The City of South Milwaukee, as part of an effort to revitalize its central business district, envisioned a new community center. Among the considerations for the project was to preserve and celebrate the city’s longstanding industrial heritage as home of the former Bucyrus company. The selected location featured an original 1892 Bucyrus campus building. Zimmerman provided renovation plans for the building, now known as the Bucyrus Club and Events Center.
Over the decades, this historic structure suffered from severe neglect and eventually returned to city control. Our highly integrated approach allowed us to seamlessly bring their civic vision to fruition.
Our dedicated design team developed innovative plans to carefully preserve the building’s historical charm. We fully embraced the old-world character while expertly integrating state-of-the-art modern amenities. We successfully salvaged and preserved numerous original design elements throughout the entire facility. Our team carefully cleared the original ceiling joists and beautifully revitalized the classic Terrazzo flooring. These strategic design improvements transformed the 1893 building into a truly unique gathering space.
The magnificent original wood roof structure was successfully restored to as a key design element. The building’s iconic cream city brick remains exposed throughout a variety of modernized interior spaces.
Today, the Bucyrus Club and Events Center operates as a highly successful, sought-after venue. The second floor also features an engaging historic Bucyrus Company museum to further educate and inspire guests. Ultimately, the Bucyrus Club and Events Center delivers a profound cultural and economic impact on the surrounding downtown community.
