An Advocacy Citation of Merit is given for the successful campaign to protect Central City Plaza in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Designed in 1973 by Alonzo Robinson Jr.—Wisconsin’s first registered Black architect—the Plaza was the first shopping center in the state that was Black-owned, Black-operated, and Black-designed. Developed by the Central City Development Corporation, the Plaza was a symbol of independence and resilience, housing 14 Black-owned businesses that anchored the local community at a pivotal moment in the city’s history. When demolition was proposed in early 2025, Docomomo US/Wisconsin, Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, and other local advocates, including Robinson's son, Kim Robinson, mobilized quickly. Through community gatherings, media outreach, public testimony, and formal designation efforts, they reframed the conversation from a routine development proposal to a recognition of cultural memory and preservation. In a surprisingly quick turn-around, the City Council designated the plaza, and the property owners, Salvation Army, made a new commitment to pause demolition and pursue adaptive reuse in partnership with advocates. With the site secured, work to envision a new future continues, including a public-facing component on-site that could take the form of a pop-up exhibit, a permanent installation, or an artist-designed feature that shares Robinson’s story and the building’s legacy. The end goal is to make this history visible and accessible through the continued use of this significant midcentury resource. 

Kim Robinson, son of architect Alonzo Robinson Jr., Board of Directors, Docomomo US/Wisconsin; Seth Ter Haar, Docomomo US/Wisconsin Fellow; Emma Rudd, Executive Director, Milwaukee Preservation Alliance (MPA); Joselia Mendiolea, President, MPA; Tim Askin, City of Milwaukee Historic Preservation Commission, Board of Directors, Docomomo US/Wisconsin; Clayborn Benson, Wisconsin Black Historical Society; Justin Miller, Architectural Historian, UWM Cultural Resource Management Center, Board Member, Docomomo US/Chicago; Eric Vogel, President, Docomomo US/Wisconsin; Chris Rute, Board of Directors, MPA; Sharon and Debra Skinner, Nieces of Felmer Chaney

With Special Thanks To: Docomomo US/Wisconsin Board of Directors, Milwaukee Preservation Alliance Board of Directors, The Bronzeville Advisory Committee