River House destined for a wrecking ball

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

      With the building housing the former River House Pub and Grill in downtown Waterford is likely to come down in the near future, officials throughout Waterford are thinking about how the legendary site’s imprint in the village’s history can be retained.

      Last week, representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) held a public meeting to discuss the controversial issue. The agency brought in John Vogel, president and senior historian with Menomonee Falls-based Heritage Research Ltd., to share different scenarios.

      Despite outcries from some members of the community, DOT continues to maintain that the River House, 101 E. Main St., needs to be removed from its current location as state highways 20 and 83 are refurbished in coming years.

      While the building could hypothetically be relocated to a different site, the scenario seems unlikely because of the cost involved. The DOT’s firm stance means the River House still appears destined for the wrecking ball.

      Vogel said he and other members of his firm never delight in seeing historic buildings come down. But he acknowledged the River House building, in its current configuration, is viewed as an impediment to traffic along the village’s main thoroughfare.

      “We’re a firm of architectural historians,” Vogel noted. “We’re not engineers. But we’ve taken a look at the material and have looked at the various alternatives being considered. It’s important we understand this. Right now, a police officer is needed to direct traffic in that area during rush hour.”

      Vogel’s meeting with a group of about 25 residents and other interested people Dec. 11 focused mainly on so-called “mitigation plans” for the building – a phrase denoting how the building’s history could best be preserved.

      “This really represents the rebirth of Waterford after the fire,” Vogel said.

      He suggested people view the village’s downtown as a whole, in one group, as opposed to singling out the River House building. The row of buildings lining Main Street have roots going back to the 1920s.

      “There is some balance between trying to preserve something and moving forward with progress in the community,” Vogel commented. “We need to try and strike a balance.”

      Vogel noted eight of the 10 buildings within what has more recently become known as the Waterford Heritage Overlay District are significantly historic because they retain many of the original characteristics. The two buildings that have been “significantly altered” over the years are at 202 E. Main St. and 212 E. Main St.

Lower-cost options

      Taking the expensive relocation scenario out of the equation, Vogel said there are a number of low-cost mitigation plans that could be pursued.

      For example, the village could take steps to ensure the building is memorialized, photographically. A plaque could be erected at the building’s current site to commemorate its deep history in the community.

      Vogel’s Heritage Research specializes in creating high-quality posters of a variety of historic sites. The posters, he said, are designed not to fade within a 10-year span of time and generally share a building’s history, through photos and writing.

      A member of the audience inquired about saving some of the bricks from the building and using them to create some type of monument – a suggestion Vogel lauded.

      While he acknowledged the loss of the River House building is a significant alteration to the village’s downtown, Vogel said a number of illustrious related scenarios – including consideration into the National Register of Historic Places – are still on the table.

      “The loss of one building won’t jeopardize the eligibility of the rest of the buildings,” Vogel said.

      The full outcome of the River House building and its mitigation plan will ultimately be determined at some point in 2014 as planning for work along highways 20 and 83 progresses.

      The DOT is currently taking public comment on the historic preservation of the building. Written comments can be mailed to Janet Cannon at the DOT’s Southeast Region, 141 NW Barstow St., P.O. Box 798, Waukesha, WI 53187.