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Property Location
Property Features
Park Lawn is one of the several WPA (Works Progress Administration) public housing projects built nationally during the mid 1930's. Constructed in 1936 under the administration of Mayor Daniel W. Hoan it was founded by a loan of $2.8 million from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. Originally planned as slum clearance for inner city renewel this alternative was rejected because of court orderd injunctions against federal dondemnation of private property. It was decided to concentrate on low cost housing in an outlying section of the city. A site of 42 acres was selected on the far northwest side of town at a cost of $89,400. Bids for the project were opened in October of 1935 and the contract was granted to Goerge A Fuller Co., Chicago. Landscaping contract was awarded to Robert Bruce Harris of Chicago. The Allied Architects of Milwaukee was commissioned to design Parklawn. A total of 64 fire-proof buildings were built, providing 518 unitsof three, four, and five room rentals.
Precedent for the design, layout and concept of Parklawn can be seen in the British Garden City Movement of the early 20th century. Inspired by writings of Englishman Ebenezer Howard, the garden towns of Letchworth (1904) and Welwyn (1920).
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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NW CORNER OF HARTFORD AND DOWNER AVES.
16678
Located in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
