In September, the sad news of the closing of St. James Episcopal Church, which had been at 833 W. Wisconsin Ave. for more than 165 years, was tempered by word that a group of partners – including developer Josh Jeffers, Shawn Hittman and The Hidden Kitchen owners Oliver Hunt and Kate Crowle – plan to open a wedding and events venue in the building.
Now, on Monday, Dec. 11, the city’s Historic Preservation Commission will consider a resolution on a new apartment tower that is being floated as part of the project. The seven-story building – which would also include event and support space for the venue in the church building – would replace parish house, added in 1899 to the south of the church.
The commission must approve the proposal as the church is a designated historic property.
Floor plan of the main floor of the proposed venue in the former church.
According to the Certificate of Appropriateness Application Form required by the commission, and completed by J. Jeffers & Co., "a new addition is proposed to be constructed that will provide the adequate accessible facilities for the historical church building as well as the new commercial spaces in the addition. This will allow us to match the level of the existing church for accessible access and routes through the building.
"The church is proposed to be used as an event venue. Support services for this space will be located in the addition which will also host a second event venue taking up most of the existing parking lot east of the existing parish house."
The application describes the appearance of the new structure, which has been designed by Engberg Anderson Architects of Milwaukee. The courtyard between the church and the adjacent St. James Court apartments would become an outdoor gathering space as part of the plan.
"The addition will have a dark masonry base with a light masonry entrance at the end of the courtyard that will use color tones to complement the material of the church. The courtyard will be developed as an extension of the event venues as additional outdoor gathering space. The remaining portion of the addition will be programmed as housing and provide a backdrop to the church as to not detract from its historic character. The darker fiber cement panels will enhance the visual character of the church as the public experiences (it) upon arrival into the courtyard or event space traversing past the site on Wisconsin Avenue."
Back in September, Hunt – who did not immediately respond to a request for comment today – said the project was expected to be complete by May 2019.
"Really what we're shooting for is not just weddings, but events of all kinds," he told me when the news first emerged. "The sanctuary will be perfect for weddings, business meetings, maybe the odd fashion show. What I call the back ballroom will be another venue, with an open showroom kitchen. That would be suitable for events with visiting chefs."
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.
