See The ‘Cream of the Cream City’ in Historic Preservation

Hilton Milwaukee Hotel. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Projects big and small, and those behind them, will be honored for their role in preserving Milwaukee’s built environment at a ceremony Thursday evening.

The Historic Preservation Commission‘s 2026 Cream of the Cream City Awards will honor five projects. A ceremony is scheduled to be held at Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, 917 W. Juneau Ave.

Winners include the $42 million renovation of the Hilton Milwaukee, an Art Deco-style hotel, and the Allen Building, a two-story commercial building newly constructed as part of an affordable housing development.

The ceremony follows the 2026 Mayor’s Design Awards ceremony, held Wednesday evening. Only one project, the Allen Building, secured awards from both programs.

The commission, at its May 4 meeting, selected the winners from a field of eight nominees.

“The awards recognize projects large and small, which have preserved the rich history of Milwaukee found in its varied architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries. The recipients of these awards have added value to their neighborhoods and Milwaukee by preserving the unique design and character of historically designated properties,” says the commission’s website.

The commissioners are Alderman Robert Bauman, Patti Keating Kahn, Matt Jarosz, Sally Peltz, Ann Pieper Eisenbrown, Jordan Morales and Nicholas Hans Robinson. Morales is the current chair. The commission is staffed by senior planners Tim Askin and Andrew Stern. The body meets monthly and is responsible for administering the city’s preservation process, which includes approving or denying exterior modifications to protected properties and voting on new designations.

The awards program dates back to 1993, though it wasn’t held from 2018 through 2023, and a handful of other years were skipped.

Winners

Hilton Milwaukee – 509 W. Wisconsin Ave. – Commercial Rehabilitation

The $42 million project included renovation of the common spaces and 554 guest rooms in the hotel, constructed in 1928. The hotel is owned by Marcus Corp. Design was led by Eppstein Uhen Architects.- Read more

Category: Commercial Rehabilitation

Monarch Lounge. Photo courtesy of Marcus Hotels & Resorts .

Theo Lery Duplexes –  2902-2904 W. State St. and 1017-1019 N 29th. St.

SNSHN, a property management and investment firm, acquired and renovate two duplexes. Led by AJ Cihla, the firm purchased the side-by-side duplexes in 2023 and led a substantial renovation effort after the properties were subject to several code violations and rent withholding.

Category: Category: Residential Property (1-4 Family)

SHSHN Cream of the Cream City nomination image. Slide from Historic Preservation Commission.

Prairie Springs on Park – 1420 E. Park Pl.

The Urban Ecology Center‘s new event venue was crafted from a renovated Cream City brick building on the edge of the Rotary Arboteum. Design on the project was led by TKWA. – Read more

Category: Preservation Advocacy

Prairie Springs on Park, 1420 E. Park Pl. Photo courtesy of Two Birds Event Group.

Church of the Gesu – 1145 W. Wisconsin Ave.

Located on the Marquette University, the church, formally part of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, undertook a $10 million renovation of its signature structure, originally constructed in 1894 to the designs of Henry C. Koch. Groth Design Group served as the architect of record.

Category: Religious Property

Church of the Gesu Cream of the Cream City award nomination. Slide from Historic Preservation Commission.

Allen Building – 1940-1948 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.

The two-story infill building was constructed as part of a 17-site affordable housing development known as Bronzeville Estates. Named for Maures Development Group leader Melissa Allen, the project filled vacant lots in a historic commercial corridor. The building was designed by Engberg Anderson. – Read more

Category: Sensitive Infill

Allen Building. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

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