Saint James Court Apartments facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Saint James Court Apartments
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Saint James Court Apartments
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| Location | 831 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | Ferry & Clas |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000606 |
| Added to NRHP | July 2, 2008 |
The Saint James Court Apartments is a fancy apartment building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was built in 1903. A famous architecture firm called Ferry & Clas designed it. In 2008, this special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical place.
Building History
Alfred C. Clas first drew up plans for the building in 1895. But it wasn't built until 1903. That's when he bought the land for it. The apartments are right next to St. James Episcopal Church. They are also across the street from the Central Library. Both of these other buildings were also designed by Ferry & Clas. They are also on the National Register of Historic Places.
Design and Style
Alfred's brother, Louis Clas, built the apartment block. It is six stories tall. The design was inspired by a style called Beaux Arts. This style often uses grand and fancy details.
The front and side of the building have special decorations. These include corner quoins, which are like big stone blocks on the corners. There's also a cornice at the top. This is a decorative ledge with classical designs. It has modillion blocks and dentils, which look like small teeth. Several rows of windows stick out. These are called multi-story bays.
The main entrance is on the front. It has a single door with windows on the sides, called sidelights. Above the door is a wooden frieze with carved leaf designs. A round stone arch frames the whole entrance. The back and other side of the building are much simpler. Clas likely thought other large buildings would be built there later.
Inside the Apartments
When the building was new, each floor had four apartments. This made a total of 26 homes. An elevator served all the floors. This was quite unusual for buildings at that time.
The bigger apartments had formal dining rooms. These rooms came with built-in cabinets for dishes. There was even a special bell in the floor for calling a servant. Next to the kitchen pantry was a room just for the maid. Bathrooms had old-fashioned clawfoot tubs. Many apartments also had gas fireplaces. They also featured beautiful leaded glass windows.
In the basement, there was a doctor's office. There was also a central heating system. The janitor's apartment was also in the basement. The janitor was the person who took care of the building. They also helped residents when they were away.
Who Lived Here?
Clas added features like maid's rooms and fireplaces. He wanted to attract wealthy families. This was different from most apartments built in Milwaukee back then. Many were simple walk-up buildings. Others were like Chicago tenement-style homes. Alfred Clas himself lived in one of these apartments. He lived there from 1909 to 1920.
