Northwestern Mutual’s Tower Hits the Heights
The 32-story tower is nearly at its maximum height.
Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Northwestern Mutual‘s new office tower keeps rising ever higher. At this time last year the $450 million complex was merely a hole in the ground, but now it’s nearly 32 stories tall. Despite the dramatic change, it’s still going to take until 2017 for the project to be completed.
When complete, Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons will have 1.1 million square-feet of space spread out of 32 floors in the tower and attached three-story “commons” building. When complete it will be the biggest building in Milwaukee, having more interior space than the US Bank Center or new Bucks arena.
Already enclosed is the dramatic lobby space in the tower, which sticks out towards O’Donnell Park and certainly offers stunning views of Lake Michigan.
The design of the complex is being led by architecture firm Pickard Chilton, with general contracting work taking place under the guidance of a partnership of Gilbane Building Co. and C.G. Schmidt Inc.
While far from complete, the tower is already visible from near and far. Virtually everywhere the adjacent US Bank Center can be seen, the new Northwestern Mutual tower is equally visible right there beside it.
Photo Gallery
Residential Tower Update
Across N. Van Buren St., demolition is nearing completion for the site of the company’s 34-story residential tower at 777 N. Van Buren St. That building will also include a parking garage for over 1,000 vehicles to park employees at the new tower.
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Would be great if they surprised the public and added a few additional floors and become the tallest building in WI.
Only thirty-two stories? What a missed opportunity to make a grand statement. Particularly when the residential building is planned for 34 stories.
NML it’s not too late.
I think the building will be 37 floors. Check it out.
my understanding is that it will be around 550ft tall, it will be the second tallest building in the state. It will has high ceilings. the NML Residential tower, while it has a higher floor count, will be much shorter in actuality, residential properties have shorter floor to ceiling floors.
They really wanted to go taller, but the marginal cost of adding additional vertical footage was becoming much too great.
I don’t understand the comments about the tower being a missed opportunity; this is a splendid and tall building. So what if it isn’t the tallest? JCI may claim that title anyway in a few years.
What a wasted opportunity! A once in a generation chance to claim title of City’s Tallest skyscraper. And they blew it. Typical Milwaukee small thinking!
a technicality, but I’m pretty sure the Allen Bradley is the largest building in the city of MKE at over 1.3 million SF. Even the post office of st paul is over 1.1 million SF.
I think northwestern insurance is the start of a new era for downtown Milwaukee and that development will bring about many other tall buildings to that part of downtown in future years to come its good to see milwaukees skyline change!