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UW-Milwaukee Zilber School of Public Health

A historic transformation creates active learning spaces while promoting community outreach

In October of 2007, philanthropist Joe Zilber committed $10 million to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) to start a School of Public Health in the City of Milwaukee. After an extensive site search, the University elected to construct the new school at the site of the former Pabst Brewery in downtown Milwaukee. This site was chosen for its close proximity to the very neighborhoods most affected by serious public health issues.

Through the collaborative efforts of UWM, UW System Administration and the Zilber Foundation, EUA completed the new 55,000-square-foot facility now known as the Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health. This state-of-the-art academic facility resides within an expanded and renovated historic building within the mixed-use neighborhood known as The Brewery.

The existing five-story, cream city brick building was completely restored using National Park Service guidelines for historic renovation. A complementary yet contemporary addition to the north provides needed common areas, vertical circulation and column free classroom space within a terra cotta clad exterior. The school is certified LEED® Gold.

This new school is designed to support collaboration and interdisciplinary research, provide better access to clinical populations and better position UWM for research funding. The program for this graduate level facility includes state-of-the-art classrooms, epidemiology & biostatistic labs, community health promotion offices, environmental health and an outreach office for the City of Milwaukee Public Health.