County Opens Temporary Senior Center Sites

McGovern Park Senior Center. Photo taken March 4, 2026 by Graham Kilmer.

Milwaukee County is opening two temporary sites for seniors to access the services and programming typically provided at the McGovern Park senior center before it closed last year.

The Embassy Center, 3725 N. Sherman Blvd., will host programming Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Havenwoods State Forest Nature Center, 6141 N. Hopkins St., will host on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Programming at the county’s six senior centers is provided through a contract with the nonprofit Serving Older Adults (SOA).

The McGovern senior center closed last year, a victim of the historic rainfall and flooding in August. The facility was in poor condition before the storm, and county officials estimate it will cost $1.9 million just to reopen the dilapidated building, let alone continue funding maintenance over the coming years.

“While the closure of the McGovern senior center following last year’s historic flooding has been incredibly difficult for the older adults who relied on that space, Milwaukee County remains committed to ensuring they continue to have access to the programs, services and community connections they deserve,” Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said in a statement Wednesday.

The administration began working on a replacement for the senior center long before it flooded in August. In spring 2025, the Crowley administration the existing senior center building with a mixed-use structure containing a senior center on the first floor and affordable senior housing on floors above. Developer Jewish Family Services (JFS) would have financed the project at no cost to the taxpayer. The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted it down because it involved building affordable housing in McGovern Park.

Now the administration is engaged in planning for a new center elsewhere on the northwest side of the county. In May, the Milwaukee County Board approved about $100,000 for planning and design. Early estimates suggest it will cost at least $7 million to build the new center and take several years to develop.

“While we work to develop a new permanent senior center on the northwest side, this is an excellent solution, ensuring seniors who live in the area have access to the programs and social and recreational opportunities they had before,” said Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Executive Director Shakita LaGrant-McClain.

The new facility will incorporate ideas from the Commission on Aging’s conceptual plan for future senior centers. The plan, released in 2024, envisions modern community centers with greater programming and amenities called MKE HUBs.

Sup. Felesia Martin, whose district included the McGovern senior center, opposed the administration’s plan to partner with JFS. After the center closed, she pushed for money to plan a replacement at the board level. She expressed support for the administration’s temporary sites in the statement released Wednesday.

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