Shannan Hayden’s Nifty Newberry Tudor
Hayden is running against Ald. Nik Kovac and has a much finer home.
Shannan Hayden’s Nifty Newberry Tudor. Photo by Michael Horne.
When I looked at the filings for candidates for the common council this election cycle, an address on fashionable E. Newberry Boulevard caught my eye. Sometimes candidates use the address of a campaign treasurer when filing for election, and campaign treasurers sometimes live in fancy areas. Most council members, however, live in homes as humble as the job they fill.
But it turns out that the 3rd District candidate, Shannan Hayden, actually lives in this home on Newberry with her husband Michael Hayden, a Milwaukee Police Department Sergeant.
Hayden wastes no time mentioning her home on her website biography:
My run for Alderwoman began in a very different place than Newberry Blvd where I live now. At age 16, because of problems at home, I moved out and lived on my own with friends. During my senior year of high school, I became a single Mother, but still graduated. I began to attend Carthage College and never gave up. I then moved with my infant son to an apartment on Fratney St in Riverwest. I later finished my bachelor’s degree, and I’ve worked for a regional marketing firm ever since, helping all types of people with small businesses throughout the Midwest succeed.
Having thus established her 3rd District creds on both sides of the Milwaukee River, Hayden goes on to point out the differences she has with the incumbent, Nik Kovac, who won 77 per cent of the vote in a three-way primary in March. Hayden’s positions are pro-police and anti-streetcar and could have been cut-and-pasted from any anti-Barrett, pro-Donovan aldermanic candidate. Her husband was a proud supporter of Republican Mitt Romney in 2012 (his Facebook page showed the Romney sign), but any such allegiance is probably best kept secret while the wife is running for a seat in heavily Democratic Milwaukee. Her website runs down the campaign’s key issues, as she sees them, including the incumbent’s alleged use of profanities when addressing his constituents.
About the House
The Haydens paid $317,000 for this 1926 home six years ago, on March 13th, 2010, and it is worth nearly three times more than Kovac’s Riverwest home. Fortunately, Sgt. Hayden takes home over $100,000 including overtime in his MPD job. The 2-story Tudor has 2,285 square feet of finished living area and an attached 410 square foot garage with deck above. An attached garage with deck was a rarity at the time. Both served to make the home seem larger than it actually is, along with a couple of architectural tricks like a “cat slide” roof at the entryway. There is a clear articulation between the floors of the building, and the steeply sloped roof that covers the second floor and a 300-square-foot attic space also contributes to the illusion of size, which is something a house like this could use, sitting as it does at the elbows of much larger, grander and older homes. Little bits of brick contrast with stucco on the exterior walls — stucco being much cheaper than brick — it all creates an illusion. You imagine this to be a much grander home than it is. Historic Milwaukee, Inc. called this home “Milwaukee’s quintessential example of the Storybook Style.”
Was Spec Home, Took Years to Sell
Newberry Boulevard is one of the grand streets of Milwaukee today, but it didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it took about 40 years for the lots to fill here, with most of the construction happening in the second and third decades of the 20th century. This home was built by real estate speculator John D. Edwards who spent $10,000 on it in 1926.
The architect was Wesley L. Hess, who did a lot of work for Edwards, including the home on E. Pleasant St. that is the residence of House Confidential Honoree Latrell Sprewell.
This home sat vacant until 1930 when it was bought by John G. Woelleager, a Studebaker dealer in Milwaukee.
In 1959 the home sold for $28,000.
In 1989 it was purchased by Timothy J. McCarthy and Linda G. Hoganson who paid $120,000 for it. The assessor was not pleased in 1990 to find “old wallpaper. Shower stall, toilet NOT finished.”
The owners then sold to the Haydens, who paid $317,000 for it in 2010. Perhaps they were swayed by its description in a real estate advertisement: “Quintessential storybook-style home with high ceilings (8’6″), Spanish plaster, oak floors and leaded glass galore. Generous LR w/ natural fireplace + bay. D. R. w/ coved ceiling + buffet, 1st floor den w/ bookcases galore!”
The home also featured an “efficient kitchen with inviting nook.” The efficiency comes at the expense of size, since the kitchen measures 13 feet by 10 feet, or about the size of the island in Milwaukee Buck Jabari Parker‘s Grafton home.
A Note on Landscaping
The landscaping here shows some promise, and some problems. There is a troubling vine crawling up the garage, and some remedial pruning might be in order on the home’s foundation plants. Of greatest concern, however, is the condition of the landscaping along E. Newberry Blvd. Here, where there is a gentle slope at the front of the yard, Pfitzer Junipers struggle to grow. An inspection will show that they are being smothered by landscape fabric, and that the mulch atop the fabric has washed away. The landscape fabric should be removed, pruning should be done to the junipers — start by cutting off the dieback and the salt-poisoned branches — and better growth should result. A visit to the splendid garden of House Confidential Honoree Pam Frautschi just down the block should provide inspiration as to the potentials of corner lots on this magnificent street.
Shannan Hayden. Photo by Michael Horne.
What Does the Future Hold?
Ms. Hayden has been an active campaigner, and was seen on St. Patrick’s Day at Champion’s Pub wearing a shirt that gave her name on the front and asked you to vote for her on the rear. She has been doing doors in the neighborhood, according to her Facebook site. Her green-and-white signs are often seen paired with those of a similar hue issued by mayoral candidate, Ald. Bob Donovan. I have not seen any “Barrett/Hayden” combos, or any “Donovan/Kovac” combos either. It is most likely that Ms. Hayden will return to her job and her community interests after the April 5th election. If only other candidates with such nice homes would chose to run for office in the future.
Photo Gallery
The Rundown
- Owner: Michael Hayden and Shannan Hayden
- Location: Milwaukee
- Neighborhood: Upper East Side
- Subdivision: Resubdivision of Newberry Boulevard Addition
- Year Built: 1926
- Architect: Wesley L. Hess
- Style: 2.0 Story Tudor
- Size: 2,285 s.f.
- Fireplaces: 1
- Rec Room: No
- Assessment: Land: Current location: 5,500 s.f. lot is assessed at [$14.47/s.f.]. Improvements: $226,400. Total: $306,000. Current owner purchased property on 03/13/2010 for $317,000.
- Taxes: $8,771.17, Paid in Full.
- Garbage Collection Route and Schedule: Pink CP1-1B Tuesday
- Polling Location: Riverside High School, 1615 E. Locust St.
- Aldermanic District: 3 Nik Kovac
- County Supervisor District 3 Gerry Broderick
- Walk Score: 83, Very Walkable
- Transit Score: 60, Good Transit. Has a bus stop right on the corner.
How Milwaukee Is It? The residence is 2.87 miles from City Hall.
Rundown researched by Dylan Deprey
Political Contributions Tracker
Displaying political contributions between people mentioned in this story. Learn more.
- March 13, 2016 - Robert Donovan received $100 from Shannan Hayden
House Confidential Database
| Name | City | Assessment | Walk Score | Year |
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| Name | City | Assessment | Walk Score | Year |
Thanks for putting this out there. Knowing this is the kind of mansion our police officers are living in, it makes me question how we’re paying them and why they whine about everything. It seems they’re doing OK if they can afford such stately manors.
Hello Mr Horne,
I would like to start by thanking you for the history lesson on our home. I’ve often wondered about it, and I appreciate the effort you put into looking into it for me. I would like to correct a few errors in your story, however, and contrast myself with Nik Kovac, who is obviously a friend considering the flattering articles your publication often posts.
As far as my “stately mansion” is concerned, we paid $317,000 six years ago, the City, of course, over assesses it now at $306,000 considering we recently had the home assessed and it is now only worth $266,000. When we bought it, we paid what the bank assessed it at, which was less than even the city assessed value. It was actually a good deal. Unlike Nik Kovac who wasn’t sure if he was ready for an “adult” home (your words) just last year, this is my second home, the first of which was in Sherman Park. In that article, you praise Nik Kovac for having higher walking scores than his coworkers, but somehow my success is a scarlet letter. I am extremely proud of the fact that I was able to work my way up from being homeless at 16, then a single teen mother, to finally living in the beautiful neighborhood that Nik Kovac was blessed to be raised in his entire life. I consider this quite an accomplishment, and my success is due entirely to my commitment to hard work and refusal to give up. I have worked hard for everything I have. Nothing was given to me.
As far as the landscaping and mulch, after a winter full of blustery days, it’s no surprise to me, at least, that much of it has blown away. It looks much nicer after I’m able to complete my yearly maintenance, and is much, much nicer than it was when we bought it. The fabric is actually necessary to hold back the invasion of bluebells that spread faster than dandelions and completely smother the struggling Pfitzer Junipers. I have consulted with Pam Frautschi on my landscaping struggles, and she has been wonderful, and says I am doing a great job. You’re more than welcome to come back to take photos after the spring clean-up for a better perspective.
As far as associating me with Bob Donovan, my shirts were green because it was St Patrick’s Day (no mystery there), and even your own photo shows that my signs are blue and white, not green. I am also proud to say that my signs are in yards with Barret signs, Larson signs, Abele signs and Donovan signs. My support comes from many different residents who understand that Alderwoman is a non-partisan position. That’s how I intend to represent my constituents.
As far as my support of the police goes, I am married to a police officer. No detective work needed there. There are, however, a few more citizens other than just me in Riverwest and on the Eastside who are pro-police, and I appreciate that you noticed that this is one of the areas to differentiate me from Nik Kovac. That was a spot on assessment. The majority of the voters I spoke with also share my support for the police.
As far as the street car, I have repeatedly used it as a talking point to illustrate Nik Kovac’s support of downtown development in favor of other, more critical infrastructure develpoment, at the expense of Milwaukee taxpayers and MPS funding.
Now, on to my husband and me. I wish you would have put as much research into both of us as you did my home, because he was only promoted a little over two years ago, and he has never made over $100,000. Nik Kovac makes nearly that with his own well known perks. I also have a career of my own and make my own money too, you know. As far as the Mitt Romney sign goes, yes, my husband does have his own political leanings. How relevant is my husband’s political view and salary, though? Isn’t my view on the issues and my accomplishments what matter? I am an independent woman with a brain and opinions of my own. This isn’t the 1950’s, you know, and although I successfully raised two children, I’m certainly no June Cleaver.
Thank you for the opportunity to clarify a few things.
-Shanna Hayden
I majored in journalism in college and, try as I might, cannot find any actual value in this article. A candidate lives in a cute house. Okay. Is her house valued at $1M or more? No.
At least she lives in the district she’s running in.
I didn’t major in journalism and I can early see there is no point to this article. Can’t wait to read his next article
about how Sanders, Clinton, and Trump are not qualified because they all live in multimillion dollar homes. Wonder who he will point out to vote for?
Not quite sure what the author is trying to prove with this article. Don’t you have to live in the area where you are running for the alder-person position? If the area is of a certain stature, then the alderman would live in one as well. However, it seems like Ms. Hayden was able to take advantage of the housing crisis and buy a nice home at a good price. I am sure she also pays a pretty penny in taxes there.
Also, knowing many police and fire officers, some in my family, I can concur with her comment that her husband isn’t making 6 figures. But, I know I am bias, I think they should. These people work all hours and protect our lives. I feel the same about teacher and military personnel. There are some jobs that are underpaid for what they do for our communities.
Looks like we have some newcomers to the housing confidential section of UM as they seem to be about as familiar with these pieces as the figure on their significant other’s paycheck. I’m sure once they read all the others, they’ll find them equally as entertaining.
By the way, Zillow estimates this home to be worth $391k. You must share the name of this assessor you used, Shannan. Sounds like quite the steal when trying to duck your fair share of property taxes.
Yes, the newcomers to the house confidential section of UM are not aware that it is Mr. Horne’s personal outlet to use personal (though public) details about people as fodder for throwing smug digs at those he doesn’t like while celebrating those he does. The details of someone’s home does not matter, he will twist things to be positive or negative in whichever way suits him.
To Shannan Hayden, your response was well stated, respectful and level headed. Not something a person who disagrees with Nik Kovac tends to see… for that alone you’d have my vote if I was in your district.
Dave, your first comment, I agree with the first sentence, but the second half, and your next comment, makes me assume you have a split personality. Zillow? Really? Well, we all know Dave’s never bought a house or paid property taxes. Dave…my house is for sale, for the Zillow approved price of 390k (I’ll give you a K off…meet you in the middle). Whaddya say? Meet me at your bank tomorrow and I’ll bring the title. For the record, I love House Confidential. Unless it’s used as a political hit piece. Either way, anybody else notice that in the House Confidential database that Nik Kovac seems to own two homes…that combined are worth more than mine (Dave, Zillow that for me so I’m not over stepping). Oh my. Might Nik be the well off villain in this one? See ya at the polls!
Actually, dipshit, I own a house and pay plenty of property taxes. Zillow may not be the most accurate but I can assure you, based on extensive research on refinancing, Zillow is never off by 47%.
Thank you, Dave. That was perfect.
OMG!!!! WHEN did working hard and succeeding in improving your life become a crime? Here you have the very example of the American dream. Work hard and keep your goals clear and you too can be a success in your business AND personal life. You may want to examine the apparent personal and financial accomplishments of these two candidates to see which “one” of these people might be someone to emulate and even vote for. Someone who can realistically relate to your own concerns. Why is financial and personal success a source of envy? Would Shannan be a better candidate if she lived in a tent in Humboldt Park? Neither Michael OR Shannan come from money and NEITHER have EVER had anything handed to them. As for the Zillow issue, as Michael said, “bring your check book Dave. I bet Michael and Shannan will be happy to give you a really GREAT deal!!!”
I was also puzzled at the very condescending tone of this article as it relates to the success of the Haydens. I’m no new House Confidential reader; I too have noticed how many articles are written in a witty but neutral manner but articles pertaining to certain politically active individuals seem to take on an unnecessary negative tone. I agree with Sue’s sentiments in her comment above. It’s a shame when it’s made to sound like financial success (pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, if you will) is something to be disdained and suspicious of.