138 N Broadway St

138 N Broadway St

Milwaukee

Milwaukee

1929

1984, 1992

1984,2024,2025

park

NA (unknown or not a building)

Unknown

No

2024: Catalano Square is a 0.25 acres triangular public green space bounded by E. Menomonee Street, N. Young Street, and N. Broadway at Street at the south end of the Historic Third Ward neighborhood. The triangular green space was created when N. Young Street was constructed across E. Menomonee between Milwaukee Street and the Broadway Bridge in 1929. Based on aerial imagery, Catalano Square did not exhibit characteristics of intentional design and did not contain any structures, objects, or buildings. The National Register nomination form for the Historic Third Ward (1979) describes Catalano Square as, "One small triangular block between Menomonee, Broadway and Young has been reserved as a small park with benches and mature trees. Besides an occasional street tree, the red and blue fire call boxes are the only features which liven up the concrete sidewalks." In 1984, the square was named in honor Mariano Catalano, an Italian immigrant and one of the largest wholesale distributors on Broadway. At that time, a fountain was installed at the south corner of the park; it has since been removed. In 1992, the one-way segment of N. Broadway Street adjacent to the square was vacated and redeveloped as part of triangular green space in conjunction with streetscape improvement projects intended to foster pedestrian traffic and increase green space in the reviving district. The square retains rows of mature trees along E. Menomonee and N. Young. It was redeveloped with an urban amphitheater and fountain at the foot of N. Broadway Street. The amphitheater, constructed of concrete and earthen filled risers, and two raised brick flower beds are centered around the Dragotta Fountain. Like the square itself, the fountain was named in honor of a neighborhood merchant, Frank Dragotta, who had operated Dragg's Café on Broadway across from the square in the second half of the twentieth century. The copper shelter along N. Young Street was historically a streetcar-stop shelter on the Sixteenth Street viaduct. It was refurbished by the Friends of the Hank Aaron State Trail and placed in Catalano Square, along the route of the Hank Aaron State Trail, in 2010. South of the amphitheater, the “New Pink Planet” sculpture, designed and fabricated by Richard Edelman, was installed in 2013. A site file exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the State Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. [[site file missing]] LP 2-2024 2025: Catalano Square is a triangular public green space bounded by E Menomonee Street, and N Young Street at the south end of the Historic Third Ward neighborhood. Concrete sidewalks surround the park. The west end includes concrete and brick pathway flanked by raised planters leading south from E Menomonee and North Broadway Street to a central fountain. South of the fountain are three terraced landscape seating benches, and a large sculpture. A copper bus stop shelter is positioned southeast of the fountain on N Young Street near its intersection with E Erie Street. The park is covered by grass with trees. Decorative lampposts surround the park and picnic tables are placed sporadically. The Catalano Square is a triangular green space which was created when N Young Street was constructed across E Menomonee between Milwaukee Street and the Broadway Bridge in 1929. The 1979 National Register nomination form for the Historic Third Ward describes Catalano Square as a small park with benches and mature trees, red and blue fire call boxes, and concrete sidewalks. The square was named in honor Mariano Catalano, an Italian immigrant and one of the largest wholesale distributors on Broadway in 1984. At that time, a fountain was installed at the south corner of the park and was subsequently. In 1992, the one-way segment of N. Broadway Street adjacent to the square was vacated and redeveloped as part of the green space. The Dragotta Fountain, amphitheater, and two raised brick flower beds were constructed ca. 2000. The fountain was named in honor of a neighborhood merchant, Frank Dragotta. In 2010 a copper shelter was added along Hank Aaron State Train. The shelter was previously a streetcar-stop shelter on the Sixteenth Street viaduct. The “New Pink Planet” sculpture, designed and fabricated by Richard Edelman, was installed in 2013. Preliminary research does not suggest any potential significance under Criterion A: History, or Criterion B: People. Under Criterion C: Architecture, the square does not rise to the level of significance required for listing in the NRHP. It is a typical example of small, reclaimed green space in Milwaukee. The square is recommended not eligible for listing in the NRHP.

Carl Baehr, “The Mystery of Young Streets,” Urban Milwaukee 29 August 2018. https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2018/08/29/city-streets-the-mystery-of-young-street/; Michael Kavalar, “Catalano Square,” Urban Milwaukee. 09 July 2012. https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2012/07/09/milwaukee-squares-catalano-square/ Dave Reid, “Refurbished Streetcar-Stops Tie Milwaukee’s Past to its Future,” Urban Milwaukee 01 October 2010. https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2010/10/01/refurbished-streetcar-stops-tie-milwaukees-past-to-its-future/ Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1894 and 1910

Not Listed