UWM Plan To Raze Columbia Hospital Stalled
Historic Preservation Commission grants building temporary historic designation.
Building A. Photo by Michael Horne.
The Historic Preservation Commission delayed UW-Milwaukee’s plan to demolish the oldest portions of Columbia Hospital, or so it thinks.The commission unanimously granted temporary historic designation to the former hospital, 3321 N. Maryland Ave. The measure is effectively a 180-day injunction with a requirement for the commission to review a permanent designation within that time frame.
UWM objected to the designation. It first held a public meeting about its plan in January 2020 and in February 2020 received approval from the State of Wisconsin Building Commission to proceed with the demolition project. It’s part of its plan to redevelop what it calls the Northwest Quadrant Student Health Services facility.
“I am definitely concerned about that,” said Ald. Nik Kovac, whose district includes the university.
Conflicting legal opinions exist on whether the state is subject to city historic preservation ordinances. The commission is relying on an earlier opinion from former City Attorney Grant Langley that its actions are enforceable.
The university paid $20.2 million in 2010 for the 1.1-million-square-foot hospital complex at 2015-2025 E. Newport Ave. The oldest portion, an L-shaped building near the intersection of N. Maryland Ave. and E. Hartford Ave., was constructed between 1919 and 1969.
According to a UWM report, it would cost at least $100 million to reconfigure the building for STEM space, which the university views as its most pressing need. It is developing a new chemistry building a block to the south.
The commission staff recommended temporary historic designation and noted in their report that many other hospitals have been successfully repurposed.
But the most obvious conversion option isn’t available. UWM is restricted from using the former building for housing as a condition of the purchase. The restriction comes in the form of a memorandum of understanding agreed to with the surrounding neighborhoods.
Catherine T. Miller made the application for local historic protection. Her submission, according to commission staff, was prompted by signage at the site noting the impending demolition.
UWM, in 2020, said it would cost $3 million to either mothball or demolish the structure. An additional $3 million would be required to prepare the site for use. It reported spending $232,000 annually on building maintenance.
“They’re demolishing it just because they don’t want to be bothered with maintaining it,” said Kovac.
The temporary designation cannot be appealed to the Common Council, but a permanent designation must be approved by the full council. The council, even if it grants designation, could still later allow the university to demolish the building.
The structure is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
2020 Photos
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Columbia Hospital has not been empty for the last 20 years. In 2008, my father was is hospice there.
Still, more abuse by the Milwaukee Historical Preservation Commission. They shouldn’t be allowed to continue to swoop in at the last minute to obstruct plans that were years in the making, just because an individual now wants to stop it, and has the power of the HPC behind them.
@mkwagner – I’ve cleaned up the wording of that section. The entire hospital has not, you are correct, but according to a UWM report the oldest building/portion has been vacant for multiple decades.
Perhaps UWM (and other wood-be developers) should consult The Historic Preservation Commission at the outset, rather than spend time and money planning to raze a building that is likely to generate opposition once their intentions are made clear. Or would that eliminate the “but look at what we’ve already invested” argument?
The old Columbia campus adds much needed character to an otherwise mostly unremarkable campus.
That said, which tycoon are they looking to name the new facility for? Or should we just skip all that controversy and settle on The Lubar Entrepreneurial University. (in these days of outsized egos anonymous contribution to the public good
seem a thing of the past).