A Black architect's building could be designated as historic. That

A Milwaukee building designed by a pioneering Black architect could be designated as historic − potentially blocking its demolition.

A raze permit for the one-story building, 1747 N. Sixth St., has been placed on hold by the city Department of Neighborhood Services.

That happened after petitions were filed with the Historic Preservation Commission seeking both permanent and temporary historic designation for the building. It was part of a 1970s commercial complex initially known as Central City Plaza.

The 180-day temporary period can be used as an emergency measure to stop work, giving the commission time to consider permanent designation. Permanent designation also requires Common Council and mayoral approval.

A building permanently designated as historic cannot be demolished without commission approval. However, commission rulings can be appealed to the council.

The petitions were filed by Milwaukee architect Chris Rute and the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance.

They say Central City Plaza, which features a larger, two-story building at 600 W. Walnut St., was designed in the New Formalism style and constructed in 1973.

Central City Plaza is historically significant because its architect was Alonzo Robinson Jr., according to Rute and the alliance. Robinson was the first registered Black architect in Wisconsin “and had a distinguished public and private career,” their petitions say.

Also, the plaza was the only Black-operated shopping center to be completed under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s community development program, according to the petitions.

It was developed by Central City Development Corp., led by Milwaukee civil rights leader Felmers O. Chaney.

The plaza’s Black-owned businesses included Central City Drug Store, Darby’s Food, Pago’s Liquor Store, Masterpiece Supper Club and Masterpiece Motor Lodge.

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However, the plaza was vacant by 1977. It was sold to the Prince Hall Masons in 1982, a fraternal organization which rented excess space to social service agencies and nonprofit groups.

More recently, the Sixth Street building was used by Yellow Cab Cooperative before the Salvation Army purchased it in May for $1.25 million, according to city assessment records.

A Salvation Army representative couldn’t be immediately reached for comment, including information on the group’s plans for the 0.5-acre lot.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Bluesky, X and Facebook.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Black-developed Milwaukee commercial site could get historic status

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