History of the East Side Milwaukee Clock Tower

The History of the Clock Tower Building

The iconic Clock Tower in Milwaukee’s East Side has been a Beloved Neighborhood Landmark for Nearly a Century

Originally constructed in 1924 as part of the Coakley Brothers warehouse—a prominent terracotta-faced commercial building designed by George S. Kingsley with a 1928 addition by Eschweiler & Eschweiler—the six-story structure at the corner of Prospect and North Avenues was one of Wisconsin’s largest warehouses of its time.

Its distinctive three-faced clock, perched atop the tower, quickly became a trusted reference point for locals and visitors alike, helping generations keep time amidst the bustle of the city’s expanding commercial district. Over the decades the building evolved with a mix of retail, offices, and community businesses, but the clock tower endures as a symbol of the East Side’s rich architectural and cultural heritage.

Hidden Gem Comes to Light on Prospect

Story by Jim Love - Riverwest Currents

July 17, 2006
www.riverwestcurrents.org

It’s like burrowing your hand into a box of Cracker Jack to find the mysterious prize. During a recent façade inspection at the building located at 2266 N. Prospect Ave., workers discovered a terra cotta frieze, probably hidden since the early 1960s.

According to the building’s co-owner, Carole Wehner, the Egyptian-theme frieze could be seen when workers dropped cameras behind the façade. The city of Milwaukee requires buildings six stories or higher to undergo periodic façade inspections, she said.

Preservation Planner Paul Jakubovich, of the City of Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission, said the building was completed in 1925 for Coakley Brothers Moving & Storage. Jakubovich quoted a May 10, 1925 Milwaukee Journalpress clipping, “The building was the largest warehouse in Wisconsin.” The architect was George Kingsley, who, three years earlier, designed Chicago’s Reebie Storage and Moving Company, which incorporated similar themes.

Tim Kortsch, president of Kortsch ABC Moving & Storage Co., 2403 N. Maryland Ave., said his grandfather, William Kortsch, remembers when the Prospect building was completed.

“My grandfather said the ’20s were the golden age of warehouses, and the use of the Egyptian themes was in keeping with the idea that pyramids were used for storage,” said Kortsch.

Egyptian Sculture - The Clocktower Milwaukee

At this point, the façade has been removed. It could be a while, however, before the renovation is finished.

“Right now, we’re in the bidding phase,” said Wehner. This consists of figuring out how to restore the terra cotta, especially around the windows, and how everything should look when done.

“The terra cotta itself is in pretty good shape,” said Wehner. Many of the portions, such as the medallions, can be replicated. “We (Wehner and her business partner for Caro Properties, Roxanne Kupfer) are not sure of the cost,” she said. “It could be on the lower end or more on the higher end. Probably more on the higher end,” Wehner added with a laugh.

During the 1950s, the structure was used as a Studebaker showroom, and there’s a large photo of this incarnation of the building hanging on the wall just inside the entrance. Prior to that time, however, Wehner and Jakubovich don’t know what may have occupied the building.

“We do know that the building had two ‘lives,’” Jakubovich explained, “one before the early 60s, and the other when it took on a new life in the 60s, which is what you saw until the recent restoration when it was converted to office space.”

Jakubovich certainly thinks the terra cotta frieze uncovered on the Prospect building is a wonderful find. People who come across such jewels often contact the Historic Preservation Commission with questions such as “what now?”>

“We’re basically here as a resource,” said Jakubovich. “We offer advice, we can give references, and we can let someone know if they’re eligible for a potential façade grant — potential being the key word,” he added.

Asked if anything similar to the Prospect building has been found recently, Jakubovich said they’re finding things all the time. “Some small things, some big things,” he said. Jakubovich cites a recent discovery on the East Side of a home where siding was removed and six previously unknown windows were uncovered.

Once the restoration is complete, Wehner doesn’t have any special plans with the building. “The space is pretty much filled,” she said. The office space is home to high tech users such as those in the computer field, recording field and a graphic design studio.

“We’re just very excited by this discovery,” said Wehner.