Imagine a place nearby; in fact, it could be as close as your own back yard, where you could go for a relaxing day at the spa, in a restful, peaceful country-like setting. A place where they whisk your cares away, get relief from your aches and pains, and just relax, with wonderfully warm, mineral filled special mud, a therapeutic mud brought in from one of the finest moors in the country, as close to a fine European Moor Mud that you’d ever be able to find, to treat whatever ails you, mentally or physically. Or maybe just a facial, or even just some rest and relaxation? A place to stay, to get away from all the day to day stresses, family frictions, or just to visit to have a “Just For Me’ day. A place pleasant and comfortable enough that you want to invite all your distant relatives to come to town, and put them up in this resort for a night or a week, or longer. Imagine they serve the most naturally pure, fresh from the spring, ice cold spring water. Delivered directly to your room, or served in the spa. A place where the finest of meals are served, where you are treated as a very important person, as if, yes, YOU ARE A VIP!
Could this be the New Clark Hotel???? I didn’t see any plans for mud baths, but I did hear something about spa treatments. No, It’s not the Clark Hotel. It’s a place once known as the Grand View Health Resort. The resort was actually pretty successful. It opened in 1911 and lasted until well into the 1960’s. It’s initial success as a spa and mud bath ran until the depression of the 30’s set in, and changes were made adding activities like poker, slot machines and golf. In the 50’s and 60’s it was THE place to stay in Waukesha. Does any of this sound familiar? It should. Most people know it as Moor Downs, or Moor Mud Baths. Some remember it as Mt. S Paul ( in the 60’s to 1972, the Resort building and grounds were owned by the Salvation Brothers who turned it into a collage). In 1972, it was sold to Waukesha County, the entity that is responsible for this landmark building, spring house, golf course and park grounds.
But did you know the County plans to tear this building down? One of the last remnants of the great Springs Era of Waukesha, about the only thing that happened in this city to put it’s name on a map. A veritable playground for socialites from all over the country, from all over the world to come here to visit.
The county has a 5 year master plan, which I believe went into effect almost 2 years ago. This plan included the demolition of the Resort Building. About 10 years ago, the County invested in this building, doing an almost complete remodel that cost close to a million dollars. Now, within the next few years, they plan to spend 1.2 million JUST to tear down this beautiful LANDMARK and build something else in its place. They have already moved trailers into place to start storing records so they can combine departments, I think so that in a year or two, they can say the departments have out grown the building and they need to build a bigger, better NEW building.
I’m sure with the demolition of the resort; they will say they then need to take down the spring house. The spring house has been neglected for years. You can see a poor attempt at making repairs have been made, but they don’t look permanent. If you get a chance to look at it (it’s right on the golf course, you can see it from Moreland, or drive behind the Resort Building and take a look) you can almost see the roof is ready to cave in.
But there’s hope. The Landmarks Commission will be discussing this item on their agenda this week. They meet Wednesday night at city hall. Their agenda says they will have a report. I hope what they have to report is good news, that they intend to do whatever they can to save this building, spring and golf course. I thought they fought this battle a few years ago when they wanted to plant a jail on the golf course. Obviously this is a battle between the city and the county, a war of wills if you will. This is one more battle the city needs to fight for if they want to keep putting up signs that say HISTORIC on them, or we won’t have anything historic left.
And speaking of nothing historic left, it seems the Clark hotel has some problems of its own, the Landmark’s committee agenda lists the Clark Hotel having some issues with the masonry and awnings.
The Landmarks agenda list 21 properties that are coming before them Wednesday night for something called COA’s and LCP&R’s. I did some research, these are Certificates of Appropriateness, and Landmarks Commission Paint and Repair Grants. Seems if you live in a historic district or have an historic home you need a ‘COA’ to do the work you want to do, it’s not so much as permission, it’s to let the committee know you are doing the work the correct way. Maybe the committee is dedicated to saving some history. The paint and repair grants are for property owners as an incentive to keep up their historic homes.
I urge anyone who has any interest in trying to keep the ‘historic’ feel to Waukesha, to attend this meeting and perhaps get a chance to voice your opinion.
And if you can’t come to the meeting, please contact your alderman and county supervisor to let them know you don’t want the Moor Mud Baths, Grand View Resort Building demolished. The will know it as the Waukesha County Health and Human Services Building
Oh, and by the way, if they tear this building down, Resthaven, aka The New Tribes Bible Institute, will be the last resort….
May 19, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Too bad about the Moor Downs Building. I hear Dan Vrakas won’t even talk to the city about it. We’ll probably lose it.
And what’s up with the Clark Hotel? Had the scanner on this afternoon they had a fire alarm, automatically called in. The fire department shows up and they tell the WFD that didn’t even know it was hooked up. Don’t know if there was a fire or not, makes me wonder if they know what they are doing down there. And I thought the restaurant was suppose to open in May. It sure looks like they got themselves a mess there.
November 27, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Here we are are 7 months later. The upscale hotel and internationally renowned restaurant are ready to swan song the clientele with fine cuisine and luxury accommodations. Problem is, who the heck is dining out for $150 a pop these days?
Larry Nelson has his political future riding on the success of this ill timed venture. To top that, many citizens are angry and very skeptical over the plans by investor Chad Bauer to donate 2 million in infrastructure and bleachers in beloved Frame Park. Where does this guy get 2 mil for infrastructure only to run a business that charges “family entertainment prices” and still generates a return for investors by playing 34 games a year?
Where does the start-up cash, league fees, insurance, bonding, lines of credit for payroll, vendors, merchandise, utilities, security, etc. come from? It’s interesting that Mr. Bauer backed off from what was proposed to what’s actual being constructed. For instance, all the following are to be built at a later date: ticket booth, sections of the fan deck, the second section of the 1st field bleachers, scoreboard, skirting around the 3rd base bleachers. What is the city truly getting for 2 million that’s going to really upset an entire community whether this endeavor is a dismal failure or a huge success? Lack of parking, the lack of unprofessional urban planning, and poorly administered City business may be the demise of the Nelson administration and several of his City staff.
Certainly I hope not. But, given what’s happened to the Waukesha School District resulting from the Waukesha teacher’s union contract negotiated in 1999…. the track record speaks for itself.