Feb. 14–A proposal to convert downtown Milwaukee's Humphrey Scottish Rite Masonic Center into a 220-room hotel has won a key approval from the city's Historic Preservation Commission.
Commission members on Monday voted 4-1 to endorse the plans, which include a 14-story addition to the historic building.
Madison-based Ascendant Holdings Real Estate plans to buy the three-story Masonic Center, 790 N. Van Buren St., and convert it into the hotel's lobby, restaurant and meeting rooms.
Ascendant also would develop an addition atop the building's southern end, stepped back from the street. It would have most of the hotel's planned 220 guest rooms, although five to 10 guest rooms could be on the Masonic Center's third floor.
That combination of historic and modern design was praised by most commission members.
"We're preserving our history, but at the same time we're moving forward," said Patricia Keating Kahn.
The proposal also won support from the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance.
"We're happy to see the building is going to be saved," said Dawn McCathy, alliance president.
Ann Pieper Eisenbrown was the only commission member to oppose approving the plans. She said she was not comfortable with the design of the project.
The approval came with some conditions. Those include modifying plans to add two canopies at the building's entrances to make sure they don't obscure decorative carved stonework.
Ascendant plans to buy the building and continue to refine its designs and cost estimates before seeking financing for the project. Construction could begin this fall on the 18-month project.
Scottish Rite wants to sell the building because the fraternal organization's dwindling membership can no longer afford to maintain it. Those ranks have dropped from 6,000 in 1985 to 700 today, of which just 100 are active members.
The building was constructed as a church in 1889 and became a Masonic facility in 1912, according to a city historic preservation report. It was extensively remodeled in 1936 and includes an auditorium that is rented out for events.
The proposed tower addition could be the first of other projects coming to Milwaukee as the downtown area sees more development, said Matt Jarosz, commission chair.
