The 100 East Building, at 100 E. Wisconsin Ave., in Milwaukee, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Jan. 16 for being, "significant as the best and most important example of a Postmodern building within Downtown Milwaukee."
The tower is something of an exaggerated take (some call it "allusionism") on the legendary Pabst Building that had previously occupied the site. That earlier building, designed by noted architect Solon Spencer Beman, was erected in 1892 and demolished in 1981.
It was an instantly recognizable presence on the Milwaukee skyline for a century, even after much of its ornament had been erased decades before it was torn down. It is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The 100 East Building – designed by Charlotte-based architectural firm Clark, Tribble, Harris, and Li – went up in 1989 after its prominent and historically significant Downtown site was occupied by a grassy "park" for most of the 1980s.
In announcing the listing, the Wisconsin Historical Society noted, "The design of 100 East draws on German Renaissance architectural elements, which was commonly found throughout the city at the turn of the 20th century. The Pabst skyscraper, formerly located on the site of 100 East, distinctively displayed German Renaissance Revival architecture with a cupola, curved gable ends, rusticated use of stone and grand corbelled arches. City Hall stands today as a reminder of the prevalent style.
"100 East is a reminder of Milwaukee’s ethnic heritage and exhibits character-defining features with exaggerated stylistic references. They include an emphasis of verticality through alternating spandrel panels and rose-tinted glass, large arched openings, pyramidal roof, large-scale concrete finials, cupola with spire, flared gable-ends and limestone cladding. The exaggerated expression continues in the interior. The lobby is highlighted by Italian and Spanish marble, polished brass, oversized barrel arches and paneled column capitals. The upper floors feature enlarged, round light fixtures; brass elevator doors, button plates and chandeliers; wood paneling, full length doors and marble or carpet floors with a border."
In November, the state's Historic Preservation Review Board reversed an earlier opinion and voted unanimously to nominate the building for state and federal historic designation.
Such designation opens the door for owners Klein Development and Johnny Vassallo – who bought the struggling building in summer 2023 for $29 million – to seek historic credits to help finance conversion of the office tower into 384 apartments.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
