Visit the Community Center

The historic Patrick Cudahy building was constructed in 1890, featuring three commercial storefronts on its first floor and eight apartments on the upper two floors. Over the years, the building served the Walker’s Point neighborhood in a variety of ways, most notably as The Polish House which opened to the public in 1938 as a youth recreation and arts center. The site became a gathering space for kids of all nationalities – Polish, German, Greek, Norwegian, and Mexican and was in use almost every night for arts, theater, music, and community events.

With the help of foundations, corporations and individual contributions, New Market Tax Credits and Historic Tax Credits, Arts @ Large renovated the building into our new Community Center featuring a student art gallery, art studios, a café and catering kitchen, a training center and conference rooms, office space for Milwaukee area nonprofits and small businesses, and public space for weddings, parties, and events.

“There are few things more satisfying to me than seeing a beautiful old – and vacant – building get an overhaul and a new life with a new owner. When that new owner is a Milwaukee nonprofit that works every day to improve the lives of students? Double bonus.” – Bobby Tanzillo, writer for Urban Milwaukee