Boutique Law Firm Buys Downtown Building

The leaders of a small but growing law firm are the new owners of a six-story, Westown office building.

OVB Law & Consulting managing partner Emil Ovbiagele, business partner Samantha Huddleston Baker and Emil’s wife Natalee Ovbiagele acquired the Bartels Building, 826 N. Plankinton Ave., for $1.85 million.

The firm will move to the 25,000-square-foot building’s sixth floor from leased office space at 839 N. Jefferson St. Other tenants in the newly-acquired building include Walgreens’ Community Pharmacy and Vivent Health.

OVB specializes in civil, business and employment law. According to its website, the firm’s employment roster currently includes three attorneys, two paralegals and an office assistant. Ovbiagele, who founded the firm in 2016, frequently represents business owners on licensing issues before the Milwaukee Common Council.

Ovbiagele is the president-elect of the Milwaukee Bar Association.

The riverfront building was constructed in 1900 according to city and state records. Designed by Buemming & Dick for the Pietsch Dye Works, it’s been known as the Bartels Building for the past several decades under owner Michael Bartels. It was sold by Bartels’ son, retired Snap-on executive Steven Bartels. Michael Bartels passed away in 2021.

The Bartels family owns three other properties on the street, the commercial space on the first floor of the Cawker Building, 814-820 N. Plankinton Ave. and 111 W. Kilbourn Ave. The latter two are being actively marketed for sale by Commercial United‘s John Czarnecki.

The OVB transaction closed on Nov. 30 according to state records. The acquiring entity is known as Horatio Properties LLC. Brian Parrish of Paradigm Real Estate LLC represented Horatio in its acquisition.

The property is assessed for $1.49 million.

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