| 9/11/2023 | 0 |
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
| PLACED ON FILE
Minutes note: Commissioner Jarosz recused himself.
Mr. Tim Askin said the proposal is to demolish the building. It was locally designated in 2015. A replacement building is under consideration by the ownership, but that is not under purview of HPC. This building is one of the handful of survivors of the 1892 fire and the only residential building. This building represents the Irish community, which was dispersed after the fire. The tavern was built in 1884 and the only building recognized by a woman for local commerce - she was a widow who ran the tavern after her husband's death. This is also the only survivor of the LGBTQ history in Milwaukee and the only local recognized site. Fines have been accruing since 2017 and it seems a case of benign neglect by the owner, including open holes in the roof as a result of a 2013 fire.
Miller Brewery added the rear section in 1912 and in 1972 the Wreck Room leather bar moved in and it was a social center for the gay/lesbian community for 20 years.
In 1996, MIAD bought the building for a student recreation center and in 2014 sold the building to Gen Cap following the 2013 fire.
In 2023, 3 requests were received to condemn the building. None of the 3 inspectors found the building met the criteria for emergency demolition. Staff believes the building is repairable.
Brian Krause - Dept. of Neighborhood Services - condemnation inspector. Orders to repair fire damage are still outstanding. A lot of the damage to the brick began 10 years ago.
The building does not meet any HPC criteria for demolition.
Allan Rentmeester - Aspire Engineering, Linda Gorens-Levey- General Capital and Chris Sowcha - architect
Ms. Gorens-Levey - the team purchased the building prior to its historic designation with the intention of razing it. She fears the building might collapse and it is too expensive to repair.
Jeff Moran - president of MIAD in 2015. MIAD didn't have the financial capacity to take on a building project.
Mark Lawson - also doesn't know about any insurance money through MIAD.
Chelsea Pilfner - lives in Shorewood - member of the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance - opposed to the demolition.
Nathan Bernstein - Ms. Gorens-Levey's partner in this process.
Don Schwamb - founder of LGBTQ history project (began in 1994) - he has met with the owners and it's a matter of money to rehab it. He prefer it not be demolished.
| Pass | 6:0 |
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