Property Record
448-468 E BRUCE ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Kraus-Merkel Malting Co. |
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| Other Name: | National Warehouse Corp. House # 1 & # 2 |
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| Reference Number: | 98985 |
| Location (Address): | 448-468 E BRUCE ST |
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| County: | Milwaukee |
| City: | Milwaukee |
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| Year Built: | 1926 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 198820162024 |
| Historic Use: | industrial building |
| Architectural Style: | Astylistic Utilitarian Building |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Concrete |
| Architect: | Leenhouts & Guthrie |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | 2024: The resource consists of two adjoined buildings constructed in circa 1910 block (west) and 1926 (east) as part of the American Malting Co. (previously the Kraus-Merkel Malting Co.) complex at the northwest corner of S. Water and E. Bruce Streets. The west building was constructed by Kraus-Merkel Malting Co. as Malt House “A” circa 1910. It was renamed and repurposed as Storage House #2 after the National Warehouse Corporation assumed ownership of the property in 1925. It is a seven-story rectangular plan industrial building of “fireproof construction” according to the 1910 edition of the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps except for exposed steel beams in the interior. The exterior is cream brick laid in common bond with a corbelled course below the parapet. The principal elevation faces south toward E. Bruce Street and is vertically arranged in three distinct design zones corresponding to the ground floor, the middle floors, and the top floor. The first story contains loading bays below a shed-roof awning. The middle floors are arranged in six bays – each containing a single window opening. The top – seventh – floor is symmetrically balanced with two adjacent windows at the center and single windows evenly spaced on either side. The windows in the westernmost bay have been bricked in with orange colored brick in a single column spanning the second through sixth stories. The windows in the second and third story are rectangular with one-over-one and two-over-two hung wood sash windows; the windows in the fourth, fifth, and sixth stories are six-over-six hung wood sash windows in segmental arch openings; and the windows in the seventh story are nine-over-nine hung wood sash windows in segmental arch openings. The east building was constructed in 1926 after North Warehouse Corporation assumed ownership of the property. The Storage Warehouse #1 is a seven-story L-shaped industrial building that constructed around the former malting company office to the north (103124) and is adjoined to Malt House “A” along its east elevation. The warehouse is constructed of a reinforced concrete skeleton infilled with brick curtain or spandrel walls ribbons and divided multi-light metal windows placed on concrete sills. The south elevation faces E. Bruce Street and is arranged into seven bays, of which, the eastern most is the narrower. There are loading docks at the west end of the elevation. The east elevation faces S. Water Street and is arranged into two bays; the roofline features a curved parapet that rises to a central penthouse. The ground floor between the connector is open and formerly accommodated a rail spur that has since been removed. 2016 - resurveyed, some replacement siding on connector between two buildings in complex. Consists of a c.1910 block at west, c.1920 at east. Painted signs read "National Warehouse Corp." East block has concrete frame with brick spandrel walls, west block has brick walls and small windows with segment arch windows, painted sign has ghost of "Fresno Wine Company of Milwaukee." Loading docks along entire south side. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Sanborn-Perris Map Company. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Milwaukee, Milwaukee County. New York: Sanborn-Perris Map Co., 1910 – Vol. 4. Sanborn Map Company. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Milwaukee, Milwaukee County. New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1910 – Vol. 4, Revised 1951. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |