Crust & Copper

The Milwaukee County Zoo food service renovation modernized an existing dining environment to enhance the visitor experience and support updated food service operations.

Scope of Work: Completed renovations throughout the kitchen, back-of-house, and dining areas, including new epoxy flooring, kitchen finishes, and installation of a large, gas-fired Marra Forni Neapolitan brick pizza oven.

Working within an active zoo required careful planning and coordination among the Milwaukee County Zoo, SSA Group, Bobby Patterson Architects, Fortuna Brands, and multiple trade partners. Construction activities were strategically managed to maintain progress while minimizing disruptions to visitors, staff, and animals.

Challenges & Solutions: The project’s signature pizza oven presented a unique logistical challenge during submittal review. The team identified that the oversized oven could not fit through the building’s existing doors. CG Schmidt developed a solution with Klein Dickert Glass to temporarily remove a section of the storefront, allowing the oven to be safely loaded into the building. The storefront was reinstalled the same day, eliminating a potential schedule impact.

Following coordination with SSA Group and a review of flooring samples, the project scope was revised to include new epoxy flooring throughout the dining area and epoxy base in the kitchen. CG Schmidt coordinated the scope addition so the flooring contractor could complete the work in one week without impacting the project schedule.

Construction planning also accounted for the zoo’s animal habitats. The team minimized exterior noise and kept doors closed during sawcutting to prevent disruptions to the hibernating grizzly bears.

Collaboration & Coordination: With Bobby Patterson Architects and Fortuna Brands based in North Carolina, proactive communication was critical to maintaining alignment throughout construction. CG Schmidt established weekly coordination meetings, managed submittals and RFIs, and provided consistent project updates to the design team and client.

To strengthen local project support, CG Schmidt also connected the architect with a local structural engineer and MEP designer. This approach provided the project with additional on-the-ground expertise and helped the team efficiently address design and construction needs.