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
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
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