Iron Block Building

The Iron Block Building is a five-story commercial structure on East Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee. Its exterior displays ornate cast iron panels and Corinthian columns at street level, showcasing detailed craftsmanship from its construction period.

The building was constructed in 1860 and initially housed the Excelsior Lodge of Masons in its upper floors alongside commercial shops. It represents a period when cast iron construction became a symbol of industrial progress in urban American architecture.

The Renaissance Revival design by George H. Johnson represents a period when cast iron architecture demonstrated the intersection of industrial innovation and commercial development.

The building is located in downtown Milwaukee and is easily accessible on foot. It currently houses office spaces and commercial establishments that are mainly accessible during regular business hours.

The building contains an elevator from 1879 that remains among the oldest still-operating elevator systems in the Midwest. This mechanism demonstrates how the structure adapted to emerging mechanical advances of that era.