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Milwaukee panel backs historic status for 2 venues
A Milwaukee alderman says he’s trying to protect two major downtown venues from potential demolition, but the venues’ owner is questioning both the move and its timing.
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee alderman says he’s trying to protect two major downtown venues from potential demolition, but the venues’ owner is questioning both the move and its timing.
What we know:
As UW–Milwaukee men’s basketball prepared for its first regular-season game at Panther Arena on Monday night, city officials blocks away were debating whether the arena and the neighboring Miller High Life Theatre should receive historic designation.
"There’s no current choice on what we’ll do," said Wisconsin Center District attorney Josh Levy.
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"So I don’t understand what the fuss is about," said Ald. Bob Bauman, chair of the Historic Preservation Committee.
The city’s Historic Preservation Commission ultimately approved designating both buildings as historic.
Levy said the application "came as a surprise to the owner."
Big picture view:
The Wisconsin Center District, created by state law, owns and operates both venues – Panther Arena, built in the late 1940s, and the 1907 neoclassical auditorium now known as Miller High Life Theatre. The WCD opposes the designation and has raised questions about its timing.
Bauman, who also sits on the WCD board, proposed the designation. He says it is meant to ensure the public has a voice if demolition is ever considered.
"The public should be allowed to weigh in, in a transparent, open process, which this designation will facilitate," Bauman said.
In May, WCD CEO Marty Brooks announced a consulting firm would conduct a study and primary plan. Levy maintains the study doesn’t signal demolition plans.
"He said there’s no plans to demolish these buildings," Levy said. "That’s the truth."
Bauman disputed that.
Dig deeper:
"If that’s your re-interpretation of why they were hired, that’s not how it was represented. It was to review Wisconsin Center District’s facilities," he said.
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Historic designation would not automatically ban demolition, but it creates an additional level of oversight.
"Big picture, wouldn’t it be nice so we wouldn’t have to be fearful that these two buildings would disappear in the dead of night," said commission member Sally Peltz.
The designation proposal now moves to the city’s Zoning Committee next month. If approved, it would require final passage by the Common Council.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.