Property Record
111, 121 E SILVER SPRING DR
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Marcus Theater Building Addition |
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| Other Name: | |
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| Reference Number: | 184970 |
| Location (Address): | 111, 121 E SILVER SPRING DR |
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| County: | Milwaukee |
| City: | Whitefish Bay |
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| Year Built: | 1978 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2011 |
| Historic Use: | small retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Colonial Revival/Georgian Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | In 1948, Ben Marcus of the S & M Theater Company, now Marcus Theatres, proposed a $200,000 building to be located at the southwest corner of Silver Spring Drive and Kent Avenue. It was to house a single screen, 1,000-seat movie theater, six storefronts, and twenty two offices, in addition to offices for the theater company. The proposed building designed by architect Perry Crosier of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was of a Contemporary style with a glass and granite exterior. Tentatively named the Diane Theater, it was slated to be the first movie theater in Whitefish Bay. However, a steel shortage stopped construction of the building after its foundations had been installed. After several years, Marcus revised the plans to no longer include the movie theater and construction continued. The $85,000, brick building was completed in 1952 by the William Keierleber Construction Company. Fritzel’s occupied the first floor retail space selling women’s apparel, and Marcus occupied a portion of the upper stories with their offices. A 50-car parking lot was constructed immediately west of the building, complete with brick walls along the sidewalk and a parking attendant. In 1978, a two-story addition was constructed on a portion of the parking lot. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Building permit records on file at Whitefish Bay Village Hall. Whitefish Bay Historical Research Project. Volume 12. Mimi Bird Collection, Whitefish Bay: Whitefish Bay Public Library |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |