College of the Arts & Architecture Dean Winifred Elysse Newman is helping bring new life to the historic Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, encouraging a restoration approach that draws inspiration from the building’s original character.
In an OnMilwaukee Urban Spelunking feature by Bobby Tanzilo, Newman and CAA Director of Facilities Randy Trumbull-Holper discuss recent work in the Zelazo Center’s main lobby. Built in 1922 as Temple Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, the building became a UWM performing arts facility decades later.
For the latest updates, Newman researched interior design and color treatments from the 1920s and encouraged the use of a more vibrant palette that complements the building’s historic architecture. The work also uncovered original terrazzo floors that had been hidden beneath carpeting since the 1970s.
“They were covered with carpet since the 1970s,” Trumbull-Holper said of the terrazzo floors. “So, the terrazzo has never seen the light of the day since then. We’re excited to kind of bring that back.”
The article explores the Zelazo Center’s history, architectural details and transformation from a house of worship into a performance venue.
To read the full story and see photos of the restoration, visit OnMilwaukee.