Milwaukee County · a 1930s federal greenbelt town
Painting, roofing and windows in Greendale's greenbelt village
Greendale was planned and built by the federal government, and its original homes are masonry, not wood frame. Decades of later houses surround that core, and 76.6% of the village's homes predate 1980.
- Population (2020 Census)
- 14,854
- Median year built
- 1967 (ACS 2020–2024, ±2 yrs)
- Homes built before 1980
- 76.6%
- Homes built before 1940
- 9.4%
- Owner-occupied homes
- 67.2%
- Re-roof permit
- Required per Greendale Ordinance 15.07
Cincrete, greenbelt planning and the houses that followed
The federal government developed Greendale in 1936 through the Resettlement Administration's Greenbelt Towns Program, and the Encyclopedia of Milwaukee notes the original homes were "made of cincrete, a type of cinder block." The Wisconsin Historical Society lists the original village as a National Register historic district, one of three greenbelt towns the federal government built between 1936 and 1938.
Most of today's Greendale came later. The Census Bureau's 2020–2024 estimates put the median build year at 1967, with 76.6% of homes built before 1980 and 9.4% before 1940. So the village is mostly mid-century houses around a planned 1930s core. Nearly all of it was built before Wisconsin's 1978 lead-paint cutoff, and before the state dwelling code took effect for new homes in mid-1980.
Masonry and wood frame need different handling. The National Park Service's guidance for historic masonry is that new mortar must be softer and more vapor-permeable than the units it joins, so the wall can dry. The same logic applies to what goes on the surface: painted block needs a coating that lets moisture out. On Greendale's frame houses, the questions are the usual ones for pre-1978 homes: lead-safe prep, original or early replacement windows, and how many roof layers are already up there.
What homeowners in Greendale most often need
Painting masonry and wood
Painted block, wood trim and frame siding all appear on Greendale streets. Exterior painting on masonry calls for sound mortar first and a breathable coating; on wood, it calls for scraping, spot-priming and feathering. Either way, a pre-1978 house brings Wisconsin's lead-safe rules into the prep, with containment and cleanup to match.
Exterior PaintingWindows in masonry openings
Greendale requires a permit only when you change the size of existing doors or windows. In the original greenbelt homes, the masonry opening sets the size, so most window replacement there is a fit-to-opening job. On any pre-1978 house, every window replaced is lead-safe work. If your home is in the historic district, talk to the village before choosing a window style.
Windows & DoorsRoofs on older houses
Roofing is on the village's permit list whatever the age of the house. Because most Greendale houses predate the dwelling code, ice-and-water membrane on steeper slopes is good practice rather than a code line, and it still belongs in the estimate. A roof replacement should also say how many layers come off and how the attic will be vented.
RoofingKitchens and the rough-construction line
Greendale draws its permit line at rough construction: "if you are touching rough construction on a remodel (bathroom or kitchen) you must obtain a permit." New doors and counters on existing cabinets can stay a finish job; moving plumbing, wiring or walls in a kitchen remodel is permitted work.
Kitchen RemodelingGreendale permits and the historic district
Greendale's Ordinance 15.07 gives "roofing or siding projects" as examples of work needing a permit, along with "changing the size of existing doors or windows." For remodeling, the village ties the permit to rough construction in bathrooms and kitchens.
Applications can be submitted online through the village's Cognito Forms application, available from March 20, 2026. Greendale's Inspection Services also handles inspections for the neighboring Village of Hales Corners.
Greendale has a Historic Preservation Commission. Whether it reviews exterior work such as roofing, windows or siding on homes in the original greenbelt village was not confirmed when this page was written, so owners of original homes should ask Inspection Services before choosing materials.
Village of Greendale Inspection Services (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- 1.Village of Greendale, Permit requirements (opens in a new tab)
- 2.Village of Greendale, Inspection Services (opens in a new tab)
- 3.Encyclopedia of Milwaukee, Greendale (opens in a new tab)
- 4.Wisconsin Historical Society, Greendale Historic District (opens in a new tab)
- 5.National Park Service, Preservation Brief 2: Repointing (opens in a new tab)
- 6.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 (opens in a new tab)
- 7.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year, B25035 (opens in a new tab)
Closer than the drive suggests
Greendale is about 7.8 miles from Muskego City Hall in a straight line, but the fastest route runs by freeway, about 13.2 miles and 22 minutes. C&L serves Greendale as part of Milwaukee County.
Questions from Greendale
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Greendale?
Yes. Greendale's ordinance lists roofing and siding projects as work that needs a permit, and applications can be filed online.
Are Greendale's original homes wood or masonry?
The original greenbelt homes built by the federal government were cincrete, a type of cinder block. Later houses in the village are a mix. Masonry needs different paint and repair than wood siding, so an estimate should say which you have.
Does a bathroom remodel in Greendale need a permit?
It does if the work touches rough construction, meaning framing, plumbing or wiring. If you're unsure where your project falls, ask Inspection Services before work starts.
Will the historic district affect my window replacement?
It may. The original village is a National Register historic district and Greendale has a Historic Preservation Commission. Its review role for original homes wasn't confirmed for this page, so ask the village before ordering windows.
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A free estimate in Greendale.
What needs doing, roughly how old the house is, and when you would like it done. C&L will set up a time to look at it in person.