Adaptive Reuse

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Built in 1886 for the Milwaukee Fire Department, Ladder Company No. 5 sat underused for decades before being converted into a light-filled single-family home. The design fits a contemporary loft inside the designated historic masonry shell, organized around a rooftop monitor and a 40-foot central light well. A robust plate steel staircase winds up through the well, connecting the floors and mezzanine and crossing a bridge to the rooftop deck. Detailed hand and guard railings are infilled with glass to maximize light, while blackened steel beams and sculptural steel, brass, and reeded-glass cabinetry carry the metalwork through the interior.

This project has returned a neglected, underused, and forgotten piece of historic Milwaukee architecture to the urban fabric. The result is a finely detailed new home with a contemporary loft style, fit snugly inside a historic masonry shell, and an enduring improvement to the city’s architectural landscape.