An unusual Art Deco-style building on Milwaukee's Historic Mitchell Street can be demolished to make way for a new development under a ruling by city officials.

Zuwena Cotton wants to replace a building her firm owns at 1101-1113 W. Historic Mitchell St. with a five-story development featuring street-level commercial space and 55 apartments on the upper floors.

The two-story, 47,000-square-foot building is in the West Historic Mitchell Street District. The Historic Preservation Commission on Dec. 5 voted 4-3 to deny permission to raze the building.

But the Common Council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee on Tuesday voted 5-0 to recommend the city accept Cotton's appeal of that decision. The full council is to review that appeal at its Jan. 17 meeting.

The building, constructed in 1891, was remodeled in the Art Deco style in 1937 and was for decades the site of Grand Department Store, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Its current tenants include Mitchell Beauty Supply Store.

It is both architecturally and historically significant, according to the preservation commission.

And, Cotton's proposal doesn't meet the city's criteria for allowing a historic building to be demolished, said Tim Askin, a city historic preservation planner.

Askin said the building "needs work," but said there is nothing structurally wrong with it.

Cotton told committee members the building has several problems, including corroded columns, a roof that needs replacing, an elevator that needs to be upgraded and chronic flooding.

Cotton, who operates BBE Investments and Development LLC, said she bought the building out of foreclosure two years ago with plans to renovate it and attract more commercial tenants. But renovating the underused building isn't economically feasible, she said.

She also disputed its significance, saying several Art Deco features were removed from the building during a 1984 remodeling.

Cotton's appeal is supported by Common Council President Jose Perez, whose district includes Historic Mitchell Street. Perez told committee members that the building is blighted, and its replacement is supported by neighborhood residents and business operators.

The committee's decision comes in the wake of recent complaints from Perez and others about some aspects of how the Historic Preservation Commission operates − which could bring changes.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more

Subscribe to get the BusinessWatch email newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Historic Milwaukee building can be razed and replaced, panel says