Astor on the Lake
Encyclopedia
The Astor on the Lake is a low-rise building located in the Yankee Hill (East Town) neighborhood of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
style, the Astor was built in 1920 by developer Oscar Brachman for hotel tycoon Walter Schroeder. The building was originally U-shaped in plan, but an L-shaped addition in 1925 made the building in to the E-shape seen today. It has eight floors and stands 102 feet (31 m) high.
When the Astor on the Lake opened it was considered one of the finest Midwest hotels of the time. The façade is covered with gray limestone and has French Classical
details. A stained glass skylight hangs above the reception area while many of the rooms, which are now owner occupied, were of simpler design. The neighboring Knickerbocker Hotel was built to be a less refined copy of the building.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Description
Designed by architect Herbert Tullgren in Classical RevivalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style, the Astor was built in 1920 by developer Oscar Brachman for hotel tycoon Walter Schroeder. The building was originally U-shaped in plan, but an L-shaped addition in 1925 made the building in to the E-shape seen today. It has eight floors and stands 102 feet (31 m) high.
When the Astor on the Lake opened it was considered one of the finest Midwest hotels of the time. The façade is covered with gray limestone and has French Classical
French Baroque and Classicism
17th-century French art is generally referred to as Baroque, but from the mid to late 17th century, French art is more often referred to as Neo-classicism, which implies an adherence to certain rules of proportion and sobriety uncharacteristic of the Baroque as it was practiced in Southern and...
details. A stained glass skylight hangs above the reception area while many of the rooms, which are now owner occupied, were of simpler design. The neighboring Knickerbocker Hotel was built to be a less refined copy of the building.