For more virtual tours and tour information visit HCNI Home Tour Page
About the House
The Ernst Pommer House, built in 1895, is located in a neighborhood that, at one time, was home to many prosperous German-Americans. The architects, Herman P. Schnetzky and Eugene Leibert, were both born in Germany. They emigrated to this country in their early adulthood. During their five-year partnership, from 1891 to 1896, they produced many notable commercial and residential buildings. The Germania Building, 135 W. Wells Street, is their best known building.
Ernst Pommer was a prosperous German-American who ran a wholesale wine business from a shop on what is now Plankinton Avenue. Although prohibition brought an end to his business, he and his family lived in the home until 1922 when they moved to a smaller residence on Washington Boulevard. Pommer died in 1928, and his wife Marie in 1935.
Since1922, the structure, originally designed as a single-family home, has served many different purposes. In addition to being a rooming house, it was also used as a social service agency, and then a convent. More recently, the house was divided into eleven small apartments and single room dwellings.
In the early 1980's Concordia College bought the house - along with many others in the neighborhood - with intentions of tearing it down to provide room for expansion. In the process stained glass on the first floor was removed and sold but most of the original woodwork and ornamentation remains. When the college's plans changed the house was eventually bought by its current owner and is once again a single family home regaining much of its original stature and grandure.
About the Tour
When: Saturday, June 15th, 2019 10AM--4PM
Where: Tour headquarters is Greater Utopian Pentecostal, 2925 W State St.
Cost: $17 in advance. $20 day of event.
Phone: 414.459.9375 Website: www.hcni.org/home-tour
For more 360 interactive images and virtual tours visit the main Tour de Force 360 website.
