One of Nation’s Largest Accounting Firms Moving to Downtown
Milwaukee to gain more than 150 jobs as part of suburbs-to-city move.
Vacant floor in The Huron Building in 2025. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Downtown Milwaukee has landed another corporate headquarters.
Wipfli will relocate its headquarters and 169 employees from Wauwatosa to the sixth floor of the Huron Building at 511 N. Broadway.
The national accounting and consulting firm provides audit, tax, technology and business advisory services to companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Founded in 1930, it has grown to become the 23rd-largest by revenue among the top 500 accounting firms in the United States.
“After 22 years in our current office, moving our headquarters to the Huron Building marks a significant new chapter for Wipfli,” said CEO Kurt Gresens in a statement. “Milwaukee is our headquarters and establishing our home in the Historic Financial District reflects our confidence in the city and our long-term commitment to our people, our clients and the Milwaukee community.”
The company’s Milwaukee office has long been located in leased space in the Milwaukee County Research Park in Wauwatosa.
The 11-story Huron Building was completed in 2020 by J. Jeffers & Co.
“This move gives our associates more than a new office,” said Gina Skibo, Wipfli’s Milwaukee market leader. “The Huron Building’s modern workspace, shared amenities and downtown setting will create more opportunities for our people to connect with one another and with Milwaukee’s business community. That energy and visibility will also help us attract great talent as we continue to grow.”
The building fills a gap between the Historic Third Ward and Downtown.
Law firm Husch Blackwell is the anchor tenant, occupying the top three floors, with Old National Bank leasing the eighth floor in 2022. An Old National Bank branch and Tupelo Honey Cafe fill the first floor.
In addition to its office space, the Huron Building provides parking for Jeffers’ renovation of the attached Mackie Building, which was built 146 years ago but nevertheless is clad in stone from the same quarry as the Huron Building. The Mackie Building, known for the Grain Exchange Room, now includes several apartments. Jeffers is now also converting the neighboring Mitchell Building to housing.
Wipfli, according to its website, has more than 3,000 employees across the country.
The firm is working with NELCO Architecture on its new space.
The commercial alteration permit indicates Wipfli will modify almost 12,000 square feet of space, but the permit may not encompass all of the space the company will ultimately occupy. A listing from building broker Hunter Real Estate says the floor had 21,000 square feet of space available.
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