiple restorations including upgrading windows, restoring bedrooms, purchasing original furniture from the Archdiocese, and bringing back original artwork from the Pabst family. Strang’s thorough evaluation showed that the Pabst Mansion required extensive attention to the integrity of its exterior envelope, a portion of its structural system, and its various mechanical and electrical systems.
Ensuring that the ceiling doesn’t leak, heat and humidity are maintained, and weather does not compromise the integrity of the walls and windows were all critical elements to restoring and maintaining the structure and operation systems of the Pabst Mansion. With Strang’s assessment of the building envelope, structure, and systems, our team’s final recommendation addressed these problems while complying with standards for Historic Restoration.
Following our in-field assessments, Strang reported determinations of cause (where possible) and severity of observed conditions. We outlined recommendations to address these conditions and a preliminary opinion of costs was developed. This was incorporated into a recommended multi-year work plan that could then be refined and reorganized according to funding, operational/program development, and building conditions.
The Pabst Mansion now has a long-term plan in place for the future of the building, preserving this local historic gem for many more to enjoy.
This building is listed on the National Historic Register #75000073.
