Local landlord Dan Katz, who owns many properties on the east side, including a considerable portion of the two blocks that comprise the Downer Avenue business district, is pushing a plan that has some neighbors upset. Katz wants to tear down five houses on the northeast corner of East Webster Place and North Stowell Avenue and replace them with a five-story apartment building.

The five houses, owned by Katz, John B. Crichton and Thomas A. Hauck, were built between 1899-1905 and have a combined assessed value of $631,500, according to city records.

In a story in last week's Shepherd Express, Doug Hissom reported that Katz told the Historic Preservation Committee two months ago that the houses were in need of repairs and were uninhabitable. At the time, the story said, Katz also claimed he had no plan for the property.

But now Katz will face the Common Council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee Oct. 30 at 9 a.m. at City Hall to discuss the matter. The meeting has been rescheduled from Oct. 10.

On the agenda is his plan for a five-story, approximately 40-unit apartment building along with underground parking for those units and for apartments Katz reportedly plans for the upper floors of 2559 N. Downer Ave. That building houses a Schwartz Bookshop and Starbucks Coffee at street level.

Neighbors are expected to turn up in force at Tuesday's meeting. Some have argued that the houses should be protected as historic properties and that they fit the neighborhood better than would another apartment building, which, they claim, would further strain an already difficult parking situation.

In a story in Friday's Journal Sentinel, Katz balked at arguments that the homes are historic. "The Pabst Mansion is historic," Katz told reporter Tom Daykin. "These are five sh*tty houses. They're just dumps."

At least a few neighbors disagreed.

Jenn Danko, who moved to Stowell Avenue a few months ago from Chicago, said that when she first saw the houses, she was impressed by them.

"It's kind of funny that this has come up. When I was looking at places, I remember thinking, 'Wow, those are really nice houses.' It would be a shame to see that happen.

"The vintage charm; that's part of the charm of the neighborhood. It's a unique area of the city. It's why I moved there (to the east side)," said Danko, who works in Waukesha.

OnMilwaukee.com's Andrew Tarnoff is a resident of Stowell Avenue and lives just a few doors down from the threatened houses. He echoed Danko's theory that the historic charm is a factor in the neighborhood's popularity.

"One of the main reasons I've chosen to live on Stowell for the last five years is because of the street's charm," Tarnoff said. "Razing five old houses, turning them into a parking lot or an ugly building would do irreparable damage to the neighborhood's personality."

Danko expressed wonder that anyone would want to pull down those houses.

"I don't know why he'd want to do something like that," she said. "I'm not really sure what type of building he'd want to put there. I don't know that it would have a similar feel."

Tarnoff, on the other hand, said he believes that Katz's handling of other neighborhood buildings shows that the landlord doesn't always make his moves based on what's good for the area.

"It sounds to me like Dan Katz doesn't care about the neighborhood, though he tries to buy up all its properties," said Tarnoff. "The demise of the Coffee Trader should have been a warning beacon as to his intentions. I'd like to see the whole neighborhood come out to oppose this plan."