From: Mark Plotkin Sent: Monday, July 4, 2022 4:21 PM To: Elmer, Linda Cc: Bauman, Robert; HistoricPreservation@mkedcd.org Subject: St. Mark's Church Certificate of Appropriateness (File#220279) You don't often get email from nspktr@aol.com. Learn why this is important July 3, 2022 Historic Preservation Commission 841 North Broadway Room B-1 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Attn: Linda Elmer Staff and Members of the Historic Preservation Commission: I have lived at 2637 North Summit Avenue for almost 44 years. My home is directly behind the proposed 4 story 55 unit apartment building under consideration for a Certificate of Appropriateness. I received a Master’s degree in Architecture the year I moved here, and have always been interested in Historic Preservation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings (my thesis project). Our home and block as well as the site for this apartment building are all part of the Water Tower Historic Neighborhood - ‘one of the largest and most beautiful residential historic districts in the country’. I share that deeply felt sense of history for this place and this neighborhood, and a pride of ownership in this unique part of town. St. Mark’s Church (1911) is a remarkable, picturesque building that anchors the Downer Historic District and strongly influences the special feeling of a ‘small English or European village’, as stated in the City of Milwaukee’s Final Historic Designation Study Report. The green space north of the church has been an integral part of the district’s unique charm and commercial success, from bike races to church picnics, a playground and a community garden. I am very concerned that construction of this large rental building, on land that has never been developed since it was originally platted in 1876, will completely alter that special ambience and negatively impact the livability of the area. I know I’m not the only one. I have even heard from two of the children of the family who sold us this home in 1978, and had lived here for the 30 years before us. They each reached out to me for the first time in 44 years to ask that I oppose this project. And, of course I oppose it. If you had this view from your rear windows, you would certainly not want to endorse building a 44 foot tall brick apartment building just beyond the backyard fence, in a historic district of such significance. But I am realistic. I understand the forces at work, and the Church’s need to upgrade the poorly maintained addition that no longer serves their needs. However, all things considered, I’d like to think they could find a way to get what they need without sacrificing the open green space that is such an asset to the historic district. I also appreciate the efforts of the architects to address the issues related to the Downer Avenue Historic Guidelines for New Construction in their design for the proposed apartment building. That being said, I would like to offer the following comments on the plan as submitted to the HPC. In regards to its design being as sympathetic as possible with the character of the district, my primary concerns are with the Siting, Scale, and Materials. * I believe that the front of the building should be set back from the public walk the same distance as the churches to the north and south to reinforce the cohesiveness of the street view. * Though efforts have been made to step back the top floor of the apartment building, I believe the scale of the building does not reflect typical residential buildings east of Downer (3 stories or less). * Although there are notable examples of apartment buildings built with cheaper, lighter colored brick on the sides and rear in many older neighborhoods of the city, they were typically constructed to be shadowed by adjacent buildings, and also facing an abutting alley or other commercial buildings. In this design, the south side gray brick is totally exposed and visible from the five point intersection, and the rear gray brick wall is facing historic homes and yards rather than an alley. I don’t believe this design is sympathetic to the character of the district. * Finally, although I am very pleased and grateful that the design calls for an all masonry exterior, the bricks shown are to be an unusual, contemporary 16” long, and manufactured without any of the distinctive color variations and surface irregularities that are typical of masonry construction in the historic district. Thank you for your consideration, Sincerely, Mark Plotkin 2637 North Summit Avenue