PRESERVING HISTORY WHILE SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE

Project Overview

The Pabst Mansion, a historic house museum and architectural landmark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, engaged Mueller Communications to clearly and consistently communicate the critical need to carefully deconstruct the failing infrastructure of the Pavilion, an ancillary structure not original to the Pabst Mansion.

The Challenge

The Pavilion at the Pabst Mansion, built in 1892 as an indoor structure to showcase Pabst Brewing Company products for the 1893 World’s Fair, underwent significant alterations to its original structure over the past 130 years, and was never intended to be a permanent structure to withstand the harsh weather conditions of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. By 2023, the Pavilion faced two options:
1Demolition by neglect
2Careful deconstruction, preserving the structure for generations to come
Because The Pabst Mansion, including all ancillary structures whether or not they were original to the building, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the City’s Historic Preservation Commission was required for deconstruction.

The Solution

Develop a strategic communications campaign to support the Pabst Mansion team in communicating the urgent need to carefully deconstruct the Pavilion as they applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) with the City of Milwaukee. This campaign included:

Timeline:

To ensure coordinated engagement of all key stakeholders – including media, donors, board members, staff and the Milwaukee community – ahead of the City of Milwaukee Historic Preservation Commission’s meeting to approve the COA, Mueller Communications developed a comprehensive timeline. This document assisted in coordinating the sequence and timing of messaging, creating a cohesive narrative for all stakeholders.

Key Message Creation:

To accurately articulate the need for the careful deconstruction of the Pavilion, Mueller Communications drafted a comprehensive key message matrix inclusive of topline, highlevel, and supporting messages about the past, current and future state of the structure.

Advocate Cultivation:

Mueller Communications worked with the Pabst Mansion team to connect with donors and prominent local leaders to engage in dialogue regarding the deconstruction plans, identify any concerns they might have and provide an opportunity for them to lend their voice of support for the deconstruction and preservation of the Pavilion.

Public Affairs:

Alongside the Pabst Mansion team, Mueller Communications participated in meetings with the City of Milwaukee and local leaders to explain the need for a COA for the careful deconstruction of the Pavilion and future plans to restore the structure.

The Results

On May 1, 2023, the City of Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission approved the Pabst Mansion’s Certificate of Appropriateness for the deconstruction and preservation of the Pavilion.

Elements of the structure that can be saved will be preserved, and the ones that are damaged beyond repair will be recast in partnership with UW-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning’s Historic Preservation Institute.

The Pabst Mansion is currently underway on a capital campaign to raise funds to complete necessary preservation work. Once complete, the Pavilion will be rebuilt as a free-standing airing porch, as it originally existed on the property in 1895.
Develop a strategic communications campaign to support the Pabst Mansion team in communicating the urgent need to carefully deconstruct the Pavilion as they applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) with the City of Milwaukee. This campaign included:

Timeline:

To ensure coordinated engagement of all key stakeholders – including media, donors, board members, staff and the Milwaukee community – ahead of the City of Milwaukee Historic Preservation Commission’s meeting to approve the COA, Mueller Communications developed a comprehensive timeline. This document assisted in coordinating the sequence and timing of messaging, creating a cohesive narrative for all stakeholders.

Key Message Creation:

To accurately articulate the need for the careful deconstruction of the Pavilion, Mueller Communications drafted a comprehensive key message matrix inclusive of topline, highlevel, and supporting messages about the past, current and future state of the structure.

Advocate Cultivation:

Mueller Communications worked with the Pabst Mansion team to connect with donors and prominent local leaders to engage in dialogue regarding the deconstruction plans, identify any concerns they might have and provide an opportunity for them to lend their voice of support for the deconstruction and preservation of the Pavilion.

Public Affairs:

Alongside the Pabst Mansion team, Mueller Communications participated in meetings with the City of Milwaukee and local leaders to explain the need for a COA for the careful deconstruction of the Pavilion and future plans to restore the structure.