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Property Location
Property Features
1915-26 - Fourth through eighth floors.
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION AND SIGNIFICANCE:
This 8-story reinforced concrete building has white glazed terra cotta tile on South and West facades. This tall building is architecturally distinctive because of its white terra cottal exterior, a material not often used in Milwaukee. The material, along with the neo-classical details, make this building a good example of a commercial neo-classical revival design.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE:
This striking building, standing at the NW corner of the old Third Ward, was the former home of the F. Mayer Boot & Shoe Co., one of Milwaukee's oldest shoe houses. Established in 1880 by Frederick Mayer, one of his early partners later formed another of the city's thriving shoe companies, V. Shoenecker Boot & Shoe Co. By 1896, Mayer employed 175 workers, produced 800 pairs daily, and had a reputation as one of the most progressive leather establishments in the city. This store, factory and warehouse building was begun in 1910, although only 3 of its 8 stories were completed by the following year. In 1921, all but 1 floor of the building was being used by a variety of professional service, manufacturing and merchandise brokerage firms, but Mayer was still producing 12,500 pairs of "Dry-Sox", "Honorbuildt" and "Martha Washington" shoes daily. In 1945 the U.S. Government purchased the building for use by the Veteran's Administration, remodeling it the following year, and has used it for office space since.
The building was then converted into various businesses.
Resurveyed for Milwaukee Downtown Connector Arch/History Survey, SHPO#10-0983, Prepared by Heritage Research (2010).
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
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