Little more than a month after allowing the Friends of the Domes to move ahead with its plan for the future of that Milwaukee County-owned landmark, the County Board OK’d the transfer of operations of Villa Terrace Arts Museum and its Renaissance Gardens to its nonprofit Friends group, effective Jan. 1.

The move also separated the operations of Villa Terrace, 2220 N. Terrace Ave., and the Charles Allis Art Museum, 1801 N. Prospect Ave., which had been jointly run by Charles Allis Villa Terrace, Inc. (CATV), which now will focus its efforts on the Allis.

In September, the Milwaukee County Committee on Parks and Culture heard a report on the results of a Request for Information (RFI) released in spring seeking ideas for the future of the two museums.

The Friends group was one of four that responded to the RFI. The others were the Bartolotta Restaurant Group, Dynamic Events and CATV.

At that time, after having considered the four RFI responses, the Milwaukee County Department of Administrative Services’ (DAS) Economic Development Division sought authorization to enter negotiations with the Friends of Villa Terrace, Inc.

“CAVT is supportive of a split museum future,” CATV Executive Director Jaymee Harvey Willms told OnMilwaukee in September. “The nonprofit sees a bright future for each institution that creates unique identities for both Charles Allis and the Villa Terrace Art Museums.

“The Friends of Villa Terrace have shared their enthusiasm for supporting the Villa, and their ability to fundraise for a brighter future to ensure community access for Milwaukee. Their work with the county will protect the legacy of the Villa Terrace for future generations.”

In a Jan. 1 email, Friends of Villa Terrace President Doug Rose wrote, “In anticipation of this transfer, we have expanded our board and added a new treasurer, as well as three new board members with operations and management experience.  

“We have already made arrangements to continue Winterlude, Sopra Mare, yoga classes and other popular programming. New committees have been formed as we now become a governance board, not just a friends board. We are excited to begin a new era.”

Villa Terrace, built in 1924 for A.O. Smith President Lloyd Raymond Smith, his wife Agnes and their children, celebrated its centennial last year.

The deal with the county, Rose says, is based on a three-year trial run.

“The agreement with the County of Milwaukee and FOVT is generally that FOVT will operate the Villa Terrace Arts Museum entirely, for a lease of $1 per year, for a total of three years,” he explains. “Following that time period, if things are running smoothly, this will continue indefinitely.  

“During this three-year time period the County has earmarked some operating fund for Villa Terrace – approximately $200,000 – as well as offering a $1.2 million capital campaign contribution if, and only if, FOVT is able to match that amount with capital campaign donations from the general public.”

Rose notes that FOVT will partner with an outside event management company to operate event rentals.

“Having an outside event management company lease space for weddings and other events is also a significant change,” he says. “The museum and community programs and exhibits will thus be the focus of FOVT going forward.

“FOVT’s goal is to maintain the Villa Terrace Arts Museum as a public space for the entire community, and to revitalize the Villa with needed capital improvements and expanded programming over time.”

The capital campaign is expected to fund maintenance – including deferred work – and improvements, including drainage issues in the courtyard, window replacement, and other needed capital needs.

Efforts to restore a historic sculpture depicting Hermes and to renovate the home’s original kitchen will continue, he adds.

“The Hermes restoration effort remains ongoing,” Rose says. “The initial partial renovation of the kitchen was completed earlier in 2024. FOVT’s goal, as part of the capital campaign, is to continue the kitchen renovation so that it can be a fully functional and operating kitchen capable of supporting events at the Villa. That further kitchen renovation will be an extensive project, but it remains a priority goal.”

Those tasks are just some of many facing FOVT in this important transitional time, Rose says.

“It is always a challenge for a nonprofit to change its mission from being a Friends group to a governing role,” he admits, “but FOVT has been proactive already in setting up appropriate committees, appointing an interim executive director, undertaking a permanent executive director nationwide search, contracting with an outside events management company and working diligently to prepare for an extensive capital campaign.”

That daunting work is tempered with excitement over the potential for the century-old Italian-style villa in the future.

“When FOVT first gained operating control of the Villa Terrace this week, it was a moment that the FOVT Board will remember for a long time,” Rose says. “There was a huge amount of work that the board put in to effectuate this transition, and to plan for the separation of the Charles Allis and Villa Terrace museums.  

“But we are just starting to see the potential of what can happen going forward, and that is both a responsibility but also a pleasure.  Sitting in the great hall and looking out at the lake, and realizing that this cultural gem can remain open to the public if the community can come together with its generous support, is definitely rewarding.

“We are embracing the challenge and we are optimistic that the future of the Villa Terrace Arts Museum is bright.”