A Milwaukee County department is planning to relocate its offices to the ASQ Center in downtown Milwaukee in a move that the county says will save taxpayers nearly $2 million.
The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) will occupy about 25,000 square feet of office space on the sixth floor of the ASQ Center, located at 600 N. Plankinton Ave., by the end of July, moving from the nearby Clark Building at 633 W. Wisconsin Ave.
The move will save county taxpayers around $1.9 million over the 11-year lease term, or $170,000 a year, compared to its 10-year lease at the Clark Building, according to a county report. The ASQ Center landlord, Minnesota-based Hempel Real Estate, is also providing $2 million for space modifications and buildout.
“After touring 10+ locations, (the) Economic Development (division) along with DAS leadership decided on moving forward with (the ASQ Center) due to its alignment to project goals and cost effectiveness,” the report says. “…Through the move, DAS can reduce its office footprint while providing a more vibrant space for employee engagement, connectivity, and amenities.”
John Davis and Ned Purtell of Founders 3 represented Hempel and Bill Bonifas and Matt Cariello of CBRE represented Milwaukee County.
DAS is currently one of multiple county departments with offices at the Clark Building, which is set to be largely converted to affordable apartments starting in 2026. In total, Milwaukee County occupies about 60,000 square feet at the building.
DAS will be downsizing its office space from about 42,000 square feet, according to the report. The county’s Office of Emergency Management, which has about 8,000 square feet at the Clark Building, will move to the Forensic Science and Protective Medicine Facility, which is currently under construction at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus in Wauwatosa.
The county’s decision to relocate its offices drove J. Jeffers & Co., which owns the Clark Building, to convert the upper 12 floors of the building into about 228 apartment units, founder Josh Jeffers said.
The move of the county’s Department of Administrative Services to the 240,000-square-foot ASQ Center will mark the third large tenant to make plans to move there recently. Last year, Veolia North America opened its 30,000-square-foot office in the building and Enerpac Tool Group plans to open a 56,000-square-foot headquarters office there in the coming months. The ASQ Center will be renamed the Enerpac Center upon the company’s move.
