Masonic Center conversion to apartments approved
A plan to convert downtown Milwaukee’s former Humphrey Scottish Rite Masonic Center into apartments has received approval from the city Historic Preservation Commission.
But that comes with a condition. The Masonic Center’s 20 stainedglass windows can be replaced.
But they must be reused as interior furnishings — with some likely going into future apartments as decorative items, the commission ruled Monday.
“Having a George Washington stained-glass window would be one hell of a novelty,” said Ald. Bob Bauman, commission chair.
Commission approval is needed for any exterior work to the building because it is designated by the city as historic. Commission rulings can be appealed to the Common Council.
The redevelopment proposal for the Masonic Center, 790 N. Van Buren St., calls for 22 two- and three-bedroom apartments, each with 1,500 to 2,500 square feet.
The project includes replacing 20 stained-glass windows with new windows.
The stained glass doesn’t allow enough natural light for the apartments, said Scott Ramlow, architect for the building owner, an affiliate of Madisonbased Ascendant Holdings Real Estate LLC.
“They really don’t let much light in at all,” Ramlow told commission members.
The reuse plan could involve displaying windows in the apartment building’s lobby — and within individual units.
Eric Nordeen, an Ascendant co-owner, told commission members using the windows as interior furnishings might not go over well with prospective renters.
The designs reflect Masonic lore and symbols — which some people might find off-putting, Nordeen said.
He suggested instead finding others willing to take the windows, such as the Habitat for Humanity Restore.
But commission members voted for keeping the windows for display at the property — which was suggested by Milwaukee Preservation Alliance Executive Director Jeremy Ebersole.
Ebersole joined Tim Askin, a city historic preservation planner, in opposing the removal of the windows.
Askin said the city’s preservation guidelines consider the windows to be a significant part of the building.
“In its purest form, preservation practice does not support the removal of character-defining features,” Ebersole said.
The commission in 2017 approved Ascendant’s plans to to convert the Masonic Center into a hotel’s lobby, restaurant and meeting rooms, with a 14-story hotel tower atop the building.
But Ascendant’s proposal, which anticipated reusing a smaller number of windows in a much larger building, didn’t obtain financing.
The firm is now partnering with a Chicago apartment developer — which hasn’t yet been named.
Scottish Rite sold the building to the Ascendant affiliate in 2017 for $3.5 million because the fraternal organization’s dwindling membership could no longer afford to maintain it.
The building was constructed as a church in 1889 and became a Masonic facility in 1912. It was extensively remodeled, with the windows installed from the 1920s until around 1950.