Milwaukee has a new historic district. But some buildings were dropped to win city approval

A new historic district on Milwaukee's near west side has won Common Council approval − but only after the number of its buildings was cut from five to two.

The Grand Avenue Historic District will cover two homes built in the early 20th century, at 3034 W. Wisconsin Ave. and 3046 W. Wisconsin Ave.

The district was to include three other houses at 3111 W. Wisconsin Ave., 3121 W. Wisconsin Ave., and 3127 W. Wisconsin Ave. That was recommended by both the Historic Preservation Commission and the council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee.

The five properties encompass the last remaining cluster of houses on West Wisconsin Avenue from the neighborhood's Grand Avenue era, when wealthy Milwaukee business operators built homes just west of downtown in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, according to a commission report.

The smaller historic district was approved Tuesday under a proposal from Ald. Sharlen Moore, whose aldermanic district includes the three houses that were dropped. Ald. Robert Bauman's aldermanic district includes the two houses that are within the historic district.

Moore's proposal was approved by the council with no objections.

She told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that her constituents who owned the properties didn't want them included in the historic district. That requires the property owners to obtain preservation commission approval for any exterior changes.

Moore took office in April, succeeding Ald. Michael Murphy after he decided against seeking another term. The historic district was recommended by the zoning committee before Moore joined the council.

The zoning committee endorsement came after a process that included profanity and a death wish targeting Bauman from an owner of a property that has since been dropped from the district.

Bauman told the Journal Sentinel that contracting the historic district was not his preference.

He added, "Elections matter."

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram , X and Facebook.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee has a new historic district. But some buildings were dropped to win city approval