Milwaukee Historic Preservation Committee Responds to a Modern Home Proposition on Terrace Ave. 

The Historic Preservation Committee of Milwaukee moves to hold the decision on a new build of a home at 2409 N. Terrace Ave. with some of the commentary surrounding the idea of incorporating modern architecture in a historic Milwaukee district. New owner of the property, Anna Goldman, plans to build a modern, 4,400 square foot house just behind Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital on Terrace Ave. in the North Point North Historic District, but it is one of a few in Milwaukee that are setting new design standards in the city.  

“Hardcore modernism is fine and we’re not opposed to that, but that does create kind of a difficult situation, you know, when you take that kind of extreme proposal into mind,” said Matt Jarosz, a Historic Preservation Committee member.  

The new home, proposed to be built in spring of 2024, has a modern black and white exterior, unlike most of its surrounding, historically fitting homes and others in the neighborhood. There are a few exceptions in the nearby areas, most of which are also new builds. Both homes to the South of 2409 N. Terrace Ave. are newer homes, both with the modern aesthetic shown in the renditions of this home. One specific exception to the historical standard of the area stands on the 2100 block of Terrace Ave that the HPC approved seven years ago. This home served as design inspiration for the build of the Goldman home.  

The home will stand about 28 feet back from the lot line on Terrace Ave. with a cantilevered window extending one foot forward on the North half of the face of the home. A mostly white exterior will contrast the black steel window frames and entryway with a modern, well-kept landscape design surrounding the front walkway. A concrete path with a shallow set of stairs will approach the home from the sidewalk. The home will be two stories with five bedrooms, one set in the basement and a large, exposed patio atop the three-car garage at the back of the home.  

There was some contention surrounding the plan to incorporate four egress windows in the basement to allow for more natural light. The staff of Milwaukee Historic Preservation represented by Andrew Stern, Senior Planner, recommended that the number of egress windows be decreased as they are non-essential to the fire codes for emergency escape from a lower level. The egress windows would also protrude to the Northern lot line which borders the property of Sheila Reynolds and her husband Bob Chang.  

Reynolds and Chang expressed concern about the build-up of the property’s elevation in relation to their retaining wall bordering their property to the South. The concerns surrounded both the issue of drainage and of the egress windows, which Shawn Purnell, Goldman’s architect, stated was a non-issue because of the flexibility in the plans for basement windows and the intention to excavate the remaining earth opposite the retaining wall which splits the Goldman and Reynolds/Chang property.  

Jarosz, in agreement with the rest of the committee, moved to hold all decision making until they meet again in a month to finalize details of the spring build.  

The last extensively discussed topic of the meeting was the proposition by Jaime and Patrina Hurtado to install replacement vinyl windows in their historic home at 1923 N. 1^st St. Jarosz was quick to deny the motion as he denied a motion for the same issue in 1992.    

New homes are being built all over Milwaukee, and many challenge the aesthetic of old Milwaukee. The HPC’s duty is to assure that these new builds do not interfere with the legacy left behind by the previous tenants of the city and the builders of some of Milwaukee’s most historically original homes. Many neighbors of 2409 Terrace Ave. exhibit traits of the historic aesthetic of Milwaukee as well as the home at 1923 N 1^st St.  

As the city continues to develop, the HPC’s duties remain to maintain the historic aesthetic of Milwaukee within the confines of state and federal construction laws. The Department of City Development is offering free build blueprints to anyone who purchases a vacant infill lot in the city of Milwaukee, alleviating the HPC of a few of their duties to maintain the look of old Milwaukee.