Resident tells council State review board denied boundary decrease for Blair House nomination

A Waukesha resident told the Common Council on March 4 that the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Review Board did not approve a proposed boundary decrease for the Senator William Blair House’s National Register listing.

Lisa Sald, 434 Madison Street, told the council she received notice that “by a vote 8 to 4, the State Historic Preservation Review Board did not move to approve the Blair House additional documentation and boundary decrease” at its Feb. 21, 2025 meeting. She said the city staff had earlier sought a waiver from the local Waukesha Landmarks Commission of a 60-day notice requirement to process the boundary change and had agreed to submit a new full nomination as required by federal procedure.

Sald said the Landmarks Commission voted unanimously against the boundary change in December 2024, drafted a letter of opposition and that the letter and public comments were summarized at the state review board meeting. She asked the council to be aware of the state board’s action.

Why it matters: the National Register of Historic Places listing and any boundary changes affect how a site is documented and can influence future reviews, preservation decisions and public awareness. Council members did not take a formal action on the matter during the March 4 meeting; the remarks came during the public comment period.

What was on the record: Sald summarized the timeline she described: city staff requested a waiver of notice to the Landmarks Commission in July 2024; staff later indicated a full nomination would be submitted under federal procedural requirements; the Landmarks Commission voted against the boundary change in December 2024 and sent a letter of opposition; the state review board considered the issue on Feb. 21, 2025 and did not approve the boundary decrease by an 8–4 vote, according to the public notice read into the record.