139-year-old Eastcastle Place on Milwaukee's east side listed in National Register of Historic Places

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Eastcastle Place, a retirement facility located on Milwaukee's east side, announced their original building has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 

According to a news release, this recognition names the Milwaukee Protestant Home for the Aged -- which is the original name for the community -- with this federal designation.

Designed by renowned Milwaukee architects Henry Koch and Herman Esser in 1892, the original Victorian Gothic building -- located at 2449 North Downer Avenue -- was styled after the châteaus of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century France, and boasts original woodwork, Tiffany memorial stained glass, Cyril Colnik metalwork staircases, steeply pitched roofs and towers, long verandas, and more.

To meet the changing needs of east side seniors, Eastcastle Place built considerable additions, expanding in 1962, the mid-1970s, 2000 and 2023.

“This is a tremendous honor,” shares Michael Brever, philanthropy director for Eastcastle Place, “With this recognition, our building will now receive the benefits and protections of the program, which include eligibility for both state and federal matching grants for restoration.”

At present, Eastcastle Place serves more than 200 seniors. 

“Our goal is to ensure our community is around for many more years and to support the seniors who desire our services,” elaborates Brever, “And with this listing, we are better set up for success to achieve that goal.”