A Maple Grove, Minnesota-based facilities planning firm has leased the fourth floor of the Jennaro Bros. building on Broadway in the Historic Third Ward.
Nexus Solutions is the first tenant of the building, built in 1909 and located at 322 N. Broadway, which is currently being redeveloped into an office building with first floor retail space by Joseph Property Development LLC.
Nexus Solutions will occupy about 6,600 square feet.
The company, has had a small office on the first floor of the Harbor Front condominium building at 601 E. Erie St., but has been wanting to expand its Milwaukee presence, said Michael David, director of business development at Nexus Solutions.
“With the renaissance that is going on in Milwaukee and as our local team has grown, we decided to invest in a larger, more permanent office,” David said. “We looked for a space that fit our company culture. We looked all over Milwaukee and while there are many fantastic locations, we really liked the energy and vibrancy of the Third Ward.”
About 15 employees will work in the office, but David anticipates doubling that number. Nexus Solutions also has an office in Madison.
Milwaukee developer Robert Joseph, owner of Joseph Property Development, purchased the 26,400-square-foot, four-story Jennaro Building in July 2016.
The first floor will be retail space or a restaurant, said Nathan Bernstein, director of commercial real estate for Joseph Property Development LLC.
The company is working with Rinka Chung Architecture to add a fifth floor penthouse with a terrace over the alley. The floor is made of glass so the office user can see below, Bernstein said.
The remaining floors have utilized the 100-year-old building’s existing bricks and heavy timbers. Additional windows have been cut into the building to add light.
“The raw material was so exceptional plus we added a little bit of Robert Joseph magic and have the dream team of Rinka Chung this is going to become an iconic building,” Bernstein said.
