SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - The Sheboygan Armory will not receive a local historic building designation.
The Sheboygan Armory Foundation applied for this designation, and it was up for city council approval Monday after the Historic Preservation Commission recommended it.
Foundation member Colin Peters told council members the local designation can help with getting grant money to preserve the structure, especially if it can be labeled historic at the state and federal level. "Land-marking locally protects the exterior and condition of the building. I want to stress it does not guarantee that the building cannot come down in the future."
Several council members spoke at the meeting in support of the designation. Bill Thiel recently took a tour of the building, courtesy of the Armory Foundation, and said the structure seems sound with some repairs needed. Job Hou-Seye recounted his past work with the Sheboygan Masonic Lodge and what was needed to keep that structure viable for use today. He says the Armory could have a similar situation.
There were also several council members who spoke against the designation. Darryl Carlson says labeling the armory historic will hurt the city’s chances of selling the property for new development. He pointed to the recent attempt to have the SEAS group take over the property, only to have it delayed by 90 days due to a historic designation consideration. SEAS would decide to move their plans elsewhere in the city.
"In development deals we all know that time is of the essence," says Carlson. "So whether it’s five days, a week, or a month, or two months, or even 90 days, it could kill something - and I don’t think we need to do that."
Bryan Bitters also spoke against the development, saying making the structure historic will cost anyone who wants to try to develop the building for use today at least several million dollars.
In the end, the council voted six-to-five to deny the application. As of now, the structure stays as is with no official plans in place for it. The Armory Foundation is touting their own plan to renovate the building into a multipurpose facility for entertainment and community use. That plan has not been taken up by the Common Council.