The historic Sydney Hih building, which city officials had intended to tear down, may have been saved for another day, due to a legalistic maneuver by alderman and attorney Bob Baumann at a Tuesday meeting of the Common Council’s Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.

Are Milwaukee’s historic preservation laws too strong or too weak? Should the entire ordinance be re-written, or is just a revision in order? Alderman Witkowski’s proposed overhaul to Milwaukee’s historic preservation ordinance sparked these very questions.

Welcome to the sixth installment of Eyes on Milwaukee. This week I take an initial look at Alderman Witkowski’s attempt to redefine Milwaukee’s historic preservation ordinance, the Miller Park sales tax’s sunset, the ugly turn Juarez versus Donovan has taken, and more.

Last night the Historic Preservation Commission voted to allow Wave Development, LLC to demolish the historic structures located along Milwaukee St. and Wisconsin Ave. to build a new Marriott Hotel. Under the condition that the project would save and restore the buildings’ facades as part of the new development.

No one would talk much in society if they knew how often they misunderstood others.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The Marriott Hotel proposed for downtown Milwaukee has received a lot of attention lately. It parlays questions going far beyond the buildings themselves.

A large crowd turned out, at the November 15th, 2010 Historic Preservation Commission meeting to speak out regarding Wave Development LLC’s request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish buildings located at 319-327 East Wisconsin Ave., and 625-631 North Milwaukee St.

Wave Development, LLC is seeking a Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish the buildings located at 319-327 East Wisconsin Ave., and 625-631 North Milwaukee St. to construct a Marriott Hotel. This request will be taken up at the November 15th, 2010 meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission.

So says Jill Capicchioni, of the Historic Brewers Hill Association, in an email to the neighborhood mailing list. The “process” that Jill is intent on putting a wrench in is the proposed move of the State Department of Health Services from the Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center, 1220 W. Vliet St., to a remodeled space at 2151 N. King Drive.

The high profile Sydney Hih building and Downer Avenue redevelopment project were the main items on the agenda for this commission meeting.

The initial item regarded the proposed interim historic designation for the Sydney Hih building. The developer requested it to be held over and as it had been previously presented the developer had no immediate intention to demolish the building. Although SandraMcSweeney questioned how many times it could be held over and whether or not there was a limit, it was held again.

This Historic Preservation Commission (“HPC”) meeting included agenda items for the high profile projects, The Palomar, The Brewery and the Goll Mansion redevelopment.

Original plans for the Palomar project involved the redevelopment of the Sydney Hih building as part of a new Kimpton Hotel. Over time these plans have changed and now Gatehouse Capitol and Ruvin Development intend to demolish the buildings to a develop new a 22-story building.