Property Record
903 WISCONSIN AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Marcus Building |
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| Other Name: | Coast to Coast Store |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 28097 |
| Location (Address): | 903 WISCONSIN AVE |
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| County: | Grant |
| City: | Boscobel |
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| Year Built: | 1923 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1982 |
| Historic Use: | large retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | HABS WI-333. THE MARCUS BUILDING IS A LARGE, TWO STORY STRUCTURE, WIHT BRICK EXTERIOR. A BRICK CORBEL TABLE, AT THE CORNICE PROVIDES SOME ORNAMENTATION. THE STOREFRONT HAS NOT BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED; THE ALUMINUM PANELS (BEHIND THE SIGN) CONCEAL THE ORIGINAL TRANSOM (B). 1992- "This brick construction 50-foot-wide by 130-foot-deep, two-part, rectilinear plan Twentieth Century Commercial style building was built in 1923 on the southeast corner formed by the intersection of Wisconsin Ave. and LaBelle St. and it replaced four earlier one-story frame construction commercial buildings. The front part of this building is one-story in height and 70-feet-deep and it originally contained retail space that was recently remodeled into professional offices. The original use of the two-story 60-footdeep rear block is not known. Both have interior spaces that are divided by iron posts. The west-facing main facade of the one-story block is symmetrical in design and an early photo shows that it originally had a full-width storefront that featured two recessed entrances that were flanked and separated by display window units. A continuous ransom eighteen-light transom band surmounted this storefront, which was enframed by still extant brick bulkheads and by still extant pilasters placed at either end that have capitals formed by a single corbelled course of brick. Today, this storefront has a deeply recessed and canted central entrance. Three smaller display windows flank this entrance to the left and three oblong window flank it to the right, both groups having vertical wooden boards placed below them. A modern signboard now covers the transom band and the wall surface above it consists of unadorned wall surface upon which is centered a small stone plaque bearing the inscription "Marcus 1923." 'l'he facade is then crowned by a corbelled parapet, beneath which is a stringcourse fashioned out of basketweave pattern brick. The right-hand (west) bay ot the north-facing side elevation of the building contains a continuation of the main storefront and it has evolved in the same way as the ones just described. Most of the remainder of the elevation is windowless, but there are three small square window openings located at the left (east) end of the elevation that are now filled with plywood. Six identical openings are found on the north-facing main facade of the rear block next door and the second story of this block features seven flat-arched window openings that are filled with one-over-one light double hung windows. This building is still reasonably intact and in good condition and is considered to be contributing to the district." - Prepared by Timothy F Heggland (1992). |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. DATE STONE. B. GILLETT PHOTOGRAPH, ICONOGRAPHY SHS. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |