Two weeks after cutting the ribbon on its new Baumgartner Center for Dance in the Third Ward, the Milwaukee Ballet has hung a "for sale" sign on its former home at 504 W. National Ave. in Walker’s Point.
The Ballet – which is celebrating its 50th season – had occupied the Jodi Peck Center, a two-story cream city brick building dating to 1901, since 1981, using it for administrative offices, costume shops, rehearsal studios, ballet classes and more.
The building was designed by architect Charles Kirchhoff for the Schlitz Brewing Company as its South Side palm garden.
You can read a detailed history of the building here.
Though the Ballet declined to name its asking price, and no listed was yet available, Managing Director Anne Metcalfe said, "This is a historic Milwaukee landmark and we’re expecting a very generous offer that honors this legacy and acknowledges the site’s potential in this vibrant neighborhood.
"The magical memories are thrown in for free!"
CBRE is the Ballet’s broker for the property.
Because I know you’re in the market, the building has four studio spaces, and 12 parking spaces in back. The first floor is roughly 11,000 square feet and there’s another 5,800 square feet upstairs.
According to Metcalfe, the property is eligible for 20 percent state and federal historic preservation tax credits.
Inquiries to CBRE’s Sandy Gregory at (414) 274-1625.
In case you're wondering, the Ballet took the letters from the exterior "Jodi Peck Center" sign, and, in Metcalfe's words, "polished and brought (them) over to our new building as part of our archival display."
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.
