Gensler, Zimmerman picked for Summerfest grounds master plan

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A global and a local architecture firm will lead a “master use plan” for Henry Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee.

Summerfest operator Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. on Thursday announced global architecture firm Gensler was awarded the consulting agreement for a new master use plan for additional programming and improvements at the festival grounds. Milwaukee-based Zimmerman Architectural Studios, Inc. will partner with Gensler and provide architectural, civil engineering and landscaping design services, officials added.

The improvements aren’t Zimmerman’s first walk in the park.

“We are ecstatic about this opportunity and are exceptionally pleased to collaborate with Milwaukee World Festival and Gensler’s talented and visionary team to enhance the iconic festival site,” said Steve Raasch, president and CEO of Zimmerman. “Moreover, Mark Wershay, our principal manager on the project, has had the pleasure of leading several projects at Henry Maier Festival Park. With this new commission, our firm will build on a nearly three-decades-long partnership with Milwaukee World Festival,” he added.

A study will be completed in 2025 to find events and operations MWF can expand on, and find more public for the park and increase accessibility. Through the study, the operator might consider using temporary structures and physical components to enhance the park.

“We are thrilled to embark on this vision for Henry Maier Festival Park,” Benjy Ward, a principal at Gensler, said in a statement. “By crafting a master use plan that blends architecture, strategy, and analytics, we aim to unlock future opportunities of the 75-acre waterfront property for Milwaukee residents and visitors. In collaboration with Milwaukee World Festival, we hope to enhance connectivity and further demonstrate why Henry Maier Festival Park is a central hub in Milwaukee’s vibrant downtown,” he added.

“We look forward to partnering with both Gensler and Zimmerman to explore new possibilities that will enhance uses of this unique community asset,” said Sarah Pancheri, president and CEO of MWF. “Henry Maier Festival Park will continue to be a cornerstone of connection and celebration through our festivals, and this collaboration will help to create even more opportunities to gather at the lakefront,” she added.

In 2023, Henry Maier Festival Park hosted more than 1.2 million guests and generated $318 million in economic impact in Wisconsin, according to a study by Oxford Economics Company. MWF reached out to firms with experience in developing hospitality, entertainment districts and venues in other parts of the world and the park also saw 83% more events in 2023 than in 2019, MWF officials added.

The MWF Board of Directors, United Ethnic Festival representatives, community leaders and external experts will be engaged as part of the study and improvement process, officials noted.