Kosciuszko Community Center Gets Federal Funding Boost

Kosciuszko Community Center. Photo taken by Graham Kilmer.

Milwaukee County has been awarded federal funding for the long-planned renovation of the Kosciuszko Community Center.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley announced the county received $250,000 to support renovations at the community center. Crowley included funding in his 2026 budget proposal to advance a multiyear renovation project for the South Side community center in Kosciuszko Park, 2201 S. 7th St.

The federal funding was secured by U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore through the congressional appropriations process and included in the government funding bill passed by Congress earlier this month. Moore also secured $1 million for Milwaukee County Transit System bus replacements, which cost approximately $600,000 each.

“I want to thank Congresswoman Moore for supporting projects that not only benefit Milwaukee County, but all of southeast Wisconsin,” Crowley said in a statement. “I remain committed to working with anyone to deliver investments that make Milwaukee County safer, stronger, and more vibrant for residents, families, and children across our community.” 

The 58,000-square-foot community center was first built in 1981. It has a fitness center, weight room, boxing gym, gymnasium and community event space. In 2021, Milwaukee County Parks estimated the county would need to spend approximately $10 million just to maintain the aging building over the next 20 years. By that time, most of the building would have been replaced, as the estimated replacement value was only $11 million.

With approximately $500 million in deferred maintenance and infrastructure needs throughout the system, Parks decided to launch “a planning effort to determine the soundest approach for long-term success.” In 2022, a feasibility study by Quorum Architects reported Parks would need to budget approximately $32.1 million to rehabilitate and expand the center and another $1.7 million for maintenance of the existing building.

The Quorum-designed project would include an expanded weight room, a new boxing and mixed martial arts facility, a renovated gymnasium, a dance and fitness classroom, a new kitchen for cooking classes, new classrooms, makerspace, rooms for tutoring, drop-in child care, a food pantry, wellness space and social services offices.

“The Kosciuszko Community Center is more than just a building, it’s a gathering space where families connect, youth participate in programming, and neighbors build community,” said Guy Smith, Parks executive director. “This funding will help us enhance the safety, functionality, and long-term sustainability of the facility so it can continue serving residents for generations to come.”

With limited funding for infrastructure, the county has slowly advanced the community center project. Sup. Caroline Gómez-Tom has pushed for funding since being elected in 2023. Local residents and stakeholders have also recently formed a friends group for the park, called the Kosciuszko Park Alliance, and an advisory group for the community center’s future.

“These projects provide hope that the county is committed to this community as these neighbors pour their care and effort into this historic and beloved park,” Gómez-Tom told Urban Milwaukee last fall ahead of the 2026 budget process. The 2026 adopted budget included $841,410 to fund detailed design of the community center expansion.

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