Property Record
2620-2650 N DOWNER AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Julius Strauss Commercial |
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| Other Name: | |
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| Reference Number: | 115351 |
| Location (Address): | 2620-2650 N DOWNER AVE |
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| County: | Milwaukee |
| City: | Milwaukee |
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| Year Built: | 1912 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19792016 |
| Historic Use: | large retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | Martin Tullgren & Sons |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: This structure is exemplary of the early 20th century functional, utiliterian commercial buildings. Construction date, 1912. (1) Julius Strauss, Original Owner. (2) This building (2620 N Downer Ave) was built as an automobile repair and storage garage. It was constructed specifically to cater to the needs of east-siders who owned fine, early motorcars. Mulkern Garage Co. rented limousines and specialized in the repair and storage of gas and electric cars. The original owner of the garage, Frank Mulkern, also was an essential player in the American taxicab trade through his association with John Hertz, founder of the Yellow Cab Company in Chicago. The second-story automobile garage is still in use today. (3) Resurveyed 2016 by UWM-CRM as part of Milwaukee Bublr bikeshare project. 2016- "The Mulkern Garage was constructed in 1912 and was designed by Milwaukee architect Martin Tullgren. The building contains storefronts along its Downer Avenue elevation and a second-story automobile repair and storage garage, accessible via a concrete ramp from E. Park Place. The Downer Avenue storefronts have been moderately altered, including the addition of modern signage and the alteration of several storefront windows. The end bays along the Downer Avenue elevation have been partially reclad in vertical boards. A large drive-through banking structure has been constructed along the north (Park PI) elevation. The second-story garage windows all contain modern, single fixed-light windows. The building is considered a non-contributing resource within the Milwaukee-designated Downer Avenue Commercial Historic District. However, as noted previously, the Downer Avenue historic district has not been listed in the NRHP. The Mulkern Garage is within the APE for proposed station site #57 - Downer/Park Place." -"Mult. Locations, Milwaukee, 7.5 series", WisDOT #2190-06-01, Prepared by Kelly Noack and Justin Miller, UWM-CRM (2016). |
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| Bibliographic References: | 1. Tax Program 2. City Building Permit File. 3. Final Historic Designation Study Report: North Downer Avenue Commercial District (Jakubovich: 2001). |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |