The demolition of the 117-year-old former Judge’s Irish Pub building has seemed to be in the cards for a while as the now-long vacant building looks worse for the wear with each passing year. And it now appears its day – as well as for the house to its south – has likely come.
Milwaukee Business Journal reported this week that the former tavern at 1431 E. North Ave. was sold last week to developer Timothy Olson. Reporter Sean Ryan also noted that Olson’s company applied for a permit on July 18 to raze the house and the tavern, built in 1905.
Carpenter H. Janek built the one-story saloon – designed by architects Wolff & Ewens – for the Miller Brewing Company. You can read an in-depth history of the building and see photos taken inside a couple years back in this Urban Spelunking story.
According to Ryan, Olson’s Cambridge/North Development LLC has had the two properties – previously owned by Mike Lee – under contract since February of last year and completed the $400,000 purchase of July 22.
Just across the street, a series of buildings – including OnMilwaukee’s first office and the former RC’s bar – will be razed for a $14 million apartment and retail complex. There are also apartments planned for the former dairy building another block east. So, expect that stretch of East North Avenue to soon look completely different.
You can read an in-depth history and see vintage photos taken inside the old RC’s in this Urban Spelunking story.
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.
