Milwaukee Youth Arts Center

Client

First Stage Children’s Theater & Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra

Location

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Size

101,000 SF

Completed

2005 – 2021

In 2005, RAMLOW/STEIN partnered with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and First Stage Children’s Theater to create the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center (MYAC). MYAC is the first-of-its-kind community-based youth arts rehearsal facility in the nation. The project found its home by renovating a former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Warehouse Building. The renovation project focused on the first floor of the building, creating five state-of-the-art rehearsal spaces for music, theater, and dance, with two of the spaces capable of accommodating a full symphony orchestra. The premier rehearsal space, Youth Arts Hall, features an audience gallery and control room. Additional spaces include studio rehearsal rooms, ensemble rooms, dressing rooms, social commons, and administrative offices.

In 2021, RAMLOW/STEIN completed a Phase 2 renovation of the facility. This project renovated 42,000 square feet of previously under-utilized space on the Garden-level of its 101,000-square-foot facility to add a new social commons, rehearsal halls, studios, small group instruction rooms, and office space. In addition, on the first floor, the renovation included a refreshed social commons, a new main entrance, a meeting space, and the conversion of one of the existing large rehearsal halls into a new Theater-in-the Round for performances.

Awards

  • Milwaukee Business Journal’s 2022 Real Estate Award – Best Community Impact Project
  • MANDI People’s Choice Award
  • ASID Wisconsin Design Excellence Award – Impact of Design – Gold