click zoom to display a high-res image
Property Location
Property Features
The Allen Apartment Building I was constructed at the height of the 1920s era of apartment building along Capitol Drive in Shorewood. It has a twin next door (1428 East Capitol) and they both appear to have been constructed as "luxury" apartments in this Milwaukee suburb that developed into a middle and upper-middle class residential area. It was built by F. H. Oppitz, a Milwaukee builder. It is one of a two identical apartment buildings.
2008- "The Allen Apartment Building I is one of a two-building group of identical apartment buildings constructed in 1929 for the original
owner, Allen Buildings. It is a three-story brick building on a raised basement and has a rectangular plan. The main or south
elevation, along with the two side elevations are clad in a finished dark tan brick, wlrile the rear or north elevation is clad with a
rougher, lighter colored, brick. The architectural details are also confined to the main and side elevations and are Tudor Revival in
style. These details include a parapet roof with insets suggesting battlements and curved arches suggesting medieval castle towers,
tabbed window surrounds and quoins of smooth stone, paired and tripartite multi-light windows, and a "gothic" type stone frontispiece
accenting the main entrance.
The main entrance consists of a double door under a Tudor arch decorated by a cast stone frontispiece. The doors, themselves, are
constructed of two raised panels accented at the center with a !mob sitting under a leaded glass diamond pattern window. A Tudor-arched
transom with the identical glazing as the doors sits on top of the entrance. The stone frontispiece consists of flanking pilasters
with vertically-accented panels and stylized capitals. The top has four decorated panels divided by a shield. Two of the panels have
the same motif as the wood entry doors, while the other two panels are filled with quatrefoils. Period fixtures accent this part of the
frontispiece."
- "E Capitol Dr, Estabrook Pkwy to Lake Dr", WisDOT ID #2025-12-011", Prepared by Carol Lohry Cartwright (2009).
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.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Access Property Records
Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.
3951-3955 NORTH FARWELL AVE
150861
Located in Shorewood, Milwaukee County
