Alderman Bauman,

I urge Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission and Common Council to deny Wave Development's Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) application for the demolition of the historic buildings and encourage the reuse and conservation of these buildings for their Marriott Hotel project.

I support the conservation of the locally and nationally designated historic buildings in danger of being demolished due to Wave Development’s plan to build a 200-room Marriott hotel in the East Side Commercial Historic District (319-325 East Wisconsin Avenue, 327 East Wisconsin Avenue-includes 633 North Milwaukee Street, 625 North Milwaukee Street, 627 North Milwaukee Street, 629-631 North Milwaukee Street).

Conservation of these historic structures will create more jobs both in their rehabilitation and in the establishments that would reuse the buildings. On average, 3.4 more jobs are created per $1 million spent on rehabilitation than on new construction. By conserving these buildings we are retaining the unique character of Milwaukee’s downtown – a national and international draw for tourists to visit the city.

The Comprehensive Downtown Plan states that locally designated buildings should be retained and redeveloped (page 65-66). Deliberately going against the recommendations of the Downtown Plan, approved by the Common Council in October 2010 after an extensive public input process, sets a poor precedent for following the City’s Area Plans in the future. 

Thank you for your continued support of historic preservation in Milwaukee.

Thea Kovac

2623 E. Belleview Place

Milwaukee, WI  53211