In 1969, amid an enrollment boom, the UW built the now-infamous George L. Mosse Humanities Building on Campus Mall to house the art, music, and history departments. A product of its time, the Brutalist building was designed to be durable and cost-effective. Unfortunately, issues stemming from these lower-cost choices have resulted in ongoing maintenance issues and limited adaptability to the demands of modern technology and educational needs.
Over the years, the university has invested millions of dollars in attemptsattempting to remediate these problems, and the building is safe for occupancy. However, the scale of necessary repairs has “grown beyond what is feasible,” says Peter Schlecht, Uuniversity Aarchitect and Aassistant Vvice Cchancellor of Campus Planning & and Design for the Division of Facilities Planning and& Management.
UW–Madison has requested $292.6 million in their 2025–27 capital budget request to fund the building’s demolition and the relocation of the programs currently housed there. More than $70 million in deferred maintenance and critical structural repairs are required to bring the building up to code and fully restore its functionality. This includes more than $8 million to resolve ongoing HVAC issues, $12 million for accessibility improvements, and $22 million to address repairs to the windows, walls, and leaking roofs. Renovation and maintenance costs would far exceed the value of the building, making demolition the most responsible decision.
Before demolition can begin, all programs housed in the Humanities Building must be relocated. Although the new Letters & Science building, Irving and Dorothy Levy Hall, will create some space when it opens in 2026, additional room is still needed for the School of Education’s Art Department and the Mead Witter School of Music. Scott Utter, Ddirector of Campus Planning and Landscape Architecture, noted that the funds will support the partial demolition and expansion of the Art Lofts to provide a permanent, three-story home for the entire Art Department. Additionally, the funds will help construct a new addition to the Hamel Music Center to accommodate the School of Music’s academic offices, instructional rooms, and rehearsal spaces.
The UW System Board of Regents unanimously approved the Universities of Wisconsin proposed budget in August 2024. Governor Tony Evers ’73, MS’76, PhD’86 has expressed support for the request, and if approved by the legislature, construction on the three projects could begin as early as 2027.
While specific plans for the site are still being planned , university leaders see great potential for a new facility that better serves students, faculty, and research initiatives. “Replacing the Humanities Building is not just about removing an aging structure,” says Schlecht. “It’s about making room for something new — something that will improve the entire east campus core and better support students and faculty for generations to come.”
