Milwaukee-based JCP Construction, LLC has been selected as the general contractor to build the new global headquarters for Bader Philanthropies, Inc. on Martin Luther King Drive in Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood.
JCP recently purchased its office building on King Drive and since launching the firm less than 10 years ago, has been working on several notable projects in the city including Pete’s Fruit Market in the Bronzeville district, General Mitchell International Airport’s-Baggage Claim area. The firm is also part of the Milwaukee Bucks arena construction project and was part of the Northwestern Mutual Tower & Commons project.
Daniel Bader, president and CEO of Bader Philanthropies said JCP Construction was chosen as the general contractor because of the company’s experience in producing quality work.
“We hope this experience helps JCP take its business to the next level and positions it for more competitive projects in the future,” Bader said.
This marks the first time JCP has been hired as the general contractor for a project of this size.
James Phelps, president of JCP Construction, and his brothers, Jalen and Clifton Phelps, who co-own JCP, grew up on 2nd and Locust streets, about a mile from the new Bader Philanthropies headquarters. Phelps said he remembers driving by the site when he was a child at least three times a week.
“When I heard they were coming to the neighborhood, I  was all over it, I wanted to be a part of this project,” Phelps said. “Being chosen as the general contractor is rewarding to say the least. That doesn’t even begin to describe it.”
Frank Cumberbatch, project manager at Bader Philanthropies, said numerous firms were considered but the organization wanted to live its mission and chose a capable minority-owned organization to lead the project.
“Today, in the marketplace, one of the fastest growing minority companies across the board – not just in construction – is JCP,” Cumberbatch said. “We put them through an intensive interview process and in checking their work came to the conclusion they really fit who we wanted for the project.”
In August, Bader Philanthropies, formerly known as the Helen Bader Foundation, announced it would move its headquarters from the Historic Third Ward to Harambee.
The $9.5 million project involves renovating a 90-year-old, two-story building at 3318 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and expanding it. Bader Philanthropies also purchased two other private properties and four sites owned by the City of Milwaukee.
Buildings on those sites, in the 3300 block of Martin Luther King Drive, will be razed to provide room for the building addition and for up to 50 parking spaces and green space.
The new headquarters is tentatively scheduled to open in summer 2018.
Phelps said he has put together a good team and is anxious to get started on construction, which will begin when the ground thaws.
“This is another feather in our cap in our portfolio, and one of many projects to come in our future,” Phelps said.
The new headquarters development is being funded entirely by the Bader family. The foundation will continue to support organizations throughout the greater Milwaukee area and Wisconsin at its current funding level.
Since 1992, Bader Philanthropies has granted more than $265 million and has given more than 6,000 grants to nonprofits in the greater Milwaukee area, Wisconsin and 10 different countries.
