Pizza Man

Photo from onmilwaukee.com story.

I would be remiss if I didn't say something about the fire at Pizza Man. A four-alarm fire destroyed the whole block yesterday. I work half a mile away, and it was another one of those things like, "Let's go get a drink after work. We could all go down to Pizza Man," that never happened. We never went- the best of intentions gang aft agley. It's not Haiti or anything- everyone got out ok. But Milwaukee is a little sad right now. That wavy brick pattern on the corner of Oakland and North Avenue, that scrolling sign, gone.

Westlawn flowers

Just west of Growing Power on Silver Spring (at about 63rd Street or so) is this bountiful flower garden. It always strikes me as so colorful and amazing. It really brightens up the government-style housing at Westlawn. It makes such a difference.

Nestled snugly

Meanwhile, on the Marquette campus, adjacent to the interchange... This building is going up, nestled perfectly into the graceful curve of the on-ramp.

I am enjoying watching the process, as week by week I pass by. Since it's in a carpool situation, a couple weeks ago I handed my camera to my passenger, who got these for me (full disclosure).

It's just so perfect- the form, the shape.

School for Nvrses

This is the door of the original Columbia Hospital School for Nurses, which I attended in the 1990's; at that time, this building was used for staff offices. It's rather ornate inside as well.

Back in the day, every hospital had its own training program for nurses. Nursing education has changed a lot since then- what used to be mostly practical training programs (difficult ones, at that) morphed into baccalaureate, master's degree level, and now even doctoral level (not PhD, but actual doctorate degrees in nursing). Health care has changed also, even in the relatively short time that I've been working in the field- Obama's proposed national computerized charting system has my mind spinning, personally. But that is another topic for other blogs. I meant to write about hospital buildings themselves, and one special one in particular.

Detail of doorway. I especially adore this Latinate lettering.

I love ornate old buildings.

I love looking at them.

I love walking into them, into ancient doorways through which many have passed. I love marble or terrazzo stairways worn with countless footfalls, wooden banisters that have the patina of having been polished by years' worth of hands. I love old windows with uneven glass, even though they leak heat in our harsh Wisconsin winters. I love old buildings.

Same building- ivy-covered in the springtime. The first night I was there, I figured out how to sneak onto the roof, which became a favorite and special place.

I don't know what is going to happen to this place once the adjacent hospital is closed. My hope is that it will be made more energy-efficient and repurposed into at least somewhat-affordable condos or apartments. The rooms inside were just so beautiful; but even fifteen years ago, the whole building was in a sad state of disrepair.

Time will tell.

Just some architecture that I love

I will continue to briefly discuss the Columbia-St. Mary's architecture. (Part 1 is here and Part 2 is here).

I love this ancient St. Mary's Hospital building. A favorite place to visit, built in 1858. Many injured sailors were served here by nuns when life was dangerous in a different way than it is now.

This is the one built in the 1970's. I once read how the War Memorial (also by the lake, the original one- not the Calatrava) "makes concrete seem to float." That seems an apt description. This flower-shaped building is innovative- maximizing natural light, and making hospital units efficient and safe. Alas, progress must occur. Does it seem dated? Is it ugly? I like it. The renovated units were sunny and provided for safe patient care: the semicircle formation meant no long hallways, no faraway hidden places for unknowns to happen. It was all right there.

This is the new hospital. *Sigh*. Maybe it will be finished someday.

Here is the juxtaposition of all three.

And the really cool water tower next door. Just a lovely thing. Built in 1873.

I found this really cool website about some of Milwaukee's historic structures.

Enjoy!

Thoughts on architecture, healing, and the Starship

Current Orthopaedic Hospital building.

So... I've been spending a lot of time at PT at the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin, part of a cluster of Columbia-St. Mary's related buildings. The OHW isn't that old, but they are building a new one. A much uglier one- see below.

I really like the original glass OHW building. It's so open, so modern. There is a fountain in the - ..um...front? I'm never sure what is "the front" in a non-new urbanism building that you are supposed to drive to, like Panera or Trader Joe's a couple miles north on Silver Spring. (Of course, the idea of "walking to the orthopedic hospital"- despite the fact that I live four blocks away...induces almost-non-ironic laughter.) Anyway, I spend a bit of time enjoying the fountain every time I am there. Water fountain on the OHW patio. I visit it every time I am there.

It is very soothing and something about the heft of the stones, the beauty of the water, and its the peaceful aura offer a contrast with the modern glass in a way which I greatly enjoy.

The new building, however, (below) looks like some kind of claustrophobic school building, nearly windowless.

New Orthopaedic Hospital, under construction. I hope it somehow becomes more attractive.

My PT explained to me that the vast amount of glass, though nice for humans, was an invitation for frequent and inadvertent bird suicide. That was part of the reason for the new design; it is possible that energy savings were also a factor, though I note no solar panels. Knowing that natural light is so important for the psyche (and therefore healing), though, I have mixed feelings about it. Plus, it's not as though they are going to tear down the existing building: it will be repurposed into much-more-convenient offices. Please, birds, try to remember.

And then there's the Riverwoods building just down the way. Whenever I give people directions to get there, I tell them, "It kind of looks like a spaceship." Doesn't it sort of look like the Enterprise? Sort of? (Just say yes. It will make me feel happy- or at least not crazy.)

Riverwoods.
Someone once told me that the Human Resources building right on Port Washington Road "looks like an insane asylum." I prefer the Enterprise. I didn't get a picture of that one- the old Scott Paper Company, repurposed; you can see that one for yourself, just to the east of I-43, if you are so inclined.

UWM again

In another fine post today, Capper discussed (in a long post, which I invite you to read for yourself) the whole UWM invasion onto the County Grounds, stating that "the so-called County Board Economic and Community Development Committee foolishly voted to recommend all but giving away the county grounds to a private developer." One reason that it just rubs me the wrong way- besides the idea of developing the County green space that was supposed to remain open in perpetuity- is that I worked for Columbia Hospital for so many years and (overall) loved it. It's closing- gradually, slowly dying; my former unit already closed last year. Some of the buildings are historic, and rather ornate. It would be the best possible thing for everyone concerned if UWM bought the Columbia property.

Look at this map- the Columbia property is situated perfectly within the L-shaped UWM campus. (Yes, I know it is supposed to say "Downer Woods"; it's not the worst error ever made on an online map.)

There it is- perfectly nestled, just waiting to be repurposed as university space.