Biography Herbert W. Tullgren

astor on lake, milwaukee, wisconsin

under martin, firm had built buildings such downer theater, astor on lake, , hotel retlaw. however, 1922 martin, had been ill several months, died @ age of 64, leaving herbert take charge of office. included design, office practice, , supervision. making him president of firm 1926 1936, before business dissolved.

during 1920s, herbert started other companies alongside family firm. in 1923, founded terra company, real estate company, along minard president, , carpenter emil grossmann vice president. sometime in 1927 or 1928, founded herbert w & s. minard tullgren, inc., real estate company. put herbert president, , minard vice president. however, in 1928 after minard’s death, pansy, minard’s widow, became vice president of herbert w & s. minard tullgren, inc. while herbert remained president of company, became treasurer of terra co., , emil grossmann became president.

by 1930s, herbert established architect having built multiple office buildings, apartments, hotels, theaters, , schools. in 1930s, herbert shifted sights more on building affordable middle working class urban housing. patented, patent no. 1896734, duplex (two-story) apartment design, in 1933 after finishing viking apartments in 1931. herbert sure of economic , functional advantages. viking apartments proved setting record occupancy during hard times @ 92%, when national average apartment 60%. viking apartments shown architecture fylgia corporation, company formed in 1931 c.e. , elmer johnson herbert president, had built.

confident in benefits of duplex apartments, herbert published pamphlet in 1937,the tullgren plan city housing, further describe social , economic benefits. floor plans included living room, dining room, , kitchen on 1 floor, , sleeping quarters , bathroom on floor above. public corridors not required on sleeping quarters floor, , creating more space. in fact, create 15% more space, oppose conventional single floor apartment. cutting down corridor space have needed furnished, equipped, heated, lit, , cleaned save 20% in maintenance cost. since sleeping quarters adjoined other sleeping quarters, create minimum sound other parts of apartments. overall, project cut construction cost @ least 15%, , still provide liquidating income, , profit owners.

along pamphlet description of tullgren plan residence apartment. plan 7 apartment buildings within same area. each apartment placed each family receive maximum sunlight , air. buildings would’ve occupied 22% less land, creating more open space around each building. more space meant more things landscaping. tullgren’s plan outside included sunken garden cour, pool, flower garden, shaded lawn, , promenade. there have been playground area small children between buildings, , facilities larger children. playground would’ve included usual playground equipment swings, sand pits, shallow wading pools, , camp-fire space. open space between buildings, allotted space laundry drying yards. tullgren saw possibilities project in plot of 206,965 square feet, offering maximum housing @ minimum cost. herbert’s ideal careful planning , government assistance amount great deal of affordable housing @ reasonable profit.

this mindset helped herbert become associated architect on parklawn public housing project during mid-1930s. parklawn endorsed administration of daniel hoan, mayor of milwaukee. included allied architects of milwaukee, association of milwaukee’s finest architects, included gerrit j de gelleke, peter brust, a.c. eschweiler, herbert tullgren, r.a. messner, , phelps wyman. project took vacant spot @ hope avenue between sherman boulevard , north 47th street. area selected because didn’t involve condemnation of private property. parklawn included 64 fireproof buildings 518 units of 3, 4, or 5 room rentals. day, parklawn still owned , leased housing authority of city of milwaukee.

by 1938, herbert published own magazine oversaw company, , @ own expense called architecture , design. magazine showcase of not tullgren’s office, contractors worked with. architecture , design aimed promote work in hopes of gaining more business.

however, herbert’s last documented building in milwaukee built in 1937, badger mutual insurance company building. shortly thereafter, in 1944, herbert died @ age of 54 heart disease. left behind son, herbert a. tullgren, 2 daughters, mary , allison, , wife eloise a., take on last of business concerns.