Westown Lands Another New Tenant

The former Bon-Ton corporate headquarters, 640 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., landed another new tenant this week.

Now known as HUB640, the eight-story Boston Store Building was acquired by Chicago-based North Wells Capital in 2017 and fully redeveloped following the department store’s 2018 bankruptcy and subsequent liquidation.

Eight Eleven Group, a human capital solutions firm, is the latest firm to take up space in the building. It’s the second Milwaukee office for the Indianapolis-based company.

“For the sales team of Eight Eleven, it was an easy decision to move to a vibrant office building such as HUB640. Phenomenal amenities, state-of-the-art finishes — not to mention, nearby projects such as 3rd Street Market Hall and the convention center pushed this office location over the top,” said market director Nico Costa in a statement.

The company is leasing 7,500 square feet of space on the third floor of the building. It moved some employees into the building’s spec suite last week while it awaits a build-out of its space.

The company is one of the 10 largest staffing and consulting firms in the country and has officers in 28 markets. It has 22 employees in Wisconsin and oversees 300 independent consultants.

It is seeking to add five employees in 2021 and seven to 10 more in 2022 at its new Milwaukee office. It also has an office in the Riverfront Plaza building, 1110 N. Old World Third St.

“The Eight Eleven Group lease announcement is one of several recent lease and development transactions in the Westown neighborhood,” said North Wells principal Tony Lindsay. “We are excited to partner with a dynamic, creative organization such as Eight Eleven Group and look forward to their continued growth and success at HUB640, along with continued leasing momentum at the building.”

North Wells Capital was represented by Founders 3 brokers John Davis and Ned Purtell in the lease.

North Shore Healthcare signed a 10-year lease in April 2020 to move its headquarters, and 55 employees, from Glendale to 23,000 square feet of space on the building’s second floor.

North Wells announced in May that Founders 3 was hired to market the building to prospective tenants. A total of 205,000 square feet of office space was available for lease on floors two through five at that point, including all of floors three, four and five. The first floor contains a 66,125-square-foot space targeted at a retail tenant.

The Avenue, immediately east of HUB640 and connected via the skywalk system, landed Herzing University last week. TEMPO was announced as a new tenant in July. The 3rd Street Market Hall, on the former mall’s first floor, will open in October.

Milwaukee Tool will soon occupy an empty, 350,000-square-foot building located two blocks from HUB640.

North Wells completed the redevelopment of the building in the past year.

Engberg Anderson Architects was tasked with designing new spaces for a multi-tenant complex, including a new lobby, conference center, rooftop deck and fitness center. The tenant rooftop deck is located atop a two-story parking garage and loading dock structure on the east side of the building. That work was completed by Kelly Construction & Design.

The former Boston Store Building is actually two attached structures. A five-story building, dating back to 1895, is located at the intersection of N. Vel R. Phillips Ave. and W. Wisconsin Ave. An eight-story structure is located to the south, fronting W. Michigan St. and N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.

Prior owner WisPark already partnered with the Mandel Group to convert the top of the eight-story building to apartments.

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Aerial Photos

Former Boston Store