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We're Hiring!

We're very excited to announce the opening of our search for our new Operations Associate! This part-time Milwaukee-based position will offer an exciting opportunity to be a part of our growing team and sustain our work to make preservation mainstream in Milwaukee. If you have experience in nonprofit work, office administration, and organizational development, we want to hear from you! Application review will begin August 15, 2021.
Did you know that Milwaukee is a center for mosaic art?

A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article from1960 named the city just that! The successful integration of art and architecture in the mid-century built environment is nowhere more apparent than through the awesome beauty of monumental mosaics, and we're privileged to have many preservation worthy examples of them. Milwaukee’s modernist building boom of the early 1960s saw young artists working alongside the finest architectural firms. These collaborations are still evident today in some of Milwaukee’s most iconic downtown buildings: the War Memorial Center (1959, mosaic by Edmund Lewandowski); Marine Plaza, now known as Chase Tower (1962, mosaic by Merritt Yearsley), and Milwaukee State Office Building (1963, mosaic by Marjorie Kreilick).

Understanding the ethos behind the works, along with the principles and practice of mosaic methods of the era, can enhance historic preservation efforts as well as our general enjoyment of these precious cultural assets. Looking deeper at these site-specific artworks, we appreciate they are not ‘mere jewelry’ but intended as integral parts of the buildings’ architecture.

Our speaker, ​Lillian Sizemore, has worked as a mosaicist since 1993, with a specialty in midcentury mosaics, and will offer unique insight into these monumental architectural installations. Through an exciting visual presentation she will trace this ancient art from Italy to the Port of Milwaukee, to give viewers a 21st-century update and appreciation for these outstanding historic treasures hiding in plain sight.

You won't want to miss this jewel of a program Wednesday, August 11, at 6:00pm!
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This program is possible thanks to the generous support of Program Sponsors Mary and Ross Read and Anne H. and Fred Vogel III, along with Presenter Sponsor Eric Vogel and Zoom Sponsor UEDA - Urban Economic Development Association.

This great program is FREE for MPA members and $10 for others. If you're not a member, there's never been a better time to join for as little as $15!

Milwaukee Preservation Alliance

Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting stewardship and awareness of the historic, cultural, and economic value of Milwaukee’s built heritage. MPA aims to strengthen Milwaukee’s neighborhoods by advocating for and promoting their unique cultural spaces and architectural assets in order to foster a strong and vibrant community as well as demonstrating the link between historic preservation and viable economic development.
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​Historic preservation is essential to a strong local economy. A large and growing body of research is documenting the positive impact that historic preservation has on the economy in six broad areas: local job growth, property values, increased heritage tourism, smaller environmental impact, greater quality of life, and downtown revitalization. One of MPA’s primary goals is to continue to promote historic preservation as a valuable economic tool to those in a position to make decisions concerning our historic resources: elected officials, property owners, developers, and investors. A number of Milwaukee neighborhoods and buildings have been revitalized by the conservation and restoration of their historic fabric including the Third Ward, Brady Street, and Brewer’s Hill as well as the Iron Horse Hotel, the Pabst Theater, and the Riverside Theater. Milwaukee’s character and charm lie within these areas and would be greatly diminished without them. MPA’s advocacy work makes a difference in Milwaukee but the continued loss of historic buildings demonstrates the urgent need for our organization and our work. Presently, Milwaukee Preservation Alliance is an active participant in a coalition to preserve the National Soldiers Home. In 2011, MPA orchestrated the campaign to have the National Soldiers Home recognized as one of the Nation’s 11 Most Endangered Places. In addition, MPA assisted with the Soldiers’ Home National Historic Landmark status, and is a founding member of the Soldiers Home Community Advisory Council. As Milwaukee’s only organization devoted solely to advocating for historic preservation, MPA’s task is not simply to protect the past; it is also to build public awareness, appreciation and support for the distinctive historic character of the city of Milwaukee in order to foster more livable communities.