Milwaukee preservation commission approves front-porch reconstruction, places two roof cases on file and ratifies staff certificates

The Historic Preservation Commission on May 5 approved a certificate of appropriateness for a full-width front porch at 850 North 20th Street in the Concordia Historic District and took three procedural actions: it placed two roof cases on file as no longer necessary and ratified staff-approved certificates for multiple properties.

The commission’s approval clears the owner’s plan to reconstruct a full-width wood porch believed to be historically appropriate for the house and to replace concrete front steps with wood steps and handrails. Commissioners also voted to place two pending roof applications (files 241,957 and 241,958) on file after staff reported the applications were no longer necessary, and they ratified staff approvals for a set of staff-issued certificates of appropriateness (items 4 through 18 on the agenda).

Staff presentation and approval details A preservation staff member told the commission that photographic evidence and prior surveys showed the house once had a full-width front porch and…