Wauwatosa-based accounting and consulting firm Wipfli LLP announced today that it has signed a lease to open an office in the Global Water Center, which is under construction in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood.
The Global Water Center is being built in a seven-story, 98,000-square-foot, 106-year-old warehouse at 223 W. Pittsburgh Ave. The $22 million project is expected to be complete in July. It is intended to be a water technology business accelerator center, a critical piece of efforts to establish Milwaukee as a global water technology hub.
Wipfli will lease space on the fifth floor of the building. The firm’s office there will offer a variety of subject-matter expertise and business solutions to meet the needs of businesses through all stages of their growth from financial and tax reporting and accounting services to grant funding, research and development tax credits, and more.
“As a firm with a history of supporting the state of Wisconsin, business growth and innovation, and a commitment to sustainability, Wipfli is thrilled to be involved with this initiative that benefits the state and business community on so many levels,” said Dave Christianson, Wipfli partner and past co-chair of the Milwaukee Water Council’s Economic Development Committee. “We look forward to providing advice to growing companies in the fresh water industry to help them achieve success. In our firm’s history, we have seen and been a part of the growth and development of a number of other industry segments throughout the state and are now proud to support and be a strong business partner to the evolving freshwater industry cluster. We are very excited to play a role in strengthening Southeastern Wisconsin’s leadership position in the industry and supporting the economic growth that will come from the Water Council’s efforts.”
The tenants in the Global Water Center will be a mix of larger firms, smaller firms, start-ups, business professional organizations and university researchers. The building is more than 75 percent leased. Besides Wipfli, other tenants committed to the building include The Water Council, Rexnord, Badger Meter Inc., A.O. Smith, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Greater Milwaukee Committee and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
