Aurora Health Care has named the first programs, services and community partners that will operate inside The Beacon, its nearly $50 million health and wellness hub set to open in spring 2027 on Milwaukee’s Near West Side, according to a Sept. 16 news release shared with Becker’s.
Aurora Health Care is part of Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health, which was formed when Aurora and Advocate Health Care combined with Atrium Health. The release said The Beacon fulfills a commitment made at the time of that combination.
The project converts the former Wisconsin Avenue School into a hub offering dental care, workforce training, housing support, legal advocacy, maternal health programs and community gathering space, according to the release. More than 1,000 neighbors, employees and community organizations shaped the programming through listening sessions.
Community Smiles Dental, a Wisconsin nonprofit, will open its first Milwaukee location at the site, providing preventive and restorative care for children, patients with special healthcare needs and expectant mothers. Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago will serve as workforce development partner, and Guest House of Milwaukee and Legal Action of Wisconsin will provide housing and medical-legal services, according to the release.
The building will also house an Aurora Pharmacy kiosk offering locker pickup and virtual pharmacist consultations, along with a demonstration kitchen, community garden, restored gymnasium and auditorium, and free Wi-Fi.
“The Beacon represents a significant investment in the future of the near west side and the communities we have the privilege to serve,” Gabrielle Finley-Hazle, president of Aurora Health Care and Advocate Health’s Wisconsin division, said in the release.
The Beacon will be the first Advocate Health facility to use a renewable geothermal system and is expected to operate at net-neutral building costs, according to the release.
