Renovations rekindle spirits of the past By Denise Seyfer - News Graphic Staff CEDARBURG — Renovations to reclaim the historical essence of the late 1880s in downtown Cedarburg continue at the Cedarburg Cultural Center and its adjacent property, which houses Joie on Main. The first phase renovations in 2013 focused on the cultural center faade, redesigned with gray plank siding and a parapet that raised the border of the roof higher, which helped give the building its century-old style. Individual awnings were placed over each of the three window fronts, leaving room for the blade sign to hang over the front door. New copper down lighting currently accents the building, giving the building its amber glow at night. The center’s property to the south was historically inaccurate, according to drawings or photographs from the late 1880s or early 1900s. Now the second phase of renovations are underway, with exterior improvements on the southern faade of the cultural center-owned building at W62 N542 Washington Ave. With funds raised through private donations and the Greater Cedarburg Foundation, in addition to donations in memory of Carl and Rita Edquist, the total cost was estimated at $200,000. Today, a mystery surrounds the building’s construction date. The date on the building’s plaque states it was established in 1845. At an Aug. 14 landmarks commission meeting, Commissioner James Pape said the date is likely too early for the structure. He requested that a new date be posted after research is conducted that confirms the correct date of the building’s establishment. Documents available at the Ozaukee County Historical Society may shed some light on the question. Records show the space used by Joie and the southern portion of the cultural center was once a house owned by Cedarburg alderman, political activist, and later, hotel owner Fred Beckmann. He also was the treasurer of the Cedarburg Humane Society and an “active member of the Cedarburg fire department,” the documents said. In 1868, Beckmann married Lena HackFeldt; in 1873 he took ownership of the Wisconsin Hotel, which is currently Joie, said an article from The Cedarburg News. According to an article in another town paper, The Cedarburg Enterprise newspaper, dated March 24, 1880, “Beckmann is excavating the cellar under his building preparatory to raising it this coming spring.” A second article from The Cedarburg Enterprise, from May 5, 1880, said Beckmann had his house “thoroughly overhauled inside and outside, having the outside reboarded. Mr. Beckmann will launch into the hotel business, having had considerable experience. He will no doubt draw a good custom, and knows how to treat customers.” The article also said Beckmann was one of Cedarburg’s most enterprising and energetic men. On Aug. 4, 1880, the paper reported “Beckmann will have one of the best hotels in the state after its completion.” It was named the Wisconsin House, though on the 1900 County Directory it was listed as Beckmann Saloon; yet, in the 1900 census Beckmann was listed as a hotel keeper as there were rooms on the second floor of the establishment. According to The Cedarburg News on April 25, 1888, Beckmann used the Wisconsin House as a public bulletin board, where citizens could acquire information on town events. The Wisconsin House also held a Democratic city caucus in the evening to elect two delegates to the county convention that was to be held in Cedarburg on Oct. 22, 1888. Beckmann’s Wisconsin House transferred ownership in 1909 to Josepf Herz, after he was forced to retire due to his failing health. On the real estate assessment roll for the city of Cedarburg, Herz is recorded as owning the business “formerly known as the Beckmann Hotel.” Beckmann died in 1918 at the age of 66. Ozaukee Historical Society records show Herz sold the Wisconsin House to John Alston Sr. in 1922. It ran as a rooming house for several years. It included a bowling alley and a tavern, while serving as a men’s store and a variety store at 1,700 square feet, a News Graphic article dated July 1983 reported. The article further said, after serving in World War II, John Alston Jr. and his wife LaVerne opened the business known today as Alston’s. The store expanded in 1951, 1957, 1960 and in 1964 to its present size of 15,000 square feet. The second floor was remodeled to resemble the building as it looked 50 years prior. Alston, the store’s owner, said in the article that he was conforming the design of his building to the downtown’s historic appearance. The modern redwood screen was removed and replaced with gray clapboard siding and white trim. Alston retired 37 years later, said the Ozaukee County Guide on Sept. 26, 1984. An awning that appears in turn-of-the-century photographs below the second story windows is a striped awning. One similar was added to the building in 2013 to “match the old-style look of the windows,” said former cultural center board member Jack Hale. A new blue and tan striped awning will adorn the south end of the building, though it will be without the redorange striping, Cedarburg City Planner Jon Censky said at a June 2 meeting. Architect Don Stauss explained at the meeting that the modifications were slightly different, so that the retail space, Joie, would have its own identity. Further modifications entail: new windows for the second floor in a cottage style, with divided lights, new doors which are more historic in appearance, change of the awnings from fixed to the more historically appropriate operable, the cladding of window frames with wood rather than aluminum, and reroofing of the building to eliminate the red shingles, new siding and new headers on the upstairs windows, which will be replaced to look more like what was originally in the building early on. The sills on the lower-level plate glass windows and the material around the windows will be made uniform, Cenksy said. The additional proposed changes “will only take place if there are sufficient funds available” and with the landmarks commission’s approval: ■ Replacing the second-story windows with Marvin wood windows ■ Replacing the roof shingles with Certainteed Designer shingles, weathered wood ■ Replacing the entire storefront, door, frame and glass, using insulated glass The proposed modifications were reviewed by the landmarks commission on May 22 and were unanimously recommended. Vice Chairman Mark Burgoyne said he appreciated that the cultural center continues to improve.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 13:18:53 +0000
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