From: Hatala, Carlen
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2012 12:55 PM
To: Lee, Chris
Subject: FW: 1903 Cambridge Home
Please add this to the file on the Emily Groom House.
 
Carlen


From: Barry Poltermann [mailto:bpoltermann@gmail.com] On Behalf Of Barry Poltermann
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2012 11:38 AM
To: Hatala, Carlen
Subject: 1903 Cambridge Home

Carlen... I got your voice mail earlier today. Thanks for the update.

As I mentioned on the phone last week, I have been called out of town on business for next week, and now that my schedule has firmed up, I will, unfortunately, definitely not be in town for the meeting on the 11'th.

So I wanted to thank you and the Commission for considering my house for historic preservation and give you a short introduction to me and my reasons for applying for historic status for the Emily Groom House.

Five years ago I moved back to Milwaukee after living in Los Angeles for 8 years. I had lived on North Warren in the late 80's and was amazed by how the area had transformed in my absence. When I was looking for a home, I couldn't believe that I could affordably find something so grand as the 1903 N Cambridge house. I especially love the location and area, being nestled between the river, the lake, and amazing streets, shops, pubs, restaurants, recreation and arts on all sides.

It seemed to me inevitable (and still seems inevitable) that the area is due for a renaissance. And I wanted to plant my flag there and be a part of it.

It came as a pleasant surprise, two years after I purchased the home and moved in, to have a student from UWM stop by my house one Sunday morning and ask me if I knew who used to live in the house. "No, I do not," I responded. He told me it was Emily Groom, Wisconsin artist.

I had never heard of Emily Groom, and soon began some internet research to uncover the amazing history of the home. Since then, I've proudly relayed the story outlined in my written submission to anyone who is interested.

To summarize why I am applying for historic status, firstly, I am proud of the house's history. I wish I could take some sort of credit for uncovering this history, but it was dumb luck that I purchased the house, and dumb luck that even I know of it's history. It occurs to me that it is somewhat sad that this history wasn't proudly relayed to me when I was considering the home... it seems I might have been encouraged to buy the house at least in part on its amazing and unique history. I want to make sure the history of the house is known and it's history passed down to future owners and neighbors.

Secondly, I hope that the neighborhood evolves to be MORE in line with the grandeur of the Cambridge house (and it's southern twin house), as well as other nicer developments and rehabs that are going on throughout the neighborhood. I would love to see any and all historic buildings in the area protected to the fullest, in order to help 'hold the line' against some rather brutal zoning choices and building mistakes (in my opinion) that have devastated what would otherwise be, due to it's geography, one of the choicest pieces of real estate in the city.

And most importantly, I wish to minimize the chance that it be at risk of demolition again in the future (as it has been during it's history).

I wish I could be there to meet all of you, and have greatly enjoyed my conversations with Carlen. 

I am hoping you support this application and would be proud to have my home recognized as part of Milwaukee's historic tradition for quality architecture.

Thanks for your consideration.

Barry

Barry Poltermann
CEO, About Face Media

AboutFaceMedia.com
o 312-895-4552 ext. 710
c 310-993-0982
twitter @onionbap