Milwaukee Plans to Demolish Lincoln Avenue School

Milwaukee Public Schools will tear down the 109-year-old building after a June fire left it structurally unsound.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Secondary Education

Weathered red brick school building with boarded windows and a chain-link fence in front, under a flat overcast sky. — Milwaukee Public Schools plans to demolish the 109-year-old Lincoln Avenue School after a five-alarm June fire left it structurally unsound. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Milwaukee Public Schools plans to demolish Lincoln Avenue School after a five-alarm fire tore through the building in June. The city declared the 109-year-old structure structurally unsound.

Why it matters

The city's declaration that the building is structurally unsound after the fire is the basis for the demolition decision. The loss affects families and staff connected to a school that has stood for more than a century.

The school is 109 years old and was damaged by a five-alarm fire in June 2026. The extraction does not say whether any cause of the fire has been determined.

The players

Milwaukee Public Schools

The city's public school district, which owns and is planning the demolition of Lincoln Avenue School.

The details

MPS is holding two community information sessions at the Mitchell Street Library, at noon and 4:30 p.m. The district plans to preserve some bricks and the exterior of the school for memorial use before demolition, which is expected to begin this month.

June 2026: A five-alarm fire tore through Lincoln Avenue School.
November 2026: Demolition is expected to begin this month.

Market Landscape

The decision to demolish a 109-year-old school reflects how Milwaukee Public Schools is handling aging facilities across its district. Structural assessments following damage are driving decisions about older campuses.

Milwaukee families connected to Lincoln Avenue School can attend one of two community information sessions at the Mitchell Street Library. The district plans to preserve bricks and the exterior for memorial use before demolition begins.

The takeaway

Residents interested in the future of the site can attend the community information sessions at the Mitchell Street Library. Staying informed through district communications will show how memorial plans take shape.