Milwaukee County advances Safety Building replacement with new design funds

Milwaukee County Advances Long‑Planned Safety Building Replacement as State Budget Move Frees Design Money

What’s new: Milwaukee County is moving forward with planning for a replacement of its aging Safety Building after a shift in the state budget freed up funds the county can use for detailed design work. The overall project remains costly and politically complex, but officials expect the budget change to allow the project to progress through the next design phases.

Key funding and schedule developments

The county projects the complex replacement effort will cost roughly $490 million to nearly $500 million, with varying estimates across recent planning documents. While full construction funds are not yet secured, the enacted state biennial budget includes $40 million for expressway patrol support over the 2025–2027 period; county leaders intend to use some of that state funding to rebalance the 2025 county budget and redirect local dollars toward courthouse design.

Separately, the county expects an additional $9 million for expressway patrol this year. Of that amount, $7.5 million is slated to be reallocated from the county sheriff’s office operating budget to support courthouse design work. Pending county board approval, that funding strategy would increase the courthouse planning and design budget to about $22.8 million. County leaders are seeking an additional $11 million in cash financing in 2026 to keep design work on schedule. Requests for construction funding are expected to begin in the 2027 county budget cycle.

Project status and timelines

The project is currently in the fourth of five design phases, with conceptual plans underway. Different planning documents show slightly different timelines, but one current plan anticipates construction starting in 2029 and completing in 2032, followed by renovation work on the historic county courthouse through about 2033. Other published timelines place design work through 2027 with construction completing by 2031. All schedules depend on securing construction financing and remaining on budget.

Why the replacement is being pursued

The existing Safety Building, constructed in 1929, houses courtrooms, offices and unused old jail space. County planners and court administrators say the structure does not meet modern courthouse design standards. Specific problems include lack of secure, dedicated passageways for moving detained defendants separate from the public, shared circulation that can compromise safety and confidentiality, outdated mechanical and technology systems, and large areas of space that are unusable or inefficient.

Report summaries indicate the facility includes roughly 60,000 square feet and 10 floors of old jail cells that have been unused since the early 1990s. The county has reported several hundred incidents in recent years requiring deputy response within the building, and planners cite ongoing maintenance, high utility costs and deferred repairs that add to the long‑term financial burden of keeping the building in service.

Site choice and related downtown redevelopment

After evaluating alternatives, county planners decided to demolish the existing Safety Building and build the new courthouse on the same county‑owned site. Using the existing site is expected to save acquisition costs and keep the new courthouse close to the county jail and the historic courthouse to minimize inmate transport distances. The decision also leaves the current museum complex available for future redevelopment once the museum moves to a new site in 2027.

Funding context and state relationships

The county has pushed for state support during budget discussions and explored changes to how the state funds unique responsibilities the county carries. One longstanding issue is that this county alone handles freeway patrols that are handled by the state in other counties; the new state budget provides partial expressway‑patrol support intended to acknowledge that disparity. A proposed direct state contribution for the new courthouse was removed during budget negotiations, which has required county leaders to reallocate local resources and seek additional funding avenues, including potential federal appropriations and future state support requests.

Costs, risks and next steps

Estimates for the total project vary across materials but commonly range from $450 million to $500 million. County officials warn further delays will increase costs. The immediate next steps include securing the additional cash financing requested for 2026, advancing the design through the final phase, and beginning formal construction funding requests in the 2027 budget cycle.

Because multiple reports provide differing timelines and figures, the sequence of design, demolition and construction actions remains contingent on the county board’s funding approvals, final design outcomes and any additional state or federal assistance the county secures.