Proposal to add housing to Milwaukee's McGovern Park Senior Center rejected

MILWAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors rejected the proposal to add affordable housing to a senior center a public park on Milwaukee's north side. 

For around two hours, county supervisors debated if the county should approve a project that would have been unprecedented: adding housing to a building at a Milwaukee County park. 

The proposal would have appointed Jewish Family Services to add 30 to 55 affordable housing units above the senior center. 

Those in favor of the concepts stressed the current condition of the building. 

County leaders say it would cost over $1.75 million over the course of the next five years to renovate it, and this would be a way to save the center from eventually closing down. 

Those against the plan cited safety and environmental concerns, but mostly stressed they felt adding housing to a park isn't part of what makes Milwaukee parks the gemstone of the community they currently are. 

"The senior center is already falling apart. It will become unsafe, and we will have to shutter the building," said Milwaukee County Board Supervisor Shawn Rolland. 

“Parks are protected lands, and they ought to be. They are not to be used for housing that is not why we designated park land to be used for housing," said Milwaukee County Board Supervisor Felesia Martin. 

 A group of very local seniors attended the meeting. The crowd was happy with the decision. 

They said they look forward to their dance class Friday, where they plan to celebrate the decision.