UWM’s Klotsche Center Expansion

UW-Milwaukee’s basketball programs will get a boost before the end of for their upcoming seasons.

Ground was broken in August 2021 for an addition to the Klotsche Center that will create dedicated space for both the men’s and women’s teams, freeing up space for non-athlete students and other sports teams in the existing facility.

The new 16,400-square-foot facility will be known as the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin Center.

“The new facility is well worth the wait,” said Amanda Braun, UWM director of athletics, at an August 2021 groundbreaking. “It will strengthen the basketball programs, benefit all students and create another selling point for UWM.”

The annex is being constructed on a site to the east of the current facility, 3409 N. Downer Ave. The site was most recently a surface parking lot. A skywalk will connect the annex with the existing center.

The new building will house a basketball court, strength and conditioning center, sports medicine facility and an athlete lounge.

In addition to a new facility, the men’s team has a new head coach. Bart Lundy took over the job this year, having previously coached the men’s team at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina. Kyle Rechlicz continues to coach the women’s team.

The men’s team primarily plays off-campus at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The women’s team continues to play most of its games on-campus in the arena at the Klotsche Center.

The original center opened in 1977 with renovations and expansions occurring in 1998 and 2005. The building is named for J. Martin Klotsche, the university’s first chancellor.

The latest expansion is being designed by architecture firm HGA. JP Cullen is leading the general contracting. Construction on the addition will be finalized by December 2022, the university says.

A UWM project website lists the cost as $8.1 million. But a school statement suggests the project is being funded with $2 million from the Orthopaedic Hospital and $7 million from student segregated fees.

There is no shortage of construction occurring on UWM’s campus. The university is in the process of demolishing a portion of the former Columbia Hospital for green space, constructing a new chemistry building and renovating the student union, as well as a number of other smaller projects.

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UPDATE: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the general contractor.