by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 6:00 PM ET, Wed February 21, 2018
A historic Milwaukee building that was constructed in 1889 as a church and later used by the local Freemasons is being reimagined as a hotel.
The Humphrey Scottish Rite Masonic Center has undergone a variety of changes over the years and this year will bring about yet another chapter in the building's life, according to The Architect's Newspaper.
Two firms, Kraig Kalashian Architecture & Design and also Metro Studio, teamed up to develop renovation plans for the property, converting it to a hotel that includes a striking new 14-story glass tower.
The project is expected to cost about $60 million and will be complete in about two years.
The Milwaukee building is a historic landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's exterior features an ornate facade, including intricately carved figures and leaded-glass windows. The proposed hotel design would maintain some of the façade and much of the building's interior details as well.
The new glass tower that's to be added will contain 220 guest rooms. The lobby, meeting spaces, a restaurant, and an auditorium meanwhile, will all be located in the original building. There's also talk of adding a rooftop bar to the property.
Plans for the new hotel come amid a very dynamic time for the city, which includes a building boom the likes of which has not been seen in years.
A new $524 million Milwaukee Bucks' arena and entertainment complex is in the midst of construction. In addition, Northwestern Mutual opened a $450 million, 32-story glass-and-steel office tower in August.
The two projects are the most notable of more than 100 real estate projects that have either opened or are currently under construction in Milwaukee's burgeoning city center, according to The New York Times.
Last year the city came in at number two on Conde Nast's "6 U.S. Cities to Watch in 2017" list, recognized alongside other urban hotspots such as Indianapolis, Baltimore and St. Louis.
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