Milwaukee Public Safety Building replacement nears design

Milwaukee County officials shared updates about the Public Safety Building replacement, including new renderings as the county approaches a complete conceptual design.

The Milwaukee County Committee on Community, Environment and Economic Development on March 9 received updates on replacement of the building, located at 821 W. State St. The county executive’s office is pushing to replace the 100-year-old building as it falls below modern court safety standards.

The county hopes to raze the old building in 2028 and break ground on a new building in 2029. Early estimates put the cost of construction at nearly $500 million. The building holds criminal courts, holding and jury facilities for the county justice system. County officials, including Chief Judge Carl Ashley, said the current building risked the safety of jurors, staff and the public.

The county Department of Administrative Services and Office of Strategy, Budget & Performance provided a report updating the committee. Ashley said they were trying to find out “particulars” of the process and have better outcomes for the community. He said the planners’ goals were to create a “national example of how things should be done,” when balancing taxpayer dollars and delivering the best product possible.

Planners expect to complete their conceptual design and introduce an estimated cost in the second quarter of 2026. Officials said they’ll come closer to a more accurate cost when they work out systems and building features, such as the number of floors and square footage.

The county anticipates relocation of services to start in late 2026, a project timeline showed. The new facility is expected to be completed in 2032, and after that the county will shift its focus on renovations to the historic courthouse next door.

County officials said safety and security is top priority for the new facility, with areas separating the public, staff and people in custody. There will be private areas built for victims and families and respite areas. The county also wants an improved visitor experience and wayfinding, rooms for attorney and client discussions and a more efficient layout for courtrooms. Many courtrooms have not been updated for decades.

Since design phases started, the chief judge’s office, forensic unit, court reporters, part of the sheriff’s office and full food service have been moved to the historic courthouse. More services will likely move to the historic courthouse as replacement moves forward.

Aaron Hertzberg, director of the Milwaukee County Department of Administrative Services, said there was significant progress on the courthouse complex project.

“As we near the end of the first design phase, we have an initial concept of the new building’s layout and how it will improve public safety and support better outcomes,” Hertzberg said.

“We will continue to refine the size, scope, and configuration of the building based on the long-term needs of the Milwaukee County community and nationwide best practices,” he added.

The courthouse planning budget from fiscal years 2024 to 2026 were more than $38.6 million, a county report showed.

The project team includes The Concord Group as the owner’s representative, AECOM, HGA, Gilbane Building Co. and Cullen.

In February 2025, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said his administration would seek out partnerships in the state and federal government to fund the project. The Public Safety Building project moved forward through revenue brought in by Act 12, which raised a sales tax for the county to add to its revenue.

Crowley is running as a Democrat in the gubernatorial race this year.

Across MacArthur Square, the Milwaukee Public Museum is getting ready to move as the Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin nears completion. Mortenson is managing the replacement museum at North Sixth Street and West McKinley Avenue, on track to open in 2027.

The county is still evaluating what role the public museum site will play in the courthouse complex transformation.

According to a study in December, the best plan for the old museum building is high-density, mixed-use redevelopment project with affordable housing and commercial use on the ground floor.