“Cream of Cream City” to be recognized at historic preservation awards ceremony

The Cream of the Cream City Awards, sponsored by the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, the Common Council and Mayor Tom Barrett, will recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the field of historic preservation and heritage education and advocacy in the City of Milwaukee. The event will be held at Best Place at the Pabst, 901 W. Juneau Ave., and begins at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 29, 2014.

The public is invited and refreshments will be served. Cream of the Cream City Award honorees will receive a commemorative brick
recognizing how they have met the special stewardship challenges required of historic buildings. The 2013 winners that will be honored include Iron Block Building Partners /Dental Associates, Immanuel Presbyterian Society, Forest County Potawatomi and many others. More details are included in the attached document.

Alderman Robert J. Bauman, who serves as a member of the Historic Preservation Commission, said the awards recognize projects “large and small which have preserved the rich history of Milwaukee found in its varied architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries.”

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
IRON BLOCK BUILDING PARTNERS / DENTAL ASSOCIATES
IRON BLOCK (1860)
205 EAST WISCONSIN AVENUE
COMMERCIAL BUILDING RESTORATION
The Iron Block has been a fixture at the intersection of North Water Street and East Water Street since its construction in 1860. Designed by George H. Johnson and manufactured by Daniel Badger’s Architectural Iron Works of New York City, it has served tenants ranging from architects to Masonic lodges. Owners Dental Associates purchased the Iron Block in early 2012 and set about to renovate the building’s interior as well as exterior. Although the Iron Block has local designation and National Register status, the building had begun to rust and architectural details, replicated in substitute materials during a 1983 renovation, were deteriorated and ornament was falling to the sidewalk. The current owners went the extra mile in accurately recreating the missing details. With the assistance of H. Russell Zimmermann, patterns and molds were created from historic photographs and pieces of the original building. Over 4,200 new pieces were cast in Wisconsin foundries and included acanthus leaves, lions’ heads, columns and capitals and even the garlands of grapevines. Some pieces weighed a few ounces. Others, like the columns at the original entrance on Water Street, weighed in at over 1,200 pounds. The entire iron façade was sandblasted down to raw steel and a three-part epoxy paint system was used to chemically bond with the ferrous surfaces. New cornice and pediments were molded from fiberglass reinforced polyester and now match the originals. The 1899 south addition was stripped of its paint to reveal the Cream City brick. The building was unveiled on June 17, 2013 and the completely renovated interior will be completed in 2014. One of Milwaukee’s most iconic buildings, the only extant building in Wisconsin with a cast iron façade, is once again a beacon for preservation at the corner of Water and Wisconsin.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
IMMANUEL PRRESBYTERIAN SOCIETY
JAMES S. PECK HOUSE (1870-1871)
1105 NORTH WAVERLY PLACE
PORCH, SOFFIT AND ROOF RESTORATION

The James S. Peck House is the sole survivor of a group of stately homes that once fronted Waverly Place. The neighborhood was developing by the 1870s and this Italianate style house was in the height of fashion, built of local Cream City brick and ornamented with finely crafted
detail. In 1912 an elegant wraparound porch was added to the building designed by none other than Henry Koch & Son. Some restoration work was done in the 1980s but many more features needed attention by the time that Immanuel Presbyterian Society acquired the building in 1998. The building did not look “bad” per se but was showing its age. Rather than take a band aid approach to repairs, Immanuel rebuilt the soffits and used copper in re-building the built-in gutters. Immanuel also roofed the entire building, beginning with re-decking. Two new downspouts were added and all damaged wood trim was repaired or replaced with replicas. A second phase of the exterior work included the porch. The deck was rebuilt using ipe wood, and new handrails and guardrails were produced to replicate the originals. The sagging bay window on the south elevation was corrected and new decorative moldings were made to replicate the original trim. The original porch columns and roof were preserved and new bases were made for the columns. Immanuel Presbyterian Church is to be congratulated for going above and beyond the short term fix and investing in the building’s long-term viability. The Peck House will continue to illustrate how Yankee Hill was once the city’s premier neighborhood.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY
WEST SIDE REALTY COMPANY DUPLEX (1912)
1003-1005 NORTH 33RD
STREET
BACK FROM THE BRINK
This duplex, located today in the Concordia Historic District, was one of five developed at the same time along the 1000 block of North 33rd
Street by the West Side Realty Company. Richter, Dick and Reutemann, a prominent real estate and development company, most likely formed the West Side Realty Company as a development arm since the two businesses shared offices in the Caswell Building downtown. Local architects Herbst & Hufschmidt designed all of the duplexes, making each unique, but following consistent setbacks, height and materials. No. 1003-1005 had various occupants through the decades but was left vacant and subject to vandalism in recent years. A fire then destroyed the rear portion of the upper flat as well as the front dormer and it looked like demolition was imminent. The Forest County Potawatomi stepped in to rescue the building and preserve the grouping when no one else would. With one exception, the front dormer, the building has been put back to its original appearance thanks to surviving original plans. The preservation of this duplex means a lot to the homeowners and residents of the Concordia Historic District as well as to the city as a whole. The Forest County Potawatomi are to be congratulated for their efforts in bringing this property back from the brink of demolition.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
LINDSAY NSP LLC
MAURES GROUP LLC
BRINSHORE DEVELOPMENT GROUP LLC
DOCTOR EUGENE W. BEEBE DUPLEX
2601-2603 WEST WELLS STREET (1906)
RESIDENTIAL REHAB MISTAKE MADE RIGHT

Doctor Eugene W. Beebe had this duplex constructed to house himself and his son Claude. Both were specialists in the field of eye, ear, nose and throat medicine and Eugene was widely recognized for his skills and publications. The two shared an office and living quarters downtown on today’s East Wisconsin Avenue. Eugene moved into the duplex (2601) upon its completion in 1906 and Claude moved in upstairs (2603). Son Claude Beebe later moved to Shorewood in 1913 but Dr. Eugene Beebe remained on Wells Street until he died in 1915 at the age of 75. The duplex was subsequently owned by the Pethericks into the 1960s and occupied as a rooming house. It was maintained in reasonably good condition over the decades but was vacant in recent years. Two developers, Maures Group LLC and Brinshore Development Group LLC, partnered to acquire and rehab a number of Milwaukee’s vacant and distressed properties. Errors were made and the historic reviews required for this eligible property were not obtained. The developers utilized their normal approach to rehab and stripped the building of its original
decorative architectural shingling despite the fact the building was in near original appearance and the ornamental shingles were intact. The Historic Preservation staff became aware of the wrong turn in the process as complaints came in from the neighborhood. Residents signed a
petition that was distributed to the Mayor, Ald. Bauman, the Department of City Development and the Historic Preservation Commission. The petition asked for the city to reject the vinyl siding and vinyl windows and other low cost products that were planned for the house. They wanted the house restored to its original appearance. Following meetings with the developers, a restoration plan was worked out. This even included building a small one car garage to complement the house, taken from the Preservation Portfolio, which was substituted for a more utilitarian-looking one. Neighbors are happy with the results. The developers even used this building to advertise their rehab work and it was featured in the December 2013 issue of Tax Credit Advisor. The building once again anchors its corner in the venerable old neighborhood
just east of Concordia and is a tribute to the memory of Dr. Eugene Winfield Beebe.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
H. RUSSELL ZIMMERMANN
ZIMMERMANN DESIGN CONSULTANTS
PRESERVATION EDUCATION AND DESIGN

H. Russell Zimmermann is a household name in Milwaukee. Many a budding preservationist spent their formative years reading his series,The Past in Our Present, in the Milwaukee Journal in the 1970s and 1980s or chasing the buildings featured in his Heritage Guidebook.
Zimmermann opened many eyes to the beauties of Milwaukee’s historic buildings even as he stayed one jump ahead of the wrecking ball. His efforts helped to instill the preservation ethic in a community rich in architectural resources. Zimmermann’s design skills are legendary as well. Very few individuals can replicate the period details and with such ease as he can; it almost seems that he can channel the past. Russ as he is commonly known has pursued design full time for many decades now. Additions, new construction, remodeling and assisting in the restorations of some of the city’s best known monuments are all part of his portfolio. He recently designed the missing pieces for the Iron
Block, based on historic evidence. He designed the restoration of the Grain Exchange room in the Mackie Building. The monumental fence at 2909 East Newberry Boulevard was Zimmermann’s design as well as the rear addition to Larry Bonney’s house in North Point North. Both projects won a Cream of the Cream City Award for their owners. Although his residence is in Wauwatosa, Zimmermann’s office has been in the Railway Exchange Building for years and he has been wholeheartedly committed to Milwaukee’s historic buildings.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
BRADLEY AND TIFFANY TINSEY
CHARLES F. AND WILLIAM T. MAYNARD HOUSE (C. 1893)
2252 NORTH SUMMIT AVENUE
RESIDENTIAL RESTORATION

Charles F. Maynard left his South Side residence to move to this East Side home in 1893. He was associated with Filer & Stowell, then became an officer in Crucible Steel and went on to found Maynard Steel Foundry. Charles died in 1915 at the age of 65. His son William T. Maynard, a
dentist, remained in the house for some years thereafter. The current owners, Brad and Tiffany Tinsey, have finally completed what was begun by their predecessors. A photo from 1978 shows that the front gable and the porch gable were sheathed by large rough shakes and that the porch balustrade needed work. The building itself was covered in vinyl siding. The Tinsey’s removed the vinyl siding and removed the rough shingles in the gables to reveal decorative shingles hidden underneath. They also worked on the porch balustrade. As a final touch, they gave the house a new coat of paint and picked out the various decorative shingles with different colors. The house now adds a bit of sparkle to the North Point South Historic District.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
FREDERICK VOGEL IV AND MEGAN HOLBROOK
FRANK WARD SMITH HOUSE (1905)
2405 EAST WYOMING PLACE
SENSITIVE ADDITION

Planning and executing an addition to an Alexander Eschweiler-designed house can be tricky. How can you stay true to the master’s vision and yet add space that accommodates modern living? And how can you do that under the watchful eyes of your neighbors who all hold their
historic district in the highest esteem? Not to mention that the house sits at a prominent corner for many to see. Those were the challenges faced by owners Eric Vogel and Megan Holbrook. An addition could be accommodated on their lot and numerous neighboring houses had been enlarged over the last century. So the task was not impossible, but very daunting. Many working sessions were held between the architects, the owners, and preservation staff to iron out matters of setback, scale, windows, brick and massing. The process was not rushed and the end result shows it. The careful touches to the addition, including the windows, roofline and
offset from the original house, would make Eschweiler proud.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
DOWNER DELAWARE, LLC
2591-2597 NORTH DOWNER AVENUE (1915)
AND
2521-2525 EAST BELLEVIEW PLACE (1915)
ADAPTIVE USE
This building at the corner of Downer and Belleview was constructed as part of a large development in 1915 that created the Downer Theater flanked by storefronts and apartments. Prominent commercial and apartment building firm, Martin Tullgren & Sons, produced a unique
design with Prairie Style features and details picked out with terra cotta trim. The theater is the oldest continuously running theater in Milwaukee. The flanking storefronts have had numerous tenants over the decades and the upper units held apartments. When fire displaced East Side icon Pizza Man, the owner sought out a new venue and selected the mixed use building to the north of Downer Theater. Changes to the building included converting the upper level from apartments to dining, cutting out a section of the roof for open patio-like dining on the second story, constructing a deck off of the second level and creating openings to the deck from what had been windows. A new movable glass roof will be added over the opening on the second story. New openable storefront windows and an entry door salvaged from the previous location can be found on the first story. The new interior was modeled on the rustic character of the original location and features exposed brick walls, reclaimed wood, and repurposed wine bottles made into light fixtures. The owner and his architect, Rinka Chung Architecture, Inc., are confident that Pizza Man will remain a Milwaukee icon for the next 40 years.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
JAY AND CYNTHIA JANKE
JOSEPH P. AND ELSIE CONRAD HOUSE (1923)
2564 NORTH 47TH
STREET
RESIDENTIAL RESTORATION

Milwaukee’s bungalows stand head and shoulders above those of other Wisconsin cities and the examples on the city’s West Side are particularly notable. A special grouping of these bungalows in the 4500 block of North 47th Street was locally designated in 2001. Deed
restrictions at the time of development spelled out setbacks, cost of construction and where accessory buildings could be placed and resulted in a series of residences that show off the high quality materials and expert craftsmanship that have given Milwaukee bungalows their
distinction. Bungalows at that time appealed to all segments of society and most of the original owners here were professionals or business owners. Joseph Conrad was the original owner of this bungalow and he was a carpenter/contractor like his father before him. This probably explains why his residence is the only frame bungalow on the block. Elsie Conrad outlived her husband and remained in the house into the 1950s. Later owners made unsympathetic alterations over the years including vinyl siding and the removal of the original porch. The current owners took off the vinyl siding, installed a new architectural shingle roof, added wood combination storms/screens and rebuilt the porch in masonry as it had been originally. From being the drab house on the block, the renovations and new color scheme have made this bungalow a knockout and proves that a project does not have to have a large budget to be effective and make a difference in a neighborhood.

2014 CREAM OF THE CREAM CITY
PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENT
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WISCONSIN HERITAGE TOURISM PROGRAM, INC.
AMERICAN SYSTEM BUILT HOMES MODEL TWO FLAT “C”
2733-2734 WEST BURNHAM STREET
FULL HOUSE RESTORATION

Not many people realize that the row of American Systems Built Houses on Burnham Street is the largest contiguous groupings of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses in the world. Four of the six dwellings are duplexes. As a follow-up to the successful restoration of the single family house at 2714 West Burnham the non-profit Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin Heritage Tourism Program, Inc. decided to showcase the restoration of one of the duplexes it acquired in 2007. The duplex, deteriorating for years, underwent forensic testing to determine the original stucco texture and appearance and original colors. Pressed metal fascia trim pieces were reproduced using the original designs. The cantilevered front porch was rebuilt with new engineering so that it wouldn’t continue to sag. A new roof was installed. The rear sleeping porches were reopened. All of the work was conducted under the expert guidance of Uihlein Wilson Architects. The work that Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin Heritage Tourism has done has begun to re-energize the neighborhood. Tour groups come regularly from all parts of the globe to study Wright’s designs here and local residents are seeing their neighborhood in a new light. Turning around a situation where private owners were unable to restore or even appreciate their unique asset, the dedicated group of volunteers committed to Wright’s legacy has made a difference for all Milwaukeeans and Wisconsinites alike.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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