The Grace Theater Building

Our main office is in the historic Silver City Main Street District in West Milwaukee. Our 10,000 sq ft office was originally a movie theater built in 1911.  Damage Control Inc. has been restoring the inside and out over the past 10 years.  Recently, we have undergone a tremendous remodeling of the office and kitchen areas.  The original crown molding, movie screen stage area and projection room can still be seen while walking through our office.

Located between 31st Street and Miller Parkway, the Silver City District has a very diverse multicultural population and a rich history. Early settlers were immigrants from French Canada, New England, Germany, Ireland, Poland and Italy. Immigrants came seeking jobs, following family connections, and hoping for a better life. Although they differed in language, customs and history, they all shared a common bond: the Menomonee Valley.  

Factory workers from the Valley spent their silver dollars at businesses along National Avenue, “coining” the nickname Silver City. The area was a growing commercial district in the early 1800’s, with National Park near 27th Street offering lake fishing, horse racing, the city’s first roller coaster and bicycle racing. Although the park closed in 1900, local industry continued to expand, with hundreds of new houses built on former park grounds.  

By 2000, Silver City welcomed Asian and Hispanic immigrants. Both new and longtime residents enliven the neighborhood with restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses serving a diverse cultural mix. Generations of families from around the world own and operate the businesses along National Avenue. Take a walk along National Avenue and you’ll find authentic Asian food and retail, as well as other unique items from around the globe like Columbian pastries, traditional Asian wedding dresses and one-of-a-kind jade jewelry. Residents and visitors alike would agree that Silver City is certainly an “Inter-National Experience.”  

Layton Boulevard West Neighbors (LBWN) works to revitalize the Silver City Main Street District. Designated as a Main Street Milwaukee District in February 2005, the Silver City Main Street uses the 4-point Approach, as developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Through promotion, organization, economic restructuring, and design, Silver City Main Street strives to restore the vitality once common in the community.