On Friday, crews are slated to finish installing the exterior windows covering the exterior of the new BMO Tower in downtown Milwaukee.
Construction of the 25-story office tower overall is scheduled to substantially finish in December. The project, which is on an accelerated schedule to meet its December deadline, has seen significant milestones throughout the year. They include the completion of its parking structure in March, the installation of the final structural steel beam in June and the completed installation of the glass exterior this week.
The sail-like parapet on the roof that will carry the BMO Harris Bank logo will likely be installed by mid-September, according to Rob Oldenburg, vice president of development of project developer Irgens Partners LLC, of Milwaukee.
The building features two retail spaces, one of which will be BMO’s new downtown bank branch that they’re moving over from next door at 770 N. Water St. The bank branch will face the corner of Water and Wells streets, while the second space will be nearest the corner of Broadway and Wells Street. Irgens is looking for a tenant — likely a restaurant — to fill that space, Oldenburg said.
In addressing the upward slope of the site from Water Street to Broadway, the building’s first-floor spaces were essentially made twice as tall, Oldenburg added. Both the main lobby and bank branch extend 33 feet from floor to the concrete deck above. The lobby, accessible from Water Street, will have a finished ceiling height of 28 feet, while the bank will have a 21-foot finished ceiling height. The second retail space is 19 feet tall, but the actual height with finished ceiling will depend on the tenant.
The BMO Tower is so far about 55% leased, with tenants including Michael Best & Friedrich, Heartland Advisors Inc., Andrus Intellectual Property Law LLP and BMO. The bank is leasing both office and retail space in the building.
Parking is located on floors three through 10. BMO’s offices will be all of floors 11, 14-16 and part of 17. Heartland Advisors will occupy a portion of the 12th floor, Andrus will lease a portion of the 22nd floor and Michael Best will be in a section of the 23rd floor and all of floors 24 and 25.
Oldenburg said Irgens has a handful of proposals out to prospective office tenants, and has given tours to a number of others.
BizTimes toured the ongoing construction project on Tuesday, when workers were installing the remaining floor-to-glass exterior windows on the building’s top floor.
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- A construction worker installing a glass panel to the BMO Tower’s top floor.
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- A view from the top floor of the 25-story BMO Tower.
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- A view from the BMO Tower’s top floor balcony.
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- Office space for BMO Tower tenant Michael Best & Friedrich has begun to take shape.
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- A view of City Hall from the BMO Tower’s 22nd floor.
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- Workers install a glass window pane on the BMO Tower’s 25th floor Tuesday afternoon.
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- Workers install a glass window pane on the BMO Tower’s 25th floor Tuesday afternoon.
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- Rob Oldenburg of Irgens displays a rendering of the BMO Tower’s front lobby while standing in the under-construction front lobby.
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- What will be the front lobby of the BMO Tower.
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- The retail space located at the corner of Broadway and Wells Street.
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- The BMO Tower’s lower-level fitness area will be available to commercial tenants.
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- Curved glass panels on the BMO Tower’s northwest corner.
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- The current BMO office building next door, 770 N. Water St., is also to be redeveloped by Irgens. The developer expects to soon begin cleaning the building’s exterior.
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- BMO’s office workers have access to an 11th floor balcony.
